97-year-old appears for MA exam in Patna

Patna: It was a sunny day and Raj Kumar Vaishya had trouble walking. But determined to get a postgraduate degree, the 97-year-old sat for a three-hour MA exam, along with students younger than his grandchildren. Vaishya, who graduated in 1938, was appearing for his final year MA (economics) examination at Nalanda Open University (NOU), Patna. The exams began on Thursday and will continue till next week. He wrote in English and used nearly two dozen sheets, an NOU official said. “He sat for three hours like every other student, most of them younger than his grandchildren. It surprised us all, including other examinees,” the official said. Early this year, Vaishya was recognised by the Limca Book of Records as the oldest man to apply for a postgraduate degree. A rare man, Raj Kumar Vaishya has set an example for millions of people who use age as an excuse to give up on their dreams. (IANS)