In the small, remote village of Nizampur in Barabanki district, a 15-year-old boy named Ramkeval has made history by becoming the first person from his village to pass the UP Class 10 board exams.
The UP board results for 2025, released in the last week of April, marked a milestone for many across the state, but for Nizampur, a village with a population of just 300 people, mostly from Dalit families, it means much more.
Ramkeval, who studied at the Government Inter College in Ahmedpur, worked tirelessly to achieve this feat. Despite working long hours earning Rs 250-300 a day by carrying lights for wedding processions, he made sure to study for at least two hours every night under a solar lamp.
“I used to get back home late but still made sure to study,” said Ramkeval, who is the eldest of four siblings.
In a village where people once doubted his ability to clear high school exams, Ramkeval not only passed, but has become a source of inspiration for many others in his village.
The District Magistrate, Shashank Tripathi, honored Ramkeval and his family for their remarkable achievement, assuring support for his future studies.
Ramkeval, reflecting on his journey, said,“Poverty forces one to do everything. But I wanted to study no matter what.”
His dream is to become an engineer.
Ramkeval’s mother, Pushpa, who works as a cook at the village school, shared her pride:
“I only studied till Class 5, but I always believed he would do it.”
His father, Jagdish, a daily wage laborer, added, “I never went to school, but I always told him to focus on studies.”
Ramkeval’s success has sparked a change in his village. Other students like Lovelesh and Mukesh, who did not pass this year, are now motivated to try again. Even families and the village’s women have made a commitment to educate their children and help build a brighter future.
