A government-school student reflects on ambition, discipline, preparation, and the guidance that helped him pursue his dream of becoming a doctor.
Mehran grew up in Bandipora, Kashmir, in a family of six. His father is a tailor and the family’s only earning member. The family once ran a tailoring shop, but after it closed, his father began working from home to support the household.
Mehran completed his schooling entirely in government schools. As a child, he would often write, “I want to become a doctor” in his school essays. However, even in Class 11, he had little understanding of how to prepare for NEET or how the medical college admission process worked.
A friend encouraged him to explore the examination, and Mehran gradually began working towards his ambition. Determined to pursue MBBS, he decided to prepare for NEET again.
With scholarship support, he joined RISE Institute, Srinagar, which prepares students for competitive entrance examinations, including NEET and JEE.
He credits regular tests, personal guidance, dedicated study facilities, and his experience at the RISE Hostel for helping him develop consistency and stay focused on his goal.
In 2026, his hard work paid off when he secured admission to Government Medical College, Srinagar.
We spoke with Mehran about his childhood, preparation strategies, mistakes, teachers, and advice for students from smaller towns and villages who aspire to pursue careers in medicine.
The Interview
Tell us about your family and childhood.
I come from Bandipora. We are six members in our family: my parents, my elder brother, my younger brother, my younger sister, and me.
My father is a tailor and the only earning member of our family. Earlier, he had a tailoring shop, but now he works from home.
Where did you complete your schooling?
I studied in government schools throughout my childhood. I spent my first five years at a government primary school in our neighbourhood. Then I studied for three years at a government middle school before moving to higher secondary school.
I was generally a good student, but school studies were quite different from preparing for a competitive examination.
Did you always want to become a doctor?
As a child, I would write, “I want to become a doctor” in school essays. But I didn’t actually know how someone became a doctor.
I didn’t know which examination to take, how to prepare, or what the admission process involved. Even in Class 11, I was mainly focused on my school examinations.
How did you first learn about NEET?
A friend encouraged me to consider NEET and helped me understand the path to medical college. Until then, I had very little understanding of competitive examination preparation.
I gradually started learning about the examination and what I needed to study.
What made you decide to prepare for NEET again?
I wanted to pursue MBBS, so I decided to give NEET another attempt. It wasn’t an easy decision, given my family’s financial circumstances.
Around that time, a friend encouraged me to explore RISE Institute. He knew students who had studied there and accompanied me on my first visit.
How did you join RISE Institute?
Given my family’s financial circumstances, I received scholarship support from RISE, which allowed me to continue my preparation.
My preparation involved self-study, regular tests, access to study facilities, and guidance from teachers who helped me identify and work on my weak areas. Later, I also moved into the RISE Hostel.
What were your initial days at RISE like?
In the beginning, nobody really knew me. I would come to the study room, sit quietly, and study.
Initially, my test ranks were around ninth or tenth. Gradually, I started improving and began ranking among the top students.
I remember one day when a teacher noticed my improving marks and came to my study desk. He spoke to me and encouraged me. Over time, teachers began giving me more individual attention, helping me identify weak areas and clear my doubts. That guidance was very helpful.
What was the biggest change in your preparation after joining RISE?
Consistency. When I studied at home, there were days when I didn’t study at all. But during my six months at RISE, there wasn’t a single day when I didn’t study for NEET.
The environment was disciplined. I was staying at the RISE Hostel, so there were fewer distractions. I didn’t have a large friend circle, and even my conversations with friends were mostly about studies. That environment helped me stay focused.
What did your typical day look like?
I usually woke up around 7:30 or 8 AM. After breakfast, I would take my books and water bottle to the study room.
I generally started with revision, covering Biology NCERT, my notes, or short notes from Physics and Chemistry. That usually took around one or two hours.
After that, I would practise Physics questions, including previous-year questions and practice sheets. On average, I studied around eight to ten hours daily. Some days I studied less, while on others I studied more. Not every day was equally productive.
Even on a bad day, I think a student should try to study for at least three or four hours to maintain continuity.
Is waking up at four or five in the morning necessary to crack NEET?
No. I don’t believe everyone needs to wake up at four or five in the morning. If a student consistently wakes up at eight and studies properly, that student can also succeed.
Different students need different amounts of time. One student may understand a concept in an hour, while another may need three hours. What matters is consistency and understanding.
How did you prepare for Physics?
Physics requires conceptual understanding. I would first try to understand a topic and its applications. For example, if I was studying torque, I would understand what torque means and where it is applied.
Then I would solve questions related to that concept, often around 10–15 questions, and revise the topic later.
I don’t think someone needs to be naturally gifted at Physics. Understanding improves with practice.
What was your strategy for Biology?
NCERT was my main resource. Biology requires repeated revision, but I don’t think every chapter should be approached in the same way.
