Chandigarh: Three students from Chandigarh region made it to the top 100 in the country in the Re-NEET UG 2026 examination, result of which was announced on Friday. The test was conducted after the original test was cancelled following the paper leak controversy.While the re-examination required aspirants to resume preparations amid weeks of uncertainty, the students said consistency, regular revision and discipline helped them navigate the second attempt.Consistency, planning assured successMadhvan Mahajan, 19, secured AIR 44 with a score of 696. Student of a school in Gurdaspur, he is the son of radiologist Dr Vijay Mahajan and gynaecologist Dr Jyoti Mahajan. His elder brother, Parth Mahajan, is a fourth-year MBBS student.Mahajan said consistency and planning formed the foundation of his preparation. He followed daily study targets and did not allow unfinished work to accumulate. His revision mainly involved repeated reading of NCERT textbooks and personal notes while ensuring adequate rest.He said he was initially disappointed with the cancellation of the original NEET, but gradually began to see Re-NEET as a second opportunity. As his scores improved in mock tests, his confidence also increased.‘Discipline makes a big difference’Samarth Saini, 18, secured AIR 70 with 695 marks. A student of Bhavan Vidyalaya, Chandigarh, he is the son of Dr Shiv Sajan Saini and Dr Vidushi Mahajan. His elder brother, Vedant Saini, is pursuing BTech in Computer Science at IIT, Mumbai.Saini said discipline during the final phase of preparation made a huge difference. His routine involved solving questions in the morning and studying theory in the afternoon and evening. He said he had become distracted by social media at one stage but managed to overcome it with support from his parents.The uncertainty surrounding the re-examination was stressful, particularly towards the end, but he believes maintaining consistency helped improve his performance. He also had to cancel a planned international holiday because of the postponement of the examination.‘Learning from mistakes is important’Harshul Garg, 17, secured AIR 66 with 695 marks. A student of a school in Rajpura, he is the son of Dr Varun Garg, who works with Ayushman Bharat, and dentist Dr Ruchi Garg. His younger brother, Vihaan, studies in Class X.Garg said his preparation centred on regular study, daily revision and learning from mistakes. He revised every topic on the same day it was covered and maintained that routine throughout his preparation. He said he hopes to become a doctor and serve those in need.Garg said he was initially disappointed but accepted the situation and resumed preparation. Although he had scored 715 in the original NEET and 695 in the Re-NEET, he said he accepted the outcome and used the additional preparation period to revise further.
