The National Testing Agency (NTA) declared the NEET UG 2026 result on July 16, 2026, with over 11.21 lakh candidates qualified for the country’s premier medical exam. As students across India check their scorecards, one of the candidates who emerged from the top ranks was Gaurav Singh, who secured All India Rank (AIR) 9 in Re-NEET UG 2026.Soon after his results were declared, Gaurav explained the preparation process that helped him find a place among the medical aspirants of the country. He spoke about his preparations in an interview with ANI.
‘I focused on consistency and discipline’
Unlike many students who believe that long hours of study guarantee success, Gaurav said his approach was based on having a consistent daily routine.Speaking to ANI, he said, “… While preparing for NEET, I focused mainly on consistency and discipline.”He explained that he did not believe that he could learn so much in one day. Instead, his goal continued to follow the same routine throughout his preparation.“Instead of studying a lot in one day, reading continuously every day, writing papers every day and listening to teachers and repeating continuously-this was my way…” he told ANI.According to Gaurav, frequent questioning and repeated review helped him strengthen his understanding and improve his performance over time.
He cleared NEET in his first attempt after two years of preparation
The AIR 9 host also revealed that he had dedicated two years to prepare for the exam and had succeeded in his first attempt. “I prepared for two years and cleared NEET in the first attempt,” Gaurav said while talking to ANI.He stressed that rehabilitation should remain at the forefront throughout the planning process. “One has to reform as much as possible and work as hard as possible,” he said.Gaurav also agreed that setbacks are a part of every student’s journey and advised the aspirants not to lose confidence when faced with difficulties. “A person should be motivated enough that if there are few obstacles, overcome them, and move forward,” he added.
AIR 9 topper message for future NEET aspirants
Sharing a message to students preparing for the upcoming NEET exam, Gaurav also highlighted the importance of discipline.Giving advice to the aspirants, he told ANI, “Discipline is very important. Prepare with punishment, and all the heads will be removed, and the numbers will change…”His message comes as thousands of students begin preparing for next year’s exams, hoping to receive top-notch courses at medical colleges across the country.
More than 11.21 lakh candidates qualified for NEET UG 2026
NTA conducted rre-NEET UG 2026 on June 21 in 5,440 test centers in 551 cities in India and 14 cities abroad. About 20 lakh candidates were tested, and more than 11.21 lakh were eligible for admission to postgraduate courses in medicine, dentistry, AYUSH, and allied courses.This year, Aryan Gupta from Punjab and Panshul Bansal from Haryana topped the exam with 715 marks out of 720. The NTA said 19 candidates scored more than 700 marks, while 138 scored more than 690 marks.After the results are declared, the Medical Counseling Committee (MCC) will advise for 15 percent of the All India Quota seats, while the government officials will supervise the counseling of candidates approved by the government.