The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) is a highly competitive medical entrance exam. Last year, about 11.38 lakh students appeared for NEET. With the test around the corner, medical aspirants need to be diligent and consistent in their studies to be able to grab a seat in a good college. To help you out, here are some tips from students who had topped NEET last year:
Hard work matters
Navdeep Singh from Muktsar, Punjab scored 697 marks out of 720 in the exam. He swears by hard work. He shares, “There is no smart work without the hard work. Moreover, marks in Class XII do not matter much when it comes to NEET. I got 88% in Class XII, but I had been sleeping only for six hours after Class X, and that has helped me get the coveted All India Rank (AIR) 1. You don’t have to be a genius to crack NEET.” Navdeep also advises NEET aspirants to keep their hands off social media and focus on their studies.
Study NCERT syllabus
Archit Gupta from Indore, Madhya Pradesh scored AIR 2 in NEET 2017 with 96.5%. He scored 91.2% in Class XII board exams. Archit credits his passion and consistency for his success. He shares, “I always wanted to be a neurosurgeon. Hence, even as I studied for 10 to 14 hours a day, I never felt drained. I used to play basketball or virtual mobile games whenever I took breaks. I think following NCERT books religiously and joining a good coaching centre for NEET can make a difference to your preparation level.
Healthy competition
Manish Mulchandani, who scored AIR 3 in NEET 2017, is from Indore too. Manish and Archit, in fact, went to the same centre for coaching. He shares, “Archit and I always competed with each other. We had a healthy competition, and it helped us both to score well. It is not at all necessary that only school toppers can top national-level entrance exams. I scored 84% in Class XII and yet, here I am — the third topper in NEET.” Archit emphasises on the fact that self-confidence and consistent studies are keys to success in NEET.
Self-study is important
Sankeerth Sadananda from Bengaluru secured AIR 4 in NEET. He does not believe in giving up on life to score top marks in exams though. Sankeerth says, “I chose the Science stream because I was fascinated by the beautiful illustrations in the Biology books my mother (a former Biology teacher) had. I did not have any fixed schedule. I indulged in social media, and did jogging and sketching during my NEET preparation. I just kept the books by my side and studied when I wanted to.” Sankeerth said that though he attended school, private tuitions and coaching classes, it was self-study that helped him be successful in the test. He and his friends used to read chapters together and tried to understand them because they loved their subjects. He also thought that Physics, Math, and Biology was easier while Organic Chemistry was the most difficult for him.
Embrace the challenges
Abhishek Dogra from Pune secured AIR 5 in NEET. He obtained 691 marks out of 720 in NEET. A student of Maharashtra Board, he shifted to Kota after Class X and chose to join the CBSE Board for the last two years of his school studies. According to him, challenges, work pressure and hard work are part and parcel of a doctor’s life. NEET preparation is just a trailer of what one should be prepared for later on.
