BENGALURU: Karnataka recorded a strong performance in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET-UG), with eight students securing places among the top 138 All India Ranks (AIR) candidates across the country who secured 690 marks and above. Vaishnavi Das of Sri Chaitanya T echno School, JP Nagar, emerged as the state topper, securing AIR 20 with a percentile of 99.997.
Among the other top performers from Karnataka, Suchita M from Davangere secured AIR 48, Ravikiran Kini bagged AIR 62, and Diganth BS from Chikkamagaluru secured AIR 64. Vaishnavi, who was born and brought up in Bengaluru, said the achievement was a major confidence booster. “I’m quite shook,” she said. She said her ambition to become a doctor began when she was around nine years old.
“I have studied medicine since I was around nine years old. Naturally, NEET was the stepping stone to that,” she said. “I would like to continue my education in India and want to do something for our people,” she added.
She stressed she prepared weekly schedules, followed them rigorously, stayed regular with tests and ensured continuous revision. She is currently interested in oncology and cancer research but said she would decide her specialisation after medical education.
Suchita M, from Davangere, said securing a top rank was her target from the beginning. She credited regular classes, weekly tests, revision schedules and solving practice papers for her performance. “I’m fascinated by the human body and how it works in a synchronised way,” she said.
Diganth BS from Chikkamagaluru, who studied in Bengaluru, said he developed confidence during his two-year preparation. “Initially, I didn’t know my capabilities or which range I would lie in. I felt confident when I started giving exams frequently, and it gave me confidence that it is possible to get a good rank, but I never thought I would get below 100,” he said.
Diganth, whose parents are doctors, said watching them treat patients inspired him to pursue medicine. “I have watched them treat others and seen patients thanking them. It has been a dream from the beginning to be like them and follow in their footsteps,” he said.