"Confident he'll contribute meaningfully to healthcare ecosystem": Dharmendra Pradhan applauds AIR 2 holder Panshul Bansal
New Delhi, July 19
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Sunday applauded Panshul Bansal from Haryana, who secured All India Rank 2 in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test 2026, emphasising that he will contribute meaningfully to the healthcare ecosystem in the country.
In an X post, Pradhan praised Bansal, saying that his achievement is a by-product of hard work, dedication, and perseverance.
"Met Panshul Bansal from Haryana, who has secured AIR 2 in NEET UG 2026. Congratulated him on this outstanding achievement and wished him success in his career. His accomplishment reflects the dedication, perseverance and aspiration of India's young minds. I am confident he will contribute meaningfully to the nation's healthcare ecosystem through excellence and service," he said.
Moreover, Aryan Gupta from Ludhiana secured AIR 1 in NEET-UG 2026. Aryan Gupta from Ludhiana secured AIR 1 in NEET UG 2026 with a percentile of 99.9999, scoring 715 out of 720 marks.
Speaking to ANI after the results were announced, Aryan credited consistent hard work, discipline, guidance from teachers and support from his family for his success.
"I secured All India Rank 1 in NEET (UG) 2026. I got 715 out of 720 marks. I worked very hard for two years, studied a lot, and took a lot of stress too, so it feels very good. I'm feeling very relieved. It feels like I've got the fruit of the hard work I put in," Aryan said.
Sharing his preparation strategy, Aryan advised future aspirants to trust their teachers and maintain discipline.
"My elder brother Aditya had already told me to follow the teachers blindly. Whatever homework, DPPs or assignments they gave, I would finish them at home. Two years passed like this," he said.
According to the National Testing Agency (NTA), 11.21 lakh candidates qualified for admission to undergraduate medical, dental, AYUSH and allied courses in NEET UG 2026.
Nearly 20 lakh candidates appeared for the examination conducted on June 21 at 5,440 centres across 551 cities in India and 14 cities abroad in 13 languages.
The NTA said the results were declared in time to ensure that the counselling and medical college admission schedule remains on track. The examination had remained under scrutiny following the paper leak controversy that led to the cancellation of the earlier examination and a re-test on June 21.
— ANI
Reader Comments
This is the kind of news that restores faith in our education system. After the NEET fiasco, we needed this. But I hope the government also focuses on improving the overall examination integrity so that every student's hard work is protected. Well done to all the toppers!
Waah! 715 out of 720, that's absolutely insane level of dedication. And Panshul coming from Haryana, competing at national level - these stories inspire thousands of students from smaller towns. The minister's confidence in him is well placed. 👏
Aryan's advice about trusting your teachers blindly is so true. In India, our teachers are often the unsung heroes behind such success stories. But we must also acknowledge that many talented students don't get such opportunities due to coaching costs. Hope the government addresses that gap.
Finally some positive news about NEET after all the controversies. Both these boys are an inspiration for every medical aspirant in the country. And kudos to the minister for taking time to appreciate them - small gestures like this motivate so many students. 🤗
The fact that NEET 2026 had nearly 20 lakh candidates but only 11.21 lakh qualified shows how tough it is. These toppers have truly earned their place. But I'm a bit concerned about the mental health aspect - Aryan himself mentioned 'taking a lot of stress.' Hope students also learn to balance health with studies.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.