Kanhangad (Kerala) 

This is the story of a 47-year-old woman who cracked the NEET exam in her first attempt, proving that age is just a number unrelated to learning and growth. She is Joanna P from Kanhangad, district Karasgod of Kerala, who is now an inspiration to all those who think they are too old to chase their dreams.

Joanna says that she only wanted to see the word "Dr. prefixed to her name and fulfil her father's wish. Her father, Abdul Razaq, a banker, had a desire that both his daughters become doctors. Interestingly, it was not Joanna's dream as she wanted to be a teacher.

She thinks it was, perhaps, due to her comfortable life that she was not ambitious. She enjoyed her school and college life. She never took the medical college entrance examination seriously, and therefore didn't crack it.

She completed her Master's in Medical Pharmacology at KMC, Mangalore. This was somewhat close to her father's dream.

However, in her third semester, her father passed away. As Joanna was very close to her father, her world fell apart. She could not take the exams and went into severe depression.

In October of the same year, she married Dr Abdullah. Before the wedding, she had asked her husband if he would mind if she quit her studies.

Her husband happily agreed.

Joanna P with husband and children

Soon, she got involved in domestic life and spent her time raising four children. As time passed, when the children grew up, her father's unfulfilled dream was nagging her. She felt emptiness inside.

One day, her husband asked her if she wanted to study again. He knew the reason behind Joanna's depression.

Joanna says that her husband encouraged her to study. When her daughter Maryam got into Thiruvananthapuram Medical College, she felt very proud. Both her sons are also pursuing careers in medicine, and the fourth one is still in school.

When the children joined medical school, she realised how happy their father was to see them becoming doctors.

She realised that her father never forced her and her siblings. He travelled with her to Thiruvananthapuram for writing the All India Medical Entrance Exam, but she was not serious at that time. Now that he is no longer in this world, they felt that they must fulfill their father's dream, even if it is late.

When the government removed the age limit for NET in 2020, she was able to take the exam, but the exam was not given so that the children's preparation would not be affected. There were plenty of study materials at home. Finally, when her third son got admitted to medical school, she decided that now was the time. Her husband made a study space for her, kept all the books and materials, and said, "Now you have only one job: study."

Joanna P with her husband Dr Abdullah

The husband also filled the form himself and laughingly said, "Now that I am doing everything, you will definitely pass the exam." Two days before the exam, she watched many videos related to the NEET on YouTube. On the exam day, the children in the queue asked her if she was a teacher, so she smiled and said, "No, I have also come to take the exam like you." Everyone was surprised to see her age. From the watchman to the examiners, everyone checked her admit card several times to ensure she was not impersonating as a candidate.

On the day of her result, she was not worried. Her husband first broke the news about her clearing the examination. She was happy that she had passed on her first attempt at the age of 47. She wants to do BDS in a college near her home. Her husband wants her to do MBBS and specialise in Gynaecology, but she only wants to fulfil her father's dream.

When newspapers wanted to talk to her, she felt awkward, but when people told her that her story was very inspiring, she realised that if her story could inspire a woman to fulfil her dream, then it would be a great thing. Especially since she is a Muslim woman wearing a burqa, her struggle is even more interesting to people.

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Now people stop them on the road to admire them, take pictures with them, and once, when they stopped for tea on the highway, mother and daughter came up to them and said that they were an inspiration to them. Many people also came to visit them at a relative's house. Joanna says that all these are interesting and enjoyable experiences for her.