Failed NEET but made it to Ivy League: Indian woman shares journey to biotech career in US

An Indian woman living in the United States has shared her journey of rebuilding her life after failing the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) nearly a decade ago, saying that one examination result did not determine her future.

Pragya Gupta posted a video on Instagram in which she reflected on believing that her chances of a successful life had ended after not clearing the examination in 2016.

In the video, she said that 10 years after failing NEET, she now holds an Ivy League degree, works in corporate biotech and lives in the US.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Pragya Gupta (@pragya.gupta)

Shift from medical path to corporate biotech

In the caption accompanying the post, Pragya said failing NEET had once made her think her opportunity for a good future was over. She added that she eventually realised she needed to think differently about her career path.

According to her post, she chose an undergraduate degree better suited to her interests, later completed a master’s degree in the United States and built a career in corporate biotechnology.

She also said her younger self, who was deeply affected by the examination result, would not have imagined how her life would evolve over the next decade.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Pragya Gupta (@pragya.gupta)

Video draws widespread reactions online

The video received several responses from social media users, many of whom praised her for sharing an encouraging message for students dealing with disappointing examination results.

One user commented that the message was something students needed to hear after a bad result, while another said failing a single examination does not mean failing in life.

Others described the story as inspiring for students who feel uncertain after NEET and appreciated her for highlighting alternative career paths beyond competitive entrance examinations.