Seven girls from city govt school clear NEET, step closer to dream

Seven girls from city govt school clear NEET, step closer to dream

6 Got MBBS Seats, 1 Chose To Study BDS

Aditi.R@timesgroup.com

Chennai:  24.11.2020 

“She’s the first from our entire family to finish schooling and now, go to college. I couldn’t be prouder,” said N Rajan, whose daughter Vishnupriya cleared NEET and will soon be joining Tagore Medical College at Vandalur.

An autorickshaw driver by profession, Rajan couldn’t afford to send his daughter to private NEET coaching centres like many fellow aspirants. “But it didn’t matter to me. I worked harder and cleared the exam in my first attempt,” said Vishnupriya, who finished Class XII this year.

Vishnupriya and six other girl students from the Government Girls Higher Secondary School in Ashok Nagar cleared the test this year. One of them will be studying dentistry, while others will be pursuing MBBS. All seven secured seats under the 7.5% reservation for government school students.

N Keerthana, who passed Class XII this year and cleared NEET in the first attempt, will be joining the Ragas Dental College and Hospital. “I have always been fascinated with dentistry, but given my family’s economic situation, I was slightly doubtful of my prospects. I have to thank my mother for encouraging me,” Keerthana said.

She lost her father to a heart attack 12 years ago. Since then, her mother Arockiamary has been working as a sweeper and raising Keerthana and her brother single-handedly. “I used to borrow books for her to study and she worked with what she had, without any coaching. I am so proud of her,” said Arockiamary.

B M Govarthini, S Padmapriya, P Prema, K Bhavadharani and J Afrin Sifaya are the five from the school to bag seats. They too hail from economic weak backgrounds.

M Palanivel, the father of Prema, recalled how he was dissuaded from allowing Prema to study further by friends and relatives. “They said I shouldn’t be wasting any more money on her education since she will get married and leave us.” A daily wager at the Koyambedu market, Palanivel said he took their words as a challenge. “I told my daughter she can study whatever she wants and marry whenever she wants. I want her to become independent and successful first.”

Bhavadharini recalled how it became difficult for her to prepare for NEET during the Covid-19 lockdown. “Our school teachers reached out to us, encouraged us and cleared all our doubts. I have to thank them for their support,” she said.

Saying how proud she was of the girls, the school’s principal R C Saraswathi wished them the best. “We want all our girls to pursue their dreams and attain success. We are there to guide them anytime.”

ODDS WERE NEVER IN THEIR FAVOUR: The successful seven from Government Girls Higher Secondary School in Ashok Nagar are from economically weaker section. From left — B M Govarthini, S Padmapriya, J