Super 30 students short of money for IIT counselling

Patna: The students of Bihar's Super 30 - a free coaching centre for underprivileged students - who have cracked the IIT-JEE this year are a worried lot as they don't have the money for counselling.

The families of Sujeet Kumar, Dhananjay Kumar, Prempal Kumar and Sharwan Kumar are grappling with a financial crisis as they don't have the funds required for submission of a challan worth Rs 45,000.

Super 30 founder-director Anand Kumar said: "The banks are ready to pay the fee, including the admission fee. And they are also ready to pay the counselling fee this time, but they cannot give cash for challan."

Cash is paid through a challan in order to submit a bank draft for the admission fee.

"The problem is that though the IIT has reduced the counselling fee from Rs.60,000 to Rs 45,000, it now asks for submission of fee through challan, which would require cash," he said.

Like previous years, as many as 25 of the 30 students of Bihar's Super 30 have cracked IIT-JEE. Children of a taxi driver, mason, farmer, daily wager/farm labourer, helper in photo lab and migrant workers are among the successful candidates.

"If the IIT relaxes its norms, it will not only help Super 30 students but also hundreds of others who come from a poor background," said Kumar.

Super 30 was started by Anand along with former Bihar DGP Abhyanand over a decade ago. Later, Abhyanand dissociated himself from the institute.

Super 30, which helps economically backward students crack the IIT-JEE, was selected by Time magazine for the list of 'The Best of Asia 2010'.

Students from poor families have to pass a competitive test to get into Super 30 and then commit themselves to a year of 16-hour daily study routine. Coaching, food and accommodation are free for the students.