In an inspirational story of grit and consistent hard work, Gurpreet Singh, an 18-year-old student who works as an electrician to support his family, has secured the second position in Jalandhar district in the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) Class 12 examinations, the results of which were declared on Wednesday.
Gurpreet’s father is a labourer while his mother is a housewife. With limited financial resources at home, Gurpreet began working as an electrician around three years ago to contribute to the household income. He earns about Rs 12,000 per month, which supports both his personal expenses and his family’s needs.
Gurpreet is a student of the School of Eminence, Kartarpur. He secured an impressive 486 out of 500 marks (97.2 pc). His subject-wise performance includes 90 marks in elements of electrical technology, 89 in materials and workshop practice, 87 in electrical domestic appliances, 98 in Punjabi and 92 in English.
Speaking about his routine, Gurpreet said he would attend school during the day and work as an electrician after classes. Often returning home late in the night, sometimes around 9 pm or even midnight depending on work, he would still try to dedicate time to studies whenever possible.
“I started working because my family’s income was not sufficient. After school, I would go for work and return late in the night. Even then, I tried to study for one or two hours whenever I was not too tired. I made sure I understood concepts properly instead of just memorising them,” he said.
He added that he remained focused during school hours to ensure he made the most of classroom learning. Gurpreet is also pursuing vocational training in electrical work, which, he said, helps him gain practical skills along with academic knowledge.
Looking ahead, Gurpreet said his immediate goal is to complete a diploma in electrical studies and achieve financial stability. After that, he hopes to prepare for government job examinations to secure a stable future.
“I was always aware that education is the only way forward. Even while working for long hours, I never let myself drift away from studies because I knew that only consistent effort and learning could change my circumstances," Gurpreet said.
