Meet the ragpicker’s son who cleared the AIIMS entrance exam in his first attempt

Asharam Choudhary, a resident of Vijayganj Mandi in Dewas district, scored 707 all India ranking and 141 all India rank in the OBC category.

When the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) announced the results of its entrance test recently, it was celebration time at Asharam Choudhary's house. Born to a ragpicker, the 18-year-old has cracked the exam in his first attempt.

Asharam confessed that his family - especially his father - did not understand what this success meant. He cleared the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), conducted on May 6, bagging the 803rd rank in the OBC category and 2,763th rank overall. He secured AIR 707 as overall ranking and AIR 141 in OBC category for the AIIMS entrance, said The Quint. The eldest of three siblings, Asharam pursued higher secondary studies with Dakshina Foundation in Pune and wants to go back to his village to serve people there.

Taking to Twitter, Congress President Rahul Gandhi congratulated Asharam from Dewas in Madhya Pradesh. He said: “I congratulate you on clearing the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) entrance test in your first attempt and getting selected at Jodhpur AIIMS to pursue Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS)... I extend my best wishes to you and hope you will contribute to nation-building.”

Rahul wrote in the letter, as quoted by PTI, “I am aware that despite all challenges you were able to secure good rank. It is a testament to your dedication and hard work that you have performed so well.”

Hailing from a humble background, Asharam grew up in a house with no electricity and toilet. Reacting to this and congratulating him, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister ShivrajSingh Chouhan tweeted:

Asharam credited his success to his father and confessed that he wanted to become a doctor to serve his people. He left for Jodhpur on Sunday, July 22, to pursue MBBS at AIIMS. The trip was sponsored by Dewas District Collector Shrikant Pandey and the administration also sent a state government official to accompany him to Rajasthan. In a conversation with PTI he said,

“I am so happy that I cannot express myself. My next goal is to become a neurosurgeon. After MBBS, I want to do a Master of Surgery (MS) in neurology.”

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