Chhattisgarh student tops class 10 board exams amid battle with cancer
RAIPUR,MAY 8 : Amid ongoing treatment for cancer, Ishika Bala, a student from Chhattisgarh’s Maoist-hit Kanker district, has emerged as the Class 10 state topper, balancing her studies with a personal battle few her age face.
The daughter of a farmer, Shankar Bala, she was diagnosed with blood cancer in October 2023. Her health issues caused a temporary setback, and she couldn’t appear for the Class 10 board exams in 2024.
However, the obstacle didn’t prevent her from moving ahead, as she nurtured a strong belief in herself with renewed hope and zest to sit for the board exams in 2025.
The Chhattisgarh Board of Secondary Education declared the results for the Class 10 board exams on Wednesday. This year, 3.28 lakh students appeared for the exams, and the overall pass percentage stood at 76.53%.
Ishika delivered a remarkable performance, securing 99.17%, even as she continued to brave challenges on the health front. Her father said the adversity was equally a difficult test of her personal strength, ability, and patience to overcome the hurdle as she guided herself toward the intended goal of giving her best in the board examinations.
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai congratulated her for her outstanding performance. “Talented daughter Ishika Bala, a resident of Gondahur in Kanker, secured a top rank in the high school examination. Brilliant students like her and others from the Maoist-affected regions have scripted a new story of success with their hard work, dedication, and zeal while overcoming the challenging adverse situations,” said the CM.
“Ishika is a student of a government school and proved their ability to achieve excellence,” said Vijay Pandey, senior journalist in Kanker.
-PTI
