A kidney transplant, two years of dialysis, and a disrupted start to schooling did not stop Dhanush M. Poojary from Bidadi from turning his II PU year into a success.

The Commerce (with History) student from Government PU College, Bidadi, Poojary had seen his class 10 performance dip during his prolonged treatment between late 2019 and 2021. However, he said he carried that setback with him, using it as motivation to stay disciplined through the II PU and scored 589 out of 600. He finished his syllabus a month ahead of the exams and revised it twice in quick 15-day cycles, preparing on his own without any coaching.

Speaking with The Hindu, Poojary said his sister, who is pursuing an MBA, helped him with Accountancy, while his teachers and parents supported him through the year. His father runs a small tea shop and his mother is a homemaker. Apart from studies, Poojary said he spent time between studies and watching anime and drawing.

He plans to pursue an MBA.

After father’s death

In Jamkhandi, Mehmadayan Nadaf prepared for his exams in a household still adjusting to his father’s death three years ago. Nadaf said his inspiration was his elder brother who now supports the family, working as a nursing assistant while continuing his own studies.

A student of BHS Arts and TGP SC PU College, he relied on self-study, and spent his time at a library near his house to study without distractions, he said. “I focused on practising previous years’ question papers, studying toppers’ answer sheets, and improving writing and presentation,” he said, adding that while playing cricket is his favourite hobby. But in order to stay focused, Nadaf gave up playing the sport for a month before the exam.

“College and self-study was enough for me,” he said. He scored 595 in the Arts stream, securing second rank in the State, and plans to pursue BA in Political Science while preparing for the UPSC.

Long hours

For Sanika Metagar in Vijayapura, the challenge was financial. The daughter of daily wage workers earning around ₹250-₹400 a day, she studied without coaching while staying in a hostel. Her routine was built around long hours, waking up at 4 a.m. to study, attending college, and continuing again late into the night.

Her teachers, she said, guided her, but most of the preparation was self-driven. She had scored 92% in class 10 and maintained that consistency in the II PU. “When I felt stressed about exams, my parents were always my biggest support,” she said. She scored 595 in the Arts stream, securing first rank in her district and second in the State. She now aims to prepare for the UPSC.