Malkangiri: A day after various media outlets highlighted the plight of Karma Muduli, who was the Plus II topper in the Commerce stream in Odisha’s Malkangiri district in 2022 the girl from the Bonda community received a cheque worth Rs 30,000 from the Malkangiri DWO Praful Kumar Bhujabal on Wednesday to pursue her education without further problems.
Karma took admission in Rama Devi College to pursue BCom but was forced to give up her studies temporarily and toil as a daily labourer to meet study expenses.
The 20-year-old, who was once hailed as a symbol of hope and transformation in the Bonda community was forced to give up studies temporarily and work as a daily labourer to meet the expenses of her education.
Karma, who completed her Plus II in Commerce stream from the Government Higher Secondary School at Govindpalli run by the ST&CS Department, is the first student from the Primitive and Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) to secure 82.66 per cent marks in her Class XII examination the Commerce stream.
Currently, this native of Padeiguda village under Khairput block in the district is studying Plus III First Year at Rama Devi Women’s University, Bhubaneswar. Her college expenses are about Rs 24,000, including the annual hostel fee of Rs 12,000.
As her parents, who work as daily wagers, were unable to afford her study expenses, Karma utilised her summer vacation working as a daily wage earner at a house construction site near the Malkangiiri district headquarters hospital to meet the expenses of her education.
Talking to the media, Malkangiri DWO Bhujabal said that Karma was receiving an annual stipend (post-matric scholarship) of Rs 13,000, including Rs 10,000 for the hostel and Rs 3000 for the college fees. He too agreed that the amount was not enough to meet her expenses.
Karma’s family mainly depended on the government support received under the OPELIP scheme of Bonda Development Agency, Mudulipada, in addition to her parents’ old age pension under the MBPY scheme.
During her interaction with Malkangiri DWO and Khairput WEO, who visited her work site on Tuesday, Karma told the officials that the monthly expenses at the varsity came to around Rs 3,000. Meanwhile, Malkangiri Collector has assured her of all help for her future studies and assistance from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (CMRF).
