An interesting story circulating on social media highlights the saying "age is just a number." Three seniors, aged 68, 67, and 60, have proven that age is no barrier to achieving one's goals by successfully clearing the NEET exam and applying for MBBS admission in Tamil Nadu. Their decision to pursue a medical career, especially since two of them are lawyers, has surprised many.
According to the state's selection committee, there are at least 25 candidates over the age of 35 still in the running for undergraduate medical and dental seats. This surge of applications follows the National Medical Commission's removal of age restrictions and limits on the number of attempts for the entrance exam.
Middle-aged and older applicants seek medical admission
All three candidates have submitted their applications under the government school quota. Notably, the Tamil Nadu government has a 7.5% quota for students from government schools. Under this scheme, those who have studied in state-run schools are offered free MBBS seats in both government and private colleges within the state. This year, many graduates and working professionals have applied for medical and dental seats. A report published by the Times of India indicates that the highest number of middle-aged and older applicants since 2017 includes at least 25 candidates over the age of 35 seeking undergraduate medical and dental courses in Tamil Nadu, as confirmed by officials.
Social Media reaction
''It’s great to see people following their dreams at any age. But since medical seats are limited, maybe the system should think about how to handle such cases better'', a user commented on X.
''Age is just a number. These aren’t just NEET qualifiers ,they’re dreamers who refused to retire. Respect'', another user said.
''It’s never too late to chase your dreams 60s is the new 20s. Massive respect to these legends for proving passion has no retirement age'', third user commented.
