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Getting admission into a medical college in India through the NEET exam is nothing short of a struggle for thousands of students each year. The competition is intense and the pressure is constant. When ranks don’t turn out well, many students often turn to private medical colleges, but those seats come at an exorbitant fee that sometimes touches or even crosses Rs 1 crore. Recently, a doctor from Goa shared his journey on X (formerly Twitter), where he recalled how he chose not to take that route despite the option being available. In his post, Dr Anshul Sadhale looked back at the year 2019 when his NEET result didn’t go as planned. He wrote, “It’s June 2019. I have secured a rank of 1 lakh plus in my first NEET attempt. My dad comes to my room and says, ‘We have saved this much amount of money so you don’t have to struggle.’ I knew it was a lie. We couldn’t afford this without a loan.” ‘Want To Build Something Of My Own’ At that point, his father’s words made him realise the financial reality his family faced. They couldn’t afford the enormous cost of a private medical seat which could easily cross Rs 1 crore. Dr Sadhale admitted that moment made him feel like a “total loser.” “Because my dad did the best he could to educate my sister and me. But I didn’t want to take a private seat and just walk on the red carpet,” he added. But instead of giving in, Dr Sadhale made a bold decision: “I took a year off, this was a drop year.” He described that drop year as a turning point in his life. “That year changed me as a total person. I went through lonely times, hardships, was confined to my room and Covid hit. But despite all that, I was convinced that I want to build something of my own,” he wrote. The following year, his determination paid off when he scored 633 out of 720 in NEET and secured an all-India rank of around 7,000. He later got admission in Goa Medical College. ‘I Fought The Hard Way’ Looking back now, Dr Sadhale says he’s “proud” of his decision to wait and work for it instead of taking an easier route. “Imagine if I had just taken the private college seat. I would have never been able to build something of myself. No real confidence, just papa ka paisa and would have lived under those terms,” he wrote. He believes that working hard for his seat helped him develop resilience and confidence, something that later pushed him to start his own coaching business. He also pointed out the harsh truth of medical education costs in India, writing, “If you are going to spend Rs 1 crore plus on a simple MBBS seat, which today is not even worth a few lakhs, then you’re making a terrible financial decision, at least for a middle-class Indian family.” Along with his post, he shared a photo of his name on the Aakash Institute board where it showed he had scored 633 marks in NEET. See The Post Here it's june 2019. i have secured a rank of 1 lakh plus in my first Neet attempt. my dad comes to my room and says, "we have saved this much amount of money so you don't have to struggle." i knew it was a lie, we couldn't afford this without loan. and i felt like a total loser… https://t.co/C6T4ZBV3fp pic.twitter.com/hbHd1kHoTC — Dr. Anshul Sadhale (@AnshulGains) November 7, 2025 What Are People Saying Online His story drew varied reactions in the comment section, with one user praising, “The struggle was so real.” Meanwhile, a section of users shared a slightly different perspective while still appreciating his journey, with a person sharing, “Really respect this, sir. I took a drop too—missed govt by a small margin, but that NEET day wasn’t mine. Ended up in a private college and honestly, it doesn’t matter. I’m confident, grateful to my parents and proud. Money’s temporary, growth isn’t. Massive respect.” Another user highlighted that whether a student earns a seat through a scholarship or joins a private college, both paths demand “grit.” They mentioned that those who secure a seat on merit have already proven their dedication before admission, while those in self-funded seats continue to face challenges and pressure every day.
