The story of a 21-year-old labourer who cracked NEET by studying on a phone with a broken screen has touched millions of viewers. Sarfaraz cleared the NEET examination for admission to undergraduate medical programmes with an impressive score of 677 out of 720. But his journey from manual labour to medical school was nothing short of extraordinary.
“Worked from 6 am to 2 pm”
Sarfaraz, from West Bengal, shared his story with Physics Wallah founder Alakh Pandey. Living in a house built under the PM Awas Yojana, he worked alongside his father as a labourer to support his mother and a younger sibling.
The 21-year-old labourer revealed that he worked eight hours a day to support his family and managed to study in the evening. The work he did was also back-breaking - he lifted 200 to 400 bricks every day.
Battling financial constraints to secure admission into an MBBS course was no mean feat for Sarfaraz, who did not even have a proper smartphone. In fact, the labourer studied in a house without a roof, his mother told Pandey.
{{/usCountry}}Battling financial constraints to secure admission into an MBBS course was no mean feat for Sarfaraz, who did not even have a proper smartphone. In fact, the labourer studied in a house without a roof, his mother told Pandey.
{{/usCountry}}“Hamare ghar ki chath nhi thi, Sarfaraz ko raat mei padte hue thandi na lag jaye isilye mai iske saath raat tak baithti thi’(Our house did not have roof and to make sure Sarfaraz does not get cold I used to sit with all night),” Sarfaraz’s mother told Pandey.
Sarfaraz dreamed of joining the NDA since 10th grade but was held back by financial constraints. After clearing the first phase in 2022, an accident before the interview ended his chances. During the Covid-19 pandemic, he shifted focus to NEET preparation, inspired by Alakh Pandey’s YouTube videos and a Physics Wallah course.
Despite clearing NEET 2023, he had to quit dental college due to financial struggles. Undeterred, Sarfaraz worked harder and cleared NEET 2024, earning admission to Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College in Kolkata.
Help from Alakh Pandey
Physics Wallah CEO Alakh Pandey extended financial support to Sarfaraz after visiting his house. The educator has offered to cover his college fees and gifted him a new phone, along with a loan of ₹5 lakh.
“Ye 5 lakh rupay tohfa nahi, loan hai. Isko future mei kisi dusre zaruratmand Sarfaraz ki madad karke lautana hai” (This INR 5 lakh is not a gift but a loan; repay it by helping another needy person like Sarfaraz in the future),” Pandey said.