Tell Me Something Good--Super30

photo courtesy of super30.org

Here’s another tale of inspiration, community and selflessness on “Tell Me Something Good” Thursday.

In 2003, Indian math wizard Anand Kumar, created the Ramanujan School of Mathematics, where he implements his Super30 program. An innovative math and tutoring program, Super30 is designed to help meritorious children from very poor families win placement at seven prestigious schools that train India’s top engineers and entrepreneurs. It is a self-supporting entity, generating revenue by holding evening courses for intermediate level students who are interested in various engineering tests, and charging a nominal fee for the entrance test, which is 15% less than any other institutions.

Over 200,000 Indian youths compete for the 5,000 spaces available at the seven schools by completing a six-hour entrance exam. Most of the students come from middle class backgrounds and receive private coaching, helping them prepare, but over the last six years, Ramanujan has helped over 182 very poor children, whom have been among those winning one of the 5,000 desired spaces; students whose fathers are brick kiln workers, landless farmers, rickshaw pullers or roadside vendors, receive free lodging, meals, and coaching once they are accepted.

Since the start of Super30, the number of students winning spaces has been on a steady upward climb:

in 2003, 18 of 30 students won spaces;
2004, 22 of 30;
2005, 26 of 30;
2006 and 2007, 28 of 30
2008 and 2009, an astonishing 30 out of 30 students won.

This is a great program that has given hope to many. We need more innovative programs such as this in order to ensure economic growth of the future. If the most gifted and talented youths, worldwide, are not sought after and challenged, old ideas and ideals will be relied on, halting growth.

To read more in depth about this story, click here. Also, visit the Ramanujan School of Mathematics official site.