The British Council Nepal on Friday organised the Outstanding Cambridge Learner Awards under eight different categories to felicitate the highest achievers in the A Level and AS Level examination series of June-November 2016. While one student was conferred with the Top in the World Award which acknowledged her exceptional performance globally, 40 others were conferred the Best Across and Top in Nepal awards. At the event, The Post’s Samikshya Bhattarai met some of the outstanding performers to pen their feelings and views. Here is what they had to say:
Samriddhi Shrestha
Top in the World—Language & Literature in English, AS Level, RatoBangala School
Samriddhi Shrestha of Rato Bangala School was awarded the Top in the World Award for English Language and Literature in the AS Level examinations held on November 2016. A literature aficionado, Samriddhi attributed her love of books and the constant encouragement from her teachers for her remarkable achievement. Samriddhi believes the two years of A Levels has changed her outlook towards the world and refined her personality. She said, “A Level makes students curious about what they are learning, which helps them to develop analytical skills, as well as to think independently.” She added, “A Level has an up-to-date and relevant syllabus which equips students with skills that come in handy in today’s real world.” Samriddhi who is planning to pursue an undergraduate degree at Knox University, USA, wants to follow her literary passions and become a successful author in the future.
Tushar Mittal
Top in Nepal—Accounting, AS Level, Global College International
Tushar fell in love with accounting from an early age, which he cites as the main reason for bagging the honour of the Top in Nepal Award for Accounting in the AS Level examinations. According to Tushar, the independence that A Levels gives to its students provides them with an incentive to work hard. “A Levels doesn’t restrict its students to books but rather lets them find a way on their own, which increases students’ capacity to properly articulate their views,” Tushar said, “Accounting is more than just knowing numbers, it’s actually understanding them and playing with them to get the final results. So, I think, to do well in accounting, one should see it as more than just numbers and try to see between the lines.”
Sworup Kanta Adhikari
Best Across four subjects in Nepal—AS Level, St. Xavier’s College
Sworup Kanta Adhikari from St. Xavier’s College was presented with the Top in Nepal Award for excelling in two different subjects, Chemistry and Computer Science; along with the Best Across Four Cambridge International AS levels Award. An avid science lover, Sworup has always excelled in studies from his early school days. He said, “Most of us see studies as a burden, which is why we never reach to our full potential. I have always enjoyed reading, tackling questions and reading and never seen it as burden which is why I think received this award.”
Kritib Bhattarai
Top in Nepal—Mathematics, AS Level,Trinity International College
Kritib’s favourite thing about A Levels is its challenging syllabus. Kribit who was awarded with the Top in Nepal Award for Mathematics in the AS Level examination said, “No two questions are the same. There is always something new which makes studying interesting. The uniqueness of the questions demands meticulous practice in order to be successful, which is why I think A Levels is tough—if you don’t work hard or have the passion for subject.” According to him, there is no substitute to hard work and doing well in Maths has everything to do with grabbing the right moment to solve questions. As per his future plans, Kritib hopes to pursue his further studies in a reputed university abroad.
Yeana Song
High Achievement Award—History, AS Level, Kathmandu Int’l Study Centre
Yeana lived in various countries—from America to India—while growing up, which made it easier for her to learn the histories of the respective countries. But being a bibliophile, she always had a curiosity about the history of the world as a whole. “I had experienced various cultures and read the history of various countries but never had much idea about the history of the world. My passion to learn about how the world became what it is today pushed me to work hard,” Yeana said, “Also my teacher, Ms Amy, never gave up on my constant failures and inquisitiveness. I think to succeed in the A Levels you need a good mentor and a lot of patience.”
Ritika Thapa
Top in Nepal—Biology, AS Level Kathmandu University High School
Ritika, a biology enthusiast from Kathmandu University High School, was presented with the award in the Top in Nepal category for Biology. According to Ritika, excelling in the A Levels is about knowing the correct way to study. She said, “Up to class ten, we are mostly taught to learn everything by rote but in the A Levels rote learning will not take you anywhere. Firstly, you need to have passion for the subjects and then determination to not give up when you fail once or twice.” Ritika, who hopes to continue her passion for Biology in the future, advises students who are studying A Levels, or planning to do so, to study continually, listen to what is taught in class and make maximum use of resources provided to shine.
Akshita Gurung
Top in Nepal—Economics, AS Level,Saipal Academy
Akshita Gurung, who was awarded the Top in Nepal Award for performing exceptionally well in Economics in the AS Level examination, initially chose A Levels to get away from having to study Nepali. “I was really bad in Nepali so I decided to choose A Levels; but it is much more than international recognised studies. Its syllabi motivates students and brings out the best in them,” Akshita said, “You cannot expect to do well in the A Levels if you just play around; you need to work hard. You need to put a lot of effort, which I think makes A Levels students different from others.” She recommends A Levels students to try to first understand the basic concept before moving further, as only a strong foundation leads to a strong structure.
Aakriti Dhital
Top in Nepal—Business, A Level, RatoBangala School
Awarded with the Top in Nepal Award for Business in the A Levels examinations, A Levels was Aakriti’s go-to choice after SLC, primarily because she wanted to escape the traditional method of rote learning. She said, “I was given opportunities to think, analyse and evaluate—skills that are useful during every step of our lives—through the two years I studied A Levels. Because of it, I’ve grown as a thinker.” She credits the resources her school provided for her success and thanks her business instructor, Penjor Sir, for his constant support. She said, “Studying A Levels is all about hard work and commitment. Even though it gets overwhelming at times, the knowledgeable thinker that we become at the end of it is all worth it.”
Pranav Shrestha
Best Across Three Subjects in Nepal—A Level , RatoBangala School
Pranav Shrestha of Rato Bangala School was awarded with Top in Nepal Award in four subjects—Biology, Economics, Mathematics and Physics and Best Across Three Subjects in A Level examination June series. A science enthusiast, Pranav, entered A Levels hoping to pursue medicine—taking the usual Physics, Biology, Chemistry track. He said, “On my first day of class, my biology teacher, Mr Yadav, explained how relying solely on the book would lead to a B-grade, at best. Having never been good at rote learning, I felt happy about it. Over the next two years, each question trained our abilities to think and to reason rather than just memorising data.” He added, “The free time between classes and the flexible course selections helped reduce academic stress and also provided time to explore hobbies—from playing chess in the sun to coding puzzles.” Pranav who is currently studying at Columbia University in the US suggests students studying A Levels to utilise their free time, exploring hobbies, and most importantly, to learn to reason rather than memorise.
Source: This article was originally published on 11th April issue of The Kathmandu post entitled "Crème de la crème"
