Meet man, whose father used to work as labour, battled with financial woes, yet cracked NEET-UG with score of...

The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) is undoubtedly one of the toughest examinations in the country, requiring focused endeavours and dedication. 

Let us tell you about the story of one such person who achieved a rare feat by cracking NEET-UG exam, defying odds and adversities.

Umer Ahmad Ganie, a native of Jammu and Kashmir, cracked the NEET-UG 2023 exam with an impressive score of 601 out of 720. Let's throw light on what makes his journey different from others. 

Who is Umer Ahmad Ganie?

Umer Ahmad Ganie is a 19-year-old native of Zagigama, a small place in Kashmir's Pulwama. He was raised in a destitute household, with his father working as a labourer. 

His mother was a homemaker and used to take care of the family. Given his background, NEET-UG was evidently a hard nut to crack for Ganie. 

“I come from a family which is not financially strong. I had to work as a daily wage labourer all while attending school. My father was over the age of 50 when I was in Class 9, therefore I had to work hard to make sure that my family was financially supported. It was in Class 10 when I heard the news of a boy clearing NEET and becoming a doctor from my district. That motivated me to prepare for the entrance test and I chose the Science stream in Class 11,” he told The Indian Express. 

Ganie further added that his story motivated him to pursue the medical entrance exam, and choose Science in grade 11. However, private education was out of question for Ganie's family, as they battled with financial woes. 

The 19-year-old, driven by passion and determination to crack the exam, took up the job of painting houses to earn some income. Using NCERT books, he solely relied on self-study. 

"Covid did not scare me or deter me", Ganie shares

At the time when the world was witnessing the Covid-19 catastrophe, Umer Ahmad Ganie was swamped with his NEET preparations.

"Covid did not scare or deter me. I observed the efforts being made by the medical professionals in my neighbourhood and around the world inspired me more to pass the NEET exam and become a doctor to help people," he recalls.

He further added that there were times when the district was hit by internet outages or lockdowns, but he continued his preparations using NCERT books. 

His hard work and relentless efforts paid off as Ganie passed the NEET-UG exam with flying colours, achieving an impressive score of 601 out of 720.