At 98, Bihar man clears MA exam, asks youth to follow their ‘dreams’

A 98-year-old man cleared the MA examination (economics) in Bihar on Tuesday.

Patna, Sep 27: What are your plans if you live almost a 100 years? Probably, at this moment your thoughts are blurred as you could not even imagine living for so long.

Like everyone else, 98-year-old Raj Kumar Vaishya from Patna, Bihar, also did not plan much for his sunset years, but he always nurtured the dream of getting the Master of Arts (MA) degree.

And, the nonagenarian did fulfil his dream by passing the MA (economics) examination from Patna's Nalanda Open University (NOU) with a second division on Tuesday.

Probably, Vaishya, who has retired from a private firm in Jharkhand in 1980, is the oldest man in the country to obtain the postgraduate degree at the age of 98. Earlier this year, Vaishya was recognised by the Limca Book of Records as the oldest man to apply for a postgraduate degree.

Born on April 1, 1920, in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, he did his graduation from Agra University in 1938 and got a degree in law in 1940.

After achieving the feat of clearing the examination, considered one of the highest educational degrees in the country, Vaishya was visibly delighted.

"Finally, I have fulfilled my long cherished dream. Now I am a postgraduate. I decided to prove two years ago that even at this age, one can fulfil their dreams and achieve anything. I am an example," he told IANS.

The 98-year-old added that he has been trying to send a message to the youth that defeat should never be accepted. "I want to tell them not to get upset and depressed. Mauka aur avsar har wakt rehta hai, kewal khud pe vishwas hona chahiye (There will be always opportunities for those who believe in themselves)," he said.

According to NOU officials, Vaishya was so determined to get a postgraduate degree that he sat for a three-hour MA first year examination in 2016 and the final year exam in 2017 along with students younger than his grandchildren. He wrote in English and used nearly two dozen sheets in each exam.

Talking about how he prepared for the examination, Vaishya said, "When I mentioned about planning to write the examination, my family didn't discourage at all. I got admission. It was a challenge and I accepted it."

What took him so long to write the examination, the 98-year-old, who takes the help of a walker to move around, said, "I didn't do it earlier because I had to let my children study and run my house too."

So, all those who are nurturing one or other dreams for a long time, get up and fulfill them, as Vaishya says, "It's never too late".

OneIndia News