Dream, dedication, determination: How Baramati girl Shravani Kudale conquered NEET-UG

Pune, Jul 17 (PTI) Years of preparation, hard work and strong fundamentals built during school years have paid off for Shravani Kudale, a girl from Baramati taluka in Pune district, who has secured All India Rank 5 in the re-NEET-UG medical entrance exam 2026 scoring 710 marks out of 720. The NEET-UG (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test-Undergraduate) re-exam results were declared on July 16 by the National Testing Agency (NTA). A total of 11.21 lakh candidates qualified the entrance exam this year. The crucial exam held on May 9 was cancelled by the NTA on May 12 amid paper leak allegations. The exam was re-conducted on June 21. Kudale, who emerged as one of the top performers in the country, is basking in the success of her hard work and determination which helped her realize the dream of pursuing a career in medicine. "I am very happy. It feels like a dream come true. I had been aiming to appear for NEET since my school days. When I was in Class 9, I started preparing for the exam, and by the time I appeared for NEET, my foundation had become strong," she said. Kudale, a resident of largely rural Baramati taluka in the western Maharashtra district, insisted consistent efforts and guidance from teachers helped her achieve the feat. Her father, a teacher by profession, maintained the family was expecting a good result, but never imagined she would secure such a high rank at the national level. "We were confident that she would perform well, but we never anticipated that she would achieve this remarkable feat. Her hard work, dedication and the guidance provided by her teachers have paid off. As parents, we are extremely proud of our daughter," he said. Kudale's mother affirmed securing a top rank across the country was not an easy task, but her daughter's determination and commitment helped her accomplish the goal. "It is not easy to stand among top rankers in the country, but because of her hard work and dedication, Shravani could achieve this success. We are very proud of her," she said, with a sense of pride in her eyes. Kudale asserted she was clear about pursuing a career in medicine and kept working in that direction with dedication. The NEET-UG is the entrance examination for admission to undergraduate medical courses across India. It is the largest undergraduate entrance exam in the country, with nearly 25 lakh candidates appearing for the crucial test. Asked whether the NEET paper leak affected her, she said, "The first NEET paper which got cancelled was also a good attempt for me. I took re-NEET as a second opportunity to score even better. Compared to the earlier one, the second NEET paper was tough." PTI SPK RSY