JAIPUR: Surya Prakash could never dare to dream about becoming a doctor. His father and grandfather are mentally challenged; his mother runs the household and makes a meagre living from cattle-rearing. Prakash did not even take up science in class 11, and went to work in a textile mill in Ahmedabad.
However, destiny had other plans for the youngster from Naukada in Rajasthan’s Barmer district. Spurred on by his schoolteacher to take the exam, Prakash on Tuesday became the first person from a cluster of 50 villages in the district to crack NEET and was the topper in Barmer region. He secured AIR 892 in OBC category, which ensures him a top-ranking government medical college.
Till a day before the results, Prakash was working for 10 hours as a labourer in the Ahmedabad mill, earning Rs 500 a day. On Tuesday, villagers queued up at his house to garland him and assure him that they will pool in to raise money for his medical education Prakash studied in a government school in the village till class X, but poverty and the family’s condition did not allow him to dream big. “I was always a top scorer in science subjects, but never dared to think of appearing in a medical or engineering entrance exam. I had opted for humanities subjects in class XI, with a hope to complete graduation and apply for some clerical government job,” he said.
Prakash’s family could not even afford two meals every day and lived in a one-room mud house till two-three years ago, before they started receiving monetary help under state government schemes and also got a two-room house under PM Awas Yojana. Even before he turned 13, Prakash started working as a helper in shops and farms, and joined the Ahmedabad textile mill when he was in class XI. It was his schoolteacher who convinced Pra kash to enrol in Fifty Villagers Sewa Sansthan, a free coaching institute for aspiring medical students run by government doctors, when he came home after three months.
“My teacher persuaded me to appear in the entrance test. I was initially reluctant, but then decided to give it a try and made it into their merit list of top 50 students. They admitted me to a private school in Barmer and pl aced me in a hostel, all free of cost. And the rest is history,” said the elated youngster.
Before he joins the medical college, he wants to work in the textile mill for another month or two. “I told my contractor that I had cleared this exam, but wanted to continue for two more months so that I can earn some money for my parents,” said Prakash.
However, destiny had other plans for the youngster from Naukada in Rajasthan’s Barmer district. Spurred on by his schoolteacher to take the exam, Prakash on Tuesday became the first person from a cluster of 50 villages in the district to crack NEET and was the topper in Barmer region. He secured AIR 892 in OBC category, which ensures him a top-ranking government medical college.
Till a day before the results, Prakash was working for 10 hours as a labourer in the Ahmedabad mill, earning Rs 500 a day. On Tuesday, villagers queued up at his house to garland him and assure him that they will pool in to raise money for his medical education Prakash studied in a government school in the village till class X, but poverty and the family’s condition did not allow him to dream big. “I was always a top scorer in science subjects, but never dared to think of appearing in a medical or engineering entrance exam. I had opted for humanities subjects in class XI, with a hope to complete graduation and apply for some clerical government job,” he said.
Prakash’s family could not even afford two meals every day and lived in a one-room mud house till two-three years ago, before they started receiving monetary help under state government schemes and also got a two-room house under PM Awas Yojana. Even before he turned 13, Prakash started working as a helper in shops and farms, and joined the Ahmedabad textile mill when he was in class XI. It was his schoolteacher who convinced Pra kash to enrol in Fifty Villagers Sewa Sansthan, a free coaching institute for aspiring medical students run by government doctors, when he came home after three months.
“My teacher persuaded me to appear in the entrance test. I was initially reluctant, but then decided to give it a try and made it into their merit list of top 50 students. They admitted me to a private school in Barmer and pl aced me in a hostel, all free of cost. And the rest is history,” said the elated youngster.
Before he joins the medical college, he wants to work in the textile mill for another month or two. “I told my contractor that I had cleared this exam, but wanted to continue for two more months so that I can earn some money for my parents,” said Prakash.
