MP security guard finally gets an MSc in Maths after 23 attempts in 25 years

A remarkable tale of perseverance came up recently as Rajkaran Baraua, a security guard from Madhya Pradesh, earned his master's degree after an unrelenting 25-year pursuit.

The 56-year-old proudly said, "But mere paas degree hai (I have a degree)," after encountering failure 23 times in his past attempts.

Journey

• According to a Times of India report, Baraua, for nearly half of his life chased his dream of obtaining a master's degree in mathematics.
• Despite failing 23 times, he continued to work double shifts as a security guard and took on various odd jobs, keeping his passion for mathematics alive.
• Baraua revealed to TOI the moment of truth, saying, "I jumped and gave myself a high five. But I couldn't go out and tell anyone because my employers used to taunt their children by giving my example."
• He kept his celebration private to avoid embarrassment for his employers. Now, having left that job, he feels liberated to share his achievement openly, added the report.

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Motivation in struggles

• A turning point for Baraua came in 2015 when a report highlighted his journey.
• "I had failed in my 18th attempt and was feeling low, but once the report was published, people started seeing me differently. TV channels came looking for me. It was a huge dose of motivation," he said.
• Reflecting on the financial strain, he said, "I can barely make a living, but over the last 25 years, I believe I spent Rs 2 lakh on books, exam fees, and related expenses to get this MSc maths degree."
• His journey was fueled by a passion for teaching mathematics, sparked during an interaction with students after completing his MA in 1996.
• Baraua's commitment to his dream led him to forego marriage. He said, "Who would have married me? Besides, I was married to my dream."

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The long wait

• "In 1997, I appeared in my first MSc examination and failed. For the next 10 years, I would pass in only one of the five subjects, but never gave up. I didn't bother about what people said and focused on my dream," he told TOI.
• The breakthrough came during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 when he passed his first-year examination, followed by clearing the second year in 2021, the report added.

Baraua, after achieving the feat, stressed on the lessons of "effort and patience." They will get you through anything," he added.

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