Hoping to pass - at 35th attempt

BBC ^ | Thursday, 15 April, 2004, 14:35 GMT 15:35 UK | BBC

[AnIndianFromIndia]

A 68-year-old man is preparing to take his secondary school exam in India - for the 35th time. Shyoram Yadav, from the village of Tasing in Rajasthan, has been trying to pass the exam since 1969.

Mr Yadav's efforts are supported by all in his village He has vowed to remain unmarried until he does.

"Education is everything in life," Mr Yadav told BBC World Service's Outlook programme.

"Education rules the world: education is supreme even among your own brothers, your own society, your government, and abroad."

Tripped up

So far, Mr Yadav has failed a different subject each year.

He doesn't want help from anyone and he'd never copy anyone else's work

Lekhraj, old exam colleague

He says that when he attempts to improve on a failed exam the following year, another subject trips him up.

Clad in traditional Indian dress, he walks about three kilometres from his village to Tasing's secondary school every day.

Vice-principal Devi Singh Yadav says that when he first met Shyoram in 1999, he thought he was a guardian of one of the children.

"Mr Shyoram was walking quickly towards the exam room and a few children were also on their way there," he recalled.

"I stopped him and said only children would be allowed in, not parents, but to my surprise Shyoram told me he was an examinee himself.

"I did not believe him and asked him to produce his admission letter. When he showed me the letter, all the school staff gathered around and it became a major issue for us to discuss."

Hopeful villagers

Mr Yadav has been a regular examinee at the school since that day five years ago.

Mr Yadav's efforts are supported by all in his village

Everyone in the education department in his district knows him because he has appeared at every exam centre around Alwar.

Mr Yadav's fellow villagers are hopeful he will pass this year.

"It was his wish to pass the grade 10 exam and then to get married, but so far God has not favoured him," Hanuman Goyal, also from Tasing, who took the same exam as Mr Yadav some years ago, told Outlook.

"He has attempted the exam 33 or 34 times. Let us see whether his wish will be granted this time."

However, as time wears on things become harder for Mr Yadav. At the age of 68, he now suffers from a hearing problem.

However, he remains determined to achieve his goal.

Lekhraj, an old learning colleague who took exams with Mr Yadav in 1972, praises his dedication.

"He wants to pass the exam on his own. He doesn't want help from anyone and he'd never copy anyone else's work," he says.

"That's why we respect him."

[AnIndianFromIndia]

"Mr Yadav's efforts are supported by all in his village"

..."That's why we respect him."

[expatguy]

You wouldn't happen to be from India would you?

[gr8eman]

He should just come to the US. They will happily lower the standards to make everyone feel good!
Although this gentleman may be dense...I don't think he is that stupid!

[Centurion2000]

some people are just stupid .... gotta admire his determination though.

[raybbr]

"Education is everything in life," Mr Yadav told BBC World Service's Outlook programme.

Coming from him this is a joke, right?

[banjo joe]

Your next AmEx help-line 'assistant'.

[Rebelbase]

This question trips him up everyone:

Abu is on a train travelling 80kmh away from Bombay. Amir is on another train travelling 100kmn toward Bombay.

What time is it in Calcutta?

[pepperhead]

Well here is to hoping he finally passes.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Poster child for the perpetual student.

[little jeremiah]

Lekhraj - doesn't that literally mean "king of writers"? Interesting name for an examiner.

[Publius6961]

Wow.
If ever there were some way to support this kind of positive stubborness and dedication.
He won't even accept moral support?

Maybe we can persuade him to join Free Republic?

[Publius6961]

Let's lighten up guys. Dyslexia, nervousness, lots of other possible explanations. Some people are just lousy at tests.

[ChevyZ28]

Some people are just lousy at tests.

I think this is a very real possibility. Some people just freak out on a test. He has been trying so hard for so long and continues to fail, that he may now have psyched himself out.

[kaylar]

Maybe he thinks he still needs an excuse not to marry.

[ChevyZ28]

You could be right. A possibility I had not thought of. Maybe he is gay and is wanting to hide this from his fellow villagers, who might would stone him to death. (I am not sure what hindu's believe about homosexuality in their belief system.)

[foolscap]

Since I am currently involved with a bitter, to the death, struggle with algebra myself I can understand what this man is going through. Something come very hard for some people. Their only option is to keep up the fight under they are victorious.

[Oberon]

Mr Yadav's efforts are supported by all in his village He has vowed to remain unmarried until he does.

Ah, the picture becomes clear. If you had ever met Mr. Yadav's fiancee, you'd understand completely.