As the beginning of Uttar Pradesh’s school and university exams is marred by a huge student drop out and rustication of university students for carrying cell phones during an exam, Mithilesh Kumari writes her sociology exam with an oxygen cylinder attached to her.

A second year BA year student of Kanpur’s Chhatrapati Sahu Ji Maharaj University, Kumari is suffering from oxygen deficiency in blood. Sitting at SN Degree College on Wednesday evening, this iron-willed girl says illness would not deter her from fulfilling her dream to complete her education.

Sixty-year-old Jabbar Hussain today appeared for the high school examination under the UP board at the Mahatma Gandhi Inter College in Juniha village in Fatehpur. This is his record 42nd attempt. Hussain, who is a vegetable vendor, completed his exam well before time and came out of the classroom with a big smile on his face and said: “I have done well. But all depends on the Board to judge my performance.” This, despite numerous attempts.