For Gururaj A R, preparing for one of India’s most competitive entrance examinations did not involve a laptop, coaching classes or a shelf full of preparation material. He relied largely on his school books, mock tests and the guidance of his teachers.
That was enough for him to find his way to an All India Rank of 3,671 in NEET 2025, earning him a place at Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute to study MBBS.
Gururaj comes from Cheeranahalli in Karnataka, where his father is a farmer growing onions and gram. His mother takes care of the household, and his younger sister is currently in school. His father is the family’s only earning member in the family.
Growing up, Gururaj saw what consistent hard work looked like in everyday life. During his holidays, he helps his father in the fields, doing whatever work is needed, from spreading fertiliser and removing weeds to helping with ploughing. He says much of his understanding of hard work comes simply from watching his father work.
His academic journey has been equally steady. He scored 96.83% in Class 12 and also secured 99.29 percentile in JEE Main but choose to pursue medicine. In Classes 11 and 12, his academic performance earned him scholarships that covered his high school tuition fees.
For NEET, Gururaj prepared mainly through his school curriculum books and mock tests. Without regular access to a phone or laptop, he focused on understanding the concepts rather than relying on memorisation. His school teachers also played an important role, guiding him through his preparation.
Medicine was a natural choice for him. His father had always hoped that he would become a doctor, while Gururaj himself enjoyed studying biology. Today, as a first-year MBBS student, he is particularly fascinated by the brain and its functions. He hopes to eventually specialise in neurosurgery and is also interested in research.
Getting into medical college, however, has brought a new challenge. The cost of studying in Bengaluru, together with accommodation and living expenses, is difficult for his family to manage. The Shiksha Sankalp Lakshya Scholarship will help ease some of that burden and allow Gururaj to focus more fully on his medical education.
His journey so far has been built on fairly simple things: good teachers, disciplined preparation, a strong academic foundation and the example of a father who works hard every day. Gururaj now has the opportunity to take those lessons with him into medical school and, eventually, into the profession he has chosen for himself.
