Ten-year-old Sushma Varma is the youngest member to enrol for a graduation course in science from the Lucknow University.
It was on Tuesday that the university decided to allow admission to the young girl who had passed intermediate examination this year.
“There is no condition of age in our ordinances. The university has fixed no minimum age for getting admission to under-graduate courses, provided the student has cleared the intermediate examinations. Therefore, in Sushma’s case, the university has no objection. For professional courses, however, we have set the maximum age limit of students,’’ said university spokesperson S.K. Dwiwedi.
Sushma’s father, Tej Bahadur Varma, who works as a peon in a local school, said that the news has brought much cheer for the family on New Year’s Eve.
“I am very happy that Sushma will not have to waste another year to pursue higher studies. For someone like me, wasting a year and the money that goes with it is not good news,” he said.
Sushma, undoubtedly a child prodigy, passed her intermediate examination from UP board this year and has also taken the UP common pre-medical test-2010. Her admission to the LU was subject to a final clearance from the admission committee because of her age. She now plans to do her B.Sc from CMS Girl’s Degree College in the current academic session.
Sushma says, “I want to become a doctor and now I will not have to waste a year. My results for UPCPMT-2010 are still pending and I will pursue B.Sc and wait till I am permitted to take pre-medical test.” She had appeared for the CPMT last year but was later declared underage and her result was not declared.
Sushma’s brother, Shailendra Varma, is also a child prodigy. He took admission in BCA at LU when he was just 14, and then joined MCA from UP Technical University. However, Shailendra felt that the two courses are of no use to him and he is now involved in website development.