Panshul Bansal, who secured All India Rank (AIR) 2 in the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination, opted to dedicate his time to studying rather than participating in the nationwide protests sparked by the alleged paper leak. This decision proved fruitful, as he significantly improved his score in the re-test.
A Positive Outlook Amidst Uncertainty
Recalling the cancellation of the original NEET-UG examination, Bansal admitted to initially feeling upset and a sense of despair. However, he quickly shifted his perspective. Instead of dwelling on the negative, he chose to view the extended preparation period as an opportunity to enhance his performance. “I thought, why should I go to the protest? Instead, I could be studying at home and improving my skills and improving my score,” Bansal stated.
Consistent Strategy Yields Results
Despite the unexpected delay and the surrounding controversy, Bansal maintained his established study routine without major alterations. He committed to his schedule, believing in his consistent efforts during the additional one-and-a-half months leading up to the re-examination. His focus remained solely on his academic goal, consciously avoiding any negativity associated with the situation.
National Recognition for Dedication
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan personally met and congratulated Panshul Bansal on his outstanding achievement. Pradhan lauded Bansal's performance in a post on X, wishing him success in his future career. Bansal, a student of KR Mangalam World School, Greater Kailash, New Delhi, notably increased his score from approximately 706 marks in the initial examination to 715 in the re-test.
The NEET-UG 2026 Controversy
The original NEET-UG examination, held on May 3 for undergraduate medical admissions, was cancelled on May 12 following widespread allegations of a question paper leak. This led to significant protests across the country, with students and opposition parties demanding accountability. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is currently investigating the matter. A fresh examination was successfully conducted on June 21 under stringent security measures, with results declared by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on July 16.
Examination Scale and Outcomes
According to the NTA, nearly 20 lakh candidates appeared for NEET-UG 2026 across 5,440 centres in 551 Indian cities and 14 international locations. Out of these, 11.21 lakh candidates qualified for admission to various undergraduate medical, dental, AYUSH, and allied programs. The examination was offered in 13 different languages. Notably, women constituted over 58 percent of the qualified candidates, demonstrating a higher qualification rate than men. The NTA also reported that 138 candidates achieved scores above 690 out of 720, with 93 percent of these high scorers being first-time NEET aspirants.