When the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET UG) 2026 was ordered to be conducted again, many aspirants saw months of hard work suddenly thrown into uncertainty. For 18-year-old Kudale Shravani Krishna from Baramati, however, the setback became an opportunity. The Maharashtra student secured an impressive 99.99965 percentile and All India Rank (AIR) 5, making her the highest-ranked first female candidate in the NEET UG Re-Exam 2026.
Shravani admitted that the announcement of the re-examination was initially disappointing as she had already expected around 715 marks in the first attempt. But instead of dwelling on the uncertainty, she chose to focus on improving her performance.
"At first it felt bad because my first exam had gone well. But then I thought that if the paper is a little more difficult this time, I could improve my rank. My teachers and parents encouraged me to look at it as another opportunity," she told The Free Press Journal.
She believes the second paper was tougher than the original examination, particularly in Physics and Chemistry, while Biology remained largely similar in difficulty. Her strategy paid off. She lost only one question each in Physics and Chemistry and scored full marks in Biology.
Unlike many students who relied on digital tools during preparation, Shravani chose a different path. She stayed away from mobile phones for nearly two years, believing they would distract her from her studies.
"I did not use a phone during my preparation. I only used my mother's phone whenever it was absolutely necessary. Since I was enrolled in offline coaching, I never felt the need to depend on my phone," she said.
A student of Success Academy, Shravani followed a disciplined routine. On lecture days, she attended classes from 9 am to 4 pm, cleared doubts afterwards, studied for one to two hours in the morning and another four hours at night. On days without lectures, her study time stretched to nearly nine to ten hours.
Despite the pressure surrounding the re-exam, she said she never allowed stress to take control. Daily meditation, along with constant support from her parents and teachers, helped her remain focused.
"My teachers could immediately understand whenever I was upset. They always had a solution and helped me come out of negative thoughts. My parents would tell me to take a break, relax and even go out for a while whenever they felt I had studied enough," she said.
Shravani completed Class 12 this year with 92.33 per cent. Both her parents are government primary school teachers, and she credits them for creating a positive environment throughout her preparation.
Her immediate goal is to secure admission to AIIMS New Delhi for MBBS. She plans to decide on a medical specialisation after gaining exposure during medical school.
"Right now my dream is to study MBBS at AIIMS Delhi. I'll choose my specialisation later after understanding the different fields better," she said.
Shravani's journey reflects how resilience and consistency can turn an unexpected challenge into a remarkable achievement. While the re-examination disrupted the plans of thousands of aspirants, it also gave the Baramati student a chance to rewrite her story, one that has now made her the country's highest-ranked girl in the NEET UG Re-Exam 2026.
