Vellore govt school invites NEET achiever to address, inspire students

VELLORE: The government higher secondary school at Konovattam in the district on Friday invited a NEET winner to address students to inspire them during the morning assembly.

School head Damodaran invited 17-year-old Dharani of Kasikuttai in Katpadi panchayat union, who won NEET without going to coaching classes, to the school. Dharani, who hails from a humble background, has no mother and both her brother and father are daily wage earners.

“Most people, who came to know of my wish to win NEET, told me this was impossible as I lacked the wherewithal to become a doctor,” she said speaking to students.

“I would complete all my household chores before starting to study,” she said.

A student of the Biology, Mathematics group, she initially joined an engineering course through Anna University counselling after she became the school topper in plus two scoring 532 out of 600.

However, she decided to try medicine as she had a biology qualification and hence worked toward it assiduously. She scored 413 on this year’s NEET exam.

“As I studied in a government school throughout, I was also eligible for the 7.5 per cent special reservation which enabled me to join the government medical college at Tirunelveli,” she told students.

“My success reveals that if you want something bad enough and work toward it assiduously, then success is assured,” she said.

Following the talk, assistant HM Sankar and science teacher Sathyamoorthy felicitated her with a lab coat, stethoscope and a cash gift of Rs 5,000. Last week, Vellore Central Cooperative Bank chairman V Ramu hd visted the girl’s house.