NEET PG 2026 AIR 1 Topper Interview: Dr. Monish's Journey from Rank 28,000 to AIR 1

NEET PG 2026 AIR 1 Topper Dr Monish: From Rank 28,000 to AIR 1

Dr. Monish belongs to the 2019 batch of ESA Coimbatore. He said that although he solved some MCQs during his internship, he became serious about NEET PG preparation only after completing his internship. During his MBBS years, his focus was mainly on building concepts rather than solving a large number of MCQs. He used Marrow's main videos and notes to understand the subjects and later worked extensively on MCQ-solving.

His first NEET PG attempt resulted in a rank of around 28,000. Instead of changing his entire preparation strategy, he focused on improving his ability to solve questions and continued revising the same study material.

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NEET PG 2026 AIR 1 Interview Dr. Monish

Question: How did you feel after securing NEET PG 2026 AIR 1?

Dr. Monish: I am very happy with my NEET PG result, but I cannot express exactly what I feel right now. I was expecting a rank below 500 or, at most, below 1,000. I never expected to secure Rank 1.

Question: When did you start preparing seriously for NEET PG?

Dr. Monish: I am from the 2019 batch of ESA Coimbatore. During internship, I used to solve some MCQs, but I was not very serious about my first attempt. I started serious preparation after completing my internship.

Question: How did you build your foundation during MBBS?

Dr. Monish: During college, I did not focus much on PG-oriented MCQs. I mainly watched the main videos and focused on understanding concepts. I used Marrow videos and notes, particularly for subjects where I wanted strong conceptual clarity. I was using the same source consistently, and I think that helped me later during my revision.

Question: How did you improve from a rank of around 28,000 to AIR 1?

Dr. Monish: After my first NEET PG attempt, I took the preparation seriously. I already had the concepts, but I needed to improve my MCQ-solving skills. So I focused heavily on solving QBank questions, custom modules, revising my notes and analysing Grand Tests. The main change was that I worked on the skill of solving MCQs while continuously revising the concepts I had already studied.

Question: What was your approach towards Marrow QBank?

Dr. Monish: Initially, I used the QBank mainly as a learning tool. Whenever I made a mistake or found new information in an MCQ, I would add that information to my notes. Later, after completing the subjects and revising them once or twice, I started setting targets for myself. For example, in a 50-question module, my target was to get at least 40 correct.

Question: Which tags did you use for Custom Modules?

Dr. Monish: I focused on recent NEET PG and AIIMS-related questions, image-based questions, video-based questions, and clinical questions. These were among the important tags I regularly used.

Question: How did you approach a subject such as Surgery?

Dr. Monish: I had already watched the Surgery main videos during college, so my concepts were strong. During my preparation phase, I watched the revision videos and then solved the QBank. For important topics, I solved QBank questions and then used Custom Modules. If I made a mistake, I went back to my notes and revised the topic again instead of only reading the explanation of the MCQ.

Question: Did you solve all MCQs or only PYQs?

Dr. Monish: Initially, I solved all the MCQs. I started focusing on previous-year questions from around February. Before that, I wanted to build a broad base by solving different types of questions.

Question: How important were Grand Tests in your NEET PG preparation?

Dr. Monish: Grand Tests became an important part of my preparation. Initially, I did not give many GTs. After my November INI-CET attempt, I started giving them more frequently. From February onwards, I generally gave a GT once a week or once in 10 days. My scores remained around 140-150 for some time, and there was a plateau. I did not change my source during this period. Instead, I focused on revision and worked on my weaker subjects.

Question: How did you analyse your Grand Tests?

Dr. Monish: I generally gave the GT on Sunday from 9 am to 12 pm, following the exam timing. After lunch and a short break, I started analysing it. First, I analysed the incorrect questions. Then I looked at the questions I had marked for review or was doubtful about. Eventually, I went through the entire GT, including the questions I answered correctly. The purpose was not just to see the score but to understand where I was making mistakes and what I needed to revise.

Question: How many revisions did you complete?

Dr. Monish: I completed around three to four revisions by March. I did not wait until completing all 19 subjects before revising them. I would study around four or five subjects and then revise those subjects before moving ahead. This helped me stay in touch with the subjects I had already studied instead of returning to them after a long gap.

Question: What did you do when your preparation was not going well?

Dr. Monish: There were many bad days. I never got a top 100 rank in my GTs. Some days I could not study properly, but my target was to do something every day. Even if only two hours were left in the day, I tried to make use of them. If I could not concentrate enough to study, I would solve around 100-150 MCQs. The important thing was to keep moving and not stop completely.

Question: How did you deal with burnout during NEET PG preparation?

Dr. Monish: I experienced burnout during my INI-CET preparation. I was studying for around 10 hours a day initially, but as the exam approached, I could not maintain the same intensity. After that experience, I realised that having knowledge is not enough. Execution on the day of the exam is also important. For NEET PG 2026, I deliberately avoided pushing myself too hard. I studied around seven to eight hours a day and focused on avoiding another burnout. I also understood the importance of peaking at the right time.

Question: What was your biggest confidence boost during preparation?

Dr. Monish: My November INI-CET rank gave me a major confidence boost. I had improved significantly from my previous performance and secured a rank of around 1,400. Later, my GT scores also improved. After completing more revisions, my scores increased to around 140 and above, and eventually I reached a maximum of around 165 correct answers in a 200-question GT.

Question: What is your advice for NEET PG aspirants regarding consistency?

Dr. Monish: Mindset is very important. You should believe that it is possible to achieve a good rank. Every day will not be the same. Some days will be good and some will be bad. But you have to keep moving and should not stop at any stage.

Question: What was the biggest learning from your NEET PG preparation?

Dr. Monish: I think sticking to one source and revising it repeatedly helped me. I did not keep changing my notes or study material. I also realised that doing the same things consistently, revision, MCQs, Custom Modules and GT analysis matters a lot. Even when preparation becomes repetitive, consistency is important.