“I Studied at Night After Laboring All Day” — Now this Dalit boy is First in His Village to Pass 10th Grade!

Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh— In a remarkable story of grit and determination, 15-year-old Ramkeval has become the first person from his Dalit-majority hamlet of Nizampur to pass the Class 10 board examination, breaking a long-standing barrier for his community.

On April 25, when the Uttar Pradesh board exam results were declared, Ramkeval’s achievement didn’t make headlines. But by Sunday, his story had become a beacon of hope—not just for his village of 200 people, but for marginalized communities across the district.

By day, Ramkeval studies; by night, he works as a lightbearer at weddings, carrying battery-powered lamps on his head to earn ₹250–₹300 per event. He gets such work 20 to 40 days a year, which helps support his family and fund his education.

“I bought my own books and stationery with the money I earned,” Ramkeval told reporters, speaking humbly at his home, located 28 km from the Barabanki district headquarters.

His mother, Pushpa, works as a cook at the village's government primary school, while his father, Jagdish Prasad, is a farm labourer. Neither parent could pursue higher education—Jagdish never went to school, and Pushpa studied till Class 5.

Nizampur’s primary school offers education only up to Class 5. Beyond that, children must travel to Ahmadpur, 5 km away, for secondary education. Many drop out before completing their schooling.

“I joined Government High School in Ahmadpur with two other boys from my village,” Ramkeval said. “One of them dropped out in Class 8, and the other failed his Class 10 exams this year but plans to try again.”

Ramkeval, now enrolled in Class 11 at the same school, dreams of becoming an engineer.

“We have four children—two sons and two daughters. Ramkeval is the eldest. He never burdened us with demands. If there was no wedding work, he would work in the fields and study at night,” said his mother Pushpa, beaming with pride.

On Sunday, Barabanki District Magistrate Shashank Tripathi invited Ramkeval and his parents to his office and announced that the local administration would take full responsibility for the teenager’s further education.

“His story is truly inspiring. For now, arrangements have been made for his education up to Class 12, but we will ensure he can study as long as he wishes,” said O.P. Tripathi, District Inspector of Schools.

Teachers at his school, moved by the DM’s recognition, gifted him new clothes and shoes. Until now, Ramkeval had been attending classes barefoot.

His success has already begun to ripple through the village. Luvlesh’s father, Nanku, said he now wants his son to resume his studies. “I studied till Class 8 and now work in the fields. But I don’t want my son to live the same life. Education is the only way forward,” he said.

Women in the village also expressed renewed determination to educate their children, encouraged by Ramkeval’s example.

In a place where dreams often fade before they take flight, a young boy has carried not just lamps, but the hopes of an entire village on his shoulders—and lit the path for many more to follow.