TIRUNELVELI : Three sons of a weaver, all students of Government Higher Secondary School (GHSS) in their native Vellanguli village, will soon become doctors as they have secured MBBS and BDS seats after clearing NEET this year.
While the elder brother, R Venkata Sri, appeared for the test for the fourth time, his twin younger brothers, R Arun and R Tharan, have realised their dream in their second attempt. Arun and Tharan will join the Tirunelveli Government Medical College and a private medical college in Coimbatore, respectively. Venkata Sri will join a private dental college in Kanniyakumari district. All three have secured their seats under the 7.5% reservation for government-school students.
Speaking to this newspaper, the trio expressed happiness at securing medical seats with the support of their teachers and parents. “Becoming doctors has been our childhood dream. Our elder brother Venkata Sri’s perseverance encouraged us.
He had been attempting to clear NEET after completing Plus Two at our village school in 2022-23. We also decided to follow in his footsteps after completing our schooling last year. It’s a great moment for us to have secured medical seats the same year,” said the twins.
Their father, S Ramkumar, said that he had pledged to support his children financially despite the hardship of running his family on a meagre income. “I only have to pay the government-prescribed fee as my sons have secured seats under the government quota,” he added.
M Thalavai, headmaster of Vellanguli GHSS, said that following the introduction of the 7.5% quota, six students, including the three brothers, from the village school could join medical colleges.
“Our students P Anbarasan, whose father is also a weaver, and B Thirisha secured MBBS seats in 2021 and 2023, respectively. I am happy that former Higher Education Minister K P Anbalagan highlighted our students’ achievements in the Assembly. Former Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami has invited our students for a meeting with him,” he said.
Anbarasan, who completed his MBBS this year and is preparing for NEET-PG, said NEET and the 7.5% reservation have been a boon for government-school students like him.
