The university says the response to its "super seniors" offer was very good
At the Bangalore University, a group of people who sat for exams today were nervous, fidgety, but at least two decades older than most candidates.
"It is my last chance to get a degree," said a librarian, a father of two, looking sharp in a crisp white shirt.
He had several other "super seniors" have been invited to take their exams if they failed to clear them when they studied in the university in the 1960s or later. It is a special offer for alumni on the university's golden jubilee celebration.
The seniors arrived at the KLE college exam centre this morning, looking much like parents or guardians of Class 12 exam-takers until they entered the classrooms and sat for their test.
M Mohammad, a sportsperson and a businessman in his 40s, says, "I studied in BU in the 1990s. I still have a Kannada language paper pending. I couldn't do it when I was in college because I was very busy with sports. Now that I have got this opportunity, I will make the most of it since a degree is very important."
The university says the response to its "super seniors" offer was very good; many have come from other countries.
"Over 1500 former students have applied. There are students who are now settled in Germany, US... in their 50s and 60s but are flying to India to take the exams," said KN Ninge Gowda, the Registrar (Evaluation).
He explained that preparing the tests was tough, as the university had to dig out old syllabus and labour on a wide range of subjects.
The exams began today and will end in April.