It was celebration time at the house of Karthyayani Amma near Cheppad in Alappuzha district.
Karthyayani, 96, the oldest student to attend the Aksharalaksham literacy examination conducted by the Kerala State Literacy Mission Authority in August this year, has scored 98 marks out of 100.
The examinees were tested on reading, writing, and Mathematics. She scored 38 out of 40 in writing, and full marks in reading and mathematics. The results were published on Wednesday.
Karthyayani told The Hindu that she was aiming at 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.
Her teacher Sati K. said Karthyayani had qualified to enter the Class IV equivalency course. “She is very enthusiastic about education and it was reflected in marks she scored. She is eager to continue education,” Ms. Sati said.
She had never gone to school and used to work as a domestic help and cleaning staff. She got inspiration from her daughter Amminiamma. 51-year-old Amminiamma, a school dropout, had cleared the tenth standard equivalent examination after attending continuing education classes.
Karthyayani will receive a merit certificate from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in a function to be held at Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday, officials said.
Earlier Anand Mahindra, chairman of Mahindra Group, Union Minister of State for Tourism K.J. Alphons shared her picture attending the examination on the social media.
Aksharalaksham is a project of the mission to achieve numerical cent per cent literacy. Of the total 43,330 examinees, 42,933 including 37,166 women have cleared the first phase of examination .
