NEET said ‘no’, but Rolls-Royce says ‘yes’ to 20-year-old failed aspirant

Meet Rithuparna KS who, couldn’t crack NEET and felt that the world came crashing down on her, landed a dream job with Rolls-Royce’s Jet Engine Manufacturing Division, with a whooping Rs 72.3-lakh package.

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She achieved this just at the age of 20.

“I got my offer letter in December 2024 after completing my internship and I am the youngest girl working in the organisation,” said a proud Rithuparna while talking to media.

The 20-year-old wrote her NEET exam, but could not manage to secure a merit seat to pursue MBBS. She then decided to give UPSC an attempt, however, ended up enrolling for an engineering course upon being advised by her parents.

“My dad suggested I get an engineering degree and settle for a government job.”

But destiny had different plans.

During her course at SCEM in Adyar, Rithuparna’s interest took a different turn. While pursuing Robotics and Automation course at Sahyadri College of Engineering and Management (SCEM) in Adyar, she along with her seniors worked on various projects.

Alongside a friend, Rithuparna built a detachable robot. The project won accolades at an international conference in Goa, with participation from countries like Singapore, Japan, China and Russia.

Rithuparna was also among 15 students selected from Dakshina Kannada for the DC Fellowship Programme — focused on solving real-world problems.

"My academic milestones, projects and rigorous interviews helped me get an internship with the Rolls-Royce Company," she said.

Balancing college and internship demands wasn't easy. She kept the internship a secret from her family until the offer came through.

Her initial package was Rs 39.58 lakh per annum, but was increased to Rs 72.2 lakh per annum.