NEET UG Toppers’ Tips: ‘In Kota, there was a healthy competition among peers,’ says AIR 14

NEET UG Toppers' Tips: Shashank Kumar said that the competition in Kota was a healthy one and reiterated the fact that a healthy competition is necessary to succeed in any field.

NEET UG Toppers’ Tips: After clearing the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET UG) 2023 with a score of 715 marks out of 720 and bagging the AIR 14, Shashank Kumar is pursuing MBBS from AIIMS Delhi.

Hailing from Bihar’s Nawada district, Kumar’s mother is a lecturer in a government training college and his father is a zonal manager in a pharmaceutical company. It was his father’s profile that made him take an interest in the medical field. 

Kumar did his Class 10 from Don Bosco Academy Patna, ICSE board and obtained 99 per cent marks. He switched to CBSE in Class 12 as many advised him that the NEET UG syllabus is based on NCERT textbooks and CBSE follows NCERT. He scored 96.4 per cent marks in Class 12 board exams. 

Kumar took coaching in medicine from Kota. He said that the competition in the city was a healthy one and that is necessary to succeed in any field. “A positive pressure, combined with healthy competition is in fact necessary to clear an exam like NEET,” he added.

He further said that talking to his parents daily over the phone in the evening did not make him feel alone while he was in his Kota hostel.

Speaking about his preparation strategy, the 17-year-old said that he studied from the notes provided by the coaching institute and NCERT textbooks. Kumar did not take any help from online materials available on the internet. 

During his NEET UG preparation, the topper said that he used to wake up early and study from 8 am to 12 noon. After having lunch, he used to head towards coaching classes between 2 pm and 8 pm. After that, he used to have dinner and revise what was being taught in the coaching and sleep by 11:30 or 12 midnight.

“Sometimes there would be deviations in my normal schedule, but throughout my preparation, I tried to maintain this routine,” he added.

NEET UG 2024 Preparation: Tips from AIR 14

– I never considered the NEET UG syllabus a concise one. After CBSE reduced the syllabus in 2020, it was seen that the NEET UG paper had questions from the deleted portions. I made sure every topic and every chapter of NCERT was read and revised many times.

– The tendency to copy the NEET toppers should not be a norm. Prepare a strategy for yourself and stick to it with dedication.

– The last five months of the NEET UG preparation is a crucial one. Losing out anything during this period could be a game-changer.

– Try making a daily, weekly and monthly planner for the last five months to keep track of what is being read and what is left.

– Take as many mock tests as you can.

– Re-read NCERT textbooks. I did not have track of how many times, I read the NCERT textbooks from the start of my preparation, but during the last months after coaching classes got over, I read it three-four times.

 “You be yourself and not try to become anybody else. Ultimately, the strategy that will work for your benefit will be your original one which you will prepare after considering your capacities and conditions,” the NEET UG 2023 AIR 14 said.

 

More News
Major Relief for Aspirants: NTA Allows Fresh JEE Main 2027 Applications Amid Form Errors
Major Relief for Aspirants: NTA Allows Fresh JEE Main 2027 Applications Amid Form Errors; Check Guidelines and Deadlines New Delhi: In a critical update for Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main 2027 candidates, the National Testing Agency (NTA) has...
Design Entrance Exams 2027: Regular Registration Deadline Ends October 31
Design Entrance Exams 2027: Regular Registration Deadline Ends October 31; Check Step-by-Step Application Process New Delhi: The online registration window without a late fee for major national-level design entrance examinations for the academic ses...
NEET Super Specialty 2026 Registration Begins
NEET Super Specialty 2026 Registration Begins New Delhi: The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) officially launched the online registration process for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test Super Specialty (NEET SS) 2026...
IIM Lucknow Introduces MBA in Family Business for 2027–29 Batch
IIM Lucknow Introduces MBA in Family Business for 2027–29 Batch: Details on Fees, Eligibility, & Selection Criteria LUCKNOW — The Indian Institute of Management Lucknow (IIM Lucknow) has officially launched a new two-year Master of B...
Himachal Pradesh Signals Stipend Hike For MBBS Interns
  Himachal Pradesh Signals Stipend Hike For MBBS Interns HAMIRPUR / SHIMLA — In a major boost for healthcare trainees in the state, the Himachal Pradesh government has signaled its intent to hike the monthly stipend for MBBS interns. Chi...
UGC NET December 2026 Registration Deadline Extended to October 31
UGC NET December 2026 Registration Deadline Extended to October 31 New Delhi: The National Testing Agency (NTA) has extended the online registration deadline for the UGC NET December 2026 examination. Candidates who are yet to submit their appl...
BPSC ASO Mains Result 2026 Declared
BPSC ASO Mains Result 2026 Declared The Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) has officially announced the results of the Assistant Section Officer (ASO) Mains Examination, which took place on February 27, 2026. A total of 609 candidates participat...
UP Board Exam 2027: Students Can Raise Objections To Class 10, 12
UP Board Exam 2027: Students Can Raise Objections To Class 10, 12 Prayagraj: The Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad (UPMSP) has officially released the provisional examination centre allotment list for the upcoming Class 10 (High School) and C...
CBSE Summit Blueprint: Connecting Classroom Learning to Future-Ready Careers
CBSE Summit Blueprint: Connecting Classroom Learning to Future-Ready Careers NEW DELHI — In a major push toward aligning secondary education with 21st-century workforce demands, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) convened a landma...
Mastering the Gateway to Engineering: A Step-by-Step Guide to the JEE Main 2027 Application Process
Mastering the Gateway to Engineering: A Step-by-Step Guide to the JEE Main 2027 Application Process The National Testing Agency (NTA) officially opens the digital doors for aspiring engineers through the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main 2027 on...