NEET Topper interview 2022: The National Testing Agency (NTA) announced the NEET 2022 result on September 7. With a score of 99.99 percentile, Hrishikesh Nagbhushan Gangule secured AIR 3 becoming a state topper of Karnataka. Making a difference in society by serving mankind motivated him to choose medicine as a career.
In conversation with Careers360, he emphasised on being prepared for any kind of situation during the examination. According to Hrishikesh, one must first gain confidence by attempting the section he/she likes to perform well overall in the NEET exam. He aims to join AIIMS Delhi to pursue an MBBS degree, making his family and teachers proud. Candidates aiming to know the full insights must read the full interview with Hrishikesh Gangule.
Careers360: Tell us something about yourself. Where did you complete your schooling and about your family?
Hrishikesh: I live in Bangalore and completed my schooling from National Centre for Excellence. I secured 99.4% in class 12. My parents are software engineers.
Careers360: What motivated you to choose medicine as a career? When did you decide to become a doctor?
Hrishikesh: I dreamt of becoming a doctor when I was 9 years old. I spoke to some of my relatives who were doctors. This motivated me to think and apparently chose to pursue medicine. I always thought that by becoming a doctor I can make a difference in my family as well as society. I could be of great service if I succeed in my aim.
Careers360: Is this your first attempt? When did you start your preparations for the NEET exam?
Hrishikesh: Yes, this is my first attempt. I started preparing for the NEET examination properly when I was in class 11.
Careers360: How did you prepare for your board exams as well as NEET?
Hrishikesh: Preparation for NEET along with the board exams was not a big issue for me. I did my schooling from a CBSE board school where Physics, Chemistry and Biology were the core subjects. The same are asked in the NEET along with some other subjects such as Physical education or math and english. I didn’t do any extra preparation, rather focussed on NCERT books.
Careers360: Did you take any coaching? Whether it was online or offline?
Hrishikesh: Yes, I took online classes from Aakash Institute for two years starting from class 11. I went to the branch for the last three months to give mock tests. Initially I was skeptical about the online classes but they went on very smoothly. Even if I missed any class I could learn from the online recorded class. Teachers were always available to solve our doubts.
Careers360: How much time did you devote to self-study?
Hrishikesh: I used to study for around 5-6 hours per day. However, these hours were not fixed. I used to target myself based on the topics. My everyday aim was to complete a topic while being thorough with it before moving to the next topic whether it takes an hour or 5 hours.
Careers360: What was your exam day strategy? What was the roughest and the easiest section according to you?
Hrishikesh: While attempting the paper, I focussed on reading the question paper first. I aimed at finishing the paper as soon as possible, securing time to check the answers again. As far as the paper strategy is concerned, one must attempt the section he/she is good at to gain confidence.
Careers360: How did you deal with the stress?
Hrishikesh: Initially, I was worried about making mistakes. So I used to talk to parents and teachers. They always motivated me, making me understand that mistakes are natural. The important thing is to learn from them.
Careers360: Which college is your dream college for studying medicine?
Hrishikesh: I have always dreamt of joining AIIMS, Delhi and I am elated that it is possible now with my rank.
Careers360: To whom do you attribute your success to becoming a NEET topper?
Hrishikesh: I attribute my success to my teachers and my entire family. My teachers taught me well and were very supportive throughout my journey. My parents motivated me every time I felt low or stressed. This helped me a lot to achieve my goal.
Careers360: What would you suggest to future NEET aspirants in terms of preparation, attitude etc?
Hrishikesh: Students must be prepared for all situations. I was given 15 minutes less time to attempt the paper. Also, I was not allowed to choose the NEET question paper with which I was used to during my coaching classes. Students must prepare by giving mock tests. One should practice all types of questions and must know their weak and strong topics. Being regular with the studies and preparing the topic thoroughly before moving to the next.
