Raipur: Zoya Mirza, a native of Durg district in Chhattisgarh, has marked a monumental victory by becoming a commissioned lieutenant doctor in the Indian Army. Mirza completed her MBBS degree at the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) in 2023-24, overcoming various challenges along her journey to achieve her dreams.
Mirza's academic path required resilience and determination. Initially, she began preparing for the NEET exam during the 12th grade while studying biology. However, her first attempt did not yield success, leading her to pursue a graduation degree at Delhi University. Mirza's grandmother and father encouraged her to take a gap year to focus on NEET preparation, which led her to relocate to Kota.
"I have been studious since childhood, and seeing my inclination towards studies, my grandmother wished for me to become a doctor and serve people. Unfortunately, she passed away a year ago and couldn't witness me donning the uniform," Zoya shared. Due to financial restraints, her parents initially enrolled her in a nearby private school to afford the fees and she studied there till third grade. After that, she got transferred to KPS Bhilai and she finished her school there.
According to the doctor, her parents made significant sacrifices for her education, including borrowing money to support her studies. Her mother took up a job as a government school teacher, and her father worked as a pitch curator for the Chhattisgarh State Cricket Sangh. While preparing for NEET in Kota, Mirza faced self-doubt after comparing her performance with other students in practice tests. However, she remained committed to her goals, driven by her grandmother and father's belief in the nobility of being a doctor or a soldier. Mirza's dream to serve both people and her country propelled her forward, reports the
Times of India.
According to the Daily, fifteen to twenty days before her NEET examination, she was compelled to go back to her grandmother's place due to serious health issues. Later, she returned to Kota and attempted a second time but she missed the opportunity to secure a seat by just one rank. "Although my rank was 13th, the seat allocation ended at 12th.
My grandmother encouraged me to take another chance in the NEET and called me back to Bhilai, where I joined a coaching centre. Zoya mentioned, "The teachers at Bhilai, especially Iyer, Vikas, and Sourabh, provided me with great support in keeping my morale up." she expressed sorrowfully.
"In 2019, I cleared the NEET conducted by the National Testing Agency for the first time with 622 marks and opted for AFMC. The cut-off score for female candidates at AFMC was 620, whereas for male candidates, it was 600 marks. Completing the 4.5-year MBBS course at AFMC fulfilled her family's dream. In contrast to other colleges, AFMC administers aptitude tests, English tests, and medical examinations during counselling. Now, as I have been commissioned in the Indian Army, I can serve as a doctor and as a soldier," she concluded.
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