NOTE FROM THE TRANSLATOR: EXPERIENCES SHARING : In the following of series of papers -we have provided live experiences shared with us by female students. The girls have written in short about their life so far. Some of them are 'dropouts' and some of them 'never dropped and pursuing their education continuously'. Their thoughts have been given in their words without editing or altering anything. This is our sincere attempt at translation since original stories are in Hindi. Through this series of expressions we can imagine what is going on in their mind and through which mental phases they are passing. Each story is live, unique and genuine.

Miss. Babita Rawat, Village: KuKhali, Gairsain.
[Dropout]

I am an ordinary village girl. I have passed only eighth class of school. My school is far away from my village. So that my parents did not allow me to go to school. So I left the school.

If I had continued and completed the school I would have join police service and also live life as Indian woman. But now nothing is possible.

My wishes will not be fulfilled.

Now I am working at home. I told many of girls in my village to go to school because going to school is good thing. But nobody said,-yes'!

My poem!

A simple village girl, I am one.

But wills I have so many!

What God had done to me?

Unfortunately school is not near to me!

In school, I was dreaming of lot of work!

Now wastefully had gone my handwork!

Now everything is like crying.

What is remained is only thinking?

I was in born in Faniyal family of Farkande village. Up to 5 th , I did my schooling my village, then I went to high school in Ghandiyala.

But I passed only 8 th class because my parents don't want to teach me further. Because they think what I am going to achieve by learning further?

Especially my grandfather used to say,'' If at last you need to work at home then what the use of education?" At that time I cried a lot. Then I told grandpa that-'If you wish I do not want to go school then I also wish not to work at home!' and cried a lot again.

At that time my brother helped and realized me that I don't have to feel sad as I had not done anything wrong or I had failed in any class. My brother talked to parents, they understood the thing and say 'yes' to me and enrolled me to school again.

Now I am very happy! Because I am doing both the things work at home and study at school, side by side! After completing education I want to social work of any type.

Miss. Chandra Rawat, Village: Chameli.
[Dropout]

'Remembrance of school days brings tears....'

As a little girl I don't want to go to school. But when I started to go to school I was able to read

and write in short time. I started liking school. When I reached 8 th standard, my parents didn't allow me to go to school and told me that I should better work at home because they don't have money to pay school fees. I felt very sad .I pursued my parents but they did not agreed and my schooling stopped.

These days whenever I ask my school going friends about what they are learning in school. Then they say-'Chandra, when you don't wish to go to school then what is the point in asking about school. Hearing these words of school going friends and remembering my old school days I cry a lot in alone and think whether I will be able to go school in future?


Miss. Nandi Rawat,
10 th standard .
[Continuous schooling, never dropped]

As a little girl, I always cried to go to schooling. So my parents admitted me to balbadi [pre-primary]. In balbadi I don't know reading and writing but when I attended primary school, slowly I was able to read and write. I have never failed in any class.

My parents have always encouraged to study because I am their only daughter. As their only daughter they want to teach according to my will.

So I will continue my education till end.

I have two brothers, one elder one younger. They help mea lot in my study. Now I am in tenth class and I want to become Doctor or Pilot.

Miss Dhula, Village:
Andrapa:
[Dropout]

I have great difficulties in my life. For three years and till the age of six, I was in balbadi [pre- primary].When I was seven years old I was admitted into primary school in Andrapa, my village. There I studied till 6 th standard.

During the examination period of seventh class, I had severe fever .I tried but I could not remember the study. As a result I failed in 7 th .After my failure my parents stopped my education. Also we are very poor. We are

four sisters and brother. Two of sisters are married. My mother is aged and always ill.

Now I don't go to school, so I am helping my mother at home. I fetch water, wash clothes, cook food. Sometimes I also go to nearby agriculture field for work.

If I would have continued school, I would have help me a lot and to my family also.

Miss Malati Bisht,
10 th standard,Village-Suyni Talli, Girsain.
[Continuous schooling, never dropped]

'I am still learning,
But my friend is not........'

I am the eldest daughter of my parents and my parents love me a lot.

I have appeared the examination 10 th std. After passing 10 th I wanted to study further and become a good citizen. I have two sisters and one brother. I love school life a lot.

One of my friends is Uma. She was me in school. But due to economic crisis she left the school. Still when she meets me, she says-'I wish if I could have continued the school, we still have been learning together today'. Uma still wants that if her parents can allow her she will fill up the form and go ahead.

Uma's these words are really paining me a lot. Because she wants to learn a lot circumstances doesn't allow her to continue. How nice it will be if any good person spend some money for her education and bring back her lost happiness!