When life gives you lemons, make lemonade and smile! Something similar was thought of by a small group of students back in 2002-03. When their locality was hit by terror and insurgency, and there was no other place to study, they thought of a railway station becoming a study hub. Welcome to platforms 1 and 2 of the Sasaram Railway Junction in Bihar. For every two hours during the morning and evening, these platforms turn into a coaching class for young aspirants of the region.
Students come here to prepare for the Indian Administrative Services (IAS), the state civil services, various bank examinations, and entry into the technical and management fields through the IITs and IIMs. The heartfelt initiative that began nearly 23 years ago, still continues to shape the careers of young aspirants. The study groups have now turned into an 'institution' in themselves. The seniors, who have become successful, or even haven't, come every day without fail to give coaching to the younger students, a ritual embraced with time.
The students use the platforms to take their lessons and receive guidance from the seniors, who not only give tips to them for the written examinations, but also prepare them for interviews.
No one finds a way out unless it is a problem of their own. The students chose Sasaram Railway Station as it has 24/7 availability of electricity. There is no power off. The nearby villages, to which they belong, have no electricity, or there are frequent power cuts. Moreover, the boys, who are mostly from the Rohtas district, study here as it is hit by the Left Wing Insurgency.
The students think that a government job might be a solution for their struggles and the problems of their dear ones. Taking advantage of the well-lit station, the young aspirants study hard to achieve their dreams.
Some of the boys opt to stay back at the railway station during the night. Now, the Sasaram Railway Station acknowledges its role in driving the careers of young individuals. It has issued 500 identity cards to the boys, allowing them to come and study at the premises.
As much as we appreciate the initiative taken by the young students, it is a shame for the Government mechanism and our authorities. What started back in 2002-03 due to a lack of electricity and terror in the backward terrains, still continues.
Why? Isn't it a question mark on our government and administration there? When you are not able to provide better education facilities and infrastructure, it is the 'jugaad' on which the students rely. Something that they had to arrange on their own, which is a bare minimum; be it electricity, space, or reaching out for education. A railway platform becomes a classroom is not a tale of aspiration, but ignorance.
And in this case, we too fail as a society. Our indifference makes it more miserable. There is no upliftment this way, and the Government needs to understand this. With assembly elections scheduled this year in Bihar, amid all the promises and dreams, there is still a lot more to do at a grassroots level.
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