Gupta told Firstpost that he always dreamt of studying in Maulana Azad college in Delhi to study medicine.
Gupta said that students of Jammu and Kashmir have less exposure and opportunities than the rest of the country but one must not stop dreaming big. Image procured by Quratulain Rehbar/Firstpost
When Tanmay Gupta, now a National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET) 2021 topper, was struggling to check his results on the National Testing Agency (NTA) website on Wednesday, he suddenly got a call from a teacher from his institute who gave him “his life’s best news.”
“At 5 o’clock, everybody was receiving emails about the result. I didn’t get an emaik it for a long time and the official website was also crashing again and again. Later I came to know that I have achieved the All India first rank.”
Gupta, a resident of Jammu and Kashmir, has become the first person from the Union Territory to achieve the All India first rank in the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET) 2021.
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant-Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday congratulated Gupta for his historic feat as relatives and friends of the 18-year-old boy thronged his Gandhi Nagar residence to celebrate his achievement.
Gupta is one of the three students who scored 720 marks. The other two are Mrinal Kutteri and Karthika G Nair.
The NEET 2021 result for UG candidates was released by NTA on Monday and three candidates have scored full marks of 720 out of 720. More than 16 lakh students had appeared for the NEET UG 2021 exam which had been held on 12 September.
When he hung up the phone, he danced and shouted. “I called my family and told them about the news. I had no idea what was happening. There was too much excitement,” he said. All his relatives and friends thronged to his residence at Gandhinagar, celebrating his success.
Gupta had completed his 10th from a school in Jammu where he got 100 percent marks. His family then decided to shift him to Delhi for his 12th to DPS RK Puram Delhi.
His father, Dr Akshay Gupta, Professor and Head of Orthodontics at Government Dental College said that the family realised that Gupta must join a new environment, where he could get a fresh perspective and exposure. They thought it was better if Gupta would pursue his education in Delhi for more opportunities.
“He got a sense of how he could be able to compete with students who were focussed. I think that’s what happens if we support our children and help them study in a place they fit in,” he said.
Gupta told Firstpost that he always dreamt of studying in Maulana Azad college in Delhi to study medicine.
“I haven’t ever thought I would be the topper. Yes, I did think I would be amongst the toppers,” he said.
Gupta is now eligible for AIIMS Delhi. AIIMS (New Delhi) was ranked number 1 in South Asia in 2020 in the category of Life Sciences and Medicine by QS WUR.
What has made Gupta the topper is not how long he studied but how well he did that.
Gupta told Firstpost that he would not study all day, a perception everyone had about toppers. He had a unique approach to study, where he would study 4 to 5 hours a day, keeping a target in mind to complete his syllabus.
“I read NCERT books and didn’t go beyond that,” said Gupta.
He said confidence has helped him a lot to achieve this feat.
“I think students rush in terms of spending time on study. We think from the 11th class we have to study 8-9 hours a day. Your time should also depend on your ability to see how much you can study and grasp. Also when you’re fully prepared but not confident, it could affect you to not do well in exams, ” he said.
Gupta’s favourite hobby is swimming and said that students also should follow their hobbies and not completely cut off from daily routine
“You can play. You can talk to your friends when you feel like talking. You can watch TV to refresh your mind, and also you can use social media,” he said.
But Gupta has not been using social media and has kept himself away from it for these years. “I don’t like it but it also doesn’t mean one has to completely avoid it. It’s also important but there should be a limit to using it as it could be a great distraction.”
Parents support
Gupta’s father and mother have been very supportive to him all along his journey
“I think the best way to treat your child is to understand them, support them and have faith in them,” said Dr Akshay.
He said that the family had suggested Gupta go into medicine but it also depended on his choice. “We have never been forceful because I think parents should identify the passion of their child then help him/her follow that,” he said.
Gupta said that students of Jammu and Kashmir have less exposure and opportunities than the rest of the country but one must not stop dreaming big. “Anyone can be a topper but all you’ve to do is to be consistent and be focussed on your goal,” he said.
Gupta along with his family is now busy with Diwali preparations and is happy that he has the time to celebrate his huge success.