How Sanidhya Dongre Secured AIR 28 in Re NEET 2026: Preparation Strategy and Study Routine

NEET 2026 Topper AIR 28: Sanidhya Kshitij Dongre Interview

Careers360: Congratulations on securing AIR 28 in Re NEET 2026. Could you briefly introduce yourself?

Sanidhya Dongre: Thank you. I am originally from Nagpur, Maharashtra, and currently live in Panvel. I completed both my Class 10 and Class 12 in Panvel. I joined Aakash Institute from Class 11 for NEET preparation, and this was my first attempt at the NEET examination.

Careers360: You scored exceptionally well in school as well. What were your Class 10 and 12 marks?

Sanidhya Dongre: I scored 99.6% in Class 10 and 99% in Class 12.

Careers360: When did you decide to pursue medicine? What inspired you to prepare for the NEET exam?

Sanidhya Dongre: I always found Biology interesting. While exploring career options with my parents, we felt medicine was the best choice for me. That is how I decided to prepare for NEET. As for inspiration, I have always admired Dr B.R. Ambedkar.

Careers360: Did you start preparing for NEET from Class 9 or seriously begin in Class 11?

Sanidhya Dongre: During Classes 9 and 10, I solved some basic-level questions and became familiar with both JEE and NEET. However, my serious preparation started in Class 11.

Careers360: You prepared for both JEE and NEET simultaneously. How did that happen?

Sanidhya Dongre: Yes, I appeared for both examinations. In fact, I secured provisional admission to IIT Bombay Computer Science, but my preference is MBBS. If I get my preferred medical college through NEET, I will definitely choose medicine.

Careers360: Many students remain confused between engineering and medicine after Class 10. What advice would you give?

Sanidhya Dongre: Students should never choose Biology simply because they think Mathematics is difficult. The decision should be based on genuine interest and long-term career goals. If someone enjoys Biology and wants to build a career in medicine, NEET is the right path. Likewise, if someone is interested in technology, innovation or startups, engineering may be a better choice.

Careers360: Despite getting IIT Bombay CSE, why are you choosing MBBS?

Sanidhya Dongre: Although getting IIT Bombay Computer Science is a great achievement, my ultimate goal has always been to become a doctor. Medicine is the career I genuinely want to pursue, so I will choose MBBS if I get my preferred college.

Careers360: What is your dream medical college?

Sanidhya Dongre: My first preference is AIIMS New Delhi.

Careers360: How was your daily study routine during NEET preparation?

Sanidhya Dongre: I attended school until around 2 PM. After returning home, I would have lunch, complete my coaching assignments and then devote the remaining time to self-study. On regular days, I studied for about 6 to 7 hours, while during examinations and revision periods, my study time increased to around 10 to 12 hours.

Careers360: How important was self-study in your preparation?

Sanidhya Dongre: Self-study played a major role. Coaching classes provided direction, but most of the learning happened during self-study through revision, practice and analysing mistakes.

Careers360: How did your teachers and family support you throughout this journey?

Sanidhya Dongre: My teachers always cleared my doubts quickly and also guided me on exam strategy, including question selection and OMR management. My family remained supportive throughout the preparation. I live with my mother in Panvel, while my father is posted in Dehradun. Both of them constantly motivated me and ensured I stayed focused.

Careers360: Which subject did you enjoy the most during your NEET preparation—Physics, Chemistry or Biology?

Sanidhya Dongre: Honestly, I enjoyed all three subjects. My favourite subject depended on what I was studying at that time. When I was studying Biology in depth, it became my favourite. During Class 12, when I focused more on Physics, I enjoyed Physics the most.

Careers360: Since you prepared for both JEE and NEET, what additional advice would you give to NEET aspirants?

Sanidhya Dongre: One thing I strongly recommend is solving JEE Main and even selected JEE Advanced questions, especially for Physics and Physical Chemistry. These questions improve analytical thinking and make NEET-level questions comparatively easier.

Students should also never ignore Basic Mathematics because it plays an important role in Physics and Physical Chemistry.

Careers360: Your expected score before the cancellation was around 705. What was your reaction when the original NEET 2026 exam was cancelled?

Sanidhya Dongre: Surprisingly, I was happy. Since I had already performed well, I felt I had another opportunity to improve further. Rather than getting disappointed, I considered it another chance to perform even better.

Careers360: Was balancing JEE and NEET preparation difficult?

Sanidhya Dongre: Not really.vPhysics and Chemistry are largely common in both examinations. The only major difference is in Mathematics and Biology. I simply prioritised the subject according to the examination schedule and didn't face many problems.

Careers360: Biology is considered the scoring subject in the NEET exam. What was your preparation strategy?

Sanidhya Dongre: The first and most important advice is to read the NCERT line by line. Students generally focus only on the chapters, but they should also read the additional information, scientist notes and other content provided in the textbook because questions can come from anywhere.

Careers360: Did you use any books apart from NCERT?

Sanidhya Dongre: Yes. Apart from NCERT, I referred to MTG NCERT at Your Fingertips, which contains good-quality practice questions for NEET.

Careers360: Could you share your strategy for Physical, Organic and Inorganic Chemistry?

Sanidhya Dongre: For Physical Chemistry, I recommend solving JEE Main Previous Year Questions and selected JEE Advanced questions because they strengthen concepts and calculation skills.

For Inorganic Chemistry, there is no substitute for NCERT. Read it repeatedly, memorise important trends and exceptions, and understand the reasoning behind those exceptions because assertion-reason questions are becoming more common.

For Organic Chemistry, students should know every reaction mentioned in NCERT, especially the Name Reactions. Solving NCERT exercises thoroughly is also important.

Careers360: Physics is often considered the toughest section in the NEET exam. What would you suggest?

Sanidhya Dongre: Build strong concepts first. After that, solve JEE Main Previous Year Questions because they improve problem-solving ability. Once your concepts become stronger than the NEET level, the examination feels much easier.

Careers360: Many students study regularly but avoid taking mock tests. How important are mock tests?

Sanidhya Dongre: Mock tests are extremely important. Mock tests not only help you evaluate your preparation but also teach important examination skills like time management, question selection, handling pressure and adapting to different paper difficulty levels.

Careers360: How did you revise before the examination?

Sanidhya Dongre: Revision mainly focused on NCERT, previous mistakes and important questions from mock tests. Instead of studying new topics repeatedly, I preferred strengthening what I had already prepared.

Careers360: Since you have experienced both CBT and pen-paper examinations, do you think NEET should shift to a Computer-Based Test (CBT)?

Sanidhya Dongre: Personally, I prefer the current pen-paper mode. In the offline examination, students can quickly view the entire question paper and identify easy questions. In CBT mode, drawing diagrams or solving lengthy Physics questions can take more time because you need to recreate figures on rough sheets.

Careers360: Do you support introducing an age limit or attempt limit for NEET?

Sanidhya Dongre: I think an attempt limit can be considered. However, I don't support introducing an age limit. Every student has different circumstances, and age alone should not decide eligibility.

Careers360: What is the biggest mistake students make during NEET preparation?

Sanidhya Dongre: Many students underestimate mock tests. Mock tests teach much more than just questions. They improve time management, accuracy, question selection and pressure handling. These skills make a huge difference on the actual exam day.

Careers360: What message would you like to give to students preparing for NEET 2027?

Sanidhya Dongre: Stay consistent. Don't compare yourself with others. Focus on improving every day, analyse your mistakes honestly and trust your preparation.