MADURAI: At a time when young NEET aspirants are struggling to cope with the pressures of the exam, a 61-year-old Siddha doctor took the test in Thoothukudi on Sunday, and said the state government instead of opposing NEET, should equip students with exceptional skills and embolden them to take the test.

Asked what inspired him to take up the challenge at his age, Dr Pichaimal, who hails from the village of Chinnakannupuram in Thoothukudi, called it an opportunity and appealed to young aspirants to approach the test with a positive mindset.

Dr Pichaimal, who holds a BSMS degree, an undergraduate programme in Siddha medicine, started preparing for NEET three months ago. Close to 400 aspirants took the test in Thoothukudi on Sunday.

The Siddha doctor noted that no failure is demeaning but an opportunity to perform better the next time.

Explaining the drawbacks in NEET in its present form, Dr Pichaimal said while young students can prepare for the test well in advance, the NEET questions are mostly drawn from the CBSE syllabus. Hence, the state government should upgrade the ‘Samacheer Kalvi’ syllabus to help every aspiring student excel not just in NEET but other competitive exams as well.