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Ludhiana: Meritorious school student bags IISER seat, but funds a worry
Simran, 18, a student of the 2023–24 batch from the Meritorious School, Ludhiana, has secured admission in the five-year BS-MS dual degree programme at IISER after achieving an impressive rank of 452 in the General-EWS category
In a first for the Senior Secondary Residential School for Meritorious Students, Ludhiana, a girl from Jalalabad has secured a seat at the prestigious Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Mohali. But behind this academic triumph lies a story of grit and an uphill financial struggle that has now forced her to seek an education loan of nearly ₹8 lakh.
Simran, 18, a student of the 2023–24 batch from the Meritorious School, Ludhiana, has secured admission in the five-year BS-MS dual degree programme at IISER after achieving an impressive rank of 452 in the General-EWS category. She also cracked the JEE Advanced with an All-India Rank of 5,000. According to her, the academic high is overshadowed by the financial burden that accompanies it.
“My father is a farmer and my mother works as an ASHA worker. I have two siblings still pursuing studies. With our limited family income, there is no way to pay for my education without taking a loan,” Simran shared. “The total expense, including fees, adds up to ₹7–8 lakh, excluding mess and transport, I have no other option but to consider taking a loan.”
Simran’s academic journey has been equally inspiring. A state rank holder in both Class 10 and 12, she passed Class 10 from a government school in Jalalabad, before which she was a CBSE student. After her family faced severe financial constraints during the pandemic, she was admitted to a government school. She then moved to the Meritorious School in Ludhiana for Class 11 and 12, choosing the non-medical stream to follow her dream of becoming a researcher.
“There were days when continuing school itself felt like a challenge, but I never gave up,” she said. “I credit my parents and teachers, especially my physics teacher Lakhvir Singh, for believing in me.”
With no scholarship support from the state government and no aid forthcoming, Simran says she is left to rely entirely on her performance during the course, to repay her loan. “I had even taken a drop year to prepare for both JEE and IISER. Now, I must study even harder so I can earn a scholarship in the coming semesters,” she added.
School principal Satwant Kaur expressed pride in Simran’s achievement and said she will raise the matter with district education officials. “Such talent deserves full support. I will speak to the higher authorities to try and get her financial assistance,” she said.
Despite multiple attempts, district education officer (secondary) Dimple Madaan did not respond.
