PUDUKKOTTAI: For 17-year-old A Anisty, days at the brick kiln in Paraikalam near Karaiyur had become routine - a way to support her family while her hopes of joining college slowly faded away. That changed this week, after a short video of her story online drew unexpected support and opened a path back to education. She has secured admission to a BSc Nursing course at a private residential college in Vellore. The college confirmed to TNIE that it would bear the full cost of her education.
Anisty, who completed Class 12 at Mohideen Abdul Khadar Government Higher Secondary School in Karaiyur with 519 marks in science stream, had been struggling to secure a seat of her choice. She said in a YouTube interview that despite repeated attempts, she could not get placed in any of the three rounds of counselling and eventually took up work at the kiln full-time.
Her first ambition was to study BSc Agriculture and, later, attempt the civil services exam. She alleged that a private agriculture college demanded several lakhs in fees, forcing her to abandon the option. With a score of 178, she also missed securing a BSc Nursing seat by one mark.
At home, financial problems had only deepened. Her brother was unable to work following an accident, and her mother, Ammasi, a daily wage worker, had fallen ill. The family has been living in her grandmother’s house, leaving Anisty with no means to continue her education. As the YouTube video went viral, district education officials initiated an inquiry.
District Higher Education Coordinator M Saravanan visited her home and confirmed that her school had applied on her behalf for NEET, BSc Agriculture, BSc Nursing and government arts and science college admissions. Officials said she had scored 125 in NEET and had been allotted BSc Botany and BSc Zoology seats at KKC Government Arts and Science College in Pudukkottai, which she did not join. She was also offered a self-financing agriculture seat at JSA College of Agriculture and Technology, which she could not take due to financial constraints. With institutional support now assured Anisty is set to begin her studies once again.