The NEET story · 2023 to 2025

Three years. Three attempts. One unbreakable dream.

This is how Vishal Barala turned repeated setbacks into the foundation of something extraordinary.

Chapter 01
Sikar
The leap of faith
It takes a certain kind of courage to pack your bags, leave the comfort of home, and head to Sikar, a city that breathes NEET preparation. Thousands of students from across India converge there, all chasing the same dream. Vishal was one of them, a teenager from a small village, arriving with nothing but determination and the picture of a white coat.
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Mine began on a bus from Delhi to Sikar.”
Chapter 02
2023
First attempt, first lesson
In 2023, Vishal sat for NEET while simultaneously appearing for his Class 12 board exams, a dual burden that exhausts even the most prepared minds. The result was not what he had hoped for. He did not qualify. But in the silence after the result, he made a choice: not to fold. Most people do not realise that failure, faced with dignity, is just a redirect.
“I didn't fail. I found out what didn't work. That's not the same thing.”
Chapter 03
2024
Paper-leak controversy · CBI investigation
A stolen year
2024 was supposed to be his year. He had studied harder, smarter, and with greater resolve. But NEET 2024 became one of the most controversial examinations in Indian history, marred by alleged question paper leaks, inflated scores, and an investigation by the CBI. Cutoffs shot up abnormally and lakhs of genuine aspirants were denied their rightful ranks. Vishal was one of them. A betrayal by the system. But he refused to let someone else's corruption become his defeat.
“They stole a year from us. But they couldn't steal the fire.”
Chapter 04
2025
Third time. The triumph.
In 2025, Vishal returned to the battlefield with three years of scars, lessons, and unshakeable resolve. He scored 579 marks in NEET 2025, clinching All-India Rank 3731 and a coveted seat at AIIMS Jammu. Three years of early mornings, missed social gatherings, financial pressures and silent tears, all of it crystallised into a single moment. The boy from Radawas had arrived.
“Some journeys take longer. They're usually the ones worth taking.”

To every aspirant reading this

“Your rank is not your destiny. Your relentlessness is. Keep going.”

The leap of faith

It takes a certain kind of courage to pack your bags, leave the comfort of home, and head to Sikar, a city that breathes NEET preparation. Thousands of students from across India converge there, all chasing the same dream. Vishal was one of them, a teenager from a small village, arriving with nothing but determination and the picture of a white coat.

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Mine began on a bus from Delhi to Sikar.”

First attempt, first lesson

In 2023, Vishal sat for NEET while simultaneously appearing for his Class 12 board exams, a dual burden that exhausts even the most prepared minds. The result was not what he had hoped for. He did not qualify. But in the silence after the result, he made a choice: not to fold. Most people do not realise that failure, faced with dignity, is just a redirect.

“I didn't fail. I found out what didn't work. That's not the same thing.”

A stolen year

2024 was supposed to be his year. He had studied harder, smarter, and with greater resolve. But NEET 2024 became one of the most controversial examinations in Indian history, marred by alleged question paper leaks, inflated scores, and an investigation by the CBI. Cutoffs shot up abnormally and lakhs of genuine aspirants were denied their rightful ranks. Vishal was one of them. A betrayal by the system. But he refused to let someone else's corruption become his defeat.

“They stole a year from us. But they couldn't steal the fire.”

Third time. The triumph.

In 2025, Vishal returned to the battlefield with three years of scars, lessons, and unshakeable resolve. He scored 579 marks in NEET 2025, clinching All-India Rank 3731 and a coveted seat at AIIMS Jammu. Three years of early mornings, missed social gatherings, financial pressures and silent tears, all of it crystallised into a single moment. The boy from Radawas had arrived.

“Some journeys take longer. They're usually the ones worth taking.”