For 44th time, Hussain fails board exams

When the Uttar Pradesh Board’s High School examination results were declared, 67-year-old Jabbar Hussain was anxiously searching his roll number in the pass list. But this time again he returned a disappointed man.For the 44th consecutive year, Hussain could not clear his board examination, reports Kenneth John.

When the Uttar Pradesh Board’s High School examination results were declared on Saturday, 67-year-old Jabbar Hussain was anxiously searching his roll number in the pass list. But this time again he returned a disappointed man.

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For the 44th consecutive year, Hussain could not clear his board examination.

A student of Dayanand Inter College, Bindki, Fatehpur for High School, the lanky sexagenarian has not given up.

“I will study till my death. I will study hard for the 2010 exams. I am weak in English and Science. I don’t have money otherwise I would have joined a coaching institute,” said Hussain, a cobbler.

He appeared for his first board exams in 1965. All mark sheets and certificates are painstakingly collected and preserved by Hussain who paid a heavy price for his failure.

He was divorced by his wife a couple of decades ago after his studies became a sore point in their marital life.

But Hussain is happy for his grandson who has cleared the exams. “He (Hussain) knows tables up to 20 well, but his English grammar and spelling requires extra attention,” said Azhar, Hussain’s grandson who helped him prepare for the exams.

Hussain, who has three sons, two daughters and eight grandchildren, said: “Ilm (knowledge) can make a person attain economic prosperity and social status. One can even become president of the nation. Why can't I be one of them? My wife could not understand my feelings. She divorced me just because of my studies.”