Odisha's Champa Raspeda becomes first from Didayi tribe to clear Neet
She began her early schooling at the PVTG girls' education complex in Nandiniguda under the SC & ST Development Department.Later, she studied at SSD Girls' High School, Chitrakonda, completing her matriculation in 2019. She passed her Class 12 Science in 2021 from SSD Higher Secondary School, Govindpally.Financial difficulties forced her to discontinue her BSc studies. However, with encouragement from her former science teacher, Utkala Keshari Dash, she joined free NEET coaching classes in Balasore, where her dream of becoming a doctor regained strength.GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNITY SUPPORTThe Odisha government, in its statement, highlighted that tribal students from the state have shown remarkable progress in recent years, particularly in medical education. It noted that several tribal students have cleared NEET and secured MBBS seats in government medical colleges.The Didayi tribe, one of 13 PVTGs in Odisha, primarily resides in the remote forested regions of Malkangiri district, especially Kudumulugumma and Khairput blocks. Traditionally, the community depends on shifting cultivation, forest produce, and small-scale farming.'For a young girl from this community to break barriers and enter the medical profession is a remarkable step toward empowerment and social transformation,' the official statement said.LEADERS REACT TO THE ACHIEVEMENTOdisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed his happiness, posting on X: 'Her hard work, strong determination and success will inspire all youths of Odisha. I hope that in the future she will serve the poor and backward people as a good doctor. I wish her a bright future.'Her success story is being celebrated across the state as a milestone in tribal empowerment and education. For the Didayi tribe, this is not just a personal achievement but a step toward breaking longstanding barriers in access to higher education.(With inputs from PTI)- Ends
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