NEET Result 2026 Highlights: AIR 5 Shravani Kudale says ‘dreams do come true’

Years of disciplined preparation, consistent hard work and a strong academic foundation helped Shravani Kudale, a student from Baramati taluka in Pune district, secure AIR 5 in the re-NEET-UG 2026 examination. She scored 710 out of 720 marks.

Among the country's top performers, Kudale is now celebrating the culmination of years of dedication toward her dream of becoming a doctor. "I am very happy. It feels like a dream come true. I had been aiming to appear for NEET since my school days. I started preparing for the exam when I was in Class 9, and by the time I appeared for NEET, my foundation had become strong," she said.

A resident of the predominantly rural Baramati taluka in western Maharashtra, Kudale credited her success to consistent effort and the guidance of her teachers.

Kudale said she had always been determined to pursue medicine and remained focused on that goal throughout her preparation.

Reflecting on the cancellation of the original examination, Kudale said the controversy did not discourage her. "The first NEET paper, which was later cancelled, had also gone well for me. I treated the re-NEET as a second opportunity to score even better. Compared to the earlier one, the second NEET paper was tougher," she said.

-- PTI

Uplakshya Goyal, who secured All India Rank (AIR) 3 in the 2026 NEET-UG re-examination, credited his success to disciplined preparation, consistent practice, and the unwavering support of his parents and teachers. He said studying for 10 to 12 hours a day helped him scoring good in the NEET UG exam. "The biggest happiness is seeing my parents happy. They always supported me," he said.

Recalling the NEET paper leak, Goyal said he was initially disheartened. "It felt uncertain whether the result would have any value after so much hard work. Later, I saw the re-examination as an opportunity to correct my mistakes," he said.

During his preparation, Goyal said he stayed away from family functions and social outings, dedicating his time entirely to his studies.

Offering advice to NEET aspirants, he urged students to trust their teachers, practise questions regularly, and take frequent mock tests to build confidence.

His father, Mukesh Goyal, described the achievement as the proudest moment for the family, noting that his son had aimed to crack NEET in his first attempt without taking a drop year.

"He always wanted to become a doctor. Even after the paper leak, he remained focused. We knew from his level of preparation that he would perform well," he said.

His mother, Anuradha Goyal, said her son had sacrificed family gatherings and social events to pursue his dream of studying at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). "Even when he was disappointed after the paper leak, he regained confidence and continued working hard," she said.

She added that Goyal also helped his friends with their academic doubts, saying that determination and dedication were the keys to success.

-- with inputs from PTI

Last year, the NEET results were announced on June 25. There were concerns raised regarding the re-exam will delay the admission schedule, however the NTA clarified that the results have been declared on time so that the medical admission and counselling calendar for the candidates remains on track. "The results were declared within time through re-engineering of the process, with stages designed to run in parallel rather than in sequence, and with the de-linking of the OMR sheet challenge from answer key release. Each stage was completed in full and made available for candidate view," the NTA said.

Despite the intense preparation, Aryan did not give up his hobbies. Whenever the pressure mounted, he found time to unwind by playing the piano, skating, tubing, participating in outdoor sports and even playing video games. At the peak of his preparation, Aryan studied for up to 16-17 hours a day but ensured he took regular breaks to avoid burnout. "During the most demanding phase, I studied for 16-17 hours a day. But I also took breaks, used social media and watched Netflix to relax," said Aryan, who hopes to specialise in oncology.

The examination, originally scheduled for May 9, was cancelled three days later following allegations of a paper leak. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is probing the matter. The exam was reconducted on June 21, with nearly 20 lakh candidates appearing at 5,440 centres across India and abroad.

With concerns that the re-examination could delay the medical admission process, the NTA said the results had been announced in time to keep the counselling and admission schedule on track.

"The results were declared within time through re-engineering of the process, with stages designed to run in parallel rather than in sequence, and with the de-linking of the OMR sheet challenge from the answer key release," the agency said in a statement.

In a statement, the NTA said, "11.21 lakh candidates qualify; Results declared in time for counselling and Medical College Admissions; Toppers from almost all States and Union Territories; More than 58 per cent of qualified candidates are women; Examination conducted in 13 languages." According to the agency, nearly 20 lakh candidates appeared for the examination, which was conducted on June 21 at 5,440 centres across 551 cities in India and 14 cities abroad. The examination was held in 13 languages.

Among the highest scorers, 138 candidates secured more than 690 marks out of 720. Most of them (over 93 per cent) were first-time NEET aspirants, while nearly all (99 per cent) were between 17 and 19 years old.

NTA has clarified that it is responsible only for conducting the examination, preparing the merit list and declaring the results. Counselling for the 15 per cent All India Quota seats in MBBS and BDS will be conducted by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC), while admissions under state quotas will be handled by the respective state authorities.

A total of close to 20 lakh candidates appeared for NEET (UG) 2026 at 5,440 centres in 551 cities in India and 14 cities abroad. 11.21 lakh candidates have qualified for admission to undergraduate medical, dental, AYUSH and allied programmes. Scorecards of all candidates are available on the official website, http://neet.nta.nic.in. The full list of Top Rankers, State Toppers, category-wise toppers (SC, ST, OBC-NCL, Gen-EWS, PwBD and PwD), category-wise cut-off marks and language-wise participation is also being published on the NTA website.