'Why should I join protest when I can study more?' NEET second-rank holder with unique response

NEW DELHI: Panshul Bansal, a native of Haryana, secured second rank with 99.9999 per cent marks in the NEET reexamination.

Panshul said that he was initially disappointed when the exam was cancelled following the question paper leak, but later saw it as an opportunity. "Why should I go and protest when I can study? I thought that I could study at home and improve my marks," Panshul clarified.

Panshul's unique response comes as protests are intensifying, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the question paper leak. Panshul, a student of KR Mangalam World School in Greater Kailash, Delhi, secured the second rank by scoring 715 out of 720 marks in the re-examination. He had scored 706 marks in the first examination.

The first exam held on May 3 was cancelled on May 12 due to question paper leak allegations. Then a re-examination was conducted on June 21 under heavy security, and the result came on July 16.

“After continuing the same study method as before, I was able to achieve great success. Forget everything and focus only on the goal. I firmly believed that whatever happened, it would be for the best' - explained Panshul. At the same time, Panshul was not ready to comment on the current protests in the country.