A 50-year-old man took the NEET-UG 2024 exam alongside his daughter, and both succeeded. The father participated to become a better teacher for his daughter. This was his second attempt at the exam, while it was his daughter's first.
According to a report in The Indian Express, the father, Vikas Mangotra, is a corporate employee working in Delhi. His daughter, Mimansa, is 18 years old. Vikas took the exam at a center in Greater Noida, and his daughter took it in Noida.
Originally from Jammu, Vikas Mangotra shared with the Indian Express that he had also qualified for NEET in 2022. In the early 90s, he had filled out the form for the State PMT (Pre-Medical Test) as he wanted to become a doctor and had enough marks for medical college admission. However, due to personal reasons, he had to pursue engineering instead. Besides NEET, Vikas had also taken other competitive exams like GATE, JKCET, and UPSC CSE nearly two decades ago.
Vikas explained to the Indian Express that he first took the NEET exam in 2022 to test his abilities, which boosted his confidence. This year, in 2024, he took the exam to inspire his daughter and improve his teaching methods. Vikas had been helping his daughter Mimansa with her NEET preparation. During this time, Mimansa remarked that his explanations were very simple and easy to understand. When she struggled with a question, Vikas helped her, surprising her with how well he remembered everything. He had always been passionate about teaching since his school days.
Vikas was inspired when he heard about a 60-year-old man in Odisha who qualified for NEET in 2021. After office hours, Vikas would study for several hours daily. His daughter Mimansa took a year off to prepare and improve her NEET score. Vikas realized the challenges students face while preparing for such exams. He advised parents to contribute to their child's preparation by actively helping with the curriculum.
