After two-year stop on schooling due to injury in 2020 Delhi riots, 17-year-old clears Class 10 exams

Mohd. Sameer got shot in the spinal cord, resulting in paraplegia, a condition that paralyses the lower half of the body; he was forced to drop out of school

Mohd. Sameer, 17, recalls the fateful night of February 24, 2020, which dramatically altered his life and led to him discontinuing his education. Returning home from a religious congregation, he became an innocent victim of a clash, sustaining a spinal cord injury from a gunshot. The resulting paraplegia forced him to be bedridden for two months and ultimately drop out of school during 9th grade.

After a two-year hiatus, Sameer made the decision to enroll in online classes for 10th grade in 2022. Last week, he received the news that he had successfully cleared his Class 10 exams conducted by the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS). Sameer expressed immense happiness and relief, fearing he might fail due to the extended break from academics.

His mother, Shahana Parveen, shared in the joy and expressed hope for a brighter future, anticipating Sameer’s progress through classes 11 and 12 and subsequent job opportunities. Sameer’s father, Mohd Zakir, who sells cooling grass, found solace in the news amid the challenges faced by his business.

Despite the adversity, Sameer remains ambitious and aspires to become a doctor, aiming to set a benchmark for himself. He acknowledges the need to improve his English language skills and plans to seek tuition for it. Additionally, Sameer has developed a passion for singing, which has helped him cope with the stress caused by his injury. He also incorporates workouts into his routine to gain strength and stimulate leg movement.

Reflecting on the past, Sameer is grateful for the support he has received and wishes he had received more assistance from his school at the time of the accident, which might have prevented him from leaving his studies.