NEET UG 2026 toppers reveal preparation secrets, crediting consistency, discipline and family support.
Udhiana student Aryan Gupta has secured the top position in NEET UG 2026, achieving All India Rank (AIR) 1 with an outstanding percentile score of 99.9999. Haryana’s Panshul Bansal followed closely, securing AIR 2 with the same percentile.
The National Testing Agency (NTA) announced the results of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate) NEET UG 2026 on Thursday. The agency said the results were released on schedule to ensure that the medical admission and counselling process remains on track for candidates.
Nearly 2 million candidates appeared for NEET UG 2026 across 5,440 examination centres in 551 cities in India and 14 international locations.
Of those who took the exam, around 1.12 million candidates qualified for admission to undergraduate programmes in medical, dental, AYUSH and allied healthcare courses.
Top NEET UG 2026 performers share their success stories
Among the other top performers, Uplakshya Goyal from Rajasthan secured AIR 3 with a percentile of 99.99985, while Ayush Bhalotia from Bihar achieved AIR 4. Kudale Shravani Krishna from Maharashtra emerged as the highest-ranked female candidate, securing AIR 5, followed by Riya Ranjan from Bihar at AIR 6.
Among the top 138 rank holders, Maharashtra had the highest representation with 22 candidates, followed by Rajasthan with 18 and Punjab with 11. Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh recorded nine candidates each, while Gujarat and Delhi contributed eight candidates each.
‘I tried to give my best’
Several top rankers attributed their success to consistent preparation, discipline and strong family support.
Ayush Bhalotia, who secured AIR 4, scored 710 marks and followed a structured study routine while preparing in Kota.
“I scored 710 marks and secured All India Rank 4. I spent about five to seven hours on self-study and attended six hours of classes every day,” he told ANI.
Kritik Jain, who achieved AIR 18, said his focus was on giving his best rather than targeting a specific rank.
“I tried to give my best, though I did not think much about achieving a specific rank at the time. My only aim was to give it my all,” he told ANI.
He credited his parents for their constant encouragement, saying their support helped him stay motivated throughout his preparation journey.
Gunjan, who secured AIR 52, said regular study, teacher guidance and family encouragement played a key role in her performance.
“I studied diligently and followed my teachers’ advice. I studied for about six to seven hours daily. Including classes, my total study time would go up to around ten hours. My family supported me a lot,” she told ANI.
The National Testing Agency (NTA) said the NEET UG 2026 results were declared on schedule to ensure that the medical counselling and admission process remains on track. The agency had released the final answer key before announcing the results.
