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Lucknow teen fights cancer to score 97.75% in ISC Class 12 exam
Pramita Tewari was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia in August 2021 – four months before her first-semester ISC exams. She covered the syllabus while being in hospital
LUCKNOW Pramita Tewari, 18, a Class 12 student of Seth MR Jaipuria School in Lucknow, suffered a setback when she was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia, a cancer of blood and bone marrow, in August 2021 – four months before her first-semester ISC board exams.
But she scored 97.75% in the CISCE ISC Class 12 exams, results of which were declared on Sunday. Pramita covered the syllabus while being in hospital for cancer treatment..
“I experienced constant back pain and fatigue and consulted lot of doctors, but nothing happened. My parents thought it was perhaps due to my long hours on the laptop. However, one day I was asked to undergo a blood test and then I came to know about this,” said Pratima.
Pramita underwent her first chemotherapy in August 2021 in Lucknow, following which she was shifted to a hospital in Gurugram for two rounds of chemotherapy followed by a bone marrow transplant. “During treatment, I couldn’t focus much on studies, as chemo is painful and makes you weak as well,” she lamented.
Her parents were equally sad to see their ailing daughter. “It is heart-breaking to see one’s child in such a condition at such an early age,” said Pramita’s father Utkarsh Tewari, a businessman. However, the parents are proud that their daughter has not only overcome the odds, but has also come out with flying colours in the exam.
“She has made us proud. I pray to God that she remains healthy in her life. Doctors say it will take 5 years for her to recover fully,” he added.
“Initially, I thought I wouldn’t be able to take the exams. But I decided to give it a go and decided to study for the exams,” she added.
Pramita would bring her books to hospitals and study on her stretcher. “With no strategy in mind, I kept studying as this is something I love most and the exams were a big motivation,” she said. “My friends kept me informed through online study material, which helped a lot,” she added.
Biology being her favourite subject, Pramita wants to become a doctor in future. She is feeling well after the bone transplant and two successful chemotherapies and looks forward to achieving her targets.
Terming Pramita’s case as a special one, Seth MR Jaipuria School (Gomti Nagar campus) wrote to the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examination to make provision to conduct the examination in Gurugram.
“I’m lucky and thankful that the council made this special arrangement for me,” she said.
“As Pramita’s case was different, we wrote to the council, requesting that the semester 1 examination be held in Gurugram. They responded to the letter with compassion and made arrangements for the child. We also spoke to the principal of Shri Ram School in Gurugram (where the exam was to be held) about making separate arrangements,” said Promini Chopra, principal, Seth MR Jaipuria School, Lucknow.
“As Pramita was supposed to be in Gurugram again in the second semester, similar arrangements were made again. The council was extremely helpful throughout the process,” added Chopra.