For chapters such as Animal Kingdom and Plant Kingdom, memorisation is very important. For chapters such as Human Physiology and Genetics, conceptual understanding is equally important.
You need to know what to understand and what to memorise.
How did you prepare for Chemistry?
I approached Physical, Organic, and Inorganic Chemistry differently.
For Physical Chemistry, I focused on concepts, formulas, and question practice. For Organic Chemistry, I repeatedly wrote reactions and mechanisms by hand rather than relying only on mental memorisation. Organic Chemistry was one of my stronger areas.
For Inorganic Chemistry, I focused on memorisation and revision, similar to Biology.
Which books and resources did you use?
For Biology, NCERT was my primary resource. I also practised a large number of previous-year questions.
Apart from that, I used practice sheets, notes, and mock tests. I believe students should focus on understanding and revising their resources rather than constantly searching for new books.
How important were mock tests?
Very important. Sometimes I would appear for a test without specifically preparing for it because I wanted to check how much I remembered from my earlier studies.
However, analysing mistakes after a test is extremely important. If you answer a question incorrectly, you should identify why. Maybe the concept isn’t clear, maybe you’ve forgotten something, or perhaps you’ve made a calculation mistake.
You should revisit the topic, consult your notes or NCERT, ask a teacher if necessary, and solve more questions. Simply appearing for tests isn’t enough; you must learn from your mistakes.
What were the biggest mistakes you made during your preparation?
One mistake was not clearing certain concepts properly. Sometimes I moved ahead without fully understanding a topic.
Another mistake was that my preparation was initially disorganised. Some chapters were strong while others were weak, but I didn’t always know where to focus.
I also panicked during the actual NEET examination.
Another mistake was becoming somewhat overconfident because of my performance in internal tests. If you’re among the top students in a group of 30 or 40, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re among the best nationally.
Lakhs of students appear for NEET, so you shouldn’t become overconfident simply because of your performance in a small group.
Did you ever feel like giving up?
No, I didn’t usually think that way. If I performed poorly in a test, I didn’t conclude that I couldn’t crack NEET. Instead, I tried to identify what needed improvement.
Maybe I needed to study more, practise more questions, or work on my weak areas. One bad test doesn’t mean you won’t succeed.
Did your parents regularly ask about your mock-test scores?
They would sometimes ask how my tests were going. I would usually tell them, “Theek aa rahe hain” (They’re going fine).
But I didn’t tell them that I was ranking among the top students.
Why did you hide your good test scores from your parents?
Because if they knew I was performing exceptionally well, their expectations might increase. And with those expectations would come additional pressure.
I didn’t want that pressure. I wanted to focus on my preparation.
What did you appreciate most about RISE?
Personal attention. I received a great deal of individual attention from my teachers. They helped me improve and guided me whenever I needed support.
My teachers invested a great deal of time and effort in helping me, and I remain grateful for their guidance.
I was part of a relatively small group of students, which allowed us to interact closely with our teachers.
What happened on the day your NEET result was announced?
I didn’t even know the result was going to be announced. I was asleep when I learned that it had come out. Someone called and woke me up.
We tried opening the website, but it wasn’t loading. We tried checking the result on multiple phones. Eventually, around 1 AM, I was able to see it.
Who was the first person you told?
A friend who had helped me check the result was the first person I told. Then I told my brother.
My parents were asleep, so I woke them up and told them.
How did your parents react?
They were very happy. They hugged me. My mother became emotional and cried. She is emotional by nature and cries easily.
There wasn’t any extraordinary celebration, but everyone was happy.
What was your first day at GMC Srinagar like?
It was quite normal. My first day was mainly about the admission process. I didn’t know many people there.
I went, sat with other students, and gradually started getting familiar with the environment. There wasn’t anything particularly dramatic about it.
Was there anything funny or unusual about your journey?
One thing I find funny is how people react after someone succeeds. When someone cracks NEET, people start saying, “We always knew he would become a doctor.”
But they didn’t actually know. Someone said something similar about me too, that they had known since childhood that I would become a doctor. I found that amusing.
What advice would you give students from small villages and financially struggling families?
I believe students from villages and modest backgrounds often have a strong desire to change their circumstances.
If you come from a financially struggling family, you can use that desire as motivation. Turn your circumstances into fuel. Use that motivation to work towards your goals.
Your background shouldn’t stop you from trying.
A Journey Built on Consistency, Guidance and Determination
Mehran’s journey shows how ambition can precede access to information. A friend helped him understand the path to NEET, while scholarship support, regular tests, individual mentorship, and a focused study environment at RISE helped him continue his preparation.
His experience highlights the importance of showing up every day, learning from mistakes, and gradually improving rather than relying on extraordinary talent.
RISE Institute congratulates Mehran on securing admission to Government Medical College, Srinagar, and wishes him every success in his medical career.