For many families, preparing for NEET is not just about finding the right books or making a study timetable. The cost of coaching itself can become a hurdle. For Mohammad Ayan from Bihar, however, financial limitations did not mean giving up on his dream of becoming a doctor.When expensive coaching was beyond his family’s means, Ayan found another way to keep his preparation going- he taught younger students and used the money to support his own studies. The effort, combined with disciplined self-study and affordable online learning, eventually helped him secure All India Rank (AIR) 2,695 in Re-NEET UG 2026, with a score of 636 out of 720.
28 Jul 2026 | 16:22
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Image source: NDTV
When coaching was not an option
Ayan comes from a modest family in Bihar. His father does embroidery work and his income is not fixed. The family therefore had to manage its finances carefully.According to NDTV, the Covid-19 pandemic made things more difficult as his education was disrupted and offline coaching remained financially out of reach. Instead of treating that as the end of his medical dream, Ayan turned towards self-study and affordable online resources.Ayan relied largely on NCERT, class notes, assignments, daily practice papers and previous years’ question papers. Rather than collecting study material from multiple sources, he chose to stick to a limited set of resources and focus on understanding concepts and practising regularly.
He taught others to fund his own studies
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One of the most striking parts of Ayan’s journey came during Class 11, when he began taking private tuition classes.For about four months, he taught younger students during the day and studied at night. It was tiring, but the tuition income helped him support his preparation at a time when his family could not afford expensive coaching.According to his account to HT, this period meant reshuffling his study hours and sometimes sleeping for only four to five hours. On a typical day, he studied Physics in the morning, followed it with Biology and Chemistry, took mock tests, attended online classes and revised difficult topics before going to bed.His routine was demanding, but there was a clear principle behind it: he did not wait for ideal circumstances to begin studying.
A lesson for parents: resources matter, but so does consistency
Ayan’s story offers an important reminder for parents of children preparing for competitive exams. Coaching can certainly provide structure, guidance and a competitive environment, but simply enrolling a child in an expensive programme does not guarantee success.What mattered in Ayan’s case was how consistently he used the resources available to him.His preparation revolved around attending classes, completing assignments and daily practice papers, taking tests, analysing mistakes and repeating the process.That is perhaps one of the more useful takeaways for parents. Instead of constantly adding new books, courses or test series, children may benefit more from mastering the material they already have.
He made mistakes part of his preparation
Ayan also developed a habit of analysing his mistakes instead of simply moving on after every mock test.He told HT that he analysed his errors on the same day and maintained a separate notebook for them. Every 10 to 15 days, he returned to those mistakes and revised them. In the final month, his routine became simple: revise, take tests, analyse mistakes and repeat.This approach also helped him turn mock tests into more than just scorecards. They became a way of identifying exactly where he was losing marks.
What Ayan wants other students to understand
Ayan does not deny that having more resources can make preparation easier. But he believes students should avoid constantly comparing their circumstances with those of others.His message to students who feel that expensive coaching is essential is equally straightforward: coaching is not the only route to NEET success. Quality education, regular practice, sincerity and consistency can make a significant difference.For parents, his journey carries another quiet lesson. Children do not always need to be given everything before they can learn to work towards something. What they often need is encouragement, access to whatever resources are realistically available and the confidence that their circumstances do not have to define their future.Ayan is now looking forward to beginning his MBBS journey. He has not yet decided on a medical speciality, saying he wants to explore different fields before making that choice. One thing, however, is already clear: he hopes to become a doctor who can genuinely help people, particularly those who cannot afford proper medical treatment.
