#GoodNews: 96-Yr-Old Kerala Woman Scores 98% in Class 4 Final Exam

Karthyayini Amma has obtained a total score of 98 out of 100 in the recently conducted final exams.

She has obtained a total score of 98 out of 100 in the recently conducted final exams.

(Photo Courtesy: The News Minute)

Video Producer: Fabeha Syed

Video Editor: Mohd. Irshad Alam

When 96-year-old Karthyayini Amma from Alappuzha obtained a full score in her reading test in August this year, hundreds of people celebrated her never-too-late spirit. Ever since, her academic progress has been closely followed in Kerala and outside.

Now, Karthyayini Amma has done it again.

Alappuzha’s most famous granny has obtained a total score of 98 out of 100 in her recently-conducted final exams.

Karthyayini Amma was writing the 4th standard equivalency course under the Kerala Literacy Mission's Aksharalaksham scheme.

“I want to study till 10th standard, I want to study for as long as god allows me,” she said, speaking to news agency ANI.

“When I saw children studying, I also wanted to study. I couldn’t study when I was young. Had I done that, I would have gotten a government job. I want to learn to use the computer as well.”

Karthyayini Amma, 96-year-old student 

Amma got full marks in reading and writing, but fell short of two marks in Mathematics.

“We got the results four days ago and she was elated to hear that she got 98. She scored 30 on 30 in her reading test, 40 on 40 in Malayalam writing and 28 on 30 in Mathematics. She was expecting a 100 on 100. I feel she has lost 2 marks because she would have missed a step or two while solving the problems.”

Sathi, Karthyayani Amma’s Coordinator to The News Minute.

Sathi and Karthyayani Amma are on their way to Thiruvananthapuram to collect her certificate from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The CM awards the oldest and youngest of students in the Literacy Course.

Karthyayani Amma of the left.(Photo Courtesy: The News Minute)

“This year, the oldest is Karthyayani Amma. The youngest student is from Thiruvananthapuram district, but we heard that she scored lesser marks than Karthyayani.”

Sathi, Karthyayani Amma’s Coordinator to The News Minute.

Karthyayini Amma is from Muttom in Cheppad village, Alappuzha. About an hour's drive from the town, Karthyayini Amma began her schooling in January 2018 when the gram panchayat's literacy mission brigade arrived at her home in Laksham Veedu Colony, a government housing scheme. But even before the literacy mission people came to her, Karthyayini Amma was interested in studying.

Over two years ago, her 60-year-old daughter, Ammini Amma, passed the literacy mission's course, which is equivalent to Class 10 in the formal education system. Watching her daughter pack her bags and leave for school apparently inspired Karthyayini Amma, too, to pick up pen and paper.

(With inputs from The News Minute.)