NEW DELHI: A 19-year-old daughter of a daily wager, who earns barely enough to make ends meet, has secured admission to the prestigious Lady Hardinge Medical College after clearing NEET and thanked a Delhi government scheme for underprivileged students for her success.
Shashi is the fifth student and the first girl who has successfully secured admission to college after availing benefits under the 'Jai Bhim Mukhyamantri Pratibha Vikas Yojana', aimed at providing free coaching to needy students from Scheduled Castes and low-income groups.
Shashi, who cleared NEET in her second attempt, says the scheme has brought her closer to her dream of becoming an oncologist.
Her father, 47-year-old Akhilesh Kumar Gaur, who quit education after Class 12, earns Rs 400 per day for plastering walls.
Her mother never attended school.
On Wednesday, Shashi met Social Justice Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam, who said the Delhi government won't let poverty become an impediment for talented students.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also tweeted: "Poverty can be removed in just one generation if we give a good education to our children. I am happy that the scheme is giving wings to the dreams of these students."
Under the scheme, the eligible students can avail free coaching for various entrance and competitive exams.
Of the 107 students who got free coaching for engineering and medical entrance exams under the 'Jai Bhim Mukhyemantri Pratibha Vikas Yojana', 13 have been declared successful in the JEE Main and 22 in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET).
Four students have already secured admissions to leading technical institutions such as IIT Delhi, Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology, National Institute of Technology Delhi and IIT BHU, Gautam told PTI.