NEET exams being conducted. (Representative image)
Credit: iStock photo
Bathinda: Three daughters of a daily wager mother and 'granthi' father, made their way into academics by clearing the UGC-NET, despite tough odds.
Rimpi Kaur, Hardeep Kaur, and Beant Kaur, aged 28, 23, and 26, hail from Budhlada in Mansa district, the least literate district in the state of Punjab.
The three cleared the University Grants Commission-National Eligibility Test in different subjects.
The results of the exams conducted by the National Testing Agency were declared recently.
"My elder sister wants to be a professor in computer science, while my younger sister, Hardeep Kaur, and I are working hard for a JRF (Junior Research Fellowship). We are confident we will get it," Beant Kaur said. "We know that only studies can take us out of poverty," she said, attributing their success to hard work and determination.
The three sisters also have a brother, who has been dealing with a health issue for the past some time. The youngest, Hardeep, cleared the UGC-NET for the second time in a row and is training her eyes on getting a JRF in Punjabi. Bikkar Singh, their father, said he was glad to see her daughters getting what they wanted.
"The sole credit is their hard work. Their own determination has led to their success," he said. "All three daughters have made me proud."
Bikkar Singh said the three worked in a private school for some time to meet their expenses. The candidates, upon clearing the UGC-NET, become eligible to apply for the post of assistant professor. Those who qualify for the JRF can also receive a monthly stipend to pursue research and a PhD.