Husband at 19, became a father at 21, and still scored 605 marks: The story of a Gorakhpur student's four-year journey

After four years of preparation, Vishal Tiwari from Gorakhpur has cleared NEET UG 2026 with 605 marks. The 23-year-old, who got married shortly after finishing school and later became a father, continued preparing for the exam while helping support his family through tuition classes, according to a report by India Today.

The son of an auto-rickshaw driver, Vishal's success comes after years of financial struggles, repeated attempts and family responsibilities. His father, Santosh Tiwari, and mother, Radhika Tiwari, borrowed money to enrol him in coaching after his initial attempts did not yield success.

"It is a dream that has taken four years to fulfil," Vishal told India Today. "There were times when I wondered whether I would make it, but my family never stopped believing in me."

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Four attempts and a long wait

A resident of Mirzapur Pachpedwa Colony under Gorakhnath police station limits, Vishal completed his schooling at Saraswati Vidya Mandir and passed Class 12 with Biology in 2022.

According to his family, he spent the first two years preparing through self-study because coaching was beyond their means. When he could not clear the exam, his parents arranged funds through loans to enrol him in a coaching institute, giving him access to structured guidance for the remaining attempts.

When the NEET UG 2026 results were announced, Vishal scored 605 out of 720, achieving the goal he had been working towards for four years.

Marriage, fatherhood and studies

Vishal's journey was unlike that of many first-time aspirants. Soon after completing Class 12, his family arranged his marriage to Kalpana Pandey, a resident of Siddharthnagar district. Two years later, the couple welcomed their son, Virat.

Despite the added responsibilities, Vishal continued preparing for NEET.

"My wife stood by me throughout. She never complained about the time I spent studying and took care of our son and the household. Because of her support, I could focus on my preparation," he said.

Teaching in the evening, studying till night

With the family's finances stretched, Vishal also contributed to household expenses by taking home tuition classes.

His routine typically began with coaching classes in the morning and continued with tuition sessions in the evening. After finishing those classes, he would head to a library, where he studied until around 11 pm every night.

The income from tuition helped cover small household expenses while allowing him to continue preparing for one of India's most competitive entrance examinations.

A father's sacrifices

Vishal credits much of his success to his parents, particularly his father, who continued driving an auto-rickshaw to support the family despite limited earnings.

"My parents took loans so I could join coaching. My father worked every day without thinking about himself. Becoming a doctor is my way of repaying their sacrifices," he said.

His father, Santosh Tiwari, said the family had always believed that education could change their future.

"We faced financial difficulties, but we never wanted our son to give up on his dream. Today, all those years of hard work feel worthwhile," he said.

Interestingly, Vishal initially wanted to become an engineer because he enjoyed mathematics. It was only after encouragement from his elder uncle that he chose Biology and began preparing for medical entrance examinations.

While qualifying NEET is only the first step towards becoming a doctor, Vishal already knows how he wants to thank the man who helped make it possible.

"My father has spent his life driving an auto for our family. One day, I want to buy him a car," he said.

Earlier, speaking about his plans after the result, Vishal had also said: "When I become a doctor, I will buy a car for my father."