From Garbage Collector To SSC Pass: Pune Sanitation Worker Priyanka Kamble Clears SSC Amid Life Struggles

Pune, 14th May 2025: The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) announced the SSC examination results yesterday (13th May), and students across the state have achieved remarkable success. Among the students, Priyanka Kamble, a garbage collector employed by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), has passed the SSC examination with 47.60% marks.

Priyanka Kamble’s education was interrupted in childhood. “Back then, I didn’t understand the importance of education. But as time passed, I realized that without education, progress is impossible. Age is no barrier to learning, and with that belief, I enrolled in Class 8 at Shrimati Ramabai Ranade High School for Adult Women,” Kamble said.

While working as a sanitation worker for the PMC, Kamble would collect garbage in the morning, drop her son off at school, and then attend her classes. Balancing work, household responsibilities, and studies, she persevered through a grueling routine. During the SSC exams, she would attend work and then head straight to the examination center. Her mother became her strongest support system during this challenging phase.

“I had a fallout with my husband, and we started living separately. During that difficult period, I realized that education was my only way forward. Deciding to return to studies was the best decision I made. Today, seeing my SSC result, I feel a tremendous sense of accomplishment,” Kamble said with pride.

Along with Priyanka Kamble, other students from Shrimati Ramabai Ranade High School for Adult Women also performed well. The school recorded a pass percentage of 90%. Out of the 10 students who appeared for the exams, nine cleared the SSC successfully. Sukanya Shinde topped the school with 70.40% marks, while Renuka Katrabad secured the second position with 65.60%.

The school’s headmistress, Neelam Khomne, stated that Shrimati Ramabai Ranade High School for Adult Women is dedicated to educating adult women who missed out on formal education or had to leave school midway. This year’s results are a testament to their hard work and determination.

Founded by Ramabai Ranade on 2nd October 1909, Pune Sevasadan started as an initiative to empower women through education. The institution celebrated its 50th anniversary as a government-recognized adult school in 2022. Today, the school continues to provide education from Classes 5 to 10, enabling women like Priyanka Kamble to rewrite their destinies.