Hyderabad:
Ankam Sairam should have been distributing sweets. After all, he was ranked the ninth top scorer in the common engineering and medical entrance exam in Andhra Pradesh.
Instead, this student from Nalgonda, who aspires to be a neurologist, is knocking at the doors of another doctor, Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy to request that he should be given admission despite being younger by 15 days. Sairam should be 17-years-old on December 31st, 2009 but he will turn 17 only on January 15th, 2010.
"This is not a major difference. Not months or a year. Just 15 days. For that they are cancelling my seat," said Ankam Sairam.
A sympathetic government took up Sairam's case with the Medical Council of India but was told nothing can be done.
"Will 15 days short make a major difference? At least you can consider his hard work and how much pain he has taken for getting each mark. If there is no due recognition for his hard work, at least on humanitarian grounds, they can relax the rule," puts forth Ankam Anjura, Sairam's father.
Another rank holder, Shanthi Lakshmi who secured 492nd rank, has missed the cut-off age by 6 days.
"I cannot express her emotions in words. It is a very big pain. Her dream has been punctured," said Satish Kumar, Shanthi's father.
The parents now plan to petition the Andhra Pradesh High court, stating the application forms should have been rejected, instead of their being turned away after they have proved their merit.
Instead, this student from Nalgonda, who aspires to be a neurologist, is knocking at the doors of another doctor, Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy to request that he should be given admission despite being younger by 15 days. Sairam should be 17-years-old on December 31st, 2009 but he will turn 17 only on January 15th, 2010.
"This is not a major difference. Not months or a year. Just 15 days. For that they are cancelling my seat," said Ankam Sairam.
A sympathetic government took up Sairam's case with the Medical Council of India but was told nothing can be done.
"Will 15 days short make a major difference? At least you can consider his hard work and how much pain he has taken for getting each mark. If there is no due recognition for his hard work, at least on humanitarian grounds, they can relax the rule," puts forth Ankam Anjura, Sairam's father.
Another rank holder, Shanthi Lakshmi who secured 492nd rank, has missed the cut-off age by 6 days.
"I cannot express her emotions in words. It is a very big pain. Her dream has been punctured," said Satish Kumar, Shanthi's father.
The parents now plan to petition the Andhra Pradesh High court, stating the application forms should have been rejected, instead of their being turned away after they have proved their merit.
