NEET topper says paper leak was demoralising, calls for strict action against offenders

New Delhi, Jul 17 (PTI) Panshul Bansal from Haryana, who emerged as one of the toppers in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET)-UG 2026 re-examination with an All India Rank 2 and a 99.9999 percentile, said on Friday that the paper leak controversy left him disheartened initially, but pushed him to study with renewed focus for the re-exam. Bansal, a student of K R Mangalam World School, Greater Kailash, New Delhi, who scored 715 marks in the examination, said that qualifying for a seat at the country's premier medical college was the fulfilment of a long-held dream. "It is a very big achievement because now my dream is finally coming true. I will get the best medical college in India and finally pursue MBBS," he told PTI. The NEET-UG examination was reconducted this year after the National Testing Agency (NTA) cancelled the original exam following allegations of a paper leak. Recalling the period after the cancellation, Bansal told PTI he was initially disappointed at having to prepare again. "I felt bad when the paper leak happened because I had to study everything once again. But then I thought positively and decided to prepare for one more month with full focus. That helped me achieve this result," he said. Asked about the level of difficulty, Bansal said the second examination was conceptually similar to the first but more time-consuming. "The level of both papers was almost the same. However, the second paper had a lengthier physics section with paragraph-based questions, which made it more time-consuming," he said, adding that the original examination had been comparatively easier because it was shorter. Calling for stronger safeguards against examination malpractices, Bansal said strict action should be taken whenever paper leaks occur. "Whenever a paper leak happens, there should be a strict mechanism to ensure proper action against those responsible," he said. Bansal credited self-study for his success, saying he spent more time studying on his own than in coaching classes. He also acknowledged the role of his parents in keeping him motivated throughout his preparation. "My parents were my biggest source of motivation," he said. Sharing a message for students stressed by competitive examinations, Bansal urged them not to view any single exam as the deciding factor in life. "This exam is not bigger than your life. There are many career opportunities available today. If one path doesn't work out, there are several others. Students should not lose hope because of one examination," he said. PTI AHD AHD MPL MPL