Derby teen sits A-level exams while recovering in hospital

A DERBY teenager, who won her fight for life in intensive care, managed to take her sixth-form A-level exams while recovering in hospital.

Tejal Paliya was admitted to Royal Derby Hospital on March 31, when she contracted a critical bacterial infection that caused her to lose some of the grip in her left hand. For two weeks she was unable to move her hands and feet and had to learn to walk again.

After spending 12 days in intensive care, the 17-year-old began to show signs of improvement after which she was shifted to the recovery ward where she decided to take eight A-level exams in a ward side room, with nurses acting as invigilators.

Paliya, who aims to study chemical engineering at Cambridge University, wanted to sit her final sixth form assessments a year early, having studied during the lockdown.

"I sat and read all of them and looked through all of the past papers and thought that I could do the exams," BBC quoted the teenager in a Friday (11) report, adding that she spoke to school once she was better and that “they agreed that I could take my exams while I was here”.

The exams sat by Miss Paliya - eight papers in maths, further maths, physics and chemistry papers - were compiled internally by her school to help teachers determine her grade. Most exam boards are not issuing papers this year due to the disruption to education caused by the pandemic.

“When I started to feel well enough on the ward, I spoke to the school and they agreed that I could take my exams while I was here. The nurses have been so kind and have sat with me as invigilators while I sat the tests,” said the teen.

After spending 51 days in the hospital, Paliya was discharged with a guard of honour from hospital staff.

“The one thing I'm most looking forward to is going back to school, said the Derby teen. “Of course I have missed being at home, but I have made friends for life here, so I'm going to miss everyone.”