M. Pandiselvi never dreamt in her life that she would one day enter the portals of an engineering college.
Studying in a local school in Maharajapuram, she had little interest in education, leave alone a professional course.
She
could not be blamed for that. “We, tribal children, never knew what
education was and how important it is in one’s life. When I came out of
the school after completing Fourth standard, I hardly knew English
alphabets,” she said.
Now, the girl is in final-year
of Computer Science Engineering in Ramco Institute of Technology. “It
all happened only after I came to the hostel,” she said.
The
girl was able to secure high marks in Tenth and Twelfth public
examinations as the hostel gave the ideal environment for studying.
“We
had good teachers who gave special coaching on all subjects,” she said.
The girl is able to mingle with her peers from matriculation schools
without any inhibition.
“I want to pursue software
engineering for a few years in Chennai and simultaneously prepare for
civil services. My aim is to become an IAS officer,” she says with much
confidence.
Similarly, for another girl S.
Mahalakshmi, who was about to drop out of school at Sixth standard from
the same school near Watrap, it was at the right time that she was
picked up and put in the hostel for tribal children.
Not
only the Ramco industries provided her free boarding, lodging and free
education, but also recruited her in their medical centre as a trainee
nurse. The girl is getting a stipend of Rs. 3,000 now.
“Government
officials are complaining about lack of proper talents to fill up the
Scheduled Tribe quota. If we are able to channelise their energy in the
right track, many of them stand a good chance of securing high positions
in government service,” P.R. Ramasubrahmaneya Rajha, Chairman, Ramco
Cements, said.
EmoticonEmoticon