Students from humble backgrounds make it to IITs with grit, support and smart study habits
Hyderabad: Many of the students honoured by the Telangana Social Welfare Residential Educational Institutions Society (TSWREIS) on Wednesday come from families where affording private coaching or even a steady internet connection is a stretch.
Despite that, they cracked one of the toughest entrance exams in the country, often studying late into the night in shared hostel rooms, relying on teachers who doubled up as mentors and turning each other into lifelines when stress peaked.
Their preparation was neither backed by elite resources nor by privilege, but by a discipline that left little room for distractions. Now, with IIT seats secured, they stand on the cusp of a future their parents could hardly have imagined.
The ceremony in Hyderabad was a recognition of that journey. TSWREIS secretary Dr V.S. Alagu Varsini did not merely congratulate the students but pressed them to think harder and prepare with greater depth. She reminded them that success at the national level comes from the ability to apply concepts, to think independently and to move beyond the textbook.
“Those who make it aren’t necessarily the ones who study the longest, but the ones who study the smartest,” she said as she pointed to the need for scientific reasoning and analytical rigour.
Students were asked to voice their academic and infrastructural needs, with Dr Varsini promising that the Society would respond wherever required, whether in terms of academic assistance, emotional well-being or access to technical tools. Faculty and administrative officials and principals from various Centres of Excellence attended the meeting and echoed the commitment to support the students. Ending on a personal note, Dr Varsini told them to remain grounded even as they step into India’s premier institutes.
