Panthanamthitta, Kerala: At 83, Kalyani is proving it’s never too late to pursue an education.

With pen and book in hand, the Pandalam resident returned to the classroom to study for her Class 7 exam as part of the state government’s Navachetana programme.

She was the oldest among 185 students who recently received certificates for completing their education under the program. Most of the participants were from Scheduled Caste communities in the Thekkekara Grama Panchayat, many of whom had missed the opportunity for formal schooling earlier in life.

The Navachetana programme, launched by the State Literacy Mission in collaboration with Pandalam Thekkekara Grama Panchayat, focuses on offering basic education to adults from the SC community living in tribal settlements who were unable to attend school in their childhood.

A survey identified 216 eligible participants, among whom 186 attended classes. On May 25, 2024, the programme culminated in the ‘Mikavutsavam’ exam, held at 12 centres. Of the 186 participants, 154 were women, and 32 were men. All of them passed the exam, with Kalyani’s success standing out as a symbol of dedication and resilience.