Ranchi, Jan 1 (IANS): Jharkhand Education Minister Jagarnath Mahto, who missed the last year's intermediate examination after he contracted Covid-19, is going to appear for the exam this year to be conducted by the Jharkhand Academic Council.

The 54-year-old minister is a Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) MLA from Dumri assembly constituency and is just matriculate.

"Age doesn't matter. There is no age for study," he said.

Mahto said he has the resolve to answer the critics and complete his study with pride. In December 2019, when the new government was formed in Jharkhand under Hemant Soren, he was given the charge of Education Ministry. Several people raised questions over his academic qualification, but Mahto said that he discharges his duty with utmost seriousness.

Mahto hit the headlines when he resolved the issue of service conditions of more than 65,000 teachers working temporarily for more than two decades.

Mahto had taken admission in intermediate arts at Nawadih Inter College in his own Assembly constituency in August 2020, but a month later he was hit hard by Covid-19. He remained in coma for a long time. He was airlifted to Chennai where he had successful lung transplant and returned to Jharkhand after nearly nine months of treatment. Since then he is discharging his duties of Education Minister.

He said he has applied for the exam to be held this year.