CHENNAI: With age no bar to sit for NEET, Amuthavalli Manivannan, 49-year-old mother of a girl who is also aspiring to become a doctor, secured an MBBS seat in a government college under the reservation for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwD) on day one of the medical admissions counselling that began in Chennai on July 30.
A physiotherapist by profession, Amuthavalli, who had scored 147 marks in NEET, secured a seat in Government Medical College in Virudhunagar, close to her native district of Tenkasi.
Her daughter, M Samyuktha, whose preparation for NEET inspired her mother to attempt the exam this year, is awaiting the general round of MBBS counselling to commence.
She has secured 450 marks this year, which is her second consecutive attempt to fulfil her dream of becoming a doctor. Visibly delighted, Amuthavalli said she had tried to join the MBBS course after finishing her schooling more than three decades ago, but it went in vain. She could only pursue a course in physiotherapy instead.
With her daughter making her second attempt this year, Amuthavalli, who has been supporting her, got inspired and sat for the examination after preparing along with Samyuktha.
NEET has no ceiling on age or on the number of attempts, which enabled Amuthavalli to pursue her dream, albeit a delay of thirty years.
“My daughter’s only condition was that I should not join the same medical college where she joins. I should perhaps not spoil her fun for five years, right?” asks Amuthavalli, bursting into laughter.
As counselling for special reservation categories are conducted offline, Amuthavalli, accompanied by Samyuktha, had travelled to Chennai to participate in the process.
The Selection Committee under the Directorate of Medical Education and Research conducted offline counselling for 7.5% reservation for government school students, and special category; persons with benchmark disabilities, children of ex-servicemen and eminent sports persons on July 30.