For many students, securing admission to an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) is a dream. For Harpreet Kaur, daughter of a daily wage labourer, that dream has come true. However, the bright student from a financially weak family was struggling to arrange the admission fee required to secure her seat at the IIT, Guwahati, until help arrived.
Harpreet has been selected for BSc (Hons) in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence at the IIT, Guwahati. She had to deposit an admission fee of Rs 50,000 by June 16, but her family was unable to arrange the amount.
Harpreet scored 94 per cent marks in Class X in 2023 and over 90 per cent in Class XII in 2025 from Government Senior Secondary Residential Meritorious School and is a resident of the Sahnewal area. Despite financial hardships, she continued to excel in academics and remained determined to pursue higher education.
After completing her schooling, she appeared for the TechBee selection process, which included a written examination, interviews and group discussions. She successfully cleared all stages and secured a place in the programme.
Her father works as a farm labourer while her mother is a homemaker. The family’s monthly income is nearly Rs 10,000, making it difficult for them to bear the admission expenses and support a family of six. The family consists of her parents and three younger siblings, all of whom are bright students and currently pursuing their studies.
Speaking to The Tribune, Harpreet said she had worked hard throughout her academic journey and was excited about the opportunity to study at the IIT.
Earlier, she had appealed to kind-hearted people to help her continue her education, saying that the admission could change here future and help her support her family.
The student’s story drew attention from several quarters. Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain also extended support to the family. Meanwhile, industrialist Rakesh Bharti Mittal came forward and his Nehru Sidhant Kendra Trust adopted Harpreet’s education for the entire duration of her BSc (Hons) in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence. MP Vikramjit Singh Sahney and several corporates also offered help.
The gesture has brought immense relief to the family, which was worried about arranging funds for her higher education. Educationists described Harpreet’s achievement as a matter of pride and said the timely support would help a deserving student realise her dreams. They added that such initiatives encouraged talented students from economically weaker sections to pursue higher education without financial barriers.
