No Plan B, Just NEET: How an auto-driver’s son got MBBS seat at King George’s Medical University

A father’s support for his son

Prabhat’s father, Mahendra Kumar Yadav, has been driving an auto-rickshaw in Mumbai for the past 20 years to support his family. After long days navigating the city’s busy roads, he would often video-call Prabhat at night.

“I used to see him tired and drenched in sweat as he prepared his dinner,” Prabhat recalled.

(Photo via special arrangement)

Looking at the struggles his father is facing, the 19-year-old said that he never allowed the adversities of his family to drag him down but rather took them as a source of motivation. “At least I don’t have to find passengers all day; at least I don’t have to cook for myself after a whole day of toil; the only thing I have to do is study,” said Prabhat.

Also Read | After court reprimand over paper leaks, Nilekani-led panel consults ex-ISRO chairman on NTA overhaul

A transition from UPSC to NEET

“Becoming a doctor was never my plan, but in the last two years it became the only choice I had,” said Prabhat, explaining that in Class 9 he wanted to pursue UPSC and never aspired to join the medical field.

After his Class 10 boards, which he passed with 89.44%, his family persuaded him to choose medicine. “Coming from a joint family, decisions cannot be taken unanimously; it has to have everyone’s input and support,” Prabhat said. He passed his Class 12 exams with 83.44%.

Prabhat completed his Class 12 in Jaunpur, while most of his friends had already left the town after Class 10 to begin their NEET preparation in Kota. After finishing school, he was determined to follow the same path. His family, trusting his decision, agreed to send him to Kota.

But paying the coaching fees was a challenge. Prabhat wrote to the senior authorities at his coaching institute, requesting a concession as his family could not afford the full amount. His request was accepted, and he received a 10 to 20 per cent fee concession, with the remaining amount financed.

For his father, who earns between Rs 25,000 and Rs 30,000 a month, meeting the cost of his son’s education was not easy. Prabhat’s maternal uncle also stepped in, helping the family manage his living and other expenses in Kota.

Two years of hard work before getting AIR 3864

In his first attempt at NEET UG 2025, Prabhat scored 504 marks. “I was a bit relaxed, acclimatising to the competitiveness around me. Though I was getting admission to courses like BDS, BUMS, etc., I knew the mistakes I made and the weak points that were to be worked upon,” said Prabhat.

Many of his teachers, considering his family’s financial situation, asked him to choose the allied courses he was getting, but he was rigid in his decision to pursue MBBS.

Unlike most 19-year-olds today, Prabhat had zero screen time. No Instagram or YouTube, just his books and that one exam that he laid his eyes on. He sometimes sang film songs during the fun days at his coaching institute, but that was all. He did not allow any distractions to lead him astray from the main goal.

He would sometimes go to the temple near his hostel or sit with his fellow hostellers to feel a bit light, but the rest of the day it was just classes, mock tests, and a long stretch of self-study.

Prabhat’s study table in Kota (Photo via special arrangement)

He was disheartened when he heard about the NEET paper leak. “I did feel a bit burdened to reappear for the exam, but I know it would only allow me to improve my marks,” said Prabhat.

NEET result and celebration across Devkipur

When the NEET UG 2026 result was announced on July 16, a wave of happiness swept through Prabhat’s village. Neighbours and relatives congratulated him, while hundreds of kilometres away in Mumbai, his father felt a deep sense of relief.

Headlines describing him as an “auto-driver’s son who cleared NEET” drew attention to his achievement. But for Prabhat and his family, the financial struggle did not end with his NEET success. In many ways, a new challenge was about to begin.

Prabhat celebrating his success with an acquaintance (Photo via special arrangement)

“Arranging Rs 50,000 for the admission fee of KGMU was also a task for us, but somehow my father and uncles managed it and got me enrolled,” said Prabhat, adding that acquiring an MBBS seat does not end all the problems alone, but it is the prologue for the brighter days coming their way.

Talking about his plans, Prabhat said bringing his father back to his hometown is high on his priority list. But beyond that, he wants to support other aspiring students who come from families facing financial constraints similar to his own.

“Whatever I have achieved would not have been possible without the support and trust of my family and the people in my village. I believe good deeds should not be one-way; they should be reciprocated, in equal measure or, better still, in a much greater way,” he said.

After two years of hard work, sacrifices, and a single-minded focus on NEET, Prabhat is now preparing for the next chapter. He has also begun sharing his journey on social media and YouTube as he waits to take his first steps into medical college.