Fifteen-year-old Sushma Verma, the youngest postgraduate student in the country, will now pursue research in environmental microbiology at Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University (BBAU), Lucknow. In June, Sushma, daughter of a sanitation worker, not only completed her MSc in microbiology from BBAU but also topped the class.
She has secured the seventh rank in the University Research Entrance Test in environmental microbiology. Naveen Kumar, head, department of environmental microbiology, BBAU, said four PhD seats were vacant. "There are three seats vacant in the general category and one in the reserved category," Kumar said. "I think special provision will be made for her."
BBAU vice-chancellor Prof R C Sobti told that the university would definitely give admission to Sushma in the special category. "She has achieved great heights at the tender age of 15," said Prof Sobti. "We must encourage her talent. We will give admission to her in the special category. We will give her a hostel [seat] and scholarship also."
Sushma said she would be happy to pursue research in environmental microbiology. "I was attracted to this field when we had to do fieldwork in the fourth semester, or when we would have to do lab work such as isolate Rhizobium bacteria in roots of leguminous plants," she said.
Sushma's father, Tej Bahadur, is an assistant supervisor (sanitation) at BBAU. Her mother, Chaya Devi, is a housewife.
In 2005 Sushma, who was just five then, was enrolled in Class IX at the UP Board-affiliated St Meera's Inter-College. In 2007, she was recognized by the 'Limca Book of Records' as the "youngest student" to pass Class X when she was seven years, three months and 28 days old. At the age of 13, Sushma had completed her BSc from Lucknow University.
Her brother Shailendra too was a child prodigy and completed his BCA when he was 14. At present, he is working and also pursuing his MCA in Bengaluru.
Their youngest sibling, three-year-old Ananya, can fluently read the Ramayana. "She can also read and recite poems in Hindi and English," said Sushma.
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