Education has in fact no age limit. What it only needs is strong willpower. This has again been proved by a retired bank employee, Jay Kishore Pradhan, of Attabira in Bargarh district.
After clearing the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) at the age of 64, Pradhan got enrolled at the Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology here as a medical student on Wednesday.
“It is one of the rare records in the history of medical education. He has certainly set an example by getting admission as a medical student at such an age,” said VIMSAR Director Prof Lalit Meher.Pradhan, who is upbeat for ultimately achieving what he had been longing for since beginning of his career, said he aims to engage himself in the service of people by becoming a good doctor. A resident of Ward-2 of Attabira, Pradhan had appeared in the NEET held in September.
After securing good ranks, he qualified to get admission in Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology in the disability reservation category. Born in 1956, Pradhan has always dreamt to be a doctor. He had appeared in the medical entrance test for the first time after his intermediate but could not succeed. Since then, he did not attempt further.
He did his graduation in Science. Later, he got a job in a bank and his dream of becoming a doctor withered. In 2016, he retired from the State Bank of India (SBI) Main Branch as a Field Officer.
During the period, his daughter was preparing for medical entrance, which reignited his hope and decided to appear in NEET. Notably, the minimum age limit for NEET is 17.
But there is no upper age limit for the national-level entrance and the matter is subjudice in the Supreme Court. Pradhan’s daughter is a BDS Second Year student and studying in Bilaspur of Chhattisgarh.