The retired banker will fulfill the ambition he has been nurturing for decades.
After 40 years of grueling work and parenting, a 60-year-old is probably more inclined to spend time with grandchildren, play cards, dive into gardening, or visit close relatives more often than before. However, a 64-year-old retired banker from Odisha has a different idea.
It may sound strange, but Jay Kishore Pradhan, born 1956, has set out to become a doctor. He will formally start pursuing the four-year MBBS program at the Veer Surendra Sai Medical Sciences and Research Institute (VIMSAR), Burla, one of Odisha’s leading government-run health institutes, after being admitted on Monday.
Hailing from Atabira in the Bargarh district of Odisha, Mr. Pradhan has completed all the necessary paperwork for a new participant in the MBBS program. The old man has been cleared of cardiology, pulmonary function and nephrology tests and allowed to study medicine.
Strange decision
He had retired as deputy head of the State Bank of India in 2016. The bizarre decision has surprised many, but Pradhan would actually be fulfilling the ambition he has been nurturing for decades.
“I once took the MBBS entrance exam right after my intermediate class in the 1970s. I couldn’t succeed then. I didn’t want to waste another year in preparation, so I joined B.Sc with honors in Physics. Since then, I have been haunted by a sense of default, ”Pradhan said.
Also, I am indebted to medical science. My father was admitted to the university, where he would be studying, in 1982 for a urinary ulcer. In 1987, he underwent a second surgery and was taken to Vellore for further treatment. As a result of a successful treatment, my father survived until January 2010, ”he said.
Strong desire
“The desire to study medicine was so strong that I was toying with the idea of voluntarily retiring after 15 years of banking. However, it was too risky to leave work considering the family obligation, ”said Mr. Pradhan.
After completing his graduation, he joined as a part-time teacher at a local school before switching his job to the telecommunications sector. Later, he worked at Indian Bank. In 1983, Mr. Pradhan joined the SBI.
After staying away from active studies for four decades, how did the man find his pace in preparation for the National Income and Eligibility Test (NEET), which is quite a difficult test to pass even for students of this generation?
Daughter Motivation
“I have two twin daughters who were preparing for the medical entrance exams. He had been helping them prepare. As I was very good at memorizing physics, chemistry and biology, my daughters encouraged me to try it, ”said the 60-year-old.
“In 2019, the Supreme Court had raised the upper age limit to study until retrial. It helped me reaffirm my determination to pursue my dream. I took it as a challenge to study MBBS, ”said Mr. Pradhan. The man had obtained the rank of 5,94,380 with a score of 175. Mr. Pradhan became eligible to enter VIMSAR on a quota for the physically disabled.
Given that one of their daughters had the unfortunate death last month, the family was unable to rejoice at the achievement in the way it should have been celebrated. “I am determined to continue studying medicine in memory of my daughter,” he said.
Pradhan would be 69 when he completed the MBBS program. When asked if he is interested in joining a regular job as a doctor after school, he said: “I am past the stage of joining any regular job. Whatever I learned over the next five years, I would continue to practice privately for the rest of my life, ”he said.
No age limit
At VIMSAR, Brajamohan Mishra, dean and director, who would be a year older than Mr. Pradhan, is speechless after encountering an unprecedented feat. “According to order of the Supreme Court, there is no age limit to study. You have been declared medically fit. Since the notary’s signature was missing on a certain document, he was asked to present it on Monday and join the course, ”said Dr. Mishra.
“I would consider it my classmate and it would be a new kind of experience for me. Our brains are mature. Given his passion for studying medicine, I hope that he will not face any problem in pursuing scientific subjects in the MBBS program, ”said the director of VIMSAR.
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