Bhubaneswar: A total of 14 underprivileged students from the city cleared the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), a national-level single entrance test for medical courses. These qualified students were trained under Zindagi Initiative, launched by a visionary, Ajay Bahadur Singh.
Under the Zindagi initiative that was launched in 2017 in city, Singh provides free coaching, boarding and lodging to students who are from poor background but have passion for education. Singh helps them clear the national level test and become doctors.
Singh said that all 14 students qualified for the NEET exam this year and 12 of them may get seats in Government College to study MBBS.
Speaking about the initiative, Singh said, “Zindagi started in 2017 with an aim to empower the underprivileged students to become doctors. In 2018, 18 out of 20 students had qualified in the medical entrance examination, 12 out of which got selected in Government College to study MBBS.”
Students Anirudh Nayak (AIR 5562), Krishna Mohanty (AIR 15,295), Abanikant Swain (AIR 8200) and other successful students expressed their gratitude to Singh.
Abanikant said, “I had a desire to become a doctor but due to lack of financial support, I could not fulfil my dream. But under Zindagi scheme I got success in NEET exam.”
Zindagi programme is Singh’s way of helping underprivileged yet hardworking, meritorious students to fulfil their dream of becoming doctors. Speaking about the reason behind starting this programme, he said, “I wasn’t able to became doctor due to financial obstacles, so I decided to help students who, like me, are unable to continue their study due to financial crisis.”
He drew inspiration from Anand Kumar, the founder of Super 30, and started the Zindagi programme. Singh said that Anand Kumar suggested him to start an exclusive programme that aims to help the needy students.
