MNREGA worker’s son cracks JEE-Main

Jaipur, June 27 (IANS) Son of a labourer employed under the rural job guarantee scheme (MNREGA) has become the first student of his village to crack the IIT.

He obtained 10,740th rank in JEE-Main and is now aiming to pursue engineering from NIT.

Lekhraj Bheel comes from Mogayabeeh Bhilan village in Jhalawar district. His father Mangilal Bheel and mother Sardari Bai are both illiterate and are unaware what the engineers do.

Lekhraj will be the first to become an engineer in his village of around 150 houses.

He was brought to a coaching institute in Kota by a few teachers who were impressed by his intelligence. He scored 93.83 per cent in class XII while studying in the State Adarsh Higher Secondary School, Khatakhedi.

The teachers spoke to his family who expressed their inability to bear the expenses of his further studies. Then they went to a coaching institute which allowed him free coaching, accommodation and food.

Lekhraj stayed in the coaching institute for two years before cracking the exam.

Lekhraj's teacher said, "He used to travel 12 km daily to reach his school which was 6 km away from his village. Mathematics and science subject teachers were not available in the school. Yet, Lekhraj studied by himself and got 93.83 per cent marks in Class XII".

His parents own a kaccha house, where electricity is erratic. Two years ago, under a government scheme, a toilet was built in the house. Most of the village's youth work as labourers.

Lekhraj says he wants to improve the financial condition of his family. He has three siblings; two of them are married.