One son is Commissioner, another SP, daughter Joint Collector: At 62, mother clears Class 10 exam

At 62, when many people have long left classrooms and examinations behind, Kaushalya Devi Bansal of Mahasamund, Chhattisgarh, has returned to the world of books and board exams. Bansal has cleared her Class 10 examination at an age when most people would not think of starting formal education again, a NBT report stated. Her achievement has gained attention on International Literacy Day, with her story offering a simple message: the desire to learn does not have to end with age. What makes her journey even more striking is the fact that three of her children are already holding senior government positions.

She left studies early because of family responsibilities

Bansal's own education was interrupted when she was young. Family responsibilities took priority, and like many women of her generation, she moved on to marriage, raising children and managing household responsibilities. The unfinished education, however, remained at the back of her mind. Years later, when circumstances allowed her to return to studies, she decided not to let her age become a reason to give up on the old dream.

Her first major step came at the age of 60, when she appeared for the Class 8 examination and passed it. Instead of treating that achievement as the end of her academic journey, she used it as motivation to continue. Two years later, she took the Class 10 board examination and successfully cleared it at 62. For Bansal, therefore, the achievement was not simply about obtaining another certificate. It was about completing something that had remained unfinished for decades.

Her children are already serving in senior posts

Bansal's story has attracted additional attention because of the careers of her children. Her son Shravan Bansal serves as an Additional Commissioner in the GST department. Another son, Trilok Bansal, is an SP in Bemetara district. Her daughter, Rajnandgaon-based, serves as a Joint Collector. Her other son, Manish Bansal, is associated with the timber business.

While her children have built careers in administration and public service, their mother chose to become a student again in her sixties. The contrast has made her achievement particularly notable. She did not need to return to school to prove anything to her children or anyone else. She simply wanted to complete her own education.

Family support helped her continue

Bansal's journey was supported by her husband, Ramesh Bansal, and her son Shravan Bansal. Their encouragement helped her stay committed to her studies as she prepared for the examinations. Returning to academics after several decades would not have been easy. The syllabus, examinations and routine of studying are very different from everyday family life. Yet Bansal kept going.

Her success also underlines an important aspect of adult education. People who could not complete their schooling when they were young can still return to education later in life. For many, the biggest obstacle is not the examination itself but the belief that it is "too late". Bansal's story challenges precisely that idea. At 60, she cleared Class 8. At 62, she passed Class 10. And after raising children who went on to occupy senior positions, she has now added a student achievement of her own to the family's story.