86-Year-Old Maharashtra Woman Appears for Literacy Test, Inspires Village

An 86-year-old woman from Maharashtra has demonstrated that the desire to learn can overcome age and circumstance by appearing for a formal literacy examination. Anusuya Bai Wadekar, a resident of Marsavalli village in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar district, recently took the test as part of the government’s ULLAS – Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram.

Wadekar had never received an opportunity to attend school when she was younger. However, she decided to learn reading and writing later in life and began preparing for the literacy examination with support from her family and members of the local education system.

Her grandson played an important role in helping her study at home. Local educators also assisted her by providing lessons and encouraging her throughout the learning process. Despite her advanced age, Wadekar remained committed to completing the preparation and appearing for the examination.

The literacy programme is aimed at helping adults who did not have access to formal education acquire basic reading, writing and numeracy skills. Wadekar’s participation highlighted the programme’s efforts to reach people who missed out on schooling during their childhood. Her decision to sit for the examination has attracted attention in her village and beyond. Her journey also demonstrates how family support and community encouragement can help adults return to education at different stages of life.

For Wadekar, the examination represents more than an academic test. It marks a personal achievement after decades without formal education and reflects her determination to gain skills that she was unable to acquire as a child. Her story has become an example of lifelong learning and the idea that education can begin at any age.