Small Shop Owner’s Daughter Makes IIT-Guwahati After Benefiting from Oil Refinery’s Support

Khushi, a student from Bhucho Kalan village in Punjab, has realized her dream of studying at the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati, thanks to a transformative educational initiative. After excelling in her Class 12 board exams from a government school, Khushi’s aspirations to become an engineer seemed distant due to financial constraints. Inspired by the web series ‘Kota Factory’, she aimed for elite engineering institutions but lacked the resources to achieve this goal.

Her fortunes changed when she was selected for the Super 100 programme by the Guru Gobind Singh Refinery in Bathinda. This programme, in collaboration with the Centre for Social Responsibility and Leadership (CSRL), identifies and supports underprivileged students by providing them with coaching for entrance exams. Khushi was among eight students chosen from 600 applicants across 22 schools in Bathinda. She spent a year in Delhi, funded by the refinery, to prepare for the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE). Her hard work paid off as she cleared both JEE Mains and JEE Advanced, earning her a spot at IIT Guwahati.

“I never imagined studying at an institution like IIT while I was in a government school,” Khushi shared. “Being selected for the Super 100 programme was a turning point. Now, I am fulfilling my father’s dream of becoming an engineer.”

Khushi’s success story is mirrored by other students from the programme. Harpreet Singh, from Burj Gil village, also achieved his goal of pursuing engineering. After completing his Class 12 exams from a government secondary school in Phool town, he faced financial barriers that led him to initially enroll in a private college. His selection for the Super 100 programme opened doors for him to study Mechanical Engineering at Dr. B R Ambedkar National Institute of Technology (NIT) in Jalandhar. “My father works at a cold store and doesn’t know much about NIT, but his hard work inspired me to succeed,” Singh explained.

Similarly, Sahil from Maur Mandi and Pawandeep Singh from Hasta Kalan village have joined NIT Jalandhar through the same programme, reflecting the initiative’s impact on transforming the lives of underprivileged students.

The Super 100 programme, by offering both financial support and high-quality coaching, is bridging the gap between rural students and top-tier educational institutions, highlighting how targeted support can create opportunities for bright young minds.