In one of the most competitive editions of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET-UG) to date, Mahesh Kumar, a student from Rajasthan, emerged as the national topper, scoring a near-perfect 99.9999547 percentile, setting a new benchmark for India’s largest medical entrance exam.
The National Testing Agency (NTA) announced the NEET UG 2025 results on Friday, following the examination held on May 4, which saw a staggering 22.7 lakh registrations. Of these, over 22.1 lakh candidates appeared for the exam, and approximately 12.36 lakh qualified — reflecting a pass rate of nearly 56%.
A Historic Achievement from Rajasthan
Mahesh Kumar’s exceptional performance not only secured him the All India Rank 1 but also placed Rajasthan firmly in the national spotlight. The state not only produced the top scorer but also featured prominently in the list of top-performing regions, both in terms of the number of qualified candidates and their percentile distribution.
Among the top five were:
- Utkarsh Awadhiya from Madhya Pradesh (AIR 2),
- Krishang Joshi from Maharashtra (AIR 3),
- Mrinal Kishore Jha from Delhi (AIR 4),
- and Avika Aggarwal, also from Delhi, who became the top-ranking female candidate with AIR 5.
Gender and Regional Highlights
While the majority of top scorers hailed from Rajasthan, Delhi, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh, a significant number of qualifying candidates came from Uttar Pradesh, which registered the highest number of successful aspirants. States like Bihar and Karnataka also saw strong participation.
Female candidates, though underrepresented in the top ten, continued to make significant strides in overall participation and performance. Avika Aggarwal’s placement in the top five was particularly noteworthy, underscoring the growing presence of women in competitive medical examinations.
The Road Ahead: Counselling and Admissions
With results now public, the focus shifts to centralized counselling, which will be conducted by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC). The top 15% of All India Quota seats across government medical colleges will be filled through this process, followed by state-specific rounds for remaining seats in MBBS, BDS, and AYUSH courses.
Candidates can access their scorecards and rank certificates through the official NTA NEET portal. Experts suggest that competition for government medical seats this year will be fiercer than ever, especially among high scorers concentrated in a narrow percentile band.
A System Under Pressure
NEET UG continues to be a high-stakes, high-stress gateway to medical education in India. The growing number of applicants year-on-year has raised questions about seat availability, exam stress, and the growing role of private coaching institutes in shaping student success.
As Mahesh Kumar and other toppers prepare for the next phase of their journey into the medical profession, their stories also reflect the enduring pressure faced by aspirants in one of the world’s largest and most competitive education systems.
