Learning has no age bar: 89-year-old writes Ph.D entrance exam at Hampi Varsity

Mysuru:  It is said that learning has no age bar and this statement goes perfectly well with our Tourism Minister C.T. Ravi who has evinced keen interest in obtaining a Ph.D from Karnataka State Open University (KSOU). 

Ravi was in city yesterday to appear for Ph.D course work examination at KSOU. Ravi had registered his name for a Ph.D degree on the topic, ‘Coalition Governments in India: The Problem and Challenges,’ a few years ago. 

There is no age-limit to pursue studies. “I have appeared for the examination,” Ravi said. “I will secure admission to the Ph.D course once the results of the course work examination are out,” he told reporters. 

For the record, Ravi was one of the biter critics of Coalition Governments and had targeted the previous Congress-JD(S) coalition set up in Karnataka many times and called the Government an opportunistic one.

It will be interesting to note the topics covered by Ravi and his thesis may be a good referential work for political science students. 

89-year-old writes Ph.D entrance exam

To prove again that learning has no age bar, here is a story from Koppal where 89-year-old Sharana Basavaraj Veerabasappa Bisarahalli, who is a freedom fighter, has recently written the Ph.D entrance exam from Hampi University.

He had to leave his education incomplete due to some or the other reason but now wants to complete his ambition. Bisarahalli wants to complete his Ph.D in Kannada Literature. 

Speaking to reporters, Bisarahalli, who attempted the exam last year as well but failed, said that he is confident of cracking the same this time. 

“I had attempted the exam last year as well, but failed. This time, it went well and I am confident of clearing the exam. I also wish to write a book on literature and Kannada poems,” he said. 

Bisarahalli, however, holds a degree in law and Master’s degree from Karnatak University in Dharwad and Hampi Kannada University.

Bisarahalli has already written over 15 books and had lost out his Ph.D dream last year as he secured only 49 percent as against the eligibility marks of 55 percent in Karnatak University.

In 2015-2016, he wrote the Kannada MA exam from Hampi Kannada University and scored 63 percent thereby securing eligibility to write Ph.D exam.