— Ishita Roy and Ainnie Arif
When it comes to cracking the gateway exam for admission to medical colleges, coaching seems to be the only way to get your foot in. Out of the top 50 rank holders of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET UG) declared by the National Testing Agency (NTA), The Indian Express spoke to 38 and found that all but one had taken coaching to prepare for the exam — additionally, all except one qualified on the first attempt. Most are from schools affiliated with the Central Board of Secondary Education.
When asked if they referred to any specific book for preparation, many mentioned that NCERT is enough to crack NEET and secure seats in their dream colleges. While some showed interest in neurosurgery, most students are yet to decide on their specialization. Edited excerpts.
All-India Rank: 1 (OBC-NCL)
Number of Attempts: 1
School: Sri Chaitanya Junior College, Vijayawada
Board: Andhra Pradesh Board of Intermediate Education
Board Exam Marks: 98.7%
Coaching or Self Study: Integrated coaching
College Preference: AIIMS, Delhi
All-India Rank: 3 (SC)
Number of Attempts: 1
School: Kendriya Vidyalaya, IIT Chennai
Board: CBSE
Board Exam Marks: 96%
Coaching or Self Study: Coaching
College Preference: AIIMS, Delhi
All-India Rank: 4 (General)
Number of Attempts: 1
School: Delhi Public School, Dhuri
Board: CBSE
Board Exam Marks: 96.60%
Coaching or Self Study: Coaching
College Preference: AIIMS, Delhi
All-India Rank: 5 (General)
Number of Attempts: 1
School: GR International School, Delhi
Board: CBSE
Board Exam Marks: 99.4%
Coaching/Self Study: Coaching
College preference: AIIMS, Delhi
All-India Rank: 6 (OBC-NCL)
Number of Attempts: 1
School: SBOA School and Junior College, Chennai
School Board: CBSE
Board Exam Marks: 97.4%
Coaching or Self Study: Coaching
College Preference: AIIMS, Delhi
All-India Rank: 7 (General)
Number of Attempts: 1
School: Khar Education Society
Board: Maharashtra State Board of Secondary & Higher Secondary Education
Board Exam Marks: 89.67%
Coaching/Self Study: Coaching
College Preference: AIIMS, Delhi
Rank: 8 (General)
Number of Attempts: 1
School: SAI International School, Bhubaneswar
School Board: CBSE
Board Exam Marks: 98.6%
Coaching or Self Study: Coaching
College Preference: AIIMS, Delhi
All-India Rank: 10 (OBC-NCL)
Number of Attempts: 1
School: St. Xavier’s School, Jaipur
School Board: CBSE
Board Exam Marks: 90.6%
Coaching or Self Study: Coaching
College Preference: AIIMS, Delhi
All-India Rank: 11 (General)
Number of Attempts: 1
School: Delhi Public School, Jalandhar
School Board: CBSE
Board Exam Marks: 96.6%
Coaching or Self Study: Coaching
College Preference: AIIMS, Delhi
All-India Rank: 12 (General)
Number of Attempts: 1
School: Pathfinder Higher Secondary Public School, Kolkata
School Board: West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education
Board Exam Marks: 98.4%
Coaching or Self Study: Coaching
College Preference: IPGMER and SSKM Hospital
All-India Rank: 14 (General)
Number of Attempts: 1
School: Holy Mission Secondary School, Patna
School Board: CBSE
Board Exam Marks: 96.4%
Coaching or Self Study: Coaching
College Preference: AIIMS, Delhi
All-India Rank: 15 (General)
Number of Attempts: 1
School: Sri Chaitanya Jr College, Hyderabad
School Board: Andhra Pradesh Board of Intermediate Education
Board Exam Marks: 98.8%
Coaching or Self Study: Integrated Coaching
College Preference: AIIMS, Delhi
All-India Rank: 17 (General)
Number of Attempts: 1
School: Techno India Group Public School, Kolkata
School Board: CBSE
Board Exam Marks: 96.4%
Coaching or Self Study: Coaching
College Preference: AIIMS, Delhi
All-India Rank: 18 (General)
Number of Attempts: 1
School: Delhi Public School, Bhopal
School Board: CBSE
Board Exam Marks: 96.80%
Coaching or Self Study: Coaching
College preference: AIIMS, Delhi
All-India Rank: 19 (General)
Number of Attempts: 1
School: Simlapal MM High School, Bankura
Board: West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education
Board Exam Marks: 98%
Coaching or Self Study: Coaching
College Preference: AIIMS, Delhi
All-India Rank: 20 (OBC-NCL)
Number of Attempts: 1
School: Scottish Public School, Katihar
Board: CBSE
Board Exam Marks: 97.4%
Coaching or Self Study: Coaching
College Preference: AIIMS, Delhi
All-India Rank: 21 (General)
Number of Attempts: 1
School: (Didn’t want to disclose)
Board: CBSE
Board Exam Marks: 95.2%
Coaching or Self Study: Coaching
College Preference: AIIMS, Delhi
All-India Rank: 22 (General)
