After 11 years and 22 attempts at clearing his school finals, he succeeded and won himself a place in the Guinness Book of World Records.

That, however, is not the story today. Nor does the story lie in the fact that the Records authorities have enlisted him five years after his achievement was formally recognised by the state government and the Centre.

But let's go back to the beginning, where it all started. Born into a joint family, Chauhan had to drop out of school early to take up a government job -- the same job that he now holds and supplement the income of his family.

After more than two decades at the job, he realised promotions would be hard to come by without a school-leaving certificate.

Chauhan returned to std VI, and qualified to appear for the SSC after sevenyears, in 1983. He failed in all the subjects, but unfailingly appeared for the examination twice every year -- in October and March before finally clearing all the subjects in 1994.

``It was a little embarrassing initially to sit with the young boys and girls, but there were a couple of others like me, too'', says Chauhan of his early attempts.

``Each failure made my resolve stronger. Maybe if I didn't have a proper job I'd have given up. But whatever time I had away from my work as dresser at the local hospital, I devoted to my books,'' Chauhan says.

`I don't understand much about the education system except that if you prepare well and write well, you get good marks.''

But good marks were not Chauhan's target; a promotion and a salary hike of Rs 1,000 were. And despite a mention in the latest edition of the Guiness Book, felicitations by the taluka panchayat, cash awards from local businessmen and recognition as the `Pride of Dwarka' (alongside, Chauhan himself admits, the famed Krishna temple),neither the promotion nor the hike has materialised.

``I was very happy five years ago, when I finally cleared the SSC. I was hoping for a promotion to Class III category,'' says Chauhan, indicating where his priorities lay. ``I came to know of the world record only a few days ago,'' he says.

Ironically, while worldwide recognition came when it was least expected, the promotion -- much-anticipated and worked-for -- is yet to come about.

But Chauhan is not bitter about this. In fact, he's signed up for his HSC classes and has even appeared for the examinations four times, albeit without success.

``Now I'm even more determined to clear the HSC,'' says the man who gives the phrase never-say-die a new connotation altogether.