This cancer survivor clears NEET to chase dream of becoming oncologist
PRAYAGRAJ : A 24-year-old cancer survivor of Prayagraj is all set to formally begin the chase to realize his dream of becoming an oncologist (cancer specialist) after having qualified the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate)-2021, results of which were declared recently by the National Testing Agency (NTA).
Hailing from a poor farmer’s family from trans-Ganga region of Sahson area in Prayagraj, Ashish Ranjan Maurya has qualified the all-India exam securing AIR 16,037 and OBC (non-creamy later) category rank 6,328 — enough to bag admission in a government-run medical college — while still having to regularly visit All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)-New Delhi for his check-ups to rule out a remission of the deadly disease.
“I always wanted to be a doctor and planned to dedicate myself in preparations of NEET after passing my class 12 with 72% from UP Board in 2012. However, suddenly my eyesight started to deteriorate and doctors detected bleeding in my retina. A bone marrow test confirmed Leukaemia in 2014. It was a huge shock,” said Ashish, whose father Ram Sukh Maurya, is a small farmer in his village Basmahua in Sahson and mother Urmila is a homemaker.
Youngest among two brothers and four sisters, Ashish first went to Lucknow and then AIIMS-New Delhi for treatment which included chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
“The treatment and the travel to Delhi was a huge burden on my family. However, soon my condition improved and I restarted my preparations for medical entrance. I was lucky as I came in contact with Amit Tripathi, who ran Chemistry classes in Civil Lines. He encouraged me and also pro
I APPEARED IN NEET IN 2018 & GOT A RANK AROUND 33,000. UNABLE TO GET AN MBBS SEAT, I BAGGED ADMISSION IN BAMS COURSE IN GOVERNMENT POSTGRADUATE AYURVEDA COLLEGE AND HOSPITAL, CHAUKAGHAT IN VARANASI
vided books and guidance free of cost,” said Ashish.
But in 2018 his cancer symptoms recurred and he had to start another round of treatment.
“I appeared in NEET in 2018 and got a rank around 33,000. Unable to get an MBBS seat, I bagged admission in Bachelor of Ayurveda Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) course in Government Postgraduate Ayurveda College and Hospital, Chaukaghat in Varanasi,” shared Ashish, presently in his third year of the BAMS course.
However, his heart still lay in pursuing MBBS and becoming a cancer specialist.
“In 2019, I again appeared in NEET but failed to improve on my rank. However, hope still burned bright in my heart fuelled by the fact that Ayurveda offered no specialisation course in Cancer. In 2020, Covid-19 hit India and the college closed down with studies going in online mode. With cancer symptom absent, I made most of this opportunity while staying at Prayagraj and began preparations yet again. In 2021, I finally managed to get a rank that will fetch me an MBBS seat in a government medical college in UP,” said a smiling Ashish.
Ashish said, “The dream is to complete my MBBS and then specialise in oncology so that I can help others suffering from cancer having experienced the challenges of beating this aggressive disease whose treatment still remains very costly in India and government-run centres offering free specialised treatment of it are still very few.”