3 min readBengaluruJun 15, 2023 05:00 PM IST
First published on: Jun 13, 2023 at 11:32 PM IST
Dhruv Advani was shocked to find out that he had topped the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) on Tuesday night. Securing All-India Rank 5 with a score of 715 and a remarkable 99.9 percentile, Advani stands as the only candidate from Karnataka to make it to the list of top 10 NEET rank holders this year.
While celebrating with his friends and family members Tuesday night, Advani told The Indian Express that his passion for science, particularly Biology, blossomed in class 5. Alongside his preparations for admission to AIIMS, Delhi, Advani is also gearing up for the upcoming International Biology Olympiad 2023, set to take place from July 3. He proudly represents the Indian team in the prestigious event.
Advani explains that he was keen on pursuing a career in medicine because he has always wanted to help people. “I have always wanted to help people, which is why I chose medicine. Additionally, my parents and family members have been involved in service-oriented careers. My passion for science, especially Biology, began in class 5. Biology is my favorite subject. These factors motivated me to pursue medicine,” said Advani, a student of GR International School, Bengaluru, who secured 99.4 percent in the Class 12 CBSE examination.
In fact, Advani’s grandfather is a general specialist and a cardiac physician, while his aunt is a neurophysician. “Both of them are my role models in medicine. Right now my specialisation would be in neurology and that comes from my aunt,” he said.
As for preparations for NEET examination, Advani trained at a private coaching centre. However, he followed a personalized learning approach that was based on his needs, without adhering to fixed study schedules. “I used to study only when I felt like it or when there was a need. Fixed schedules never worked for me. If there was an upcoming examination, I would study accordingly. It was all based on my needs. If there was a specific concept I didn’t understand, I would study it. I typically invested around two to three hours per day,” shared Advani.
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He further emphasised that the Covid-19 pandemic played a significant role in strengthening his determination to pursue a career in medicine.
“During the pandemic, there were unqualified individuals spreading misinformation and worsening an already dire situation. At the same time, there were incredible doctors and nurses tirelessly working around the clock with little recognition. The country needed more doctors to effectively allocate resources and handle such crises. The pandemic was a crucial moment that influenced my decision to pursue medicine,” said Advani.
NEET UG 2023: Dhruv's role models have been his grandfather and aunt (Express Photo by Sanath Prasad) 
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