BABAR ALI 

 
 
COMPREHENSION I: 
Answer the following in a word, a phrase or a sentence each :  
 
1. Who is the youngest headmaster in the world?  
2. Babar Ali initially started his afternoon school at the age of ______ 
3. What was the name of Babar Ali’s little afternoon venture (school)?  
4. Babar Ali hails from the village of ______ in West Bengal.  
5. Where did Babar Ali teach hundreds of students?  
6. Who was the first privileged member in Babar Ali’s family to get a proper education?  
7. How many students in total, learn in Babar Ali’s school?  
8. What do the underprivileged children learn free of cost at Babar Ali’s school?   
9. Who is described as a fortunate soul in his district of Murshidabad?  
10. The extent of Babar Ali’s home is described as the size of an average________ 
11. The name of Babar Ali’s father is _________ 
12. Nasiruddin Sheikh was a _________ by profession.   
13. What is man’s true religion, according to Nasiruddin Sheikh?  
14. Who believed that education is man’s true religion?  
15. How many subjects do the students at Babar Ali’s school study?   
16. Who initially supported Babar Ali’s venture with his own income?  
17. Many families could not afford to send their children to school in spite of free education 
because they still had to pay for ______________.  
18. The School ‘Anand Shiksha Niketan’ started as a ________. 
19. The children enjoy playing the game ‘school school because they_______  
a. learnt arithmetic b. had never seen the inside of a school c. Both a and b  
20. Babar Ali gets the children to listen to him because____________ 
21. According to Babar Ali, what works to their advantage?  
22. When was Babar Ali’s school institutionalized?  
23. Who initially provided the rice for the mid-day meals at Babar Ali’s school?   
24. How many students are on roll-call in Babar Ali’s School?  
25. Babar Ali’s afternoon school is now registered and recognized by the Government of 
_______________. 
26. Who is described as an ‘ illiterate fishmonger’ by morning and a ‘crusading educationalist’ 
by afternoon?   
27. What does Tulu Rani Hazra do when she ventures on her fish selling rounds of nearby 
villages?   
28. How many children has Tulu Rani Hazra recruited?  
29. The teaching staff of nine at Babar Ali’s school comprises of _____ 
30. Who is the most educated of the high school student volunteers at Babar Ali’s school?  
31. In Babar Ali’s school, _____ are given free for classes I to V.  
32. ___________ is spared in Babar Ali’s school.  
 
COMPREHENSION II: 
 
1.​ ​Why do you think Babar Ali took the initiative to start his own school?  
A. Babar Ali took the initiative to start his own school because he felt the need to do 
something about the situation that he felt strongly about. He felt that the other children of 
his village did not have the same advantage that he had- that of being able to attend a 
formal school and the privilege of being educated. Babar Ali strongly believed that all the 
children of the village must have the privilege of being educated. That is why he started his 
own school in the backyard of his house for the illiterate children of the village. He took 
classes for these children in his backyard after returning from his regular school - a school 
where he attended as a student. Even though Babar Ali came from a very small village of 
Murshidabad, he had a dream which was motivated by a strong desire to educate the 
other poor children of his village. 
 
2. ‘What started as a game resulted in a much sought after school for the unprivileged’. 
Explain. 
A. Babar Ali’s school Anand Shiksha Niketan started off as a game. He started his own school 
at the mere age of 9. He and his friends used to play school-school with Babar as the 
teacher. His friends had never seen the inside of a school, so they enjoyed playing students 
and ended up learning arithmetic and enjoying it. In 2002 the game got institutionalized. 
Slowly Babar’s own teachers, monks, IAS officers, and the local cops started helping him. 
The Government of West Bengal took the initiative to provide rice for the midday meal 
scheme introduced in the school. The School has 60 regular attendees and over 220 
students on roll call and 800 students in total, with 10 volunteer teachers teaching grades 1 
 through 8. The West Bengal State government has now registered and recognised the 
school. The school provides free education to the underprivileged children of the 
neighbouring villages. 
 
3. Do you think that Babar Ali’s act of thoughtfulness has enabled the poor children move 
towards growth.? Discuss. 
A. Babar Ali, a 16 year old schoolboy, has helped out hundreds of children to get enlightened. 
The poor children from his village and the neighbouring areas are economically backward 
and deprived of formal education. Babar Ali decided to do something about the situation 
when he felt was unfair. He decided to start his own school at the mere age of nine and 
provide free education to these children. Without formal education, they would end up 
working as menial workers and would not get a chance at a good job. By providing free 
education Babar Ali has given the children an opportunity to not only grow economically 
and socially but also build a good life for themselves. Thus his act of thoughtfulness has 
enabled the children to move towards a better future. 
 
