The Lift For Upliftment (LFU) project started 7 years back with a mission to help students from underprivileged backgrounds pass the NEET (National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test) exam. The project is run by a group of doctors and medical students and is offering free coaching for the entrance exam to students from financially weak backgrounds.
Dr. Atul Dhakane, the founder of the program realized the exorbitant cost of enrolling in a coaching institute and how the overall structure of education made it inaccessible for students in rural areas. A key challenge which the program also aims to resolve is the language barrier for many students in rural areas. The program started in a government school classroom in Pune with 36 students.
Key Outcomes / Highlights From The LFU Project
- Free coaching to students from underprivileged backgrounds from rural / tribal areas in Maharashtra
- More than 60 students enrol in the program every year (48 took the NEET from the batch this year)
- LFU provides coaching to students from Pune & Melghat
- The program has produced more than 130 doctors in the past 7 years
- The cost of NEET coaching in a city like Pune is upwards of 3 Lakh (the LFU project provides similar coaching / guidance free of cost to students)
