Meet Jay Kishore Pradhan, a true testament to the adage that it's never too late to chase your dreams. At the age of 64, he traded his banker's desk for a medical college classroom, proving that age is just a number when it comes to pursuing your passion.
The National Eligibility and Entrance Test (NEET), the gateway for admission into various undergraduate medical and dental courses in India, is known for its rigorous difficulty and intense competition.
Also read: NEET 2024 Result: Physics Wallah student achieves AIR 1, watch founder Alakh Pandey's viral reaction
For Odisha native Jay Kishore Pradhan, even the idea of attempting this exam after retirement from his lifelong job was no small feat.
"I had appeared in the medical entrance examination after I completed my I.Sc (Intermediate in Science) but I failed to crack it then. Later, I pursued a BSc in physics and joined as a teacher at Attabita M.E School for a year. Subsequently, I joined Indian Bank and then the State Bank of India in 1983. However, I never gave up on my dream to pursue medicine," Pradhan said in an interview with TOI.
He adds, "I had even planned to quit my job and take admission in MBBS. But we were five brothers and my family responsibilities didn't allow me to quit the job at that time."
So it was only after he retired as a deputy manager from the State Bank of India (SBI) that he finally decided to revisit his dream of pursuing a career in the medical field.
Pradhan embarked on his preparation journey for NEET, enrolling in an online coaching program to systematically understand the course material.
Despite facing numerous obstacles, he remained dedicated to his goal of succeeding in the medical entrance test.
His hard work ultimately paid off when he passed the NEET exam in 2020 and secured a seat at the Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR).
Recently, the NEET 2024 results were released on June 4. However, they have sparked controversy, leading to calls for a detailed investigation. The issues arise from the fact that 67 students achieved perfect scores, several top scorers were from the same exam center, and there were allegations of question paper leaks, according to reports by Deccan Herald.
For more information on exams, results and careers, please visit Indiatimes Education.