4-year-old UP kid gets admission to Class IX

LUCKNOW: She is not even five and wonderkid Ananya Verma is already eyeing a place in the Limca Book of Records. When she was officially given admission to class IX at a Lucknow school on Monday after the education department's consent, Ananya was 4 years, 8 months and 21 days.

A little under two years from now, she will appear for the UP board examinations. If she manages to clear, Ananya will break the record of her own sister Sushma Verma, who was 7-plus when she cleared her 10th boards in 2007. The school for both the sisters is the same — UP board-affiliated St Meera's Inter College in Lucknow.

Endorsing her admission, district inspector of schools Umesh Tripathi told TOI: "Ananya was so talented that none of us could stop her taking admission in class IX. The board permits home education only till class 8. So, now that she speaks fluent Hindi and reads class IX books with ease, she deserves the admission," said Tripathi.

Born on December 1, 2011, Ananya is the daughter of Tej Bahadur who is an assistant supervisor (sanitation) at Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University while her mother Chaya Devi can't even read or write.

Her two siblings have already established themselves as prodigies. Her brother Shailendra, the eldest, completed his BCA when he was 14. Sushma got admission in PhD at BBAU+ when she was 15. In 2007, she was recognized by the Limca Book of Records as the "youngest student" to clear class X when she was 7 years, 3 months and 28 days old. At 13, Sushma completed BSc three years ago.

Bahadur told TOI, "When Ananya was a year and nine months old, she could read Ramayana and Sundar Kaand. We never force her to study. We are blessed family with all wonder kids."

Ananya's principal Anita Ratra is surprised by her talent. Narrating her tales, Ratra said: "She came to us in June and sought admission in class X, saying that since Sushma di got admission in class IX, she wanted in class X. I asked her to read the newspaper and she did like an adult. Her grasping power is commendable. She learns just by seeing and reading," Ratra said.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/4-year-old-UP-kid-gets-admission-to-Class-IX/articleshow/53819615.cms