Begusarai: Rukaiya Fatma, a student from Shri Vishnu Dev Narayan Uchch Madhyamik Vidyalaya in Bhagwanpur block, has secured the second position in the Arts stream at the state level in the Bihar Board Intermediate Examination. Scoring an impressive 471 marks, she has brought pride to her school and village, Teai.
A self-motivated learner, Rukaiya never took formal coaching. Instead, she relied on self-study, YouTube tutorials for Hindi and Urdu, and guidance from her teachers. Her disciplined routine involved waking up at 5:00 AM, attending school, and dedicating hours to studying in her room. A poster on her wall reading “I want to be a topper” served as a constant source of motivation.
Rukaiya is the fifth among six sisters in a family where education is highly valued. Her mother, Noor Jahan, is a homemaker, while her father, Abu Saleh, runs a shop in Kolkata to support the education of his daughters. Inspired by her grandfather, Mohammad Ismail, who was a district topper in his time, Rukaiya has always aimed high.
In her journey, she found Geography particularly fascinating. “The way my teacher explained the subject, it felt like everything was getting stored in my mind automatically,” she said. She also diligently followed the study methods of past Bihar toppers to refine her own strategy.
Following her achievement, Rukaiya was called to Patna for a verification process, where subject experts interviewed her and tested her writing skills in Urdu. Reflecting on the experience, she said, “I was asked about my love for History, my family, village, and school. The results were announced during the holy month of Ramzan, making this moment even more special for me.”
Her success, however, has not only fueled personal ambition but also a deep sense of social responsibility. “Bihar lags behind many states. I want to become an IAS officer and work towards uplifting our state. The dowry system still prevails, despite being banned. Child marriages also need to be addressed with better policies,” she asserted.
Rukaiya’s class teacher, Sippy Kumari, praised her dedication, recalling how she had topped the sub-division in Class 10. “She is an exceptional student, always eager to learn and improve,” the teacher said.