On Question asked by student community
First, understand the NEET syllabus clearly for Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. Focus only on the NCERT syllabus, as most NEET questions are directly or indirectly based on NCERT, especially in Biology and Chemistry. Avoid unnecessary reference books at this stage.
Divide your 4 months into phases. In the first 2 months, focus on completing the entire syllabus. Study Biology daily, as it carries the highest weightage. Read NCERT Biology line by line, make short notes, and revise regularly. For Chemistry, give priority to NCERT for Inorganic and Organic Chemistry. Practice basic numericals and reactions consistently. In Physics, focus on understanding concepts and practicing standard questions rather than memorizing formulas.
In the third month, start intensive revision along with topic-wise and full-length mock tests. Analyze each test carefully to identify weak areas and work on them. Improve time management and accuracy during this phase.
In the last month, focus mainly on revision and mock tests. Revise NCERT multiple times, especially Biology diagrams, tables, and examples. Avoid learning new topics at the last moment. Maintain a proper sleep schedule and take short breaks to avoid burnout.
Stay consistent, avoid distractions, and believe in your preparation. Even a few focused hours daily with proper planning can make a big difference. All the best!
Scoring 600+ marks in NEET within 4 months is definitely challenging, especially if you are starting almost from scratch, but it is not impossible. It largely depends on your discipline, daily study hours, clarity of basics, and how smartly you plan your preparation.
First, you need to be very realistic and focused. In 4 months, your main goal should be to strengthen NCERT-based concepts rather than trying to study everything in extreme detail. NEET questions are largely NCERT-oriented, especially in Biology and Chemistry. If you can master NCERT thoroughly, your chances improve significantly.
Biology should be your top priority because it carries the maximum weightage and is comparatively scoring. Read NCERT line by line for both Class 11 and 12. Revise multiple times and practice MCQs daily. Even if Physics feels tough initially, focus on high-weightage and formula-based chapters like Modern Physics, Current Electricity, Semiconductors, Ray Optics, and Laws of Motion. Chemistry can be divided smartly: give more time to Organic and Inorganic NCERT, and practice numericals regularly for Physical Chemistry.
You should ideally study 10–12 focused hours daily with a fixed timetable. Daily revision and weekly full-length mock tests are extremely important. Initially, your mock scores may be low, but what matters is consistent improvement and learning from mistakes. Analyze each test carefully to understand weak areas.
Since you are already enrolled in another college, time management becomes even more important. Try to minimize distractions and use early mornings or late evenings effectively. Avoid too many reference books; stick to NCERT and one reliable question bank.
That said, aiming for 600+ in 4 months is ambitious and depends on your learning speed and consistency. Even if you fall slightly short, a strong score improvement can still open opportunities in government or private colleges depending on category and cutoff trends.
Stay disciplined, trust the process, and do not compare your journey with others. Many students have made significant jumps in short durations with focused effort. All the best.
Hello,
Here are the important naming reactions for the NEET preparation.
Naming Reaction for NEET Preparation
Hope it helps your preparation. Good luck.
Hello
If you are asking about Motilal Nehru Medical College (MLN Medical College), Prayagraj, then admission is strictly through the NEET exam. For MBBS in this medical college, students usually need a high NEET rank because the cutoff is quite competitive.
In recent years, the closing ranks have often been within the top 20,000–30,000. This means you need a strong score to secure a seat. The exact marks may change every year depending on difficulty and competition.
You can get more information by visiting Careers360.com.
Hi
If you are a class 12th (Arts Stream) student, then you are not directly eligible for the NEET exam because you must belong to the Medical Science stream and have main subjects like Physics, Chemistry and Biology. This exam contains questions from these three subjects. But you can fulfil your dream to become a doctor by completing these subjects in class 12th from an open school like NIOS (National Institute of Open Schooling), and then you will be eligible for the NEET exam. You need to score 50% marks in Physics, Chemistry and Biology. This step is the correct way for you.
Thank you.
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