Rajasthan: Married at 8, Child Bride cracks NEET at 21

Jaipur: Rupa Yadav, close to 21, who was married at the age of 8 years into a poor farmer's family of Kareri village, is all set to fulfill her own and her family's dream of becoming a doctor, by getting into a government medical college . In her second attempt, Rupa has cleared NEET, securing a 2,283^rd position

The story of Rupa will indeed be an inspiration to girls across the country. 8 year old Rupa had married a farmer's son, Shankar Lal, aged 12 studying in class seven, when she herself was a student of grade 3.Rupa moved into her husband's house immediately after writing her class 10 exam. However, her result which reflected an 84% score, changed the course of her life, Though not without a cooperative family and a husband of kind disposition. Having done well, Rupa expressed a desire to continue with her schooling and surprisingly her husband conceded and got her admission into a school 6 Km away.

Rupa was lucky for the village supported her endevour and urged her unlettered mother in law to give her permission to pursue an education. Having cleared class 12, this humble village' bahurani' went onto pursue a B.Sc degree and then took a shot at the All-India Pre-Medical Test (AIPMT) to study medicine. Ranked 23,000^th , she unfortunately, didn't qualify for an MBBS course.

"Someone suggested I go to Kota to get coached for the competition. But I wasn't sure if my in-laws will agree to that," she said.

Rupa was in for a surprise, for her brother in law joined forces with her husband and together the two decided to raise money by driving auto rickshaws to send this woman of letters to a medical coaching institute. "They began driving auto-rickshaws to fund my expenses," says a demure Rupa. In 2016, the institute at Kota helped her improve upon her last performance, however, not enough to qualify for a medical college.

Coming from a family of meager means, a second chance seemed an impossibility. The village that had supported the bahu in her endevour to become a woman of letters was beginning to retreat. Families back home wanted her to come back to household responsibilities. However, lady luck favoured her again, along with her husband's devotion to her and his faith in her abilities. The Coaching Institute's Director, Mr. Maheshwari decided to give her a second chance by offering a 75% fee waiver.

"When the coaching institute where I was enrolled waived 75% of my fees, my husband found it easier to convince the family to let me be there for one more year," she said.

This year's NEET, saw her give an unbelievable performance. She scored 603 out of 720 , ranking at the 2,283^rd position.. She is onto college counselling sessions for seat allotment into a medical college and in all likelihood will find a berth in a government medical college in Rajasthan.

"I'm hoping to get into SMS Medical College in Jaipur," she told HT optimistically..

Naveen Maheshwari, Allen Career Institute Director,has already extended support by offering to pay the fee for the 4 year professional course. All this "to honour her hard work". Mr Maheshwari has decided to help her take the final leap by giving her a monthly scholarship to complete the 4 year MBBS course

Rupa's husband Shankar, the surprise of this tale, an arts graduate and to whom credit of her success story goes, is into farming with his brother on the family's 13 bighas of land. A farmer in every sense of the term, he is just happy to stand by his wife's decisions.