Retired 64 year old Odisha banker cracks NEET, becomes first-year MBBS student

A 64-year-old retired banker from Odisha, Jay Kishore Pradhan set a new educational milestone after he cracked the NEET and enrolled as a first-year MBBS student at state-run Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology. According to a PTI report, the elderly Pradhan whose achievements are rarely documented in India’s medical education history expressed a desire to ‘serve the people’ during the course of his entire lifetime. The former official of SBI had enrolled himself under the disability reservation at the university. 

Acknowledging the retired Banker’s hardwork, the VIMSAR Director Lalit Meher told PTI, “It is one of the rare events in the history of medical education in the country. Pradhan has set an example by getting admission as a medical student at such an age.” He further informed that Pradhan appeared for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) which does not have an age barrier. 

Later in September, the talented retired banker had managed to secure his name among the top ranks as he cracked VIMSAR. A resident at Bargarh told sources of PTI that the enthusiastic Pradhan had toiled to appear for the examination after he lost 2 daughters and felt motivated to contribute towards the healthcare systems. He applied for an MBBS course to become a doctor, the resident informed. 

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Filed writ petition

“I have no commercial intentions going ahead. I want to serve the people till I am alive,” Pradhan said, speaking to PTI, adding that age was just a number for him. But the time he completes his MBBS degree, Pradhan will hit the age of 70. Although, he remains dedicated to the cause of saving lives despite that he is retired from service. Although the upper age limit for appearing in the NEET exam is 25, the former banker had filed a writ petition to be eligible to sit in the exam in the Supreme Court in 2018, the verdict of which, was delivered in his favour. 

(with inputs from PTI)

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