“You are never truly defeated until stop fighting,” Alpesh Rathod, son of a humble paanipuri seller in Meghraj, a small tribal-dominated town in north Gujarat, is a living example of this adage. Two years ago, Alpesh had secured a MBBS seat by clearing the NEET medical entrance test, but the medical college annulled his admission due to a disputed caste certificate.
What followed was an arduous legal battle which led Alpesh to move the Supreme Court where relief was indeed provided and his admission was restored. However, despite the apex ruling in his favor, Rathod felt something amiss and decided to go for the NEET exam again, this time as an open category candidate.
Battling financial and personal challenges, Alpesh cracked NEET once again, this time scoring higher than his previous attempt, and securing a MBBS seat in the open category, proving that he did not need the crutches of reservation to realise his dreams.
Two years ago, Alpesh Rathod had cracked NEET-UG 2022, securing 613 marks and was admitted to a state-run medical college in Vadodara
under the socially and educationally backward class (SEBC) category.
But life turned upside down for Alpesh, when around a year and a half into his studies, his caste certificate was deemed invalid by the government, which resulted in the college annulling his admission.
Rathod challenged the annulment of his admission in the Gujarat high court, but the ruling was not in his favour. The aspiring doctor, then knocked on the doors of Supreme court which stayed the Gujarat government’s order and restored his admission in the medical college.
Yet, despite the favorable ruling, Alpesh refused to keep studying under a shadow of uncertainty, and made the decision to appear in the NEET-UG exam once again. However, the journey was arduous as he had to overcome several personal and financial challenges.
Barely weeks before the exam, Alpesh’s brother met with a serious accident, leaving him only 40 days to prepare. But Rathod persevered and cracked the medical entrance test once again, this time improving his previous effort, scoring 644 marks and securing admission in the GMERS Medical College in Gandhinagar.
However, despite NEET-UG success, more challenges awaited Rathod he had to pay a ‘fine’ of Rs 5 lakh for vacating his seat in the government medical college, which ironically was taken away from him by the government in the first place.
Additionally, Alpesh Rathod will now have to pay a much more heftier fee at the GMERS Medical College, compared to what he paid at the state-run college.
Alpesh, whose father runs a humble paanipuri stall in Meghraj town in Aravalli district, is now the first, not just in his family, but his entire Kenthwa village back in his native Uttar Pradesh, to become a doctor.
What followed was an arduous legal battle which led Alpesh to move the Supreme Court where relief was indeed provided and his admission was restored. However, despite the apex ruling in his favor, Rathod felt something amiss and decided to go for the NEET exam again, this time as an open category candidate.
Battling financial and personal challenges, Alpesh cracked NEET once again, this time scoring higher than his previous attempt, and securing a MBBS seat in the open category, proving that he did not need the crutches of reservation to realise his dreams.
Shattered dreams
Two years ago, Alpesh Rathod had cracked NEET-UG 2022, securing 613 marks and was admitted to a state-run medical college in Vadodara
under the socially and educationally backward class (SEBC) category.
But life turned upside down for Alpesh, when around a year and a half into his studies, his caste certificate was deemed invalid by the government, which resulted in the college annulling his admission.
Rathod challenged the annulment of his admission in the Gujarat high court, but the ruling was not in his favour. The aspiring doctor, then knocked on the doors of Supreme court which stayed the Gujarat government’s order and restored his admission in the medical college.
Perseverance yields success
Yet, despite the favorable ruling, Alpesh refused to keep studying under a shadow of uncertainty, and made the decision to appear in the NEET-UG exam once again. However, the journey was arduous as he had to overcome several personal and financial challenges.
Barely weeks before the exam, Alpesh’s brother met with a serious accident, leaving him only 40 days to prepare. But Rathod persevered and cracked the medical entrance test once again, this time improving his previous effort, scoring 644 marks and securing admission in the GMERS Medical College in Gandhinagar.
Financial troubles
However, despite NEET-UG success, more challenges awaited Rathod he had to pay a ‘fine’ of Rs 5 lakh for vacating his seat in the government medical college, which ironically was taken away from him by the government in the first place.
Additionally, Alpesh Rathod will now have to pay a much more heftier fee at the GMERS Medical College, compared to what he paid at the state-run college.
Alpesh, whose father runs a humble paanipuri stall in Meghraj town in Aravalli district, is now the first, not just in his family, but his entire Kenthwa village back in his native Uttar Pradesh, to become a doctor.