Mumbai teen in hospital for typhoid takes 2-hour break for SSC exam

MUMBAI: Being in hospital for typhoid did not deter a 16-year-old boy from appearing for his SSC exam on Monday. Yashraj Desai, who had high fever and a drop in platelets due to typhoid, took a 2-hour break from hospital to appear for his science paper.
Yashraj, a student of Swami Vivekanand International School, Borivli, was hospitalised on Saturday morning."I was not afraid of losing a year, but I decided to not give up as only three papers were pending. And I do not wish to study again during the vacation," said Yashraj, a Borivli resident. "The doctor was aware that I was to appear for my exam, so he ensured I did not face a problem while writing the paper. He must have taken care of my medication too."
Yashraj said he fared well in Monday's paper. "I am expecting good marks," he said from his hospital bed. While at Sailee Multispecialty Hospital, Borivli, he brushed up for the exam from practice papers.
His father, Yateen, said that they tried convincing Yashraj to skip the exam for a day and appear for the rest of the papers. "When he returned from his exam on Friday, he was running a high fever. Initially the doctor let him go home, but he was hospitalised on Saturday after his platelet counts dropped," said his father.
The family told Yashraj to focus on his recovery. "But when he decided to attempt the exam, we got in touch with the centre in-charge to support him. The principal of St Paul's School offered to give all help, but he could appear for the paper comfortably," said Yateen. The doctor has not yet indicated any date for discharge.
Trustee of Yashraj's school, Yogesh Patel, made a general observation that students today are under a lot of "unnecessary pressure to do well in exams".
Yashraj plans to appear for both his social science papers on Wednesday and Friday. "I'm well prepared," he said confidently.