After two years of unflinching efforts and family support, M. Poomari from remote Pulikurichi near Tiruchuli has secured admission in a private medical college in Chennai

Thanks to the Tamil Nadu Government’s 7.5% reservation in professional courses for students of Government schools, Poomari and her family was spared of any worries about the expenditure for her higher studies.

A studious student since her childhood, she dreamt of becoming a doctor and she took it up as her personal goal. When she entered class 10, the poor family suffered a jolt when Poomari’s father, Muthupandi, died due to ill-health. However, her mother Ponnazhagu did not give up and took up firewood cutting to make a living.

Ably supported by her aged parents, Vellaichamy, 80, a shepherd and Muniyammal, who is also a firewood cutter, Ponnazhagu kept her daughter’s dreams alive.

Though Poomari stood first in the school in Plus Two examination with 573 marks, she could not get the required marks in NEET to get an MBBS seat in 2023. Nevertheless, the family pledged jewels to pay for Poomari’s NEET coaching for two years, first in Namammal and then for a repeater course at Salem. “In between, I got enough marks to get into dental course. But, I was not interested and went to repeaters course,” she said.

The hard work of all family members, including Poomari, got a much-needed impetus through the 7.5% reservation for Government school students. With 435 marks in NEET, the girl got a seat under Government quota. “We are now relieved that the Government would take care of all the expenses of my medical course,” said Poomari.

Her two younger brothers are also studying in Sethupathi Government Higher Secondary in Tiruchuli.

Poomari says she would not stop with just an MBBS degree, but would pursue a post-graduate course.