Students who secured top ranks in the NEET-UG re-examination held on 21 June 2024 in Kota, Rajasthan, said on Friday that the second test proved more favourable, yielding significant improvements in both scores and All India Ranks (AIR). The re-exam was conducted following a row over an alleged paper leak in the original NEET-UG held on 3 May 2024.

Top Scorers and Their Results

Ayush Balotia, who secured AIR 4 in the re-examination, had scored 695 in the cancelled exam and improved to 710 in the retest — a gain of 15 marks. Balotia followed a disciplined routine, attending coaching from 2 pm to 8 pm, followed by dinner and an additional two to two-and-a-half hours of self-study each night.

Kartik Chaudhary, who secured AIR 16, moved from 700 in the first exam to 705 in the retest. 'In the first exam, I had scored 700, and this time I scored 705. With the 705, I got AIR 16, which is a very good rank. Though the earlier paper was a little easier, this paper was of a slightly better level, and whatever I studied over the last two years reflected in my 705 marks this time,' he said. Chaudhary, who prepared from Kota, studied through the night — from around 9:30–10 pm until 4:30–5 am — before sleeping until noon and attending afternoon coaching.

Kritika Jain, who secured AIR 18, had scored 705 in the original May exam. Despite a marginal dip to 701 in the retest, Jain's rank improved. 'I was expecting a lower rank because the paper was easy and many students had scored high marks. But as soon as re-NEET was announced, I felt I could improve my rank. Although my marks were reduced to 701 in the re-examination, my rank improved,' Jain said.

Mid-Rank Improvers Also Benefit

Gunjan, who secured AIR 52, improved her score from 690 in the first exam to 695 out of 720 in the retest. 'Yes, re-NEET worked in my favour. My rank improved,' she said. She credited focused revision of Inorganic Chemistry — a section she found difficult to retain — for the improvement, noting that the rest of the paper felt manageable.

Context: Why the Re-Exam Was Held

The retest was ordered after widespread allegations of a paper leak in the original NEET-UG 2024 examination conducted on 3 May 2024, which drew hundreds of thousands of aspirants across India. The controversy triggered protests, legal challenges, and a political storm over the integrity of the country's primary medical entrance process. The re-examination on 21 June 2024 was held for a specific subset of candidates identified as affected.

What This Signals

The accounts of top scorers suggest the re-examination broadly served its intended purpose for high-performing candidates, with rank improvements recorded even in cases where absolute scores dipped slightly. However, the broader debate over NEET-UG integrity, examination reform, and the conduct of large-scale national tests remains unresolved. Regulatory and judicial scrutiny of the process is ongoing.