Students beat stroke, cardiac issues to shine in CBSE class 10 exams
Times of India | 17 April 2026
Kolkata: Aniket Bhattacharyya scored 99.4% in his class 10 board exam despite serious health setbacks in the months leading up to it; Aarav Bengani, who was hospitalised just before the boards and missed some unit tests, secured 86%; Avishi Banerjee scored 86.2% despite suffering a stroke two years ago that left her right side paralysed. These students rose above their medical issues to pass the test with flying colours.
Aniket emerged as one of the standout performers. His health setbacks had led his family to consider asking him to skip the exams. On Feb 18, 2025, he suffered a fracture of the left mandible and underwent a month of treatment at a private hospital in Tegharia. In April last year, he developed a mild fever that continued for nearly a month. He was eventually diagnosed with typhoid and also tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. He received treatment at a hospital in Anandapur and was advised to remain in isolation. Later, his family took him to Chennai for further treatment. His mother Duhita said the family had serious doubts about whether he would be able to sit for the board exams.
Avishi of DPS Howrah scored 86.2% after recovering from a stroke she suffered two years ago, when she was 13. The medical emergency occurred during a period of extreme heat, when she lost consciousness. The stroke caused right-sided hemiplegia, paralysing the right side of her body and making writing and other fine motor tasks extremely difficult.
When Avishi was first admitted to hospital, she was bedridden, lost her ability to speak, forgot common words and had to relearn how to swallow. Through intensive speech therapy and sustained rehabilitation, she gradually regained her speech and mobility. Because finishing exam papers in time was difficult, Avishi was allowed to use a scribe. "I wasn't thinking about what I could not do. I only knew I had to put in my best," she said.
Aarav of Birla High School has been dealing with medical issues since childhood, including hydronephrosis, a hole in the heart, and an anorectal condition that led to intestinal obstruction. "I was determined to take the test, and I am satisfied with my score," he said.