50-year-old peon passes SSC exam on 28th attempt

A 50-year-old peon, working at public health department, has cleared the Class 10th examination on his 28th attempt.

Avinash Chaugule had been unable to clear his senior secondary certificate (SSC) examination as he failed in the mathematics paper each time.

When results were declared on Monday, Chaugule and his family broke into celebrations.

"My father, mother and sisters used to ask me how many times will you appear for the paper. I said until and unless I get rid of mathematics paper. I wanted to get promoted as a clerical. My wife encouraged me. On preparations I collected the questions papers from 2012-2014 and worked on it... In office everyone supported me," he said.

Chaugule had left his studies midway and joined the Maharashtra Ministry of Public Health 25 years ago. He has been working in the same position ever since. His persistence to get promoted as a clerk in the office pushed him to clear the exam.

Though the state's education curriculum changed several times in the past three decades since he left school in1987, Chaugule managed to clear his papers solving previous years' question papers rather than referring to text books.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis contributed to Chaugule's joy by congratulating him on the feat.

"Congratulations to our employee from Mantralay Shri Avinash Chaugule to pass Class10 board examination at the age of 50," Fadnavis tweeted.