Ludhiana: Ludhiana-based Aryan Gupta, one of the co-toppers of the 2026 NEET-UG re-exam, said he was elated to secure the top position and added that he aspires to become an oncologist.
Gupta, who shared the top rank with Haryana's Panshul Bansal after both secured 715 out of 720, on Thursday credited his parents for their unwavering support during his preparation and said he studied nearly 16-17 hours a day.
A total of 11.21 lakh candidates qualified the re-entrance exam this year, the National Testing Agency announced on Thursday.
More than 93 per cent of the 138 candidates who scored above 690 were appearing for NEET-UG for the first time, while 19 candidates scored 700.
A total of 1,492 candidates scored 650 or above, while 10,160 scored 600 or more, according to the National Testing Agency (NTA).
Speaking to reporters, Gupta, who comes from a family of doctors, said securing All India Rank (AIR) 1 "feels like a dream." "My father and mother are both doctors. The entire family is very happy," he said.
On his exam preparation, Gupta talked about the hard work behind the result.
"I studied for 16-17 hours a day. There were days when I would not get sleep. But I kept going because I had set a goal for myself," he said.
Gupta said he aspires to become an oncologist and revealed the reason behind choosing his specialisation.
"I want to become an Oncologist. My grandmother died because of cancer when I was in the third standard. That day I took a pledge that I will work in this field," he said.
"There is so much to do in life. But right now I am feeling good. This achievement belongs to my parents, teachers and everyone who believed in me," said Gupta.
Following the announcement of the result, Gupta's family celebrated the achievement.
Political leaders congratulated Gupta for securing the AIR 1 rank.
Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring said, "Heartiest congratulations to Aryan Gupta on securing AIR 1 in NEET-UG. What a proud moment for Punjab! My heartfelt congratulations to Aryan, his parents and the entire family. Your success has made Punjab proud. To all young students, let this be an inspiration. There are no shortcuts to success.” “Stay focused, work hard every day, believe in yourself, and never give up, even when the journey feels tough. Hard work, patience and perseverance always lead to great results," Warning said on X.
Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia, too, congratulated Gupta for securing the top rank.
“This is not just the victory of one student. It is the victory of every mother who stays awake to support her child's dreams. It is the victory of every father who works day and night to make those dreams come true. It is the victory of the entire Punjab,” he said.
“Aryan, your hard work, discipline and the sacrifices made by your family have become an inspiration for millions of young people today," Majithia added.
(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by FPJ's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)
