Working while studying had never been a choice for 23-year-old Jindam Srinivas. Hailing from Tadla Rampur, a small village in north Telangana’s Nizamabad district, where a petty shop is his family’s only source of income, Jindam, who is aiming to become a teacher, is pursuing his Bachelor of Education (BEd) at Kakatiya BEd college in Nizamabad, has already stepped into the profession, part time, at a private school to support himself and his family.
A typical day for Jindam involves going to school in the morning and teaching for three to four hours and then attending BEd classes in the afternoon. He earns around `6,000 per month, which is sufficient to live in a small town like Nizamabad. Jindam pays for all his expenses with his earnings, and that includes his fees and hostel accommodation.
His family having a meagre income, Jindam also has the responsibility of educating his younger sister, a Class XII student, along with supporting his family. However, this is not the first time he has been working to meet expenses. He has worked in a medical agency as a delivery boy during his undergraduation, and had also worked at a fruit juice shop for a few months before getting a teaching job.
After finishing his graduation in Biochemistry from Girraj College at Nizamabad, Jindam went to Kakatiya University in Warangal to pursue his Master’s in English Literature. Friends draw inspiration from Jindam, who dreams to open his own school one day. When asked if he feels burdened by his job and studies, he smiles and says, “Not everybody gets everything. We have to adjust with what we’ve got and fight to get what we want to have.”
Durgam.jeevan@newindianexpress.com