Aditya Kumar Panda, NEET 2024 AIR 1 Topper Interview: Revisiting and Rectifying Mistakes Helped Me Improve
National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test 2025 ( NEET )
Aditya Kumar Panda, NEET 2024 AIR 1 has grabbed the top rank by scoring a perfect 720. Shiksha.com brings the NEET 2024 topper interview of Aditya Kumar where he shares his preparation strategy, motivation to crack NEET and future plans.
Aditya Kumar Panda, NEET 2024 AIR 1 Topper Interview
Aditya Kumar Panda, NEET 2024 AIR 1 from Tamil Nadu bagged the top rank by securing a perfect 720 out of 720. Originally from Bhubaneswar, Odisha, Aditya completed his schooling in Tamil Nadu and now wishes to pursue MBBS from the prestigious AIIMS Delhi.
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There is a 90% more chance of getting best college recommendations by sharing preferences.In this NEET 2024 topper interview, Aditya shares his NEET preparation strategy and the factors which led to his success in the highly competitive medical entrance exam. According to him, his grandfather and family motivated him to pursue medicine.
Q: How to prepare for NEET exam and get a good rank?
Q: I take too much time in covering topics and it takes my whole day to complete revision. How do I proceed to prepare for NEET?
Q: I am a PCB class 11th and preparing for NEET. Is Maths compulsory to qualify for NEET?
Maths is not compulsory for NEET. You have numerical in Physics but you do not required Maths in Class 11 and Class 12 to solve those. If you studied Maths in class 10, then you can solve the numericals in Physics. Since NEET has Physics, Chemistry and Biology subjects, it would be advantageous for you if you are a PCB student. Moreover, in case a candidate has studied PCM and not Biology, even as an additional subject, then he/she will not be eligible to appear for NEET exam. Hence, Maths is not compulsory, rather not required for NEET. But having basic mathematical knowledge and skills would be an added advantage.
NEET 2024 Topper Interview – Aditya Kumar Panda, AIR 1
Q: Congratulations on your success in NEET. Were you expecting this result?
A: Thank you so much! It indeed came as a pleasant surprise. During my preparation, and while taking the NEET mock tests, I scored 716 or 715. So when the result came out and I actually got full marks, it felt too good to be true.
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Q: Tell us something about yourself and your family.
A: I hail from Bhubaneswar, Odisha. For the past 10 years I have been staying in Mahendra World City, near Chennai, Tamil Nadu. I studied in Mahendra World School. In my Class 10 Board exam, I secured 94.7 per cent and 96.2 per cent in Class 12 Board exam.
My parents are Software Engineers. My mother worked with various prestigious companies but quit her job after I was born to take care of me. She has sacrificed a lot for me and her motivation and support and contributed immensely to my success. My father is also my pillar of strength. He never doubted me and supported me even if I scored less. In the final month before NEET, my coaching institute used to conduct mock tests every day and my father drove around 80 to 90 km each day to take me to the centre and bring me back home. I dedicate my success to them.
Q: What is a good score in NEET?
In general, a score of 600+ is considered to be good for NEET which will ensure a high rank. However, given the high level of competition, if you wish to get admission to one of the top 10 colleges, then you must score above 700. But if you wish to get an MBBS seat and any of the decent medical colleges in India, then a score of 600+ is required. At the same time, a score of 550 or above may also fetch you an MBBS seat at a medical college towards the end of the counselling rounds. On the other hand, if you are aspiring to pursue a BDS or a B.Sc. Nursing, then a score above 500 should be able to fetch you a seat at a good Dental or Nursing colleges in India. Having said this, by if your score is lower than the marks mentioned above, you need not feel demoralised or demotivated. There are a lot of other medical specialisations or courses through NEET scores and you will always have a good option according to your score. To know more, read the article given below: https://www.shiksha.com/medicine-health-sciences/articles/what-after-neet-blogId-37499.
Q: Which is the best reference book for biology for preparing NEET ?
Q: What is the official website of NEET?
The official website of NEET 2025 has been announced by NTA. The URL of the website is neet.nta.nic.in. It has changed from that of last year, the URL for which was neet.ntaonline.in. The website is hosted by NTA. Last year, the NEET 2024 website address or URL was changed to exams.nta.ac.in/NEET. This year, the URL or the website has been changed again.
Q: Which is the best objective book for the preparation of NEET?
Q: It is possible to crack NEET exam without coaching?
I will not say, it is impossible. It is possible, but you have work very hard and must give your 200% effort to crack these competitive exams. In my opinion, it is better to take coaching for NEET exam. Coaching makes your exam preparation easier. Sometimes, if you get lots of doubt then you can get it cleared by your tutor who has got the subject knowledge.
Students get individual attention at coaching institutes and they focus on learning and development of students as per their requirement. Coaching centers also teach you a lot of tips, tricks and time management that help you to crack NEET exam. But, you have to be careful in choosing a right and resourceful coaching center, as there are many fraud coaching centers that works for money and not for delivering knowledge to the students.
Q: What motivated you to prepare for NEET?
A: Since childhood, I was interested in the field of medicine. To me, doctor or medical practice is one of the most respected professions and I was always inspired by doctors. My parents motivated me to be a doctor. My biggest inspiration and motivation is my maternal grandfather. He wanted to be a doctor and cleared the medical entrance exam with high marks. Unfortunately, due to financial constraints, he could not pursue medical education. I want to fulfil his dream of being a doctor.
Q: When and how did you start preparing for NEET 2024?
A: In my Class 8, I got enrolled to Aakash Coaching Institute and my NEET preparation journey started thereon. The first two years were more of an orientation towards the NEET exam and the actual, or rigorous preparation was done in the last two years, during my Class 11 and Class 12. I attended the classes in hybrid mode, or online, from my home. However, for taking mock tests, I used to visit the centre to get an authentic environment.
Q: What were your strong and weak areas in NEET?
A: Biology was my strong area whereas Physics was my weak area when I started NEET preparation properly in Class 11. With regular revision and practice, I improved a lot in Physics by the end of Class 11. In Class 12, Physics and Chemistry became easier for me and I could catch up properly and complete the NEET syllabus.
Q: What was your NEET study plan?
A: I did not have a particular study plan for NEET. I used to follow the pattern of completing a chapter, revision and taking mock test. I used to maintain a ‘mistake notebook’ where I used to note down all the mistakes I made in the test and then revisit the chapter to revise or clear my concepts.
Q: Did you follow a timetable to give equal attention to each subject of NEET 2024?
A: I did not follow a particular subject-wise preparation timetable. Based on the previous day’s revision or performance in the mock test, I decided which subject or chapters to study. I went with the flow and did not stay fixated on following a particular timetable. However, my overall study hours remained the same, which was 6 AM to 12 noon and resumed in the evening. I also ensured that I did not get distracted and, hence did not have any social media accounts.
Q: Which books or study materials did you refer to for NEET preparation?
A: NCERT books were my primary and core NEET study materials. Apart from that I referred to the study materials provided to me by my coaching institute. There were a few other reference books which I had additionally followed.
Q: What are your future plans?
A: I would like to take admission to AIIMS Delhi, which is the most premium medical college in India. I have not decided my specialization yet. I would first complete my MBBS and based on the subjects I study I would be able to take a call on the specialization to pursue for my MD/MS.
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Sreetama has over a decade of editorial experience in the higher education beat. A wanderlust by passion, she is also an avid reader and a music lover. Among friends, she is popular for her sense of humour.
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