‘Fulfilled a dream that spanned 3 generations’: NEET-UG 2nd topper has some advice for future aspirants
Utkarsh’s father Alok Awadhiya, a bank manager, said, “It could not fulfill my father's dream because of various reasons. Now my son has fulfilled that dream and made our family proud.”
Utkarsh Awadhiya from Madhya Pradesh’s Indore, the second topper in the medical entrance NEET-UG, has fulfilled a family dream that spans three generations.
“My grandfather had this dream for my father to become a doctor but he couldn’t. My father had the same dream for me and I always wanted to fulfill his dream,” he said. “I was also curious about learning about the human body and that’s why I decided to become a doctor.”
Utkarsh’s father Alok Awadhiya, a bank manager, said, “It could not fulfill my father’s dream because of various reasons. Now my son has fulfilled that dream and made our family proud.”
Utkarsh’s NEET preparation followed a structured approach. His method included regular practice after learning topics. “After studying any topic, I used to do objective questions related to those topics from training modules. That was helpful.”
NCERT revision formed the backbone of his preparation. “I used to study NCERT for all the subjects during the fortnightly tests. So a month before the exams, I had already revised NCERT more than 10 times,” he said.
Error analysis was crucial to his success. “I also made an error analysis copy. After every test, I used to write my errors in those and after every test I used to go to my teachers with my doubts.”
Utkarsh maintained a disciplined yet balanced approach to his preparations. “I used to study for 6 to 7 hours after coaching. I studied for 2 hours then took a 15-20 minute break during which I used to spend time with my family and friends. I also played games such as volleyball and football,” he said.
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Stressing the importance of those breaks, he said, “They helped me rejuvenate my energy and also increase my efficiency, helping me concentrate better for the next 2 hours,” he said.
Utkarsh said he stayed away from social media and called it a distraction. “I never used social media during my preparation. I used it once a week to stay connected. The future aspirants should know this — the less you stay on social media, the better your preparation will be in two years. Social media is nothing but a distraction and a waste of your time.”
However, he did leverage technology like Artificial Intelligence for his studies. “I used AI during the last stages of my preparation for clearing doubts and formulating some questions.”
Utkarsh has clear goals for his medical career. “I want to pursue my MBBS from Delhi and MD medicine from Delhi,” he said.
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His advice for future NEET aspirants is to focus on consistency and perseverance. “Always follow what your teachers are saying. Regularly study NCERT. Never miss any test. Never miss any class and at the end do not feel demotivated if you get low marks in your tests,” he said.
Drawing from personal experience, he added: “I also used to get low marks in my tests, but at the end you will be able to clear NEET if you stay focused.”
Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy.
Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free.
Expertise and Reporting Beats
Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors:
National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres.
Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA).
Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking.
Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers.
Professional Background
Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017.
Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh.
Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs.
Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife.
Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance.
Digital & Professional Presence
Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express
Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More
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