From Fish Market Struggles to National ITI Topper: Bengal’s Parvin Sultana Eyes Civil Services
Scoring an exceptional 599 out of 600, Bengal girl becomes second rank holder in the All India ITI exam. The daughter of a daily wage worker, she overcame financial constraints and prepared without coaching. Encouraged by her success, she now aims to clear the civil services exams
Kolkata: Parvin Sultana, a young woman from West Bengal, has secured the top position in the All India Industrial Training Institute (ITI) examination 2024 in the Mechanic Diesel Trade, scoring an impressive 599 out of 600 marks. Remarkably, she accomplished this feat without the help of a private tutor. Recognizing her outstanding performance, the chief minister Mamata Banerjee felicitated her. She also recently received an official recognition from Delhi for her achievement.
Financial Struggles
Parvin hails from Taldi village under the Canning police station in South 24 Parganas district. She ranked first among female candidates in the ITI exam at the national level. However, despite her academic excellence, her family continues to face financial difficulties.
Her father, Taziur Rahman Sardar, works as a daily wage laborer in a fish market, struggling to support their seven-member family. Parvin has two siblings—her elder sister Rahin Khatun, a second-year college student, and her younger brother Hafizul Rahman Sardar, who is in Class IX.
Amidst financial hardships, Parvin pursued her education with determination. She completed her secondary and higher secondary education at Taldi Surabala Sikshayatan for Girls’ School, scoring 42% in her Madhyamik examination in 2017 and 76% in her higher secondary exam in 2019. In 2023, she graduated with a Political Science degree, securing 66% marks.
Inspiration for Many
Lokman Mollah, a prominent social worker of Canning, acknowledged her resilience, saying, “Many talented students in the Sundarbans remain unnoticed due to financial constraints. Parvin Sultana is an example of how determination can overcome such obstacles.”
Parvin, who now aspires for higher education, expressed her concerns about financial difficulties. She said, “My father’s income is very low. If I get a job, I can fund my education. But I worry about my family’s financial situation. I don’t know if my dream will come true.”
Despite the hardships, Parvin managed to prepare for the ITI exam online, relying on support from her college teachers instead of hiring a private tutor. “I didn’t have a private tutor. My teachers helped me a lot. I want to study further and prove that girls are no longer behind in any field,” she said.
Recognition and Support
On Monday, Parvin was felicitated at a public reception organized at the Trinamool Congress (TMC) party office in Canning, led by MLA Paresh Ram Das. Her mother, Rijia Bibi, spoke about their financial struggles, stating, “She wants to pursue further studies, but higher education comes with significant financial challenges. Even though we wish to support her education, we lack the necessary financial resources.”
Additionally, Canning Panchayat Samiti President Uttam Das honored Parvin for her achievement. MLA Paresh Ram Das assured support. He mentioned, “Just as chief minister Mamata Banerjee supports meritorious students, we, too, stand with them.”
Aiming for Civil Services
Even after excelling in the ITI exam, Parvin’s ultimate ambition is to serve society by joining the civil services. She is now focused on preparing for competitive government exams, with hopes of joining the civil services. “I wasn’t sure what to study to secure a good government job,” she shared with eNewsroom.
“After clearing the ITI exam with good marks, many people advised me to prepare for the civil services. I realized that through the civil services, I could contribute to society. Now, I am enrolling in a coaching center in Kolkata to prepare for the exams,” Parvin added.
