The moment Ritesh entered our room, I knew he was different.
He wasn’t just a topper. He was a different species altogether.
Scoring 600 in NEET and missing a seat by just 45 marks, he had the aura of someone who belonged in AIIMS but accidentally landed in Allen Bhubaneswar.
And now, he was about to make things worse.
Because today, he joined the Star Batch.
---
The Announcement: The Chosen One
It was during the evening doubt session when the news broke.
"Ritesh, tumhara naam Star Batch mein aa gaya hai."
Silence.
I looked at Sumit. Sumit looked at me.
Both of us were thinking the same thing.
"Ab toh room mein rehna impossible hoga."
---
What is the Star Batch?
For the uninitiated, Star Batch is Allen’s Hogwarts.
The elite batch where only the best of the best students are selected. Their syllabus runs at 1.5x speed, their tests are harder, and their competition? Not humans—mutants.
Students in Star Batch don’t study to clear NEET.
They study to dominate it.
---
Ritesh’s Reaction: Cool as a Cucumber
The moment Ritesh heard the news, he didn’t react. Not even a smile.
"Haan, theek hai." That’s all he said.
Bro… what?!
If it were me, I’d have ordered a pizza, updated my bio, and written an emotional WhatsApp status.
But Ritesh?
Nothing.
He packed his books like he just got transferred to another classroom.
---
Our Reaction: Pure Jealousy
Back in the room, Sumit and I sat in silence.
"Bhai, Ritesh toh gaya," Sumit whispered.
"Haan. Ab wo humse baat bhi nahi karega."
There was an unspoken truth between us:
Ritesh was already far ahead. Now, he would become untouchable.
---
Life After Star Batch: The Change in Ritesh
After joining Star Batch, Ritesh’s schedule became insane.
Waking up at 4 AM
Extra classes till 10 PM
Separate study material (which we never even saw)
No distractions. No timepass.
Even his way of talking changed.
"Test kaisa gaya?" I asked one day.
"Acha tha. Ek do silly mistake hui."
Later, we checked the rank list.
AIR 14.
Silly mistake??
Bro, I’d sell my soul for AIR 14.
---
The Worst Part: Reality Check
One day, I gathered courage and asked Ritesh something that had been eating me alive.
"Bhai, tu kaise itna fast padh leta hai?"
He thought for a second. Then said:
"Bas distraction nahi karta. Padhna padhai jaise nahi lagta."
Padhna padhai jaise nahi lagta.
That’s when it hit me.
The difference between us wasn’t intelligence. It was mindset.
For Ritesh, studying wasn’t a burden. It was his normal state.
For me? It was a punishment.
And that’s why, no matter how much I tried, I could never reach his level.
---
The Final Blow: The Star Batch Test
A week later, Ritesh casually mentioned:
"Kal ek extra test hai Star Batch ka."
Out of curiosity, I asked for the paper.
Biggest mistake of my life.
The first question itself looked like something out of IIT JEE.
By the time I reached the second question, I had only one thought:
"Beta, tu toh abhi NEET ke bhi layak nahi hai."
---
Conclusion: The Gap Was Real
Watching Ritesh transform into a Star Batch monster was both inspiring and depressing.
It showed me the brutal truth of NEET coaching:
There are two types of students.
Those who aim for selection.
Those who aim for AIR 1.
Ritesh was the latter.
And I?
I was still figuring out where I stood.
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