Saroj brothers still not sure of semester fee

ALLAHABAD: The two sons of a daily wager Dharamraj Saroj from Pratapgarh -- Brijesh and Raju – have left their village on their journey to join the IITs allotted to them. But the two are worried on the issue of depositing hostel fee.
Brijesh has reached Mumbai. He has to report to IIT-Bombay on July 22, where he would be pursuing engineering physics. His younger brother Raju is on way to IIT-Kharagpur for pursuing electronics and electrical communication engineering.
However, the two boys are worried as to how they would pay the hostel fee (Rs 30,000 per semester) once they join the institution. The boys had left their village on Saturday for Delhi to participate in a debate organize by a leading news channel. From there, the two have left for their respective IITs.
“I have reached Chembur and staying at my uncle’s place (who works in a garage) as I have to report on July 22. But just two days are left to reach the institute, I am still confused. I don’t know who will pay the hostel charges of Rs 30,000 for the first semester,” said Brijesh while talking to TOI on phone.
“There is no communication from HRD ministry. I don’t know whom to approach. It makes me a bit nervous,” he added.
Equally worried is Raju, his younger brother who is still in Delhi. “I have to report on July 23. I am also worried for the hostel expenses,” he said.
Following the news published in TOI on June 20, HRD minister Smriti Irani had tweeted, ‘Informed family that registration fees will be waived off and will be eligible for scholarships that cover tuition, mess and other charges’.
Later, when TOI had raised the issue, the boys got a call from HRD minister’s office, assuring them that all help would be provided to them. A similar situation had surfaced when the two brothers had to report at IIT-Kanpur for sealing their seat. On reaching the institution, their registration fee was paid by the institution.
The Saroj family is worried because following the media reports that their fee and other expenses have been taken care off by the government, the family had refused to take help from people across the country and abroad, thinking that the Central government has waived off the fee for all four years.
“Kuch samajh mai nahi aata hai ki kiske pass jayen, kis se bat karen, hum logon ne to kai longo ko mana kar diya tha ki government fee bhar rahi hai (I am confused whom to approach for exempting the hostel fee. We had refused the help of many, thinking that government has waived off everything),” Brijesh said.
Brijesh meets Shah
On reaching Mumbai, Brijesh was invited by author of a award winning book, Vandana Shah. She was among the first to offer a helping hand to both the boys after TOI published the story of their misery on June 20. Shah runs India's first non-judgemental support group for those going through divorce and BBC has made a documentary about her work and her work has been endorsed by eminent persons like Gloria Steinem, Lord Meghnad Desai, Padma Vibhushan Sonal Mansingh and others. She was also one of the Lead India winners, the search for a new leader, conducted by TOI in the year. “I was overwhelmed when I spoke to Brijesh and shared his experiences over a cup of tea at my resident on Monday evening, the story of a small village, their struggle with fighting the social stigma and writing their success, everything was so inspiring,” Shah told TOI over phone.