15-year-old Lucknow girl is India's youngest PhD student

HT Correspondent, Hindustan Times, Lucknow |  

Updated: Jul 25, 2015 08:05 IST

Fifteen-year-old Sushma Verma, the youngest postgraduate in the country, has now achieved yet another milestone by becoming the youngest Indian to get enrolled in the PhD course at Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University (BBAU) in Lucknow. (HT photo)

Fifteen-year-old Sushma Verma, the youngest postgraduate in the country, has now achieved yet

another milestone by becoming the youngest Indian to get enrolled in the PhD course at Babasaheb

Bhimrao Ambedkar University (BBAU) in Lucknow.

Verma secured the seventh rank in the University Research Entrance Test to study environmental

microbiology. The university will give her special privilege like a scholarship and hostel seat as she

comes from a poor family. 

"I am extremely happy to achieve this feat. This is nothing short of a dream come true. Coming this

far itself is a very big achievement. I am indebted to the Prof RC Sobti, vice chancellor of the

university, who always supported me in achieving this endeavour," said Verma.

Daughter of a daily wage labourer and an illiterate mother, she became youngest postgraduate

student from the university in June. She already holds the distinction of being India's youngest

matriculate at a tender age of seven, which found her a place in the Limca Book of Records. 

Verma has already outdone her elder brother Shailendra, who held the title for the youngest computer

science graduate till now. Shailendra was 14 when he completed BCA in 2007. He is now pursuing

an MBA from Bengaluru.

Born in February 2000, Verma cleared the intermediate examination of the Uttar Pradesh Board in

2010 and appeared in UP Combined Pre-Medical Test in the same year but could not clear it.

When asked whether its easy to understand the tough concepts, she said, "Not really."

"Studying with students older than me is nothing new for me. I have become accustomed now," she

added with a smile.

Her father Tej Bahadur has no words except those of gratitude for goddess Saraswati, who he says,

has blessed both his children.

"I am illiterate and cannot guide my children. Whatever they have achieved is the grace of Ma

Saraswati," he said.