Kolkata: His mother never had the opportunity to receive a formal education. Yet she nurtured a dream that her son would one day become a teacher. Nearly 15 years after her death from cancer, that dream is slowly taking shape.
Abdul Halim, a young man from Panigram in Mathabhanga, Cooch Behar, has emerged as a national-level achiever after securing a 100 percentile in Bengali in the UGC-NET (National Eligibility Test) June 2026 examination. His success came after years of balancing academic preparation with agricultural work and overcoming repeated setbacks in his pursuit of a Junior Research Fellowship (JRF).
According to his scorecard, Halim secured 208 marks out of 300 and achieved a percentile score of 100, while also qualifying for JRF and eligibility for Assistant Professor. He achieved this on his eighth attempt, after several earlier attempts in which he qualified for NET but narrowly missed the JRF cut-off.
For Halim, the result represents much more than an examination success. It is the culmination of years of perseverance, financial hardship, agricultural labour and the fulfilment of a dream once cherished by his late mother.
From the Fields to the Examination Hall
Halim comes from a middle-class agricultural family. His father, Azizar Rahman, who is now over 70, has depended on farming for much of his life. Although age has limited his ability to undertake strenuous agricultural work, he remains involved in farming. Halim, too, has remained connected to agriculture while pursuing his education. Alongside his studies and examination preparation, he has worked in the fields with his father. Growing up without the privileges of an affluent background, Halim says the hardships of agricultural life instead taught him the value of discipline and hard work.
His father told eNewsroom India that Halim’s mother, Rokeya Khatun, although deprived of formal education herself, deeply valued education.
“Although his mother did not get the opportunity of formal education, she had a very big dream for her son. When she saw teachers in the area, she would talk about them and say that her son would also become a teacher one day. It was as if she had unknowingly woven that dream into her son’s mind,” Azizar Rahman said.
Halim began his primary education at Panigram Sadhurdanga A.P. Primary School. He later completed his secondary education at Panigram High School and higher secondary education at Mathabhanga Vivekananda Vidyamandir. He passed his secondary examination in 2010 and higher secondary examination in 2012. He subsequently graduated from Mathabhanga College in 2016 and completed his postgraduate degree in Bengali from Cooch Behar Panchanan Barma University in 2018. He completed his B.Ed. in 2020. His academic journey eventually led him to UGC-NET preparation. From 2021, he began appearing for the examination regularly.
Seven Near-Misses, One More Attempt
Although he qualified for NET on several occasions, securing JRF remained a persistent challenge. On multiple attempts, he reportedly missed the JRF cut-off by extremely narrow margins—sometimes by just 0.30, 0.29 or 0.25 marks, and on some occasions by only one question. Despite repeatedly coming close to his goal, Halim continued his preparation.
The repeated near-misses took an emotional toll. After qualifying for NET seven times without securing JRF, Halim said that some friends advised him to stop trying. There were moments when he himself considered giving up.
Speaking to eNewsroom, Halim said, “This journey was not easy at all. I came very close to JRF several times but ultimately failed to get it. Sometimes I missed out on JRF by a very small margin of the cut-off, sometimes by just one question. When I didn’t get JRF even after qualifying NET seven times, I was naturally disappointed. Some of my friends said that maybe I should give up this time. I myself have thought many times that it won’t happen again. But I had faith that hard work never goes in vain.”
That persistence eventually paid off in his eighth attempt.
“In my eighth attempt, I not only secured JRF, but also topped the all-India level by scoring 100 percentile in Bengali,” Halim said.
A Mother’s Dream, Finally Taking Shape
For Halim, however, the most emotional part of the achievement is connected to his mother, Rokeya Khatun. She died of cancer around 15 years ago, long before she could see her son achieve the academic success she had hoped for.
Halim recalled how his mother, despite not having received formal education herself, used to speak about teachers in the locality and encourage him to pursue education.
“My mother wanted me to become a teacher one day. I am slowly trying to fulfil that wish,” he said.
Reflecting on her absence, Halim added, “Today, my mother is no more. If my mother were alive today, she would have been happy to see my success.”
He believes his journey also demonstrates what can be achieved through sustained effort despite difficult circumstances.
“If someone can succeed even while working in the field, then others can too. Hard work is the last word, not an excuse,” Halim said.
Resident Mursedul Arefin said he had witnessed Halim’s struggle and preparation over several years.
“I have seen his hard work closely for about six years. At one point, he continued his preparation from a mess at the Mathabhanga Mosque complex. Halim used to study regularly and work hard. His success is the result of years of perseverance,” Arefin said.
Following the announcement of his result, MLA Savitri Barman and the local Panchayat Samiti congratulated Halim and felicitated him for his achievement.
His success has also generated a sense of pride among residents of Panigram and the wider Mathabhanga area.
For a young man who divided his time between agricultural fields and books, the achievement marks a remarkable turning point. His journey from repeated near-failures to a national-level 100 percentile score has transformed what was once his mother’s dream into a tangible possibility.
However, locals have also expressed disappointment that, according to them, the West Bengal government has not publicly congratulated Halim despite his achievement in an all-India examination.
