96-Year-Old Kerala Woman Scores 98% In Literacy Exam

If you think you're too old to take the leap, take inspiration from this 96-year-old woman from Kerala who has topped the qualifying Class IV exam conducted by the Kerala Literacy Mission Authority. She scored a whopping 98 per cent.

Karthyayani is the oldest student to attend the Aksharalaksham literacy examination in August this year, and will receive a merit certificate from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan today

"She is the topper among the neo-literates qualifying exam. We are all proud of her great achievement. She had voluntarily joined the class," PS Sreelatha, director of the Literacy Mission Authority told India Today.

i had tweeted about this 96 year old Kerala student when she began her studies: yesterday she passed her literacy exams! Congratulations Karthyayani Amma! https://t.co/3fTbxSjs9s

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) November 1, 2018

Karthiyaniamma Krishnapilla hails from the Muttom village in Alappuzha. Having never studied in any school, she topped in Class IV test among 43,330 students who appeared for the equivalent examination conducted in the state in five levels - Class IV, VII, X, XI and XII. A total 42,933 students passed. She used to work as a cleaning staff in a few temples nearby her village.

She told The Hindu that her next target is to clearing the tenth standard equivalent examination. “I am delighted to clear the examination with high marks. I would like to continue my studies,” she said.

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Her teacher Sati K. said, “She is very enthusiastic about education and it was reflected in marks she scored. She is eager to continue education."

These tests come under Aksharalaksham' project started on Republic Day (January 26, 2018) by Kerala State Literacy Mission Authority.  The aim was to achieve 100 per cent literacy in the state.

"I'm happy that I got good marks. Now I know how to read, write and calculate," Karthiyaniamma told India Today. She got lessons from her great grandchildren -- 12-year-old Aparna and 9-year-old Anjana. "In our days, women never went to school. When my younger daughter Amminiamma qualified in the tenth equivalent examination in 2016, I took it as a challenge," she said.

Karthiyaniamma is eager to learn English in the next term. "My great grand children are studying in an English medium school. I also want to learn English," she said.

We salute Karthiyaniamma for her grit and achievement!

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Feature Image credit: India Today

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