BENGALURU, 4 MAY

Sixteen-year-old Bhumika Suresh Vokkalinga is one among the 34,984 students from Karnataka Residential Educational Institutions Society (KREIS) schools who appeared for the SSLC exams this academic year, held between 21 March and April 4 April.

Bhumika, who has scored 624 out of 625, is also one among the three second state rank holders from KREIS schools, which saw 71 students secure state ranks (ranging from 2 to 6).

KREIS is an association of residential educational institutions in Karnataka that provides free residential education to socially and economically disadvantaged children.

The schools under KREIS – which at present stands at 788 – have consistently outperformed not only government schools but also unaided private schools, said SS Nagesh, Joint Director, KREIS.

This academic year, for instance, KREIS schools boast a pass rate of 91 per cent, 28.66 per cent more than the state average of 62.34 per cent.

The school targets children like Bhumika, said Nagesh.

Bhumika, who is from a tiny village called Harekoppa in Siddapura taluk in Uttara Kannada district, is the first in her family to have passed SSLC.

Both her parents are labourers who work for daily wages.

Bhumika said it was her village elders who suggested she apply to KREIS school, seeing that she was good at her studies.

"Because it was a residential school, I could devote all my time to studies. Had I been at home, I would have had to chip in with household chores and help my mother in looking after my younger siblings," Bhumika said.