The NEET UG 2026 examination witnessed lakhs of students appearing across the country, but one candidate from Uttar Pradesh captured everyone's attention. Seventy-one-year-old Ashok Bahar took the medical entrance exam, demonstrating that age is not always a barrier to education.
Ashok Bahar, a resident of Chandernagar in Alambagh, appeared for the NEET UG exam held on May 3. Dressed in a kurta-pyjama, carrying a water bottle and question paper in his hands, he drew attention as he walked out of the examination centre after completing the paper.
Bahar had worked as a marketing head in a fertiliser company before taking pre-retirement in 2000. He is also a former student of the University of Lucknow and holds LLB and MBA degrees, according to a Navbharat Times report.
Despite studying law and business earlier, Bahar decided to pursue his long-time dream of becoming a doctor. His connection with the medical field is also personal. His wife, Dr Manjul Bahar, is a doctor and is currently based in the United States. Reports said several members of his family are linked to the medical profession.
Speaking to the media, Ashok Bahar said there is no age limit for preparing for an exam like NEET. He said people should not give up on their dreams because of age or circumstances.
This is not the first time an older candidate has appeared for NEET. In 2020, 64-year-old Jai Kishore Pradhan from Sambalpur in Odisha appeared for NEET after retiring from a bank and later gained admission into MBBS at Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research.
Similar cases have previously come from Delhi, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, where older candidates took the exam.
