Boy from Odisha’s Most Illiterate Tribe Scripts History by Cracking NEET – News18

A tribal boy from Odisha, has turned adversity into opportunity by securing the 261st rank in the NEET UG exam, a nationwide entrance examination conducted for admission in undergraduate medical programs. His inspiring journey proves that talent can emerge from anywhere, as long as there is a desire to achieve.

Mangala Muduli belongs to the Bonda tribe, which has the lowest literacy rate among all 62 tribes in Odisha. According to the 2011 census, the literacy rate of the Bonda tribe was just 36.61%, making it the least literate among the particularly vulnerable tribal groups in the state.

Nineteen-year-old Muduli hails from Badbel village under Mudulipada panchayat in Govindpalli block of Malkangiri district, Odisha, has achieved what many in his tribe could only dream of. He has become the first person from the Bonda tribal group to pass the NEET exam. Muduli has enrolled in the MBBS course at MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur, Ganjam district, located over 400 km from his home.

Hailing from a farmer family, Muduli completed his schooling at Mudulipada SSD High School and pursued higher education at SSD Senior Secondary School in Govindpalli, run by the SC and ST Development Department. With his elder brother having dropped out of school, many in the family had little hope for his future. However, while studying science in higher secondary, his teacher, Utkal Keshari Das, encouraged him to appear for the medical entrance exam and helped him enroll in a coaching institute in Balasore.

Muduli dreamed of becoming a doctor from a young age after witnessing the lack of healthcare services in his village. He saw villagers struggle to access medical care, often having to walk miles to reach the nearest primary health center. In many cases, people turned to traditional healers for help. Mangala Muduli aspired to change this and bring proper healthcare to his community.

Muduli had no idea that he needed to take the NEET exam to pursue medical studies. “I had no idea about any entrance exam to get admission in medical education. I thought that if I study science subject in 12th, then I can study MBBS,” he said. His science teacher not only informed him about the NEET entrance exam but also supported him by giving him a mobile phone to access study material and got him enrolled in a coaching center.

“Mangala is a bright student. I knew he could pass the entrance test,” his teacher said. Muduli’s teacher not only provided him with the necessary guidance and support, but also enabled him to study for free at the coaching center, which otherwise charged Rs 1.2 lakh for other students.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan congratulated Muduli on his success. “He has proved that success can be achieved even in adverse situation with strong willpower and determination. He is an inspiration for the tribal community,” Pradhan wrote on X.