These Students Faced Blindness, Acid Attacks & Hearing Loss But Still Succeeded In CBSE Board Exams
For most students, exam season is stressful. But for some, just showing up takes more courage than we can imagine.
This year, beyond the headlines of high scores and merit lists, a handful of stories quietly rose to the surface — not because of the marks on a report card, but because of what it took to simply show up. These are stories shaped by persistence, daily effort, and the kind of determination that rarely makes the news but stays with you long after.
1. The visually impaired girl who wants to be a professor
Isha Jain was born without sight, but you’d never know it from the way she carries herself — focused, grounded, and full of quiet ambition.
This 15-year-old from Pune just scored 93.2 percent in her Class 10 board exams, including 95 percent in English — a subject she loves deeply. A student of Kalyani School, she’s had the support of a writer and a resource teacher, but what really carried her through was her own steady discipline.
Isha took more time memorising as compared to other students, but her discipline always shone through. Representative picture source: Shutterstock
She balanced academics with drama and singing, following a routine that most adults would find exhausting. Her parents created a nurturing space where she was encouraged to grow at her own pace. Her dream? To teach English or Psychology. With her unwavering commitment, it’s only a matter of time before she’s inspiring students from the front of a classroom.
2. The hearing-impaired boy who cleared JEE Mains
Atharva Phaphale doesn’t hear the way others do. But when he listens, he pays attention. His understanding runs deep.
Diagnosed with hearing loss as a baby, he picked up the skill of lip-reading early on. In school, you’d always find him in the front row, catching every word with laser focus. His mother taught him English and maths at home, especially when language barriers made school life tougher.
He had no coaching classes, no special help — just his books, and the belief that if he kept at it, he’d get there.
Atharva scored 75.4 percent in Class 12 and cracked JEE Mains. Now he’s aiming for JEE Advanced, with a dream of building a career in Artificial Intelligence. He’s proof that when learning is led by willpower, remarkable things happen.
3. The teen with quadriparesis who wrote his own papers
Sudhanshu Sharma doesn’t like to be treated differently, and when it came to his Class 10 board exams, he made that very clear. Living with quadriparesis, a condition that affects movement in all four limbs, he could have used a writer. But he didn’t want to. He wrote every paper himself, and came out with 86.2 percent.
Despite quadriparesis affecting all four limbs, Sudhanshu chose to write every exam himself. Picture source: TOI
He’s a student at DPS Mihan in Nagpur, and his circle, from teachers to parents, believed in him completely. More importantly, he believed in himself.
“I wanted to prove that my disability does not define me. It was tough, but I studied with focus and faith,” Sudhanshu told TOI. Now he wants to study commerce and build a financially independent life. And going by what he’s already pulled off, he’s well on his way.
4. The boy with cerebral palsy who dreams of the civil services
Aaditya Motiwale doesn’t do things halfway. Living with cerebral palsy hasn’t stopped him — it’s just meant that he’s had to find his own way.
He scored 83 percent in Class 10, including a brilliant 98 percent in Marathi. But those numbers don’t show the behind-the-scenes work: nine-hour study days, voice typing tools, audio notes, and his mum’s endless support. His school, too, has been a huge support system, with flexibility, one-on-one support, and teachers who actually listened.
Aaditya, who lives with cerebral palsy, used voice tools and audio notes to study.
Now, Aaditya’s dream is to become an IAS officer. And with his clarity, drive, and calm strength, it’s hard to imagine him being anything else.
5. The acid attack survivor who topped her blind school
Kafi was just three when an acid attack changed her life forever. Today, at 17, she’s adding fresh pages to her life’s script. This year, she topped the humanities stream at Chandigarh’s Institute for Blind, scoring 95.6 percent in her Class 12 exams.
She prepared mostly with audiobooks and NCERT texts, sticking to a six-hour daily routine with almost no breaks. Her father works as a peon at the Haryana Mini Secretariat, and one day, Kafi wants to work there too, but as an IAS officer.
“My aim is to become an IAS officer, especially so my father can see me sitting in the same office he works in,” she told The Tribune.
A note to every parent reading this
If your child’s results didn’t turn out the way you’d hoped, we understand — it’s hard. But in this moment, more than marks or comparisons, what your child needs most is to know you’re on their side. Not with grand speeches or big gestures. Just with your presence, your patience, and your willingness to listen without rushing to fix or judge.
Their confidence will take time to rebuild. But you can be the reason they feel steady enough to start again.
Because long after this result is forgotten, what your child will remember is how you showed up when it mattered.
Edited by Leila Badyari
News