Unable to pay Rs 32,000 graduation fee, woman attends ceremony as guest: 'Surviving the month mattered more'

Graduation: the one day everyone dreams of walking the stage in cap and gown, tossing your mortarboard, and soaking in applause. For digital creator Rashika Fazali, it was… a little different. She attended her own graduation as a guest—because her college’s Rs 32,000 ceremony fee was a 'hard pass.'

Taking to Instagram, Rashika called it a 'bittersweet moment'. “I attended my own graduation as a guest. Financially, I couldn’t afford it. And it was a no-brainer that surviving the month was more important than walking the stage,” she wrote. But the sting was real: “But I really wished I did. I’ve never worn the cloak before or got to graduate. The last time I did my bachelor’s I never got to finish it due to financial issues.”

Despite skipping the stage, Rashika made sure to cheer on her classmates. She reflected, “At least I’ll have the memories and most importantly, I got to cheer on my colleagues who were cheering me on when I was going through the worst time of my life.”

Rashika, a single working mother, earned her master’s with merit and distinction, all while juggling life with minimal support. “I am super proud of myself. To graduate with a merit. To graduate with a distinction in my research. To finally be a masters holder. And to do it all while being a single working mom with hardly any support,” she shared.

She added, “Life has taught me that sometimes you have to make hard decisions. And when you go through them, you come out different and even stronger. And all you’re left with are memories because the present is fleeting, the past is living, and the future is unknown.”

Social media users didn’t hold back. Many hailed her resilience, while others roasted the college’s hefty fee. When someone asked how much it cost, she confirmed: Rs 32,000—money she simply couldn’t justify.