Number of Attempts: 1
School: Pragati Public School, Delhi
School Board: CBSE
Board Exam Marks: 99.84%
Coaching or Self Study: Coaching
College Preference: AIIMS, Delhi
All-India Rank: 23 (General)
Number of Attempts: 2
School: Alphonsa English Medium School, Kozhikode
Board: CBSE
Board Exam Marks: 98.8%
Coaching or Self Study: Coaching
College Preference: AIIMS, Delhi
All-India Rank: 24 (General)
Number of Attempts: 1
School:Shrine Vailankanni Senior Secondary School
School Board: CBSE
Board Exam Marks: 97.4%
Coaching or Self Study: Coaching
College Preference: Undecided
All-India Rank: 25 (Gen-EWS)
Number of Attempts: 1
School: Dr KKR’s Gowtham, Vijayawada
School Board: Andhra Pradesh Board of Intermediate Education
Board Exam Marks: 96.5%
Coaching or Self Study: Coaching
College preference: AIIMS, Delhi
All-India Rank: 26 (OBC-NCL)
Number of Attempts: 1
School: DAV, Vasant Kunj, Delhi
School Board: CBSE
Board Exam Marks: 96.1%
Coaching or Self Study: Coaching
College Preference: AIIMS, Delhi
All-India Rank: 27 (OCB-NCL)
Number of Attempts: 1
School: Dr. Ambedkar College, Nagpur
School Board: Maharashtra State Board of Secondary & Higher Secondary Education
Board Exam Marks: 90%
Coaching or Self Study: Coaching
College Preference: AIIMS, Delhi
All-India Rank: 29 (OBC-NCL)
Number of Attempts: 1
School: CJ DAV Public School, Meerut
School Board: CBSE
Board Exam Marks: 95.4%
Coaching or Self Study: Coaching
College Preference: AIIMS, Delhi
All-India Rank: 30 (General)
Number of Attempts: 1
School: PP Savani Cambridge International School, Surat
School Board: CBSE
Board Exam Marks: 94%
Coaching or Self Study: Coaching
College Preference: AIIMS, Delhi
All-India Rank: 32 (General)
Number of Attempts: 1
School: Greenvalley International Public School, Delhi
School Board: CBSE
Board Exam Marks: 97.2%
Coaching or Self Study: Coaching
College Preference: AIIMS, Delhi
All-India Rank: 33 (General)
Number of Attempts: 1
School: RD International School, Delhi
School Board: CBSE
Board Exam Marks: 96.8%
Coaching or Self Study: Coaching
College Preference: AIIMS, Delhi
All-India Rank: 34 (General)
Number of Attempts: 1
School: Delhi Public School, Rohini, Delhi
School Board: CBSE
Board Exam Marks: 95%
Coaching or Self Study: Self-study
College Preference: AIIMS, Delhi
All-India Rank: 35 (General)
Number of Attempts: 1
School: Sai International School, Bhubaneswar
Board: CBSE
Board Exam Marks: 97.2%
Coaching or Self Study: Coaching
College Preference: Undecided
All-India Rank: 36 (General)
Number of Attempts: 1
School: Suguna Pip School, Tamil Nadu
School Board: CBSE
Board Exam Marks: 95.6%
Coaching or Self Study: Coaching
College Preference: AIIMS, Delhi
All-India Rank: 37 (General)
Number of Attempts: 1
School: Decent School, Rajnagar Kota
School Board: CBSE
Board Exam Marks: 98.6%
Coaching or Self Study: Coaching
College Preference: AIIMS, Delhi
All-India Rank: 39 (General)
Number of Attempts:1
School: Central Academy Senior Secondary School, Kota
School Board: CBSE
Board Exam Marks: 94.6%
Coaching or Self Study: Coaching
College Preference: Undecided
All-India Rank: 40 (SC)
Number of Attempts: 1
School: Sri Chaitanya, Visakhapatnam
School Board: Andhra Pradesh Board of Intermediate Education
Board Exam Marks: 96.8%
Coaching or Self Study: Integrated Coaching
College preference: AIIMS, Delhi
All-India Rank: 41 (General)
Number of Attempts: 1
School: Delhi Public School, Indirapuram
School Board: CBSE
Board Exam Marks: 96.4%
Coaching or Self Study: Coaching
Programme and college preference: AIIMS Delhi or Maulana Azad Medical College
All-India Rank: 44 (OCB-NCL)
Number of Attempts: 1
School: Creative International School, Pune
School Board: Maharashtra State Board of Secondary & Higher Secondary Education
Board Exam Marks: 92%
Coaching or Self Study: Coaching
College Preference: AIIMS, Delhi
All-India Rank: 46 (General)
Number of Attempts: 1
School: (Didn’t want to disclose)
School Board: CBSE
Board Exam Marks: 98%
Coaching or Self Study: Coaching
College preference: AIIMS, Delhi
All-India Rank: 47 (General)
Number of Attempts: 1
School: Modi Career Academy, Gujarat
School Board: CBSE
Board Exam Marks: 99.99%
Coaching: Integrated Coaching
College preference: AIIMS Delhi or BJ Medical College, Pune
All-India Rank: 49 (General)
Number of Attempts: 1
School: Sri Chaitanya Jr College, Hyderabad
Board: Andhra Pradesh Board of Intermediate Education
Board Exam Marks: 98.5%
Coaching: Integrated Coaching
College Preference: AIIMS Delhi