Jharkhand: In a first, primitive tribe girl passes matric exam
(Sourced from PTI)
A 16-year-old girl of the Birhor tribe, which is on the verge of extinction, became the first female from the primitive tribe in Jharkhand's Hazaribagh to pass the matriculation examination, an official said on Tuesday. The results were declared on Sunday. Birhor is one of the primitive tribes who trace their origin to Jharkhand and reside for ages in different parts of the state.
Payal Birhor, daughter of Andhnu Birhor, became the first Birhor girl amongst the 36 Birhor tandas (groups) in the district to pass the matriculation examination. Deputy Commissioner of Hazaribagh Aditya Kumar Anand said that it was a great achievement for the district as Birhor girls and boys despite best efforts are unwilling to attend classes but Payal took great interest in studies.
"We will provide all assistance to this girl and other Birhor girls to pursue education," the Deputy Commissioner said, adding that the state government is providing financial grants and stipends to them for higher education. "As far as Payal is concerned, who passed in the second division, the district administration will see that she gets admitted to the best institution," he added.
"I am feeling proud for being the first girl student amongst the 36 tandas of Hazaribag district to pass matriculation examination," Payal told PTI. She was a student of Pariyojna Ucha Vidyalay in Kandsar in the remote Katkamsandi block of the district from where she passed her matriculation examination. Payal said her ambition was to continue with higher studies.
Payal said she will encourage other Birhor girls, who are mostly dropouts, to carry on studies for making their future. The mukhiya of the Kandsar village, Ram Kumar Mehta, expressed happiness and rewarded the girl. The population of Birhors in the district is 11,000.
Vinod Ranjan, who teaches tribal education in the Vinobha Bhave University in Hazaribagh, said the state government has provided several incentives and facilities to the Birhors to send their wards to school but despite that, they are least interested and go for their traditional rope-making, hunting, etc in the jungles. Block Education Officer said this will definitely encourage other Birhor girls to pursue studies.
According to The New Indian Express, last year another girl, Kumari Nirmala Bai, from the Birhor tribe in Chhattisgarh, became the first to pass the Class XII examination. Impressed by her accomplishment, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel had gifted her Rs. one lakh and a laptop.
