RAIPUR: In a major achievement for tribal empowerment, 11 underprivileged students from Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district have secured nine MBBS and two BDS seats in the first round of NEET counselling.
The students were trained under ‘Choo Lo Aasman’, a flagship residential coaching programme supported by mining major NMDC and the Dantewada district administration.
Two other students from the programme who cleared the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) have joined the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Raipur to pursue BTech degrees in Biotechnology and Mining.
Most of the successful students are first-generation learners from remote, violence-affected tribal areas. Their parents work as small-scale farmers or daily-wage agricultural labourers. Except for one candidate from the general category, all the students who secured medical seats belong to the Scheduled Tribe (ST) community.
Among them is 21-year-old Deepa Markam from Potali village, who scored 412 marks in NEET and secured an MBBS seat at the Chhattisgarh Institute of Medical Sciences (CIMS), Bilaspur.
Recalling the lack of healthcare facilities in her village, Markam said residents often had to travel several hours to consult a doctor. She said her ultimate goal is to return home after completing her medical training and help strengthen healthcare in her community.
Launched in 2011, ‘Choo Lo Aasman’ identifies promising students through a district-wide entrance test after Class 8. Selected students receive free boarding, meals, uniforms and study materials, along with residential coaching from Classes 9 to 12.
According to programme principal Shainy Ravindra, 22 students cleared NEET this year, while counselling results have so far been declared for 13 candidates. More admissions are expected in subsequent rounds of counselling.
Congratulating the students, NMDC Chairman and Managing Director Amitava Mukherjee said their transition into premier institutions demonstrates how sustained opportunities can help young people overcome deep socio-economic barriers.
He said the students are emerging as catalysts of change who can uplift their families and transform the healthcare landscape in their communities.