One Rajasthan Doctor Took On Rs 9 Lakh Debt to Help 119 Students Crack NEET

Inside Rajasthan's Barmer district, a free medical entrance exam coaching initiative has transformed hundreds of lives by giving talented, underprivileged students opportunities they never imagined.

In Barmer's arid Thar Desert, talented children from poor families often dropped out after Class 10 or 12 because they couldn't afford higher education, coaching or medical entrance preparation.

Government medical officer Dr Bharat Saran witnessed this cycle for years while serving Barmer. Convinced poverty shouldn't decide futures, he resolved to create opportunities through free medical coaching instead.

 Inspired by Anand Kumar, an Indian educator and the founder of the Super 30 program, Dr Saran founded Fifty Villagers Seva Sansthan in 2012, creating a free residential NEET coaching programme exclusively for economically disadvantaged students.

Working after hospital hours, Dr Saran taught 25 students each from Classes 11 and 12 in a rented room. Fifty students annually inspired the initiative's distinctive, enduring name.

The selection criteria require students to procure first division in Class 10 and clear a 50-mark aptitude test. Home visits assessing economic hardship carry 30 marks, ensuring merit meets genuine financial need together.

Dr Saran, one of his students, stands out. After losing both parents in a road accident, Nem Singh Rajpurohit joined the programme in 2013. Today, he studies MBBS at Dr SN Medical College, Jodhpur successfully.

The initiative survives entirely on donations ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 5 lakh. Despite accumulating nearly Rs 9 lakh debt, Dr Saran continued funding rent, books and student support.

Around Rs 25,000 is spent annually on every student, covering coaching, accommodation, food and books, proving quality medical education can remain affordable through community support and committed leadership together.

In 2015, 28 students cleared NEET-UG together. Since then, the initiative has coached 286 students, with 119 securing admission to medical colleges across India through sustained mentoring.

In 2025, Shree Cement committed Rs 25 lakh annually for two years, supporting residential coaching for 25 girls, taking the programme a step ahead in a more gender-inclusive direction.