COMPREHENSION III: 
 
1. According to Nasiruddin ‘ Education is man's true religion’. How does Babar Ali’s school 
prove this? 
A. Education in the largest sense is any act or experience that has a formative effect on the 
mind, character, or physical ability of an individual. Education makes a greater difference 
between man and man than religion. True religion is neither rule-based nor ritual-based. 
True religion is service to humanity. Knowledge is that tool which can enable man to lead a 
fulfilling and enlightened life. It is Knowledge that can bring man closer to God and 
humanity. 
  Babar Ali’s father, Nasiruddin Sheikh who was a jute trader with a small income believed 
that education is man's true religion. Babar Ali also firmly shared this belief. Babar Ali was 
fortunate enough to go to school and get formal education unlike the other children of his 
village. 
  Babar Ali himself realised the importance of education in a man's life and decided to do 
something for the unfortunate children of his village. He noticed that the children of his 
village instead of going to school helped out their families by working as mechanics, day 
labourers, grass cutters whereas girls worked as maid servants in the village. 
Babar Ali decided to fight poverty through education. In 2002 he started a school of his own 
in the backward Bapta neighborhood at the age of 9. The school Anand Shiksha Niketan 
 has 800 students and 10 teachers who themselves are high school students. The school has 
gained popularity and is recognised by the West Bengal Government. 
Today Babar Ali’s school offers to the children of the village the scope of living a meaningful 
and virtuous life. This selfless service of Babar Ali is as pious and virtuous as any ritualistic 
religious service. 
 
2. The increasing strength of Babar Ali’s school reflects the transformation in our society’s 
attitude towards education. Substantiate. 
A. Even after 70 years of Independence, a large population of our country does not know how 
to read and write. India currently has the largest population of illiterate adults in the world 
with 287 million. This is 37 % of the global total. There is no doubt that most of the large 
population of illiterate people live in villages. 
Although the government has taken many steps to eradicate illiteracy yet the schemes 
and facilities do not reach the rural areas. The dismal rate of illiteracy can be attributed to 
many reasons like inadequate school facilities, income imbalances, caste imbalances, 
gender disparity, etc. ( include Babar Ali’s story). 
Initially, the poor parents who were unwilling to send their children to school have realised 
the importance of education and started sending their children to school. Tulu Rani Hazra, 
the illiterate fishmonger also helps out in recruiting new students and confronting the 
erring parents. High school student volunteers and other people like IAS officers, local cops, 
monks, etc all have readily come up for this cause. Thus we see that every stratum of 
society is involved in the mission to eradicate illiteracy. 
It is the need of the hour that every literate person needs to accept the eradication of 
illiteracy as a personal goal. Babar Ali’s endeavour to provide free education is definitely 
bringing a transformation in society. It is definitely a commendable change and 
transformation in the mindset of society. It is also an attempt at giving every child its basic 
fundamental right to education. It is high time that we implement the policy of ​each one 
teach one. 
 
3. Do you feel that Babar Ali's initiation is a success story? Explain. 
A. Babar Ali is today hailed as ‘ the youngest headmaster in the world’. He is truly living his 
dream. He is still a student himself, enrolled at the CRGS High School in Murshidabad, West 
Bengal. In the afternoons, he in turn teaches students in a school in his family's backyard. 
He began teaching at 9 years of age, mostly as a game, and then decided to continue 
teaching other children on a larger scale. Today the school continues to be run as an 
outdoor school and counts a total of 800 students and 10 teachers. The fact that the 
 school is free makes it affordable for the poor in this economically deprived area. The 
school has been registered and recognised by the West Bengal Government. 
His efforts have increased the literacy rate in the area. There is a considerable change in 
the mindset of the people of the area. 
Initially, the poor parents who were unwilling to send their children to school have realised 
the importance of education and started sending their children to school. Tulu Rani Hazra, 
the illiterate fishmonger also helps out in recruiting new students and confronting the 
erring parents. High school student volunteers and other people like IAS officers, local cops, 
monks, etc all have readily come up for this cause. Thus we see that every stratum of 
society is involved in the mission to eradicate illiteracy. 
There are many other high school student volunteers and college students like Debarita 
who teach in the school and help Babar Ali. Babar Ali’s mission is a success story because 
it brings a ray of hope in the lives of the underprivileged children of the neighbouring 
villages. It gives them an opportunity to get a job and lead a better life. It is a success story 
because it has inspired millions of youth to work towards the upliftment of society.