In a poignant example of parental dedication, 50-year-old Vikas Mangotra recently undertook the NEET UG 2024 exam alongside his daughter. His motivation? Not just to support her, but to enhance his ability to guide her through this crucial phase of her life.
Meemansa Mangotra, Vikas's daughter, took a gap year to focus on improving her NEET score, and it was during this time that Vikas Mangotra, a corporate employee based in Delhi, recognised the challenges his daughter faced while preparing for the exam.
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Moved by a desire to support her studies effectively, Vikas decided to take the NEET UG 2024 exam himself. According to him, teaching her in a simplified manner has helped her better grasp the concepts.
In an interview with Indian Express, Vikas shared, "NEET is a highly competitive exam and I wanted to support her preparation and therefore, appeared for it. My daughter says that I teach in a very simple manner and she loves to learn from me. Once she had some difficulty with a question and I helped her, she was almost amazed to see that I still remembered everything."
Vikas would manage to study post his work, but to dedicate more time to his studies, he took leave from his job and studied for 15-16 hours a day.
Reflecting on his journey, he remarked, "Time is abstract; its utilisation is crucial."
Initially hesitant due to his age, Vikas found motivation in knowing that a 60-year-old man from Odisha had also qualified for NEET in 2021.
Having previously qualified for NEET in 2022, Vikas initially aimed to test his own abilities and gain confidence in understanding the exam. However, his decision to appear again in 2024 was driven by a desire to motivate his daughter and enhance his teaching skills.
Recalling his past aspirations, Vikas shared, "In the early 90s, I aimed to pursue medicine and even had the scores for a medical college. However, due to personal reasons, I pursued engineering the following year."
Offering advice to parents, Vikas emphasised, "If parents genuinely wish to support their child's preparation, they should consider helping them with the syllabus themselves."
This year, the NEET exam has been embroiled in much controversy due to a number of factors: 67 students achieving perfect scores, multiple top scorers emerging from the same exam center, and allegations of question paper leaks.
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