Two sons of farmers battle poverty to reach NLSIU

Bengaluru: It was sheer hard work and perseverance that helped these two students from Uttar Pradesh, who battled many odds, including poverty, to crack CLAT 2016 and land BA LLB seats in the premier National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bengaluru. Sons of marginal farmers, Arjit Kumar and Rahul Kumar (in pic) did not even have money to travel to the city; they had to raise loans to pay admission fees.

Rahul Kumar, a native of Hardoi, 110km from Lucknow, was an IIT aspirant but didn't have money to join a coaching centre to prepare for the Joint Entrance examination (JEE).

His father owns less than two acres of farmland and his family's annual income is less than Rs 1.5 lakh. “Institutes were charging Rs 1.25 lakh for JEE coaching and I couldn't afford that. So I joined a CLAT coaching institute by paying Rs 60,000,“ he said.

With 84% score and all-India rank of 1,423 in CLAT, Rahul landed a seat in NLSIU but had no money to come to Bengaluru. His parents, Ram Ladaite and Meenadevi, a homemaker, mortgaged their farmland to pay for his admission fees.

“If my family continues to be dogged by financial problems after my graduation, I will try for a job in a legal firm.And if there are no financial problems at home, I will practise law,“ Rahul said.

Arjit Kumar's journey from his native Etawah to NLSIU has been equally difficult. With an annual income of Rs 66,000, his parents struggle to make both ends meet. Despite financial constraints, Arjit did well in academics.His father Rajeev Kumar, a marginal farmer, shifted to Lucknow and began working as a loading supervisor in a private transport company to ensure his son got the best education. His mother is a homemaker.

Arjit, who got 1,654 rank in CLAT, said: “I couldn't afford to pay coaching fees and didn't have a laptop to appear for mock tests. My father's monthly salary is just Rs 5,000.“ Arjit, who is interested in pursuing law, raised a bank loan to pay the fee.

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