Ludhiana, June 26
Brijesh Takkar never imagined that he would top in almost every medical entrance examination he would appear in. This Ludhiana lad has done the city proud by topping in the medical entrance examination to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Christian Medical College, Ludhiana, CBSE PMT, etc. In short, he breezed through every test that he took.
“I always knew that I would do well, but I am still pinching myself to check if this is a dream or a reality”, Brijesh told The Tribune here today. Though, he was aware of other results earlier, the AIIMS result was declared in New Delhi late last evening. Both his parents and his two sisters are medical graduates.
Though Brijesh was confident of getting through the test, but he had never thought he would do it with such a bang. ‘‘Last night at around 10.30, I received a call from our family friends, who congratulated me on getting the first rank. I thought they were talking about the results of the entrance test conducted by the Christian Medical College (CMC), Ludhiana, the results of which were also declared last evening.
“‘It was only later during the course of conversation, I realised that they were congratulating me for the AIIMS result, of which I was not even aware of. I was pleasantly shocked and could not believe it till I called up someone else in New Delhi and asked him to confirm,’’ said the much elated boy.
However, success is not new to Brijesh. This year he has also been the topper in the entrance tests to the CMC and Banaras Hindu University (BHU). He has also attained the third rank in the Mahatama Gandhi Medical Sciences and Research Institute, Vadodara, the results of which were also declared today. He attained the first position in Punjab and the 41st in India in the Pre-Medical Test conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education. He had also received a call from Washington University for further studies this year on the recommendation of his school principal. But, unfortunately, he could not go as the dates clashed with the Plus-Two CBSE exams in March this year, in which he had topped in Punjab with 94.6 per cent marks.
Brijesh is also drawing a scholarship which he got for clearing the National Talent Search Examination (NTSE) two years back. He even cleared the Olympiad written test in biology this year and was invited to Mumbai, but he could not go their last month as he was busy preparing for the various entrance tests.
Even though Brijesh wants to become a neurologist, he says that he would take a final decision only after he completes the MBBS. He owes his success to his parents, both running a nursing home in Ludhiana, and his two sisters, both pursuing their medical degrees here. “Without their guidance, I would have not been able to make it. My school teachers too had been very helpful. They helped me solve my problems whenever I approached them,” he said.
But Brijesh strongly believes that it is sheer hard work that pays in the long run. “What is even more important is to channelise the way you work. And I believe that it is not just self-study but the right coaching that puts you on the track that leads to success. Most importantly, one has to set his targets and be firm on achieving them,” he said while offering his mantra to other students who want to follow his footsteps.
