A NEET jump: Electrician’s son from government school joins Vellore Medical College

Charan on Tuesday secured a seat in the Vellore Medical College on the second day of counselling for admission
It was perceived that success in the entrance exams mostly depended on access to private coaching centres, which many from economically poor families are unable to afford
It was perceived that success in the entrance exams mostly depended on access to private coaching centres, which many from economically poor families are unable to afford

NEET did not scare me, says J Charan, one of the four students from a government-run or government-aided school, who have secured an MBBS seat this year so far. Charan on Tuesday secured a seat in the Vellore Medical College on the second day of counselling for admission. His father J N Sekhar was working as an electrician and could afford to send his son only to a government-aided school at Old Washermenpet. But the family shelled out Rs 18,000 to a private coaching centre to prepare him for NEET and with his all hard work he managed to score 416 in NEET and get the rank of 972.

“In fact, I didn’t take much effort,” says Charan, whose one regret was that he was not able to get a seat in any of the colleges in Chennai. “A private coaching academy provided five-and-half months coaching in my school. I paid annual fee of `18,000 and started preparing for NEET from January. Again in February and March I took a break and prepared for public exam. After the exam, I concentrated on NEET,” he says.

Charan was a student of K C Sankaralinga Nadar Higher Secondary School at Old Washermenpet from class VI. In the class XII board exams, he scored 1,157 marks. So far four students, either from a government-run or government-aided school, managed to secure an MBBS seat in this year’s counselling. 
Ever since the medical admissions were made based on the NEET score, the number of students from government schools and rural areas getting into medical colleges has dwindled.

It was perceived that success in the entrance exams mostly depended on access to private coaching centres, which many from economically poor families are unable to afford. The selection committee officials said that only 12 students from government or government-aided schools figure within 3,000 ranks this year. Also, in 3,001 to 5,000 ranks, only 16 government or government-aided school students have figured.

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