Parvathi Benu By

Express News Service

KOCHI: Neena KG has bought a few new clothes to dress up for the occasion. On Sunday, she will enrol as a lawyer with the Bar Council of Kerala. What is so special about someone enrolling as a lawyer, one might ask. Here’s the reason.

She’s 41, a mother of two, passed her Class X exam through the Kerala Literacy Mission’s continuing education programme; worked regularly during five years of her LLB course; and supported her family and children’s education.

“I had dreamt of becoming a lawyer right from the day when I registered for Class X equivalency exam. Now that it’s becoming a reality, I’m excited,” said Neena.

“I hope my attempt will inspire a lot more people, who had to discontinue education, to study further and achieve their dreams,” she said, recalling her days as a bright student.

“Right after Class X, I got married and was forced to discontinue my studies. Soon, I had two children,” she said. “I always wanted to study because all my classmates had joined college.”

As years passed by, she was forced to look for a job to support her family.

“My children were growing up. But finding a job without a Class X certificate was quite difficult. That was when I realised the importance of continuing my studies,” she said.

She did find a job in a wood godown and then at a private firm. “Later, I was hired as a clerk at a lawyer’s office where I learnt typing,” she said.

It was around the same time when a neighbour, who was also a prerak with the literacy mission, told Neena about the Class X equivalency exam.

Neena: I hope I can practise as my boss’ junior

“I thought I shouldn’t miss the opportunity. I enrolled in the programme and started attending classes every Sunday, adamant to become a lawyer someday. Eventually, I passed the Class X exam in 2010,” she said. Through the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), she passed the Class XI and XII exams in 2011 and 2012.

The next thing on the list was to write the law entrance examination. But that year the government put 22 as the age bar to appear for the exam. “I wasn’t ready to back off. A few of us filed a writ at the High Court against this. The court ruled in favour of us in 2013,” she said.

Following this, exactly that year, she wrote the law entrance exam and joined the Government Law College Ernakulam.

“This was one of the happiest days of my life. I was a step closer to my dream,” she said. “I didn’t discontinue work even while in college. It was difficult and I must thank my family, boss and teachers for making it easier.”

“I hope I could start practising law as my boss’ junior in the same office. That’s my new dream,” she says before breaking into a rich laugh.