Farmer’s daughter from UP village cracks NEET, gets selected to AIIMS

Greater Noida: When 18-year-old Charul first thought of becoming a doctor, she did not know that her dreams will very well become a reality. From studying at the

Greater Noida: When 18-year-old Charul first thought of becoming a doctor, she did not know that her dreams will very well become a reality. From studying at the public school in her village in primary to attending classes at one of the premier institutes of the state, Charul has come a long way.

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Born as the second oldest among five siblings to farmer parents, Charul is adamant on changing the health conditions in her village – Kiratpur in Uttar Pradesh’s Bijnore district.

“I became involved with Vidyagan after fifth standard and that was a life changing moment for me. I lived at the residential school but every time I went home, I would realise that healthcare services in my village were not up to the mark and a lot needed to be done. That is when I decided that I wanted to become a doctor,” said the teenager.

Vidyagyan is a co-ed school established by HCL group’s Shiv Nadar foundation, offering free education to meritorious underprivileged students in Uttar Pradesh. Children whose family’s annual income is less than Rs 1 lakh are admitted to this residential school, where they are imparted free education from class six till 12. The school is located in Dulhera village in Bulandshahr district, around 28 kilometres from Greater Noida’s Pari Chowk.

A music enthusiast, Charul is also a closet Hindi poet.

“After my 12 exams last year (in which she secured 93%), I decided to take a year off and prepare for my medical exams. I obtained a scholarship to a training institute in Pune where I spent the last year preparing, before taking my NEET-UG exams in September. I was nervous but when my result was declared in October, I was beyond ecstatic. My family was very proud of me, when I got selected at the AIIMS, Delhi,” said Charul.

She feels that with this achievement, she will be able to set a good example for her two younger brothers and sister.

“I have to be responsible for guiding them in the future and now I can do that. I can eventually help in the medical field and give back to the society,” she said, though she has yet to decide on her doctoral field.

She said she is thankful to her parents for their strength and belief in her. Her father is a graduate and continues to work as a farmer to take care of the family of seven.

Because of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, she is currently taking online classes while staying at home, though she has been facing some challenges with internet connectivity issues in her village, making it difficult to undertake all lessons. She is excited, however, to start actual classes at the AIIMS campus whenever the opportunity arises.

Sudeeksha Bhati, a tea seller’s daughter from Dadri, who was the district topper in 2018 and was granted a scholarship to USA’s Babson college, was also a Vidyagyan student. Sudeeksha died in an accident in August this year in Bulandshahr.