Ludhiana, July 17: Aryan Gupta from Ludhiana has secured All India Rank (AIR) 1 in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET-UG) 2026, scoring 715 out of 720 marks. He attributed his success to consistent preparation, guidance from teachers and support from his family.
Speaking after the declaration of results, Aryan said he followed a disciplined study routine for two years and completed all assignments and practice work given by his teachers. He advised future aspirants to trust their teachers’ guidance and remain committed to regular study.
Aryan said his elder brother Aditya, who secured AIR 54 in NEET-UG 2025 and is currently studying at Maulana Azad Medical College, motivated him throughout his preparation. He also credited his parents for their constant support during the examination period. He said he plans to join AIIMS Delhi and pursue a career in oncology.
His father, Dr Sachin Gupta, an anaesthetist, said the family supported the children throughout their preparation by spending time with them during their study hours. He said both his sons chose medicine after growing up in a family of doctors.
His mother, Dr Reenu Gupta, a gynaecologist, said Aryan’s achievement was the result of his hard work and the support he received from his family.According to the National Testing Agency (NTA), Aryan Gupta topped NEET-UG 2026 with a percentile of 99.9999. Panshul Bansal of Haryana secured AIR 2 with the same percentile, while Uplakshya Goyal of Rajasthan secured AIR 3. Ayush Bhalotia of Bihar ranked fourth, and Kudale Shravani Krishna of Maharashtra was the highest-ranked female candidate with AIR 5.
The NTA said around 20 lakh candidates appeared for NEET-UG 2026, which was conducted on June 21 at 5,440 examination centres across 551 cities in India and 14 cities abroad in 13 languages. A total of 11.21 lakh candidates qualified for admission to undergraduate medical, dental, AYUSH and allied health science courses.
The examination was conducted after the earlier NEET-UG test was cancelled following the paper leak controversy. The NTA said the results were declared on schedule to facilitate the counselling and admission process for medical colleges.