NEET Topper Panshul Bansal on Paper Leak and Protest: Focus on Studies Over Protests Panshul Bansal, the second-ranked NEET UG 2026 candidate from Haryana, shared his perspective on the recent controversy surrounding the leaked exam paper and the ongoing protests. The 19-year-old, who scored 3715 out of 720 marks (99.9999 percentile), expressed disappointment over the leak but chose to channel his energy into improving his academic performance rather than joining the demonstrations. His comments came after meeting with Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh. The NEET UG 2026 exam, held on 3 May, faced allegations of paper leakage, leading to nationwide protests. Thousands of students, parents, and opposition leaders took to the streets, with clashes reported at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. The government has vowed to investigate the incident, with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probing the case. Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the leak as a 'grave sin' and promised severe punishment for those involved. Bansal, who initially felt disheartened by the leak, explained that he decided to focus on his studies instead of participating in protests. In an interview with NDTV, he stated, 'I asked myself, why should I join a protest? Instead, I should focus on improving my scores.' He emphasized that the leak provided an opportunity to refine his preparation, which he did, leading to his improved rank. The student’s journey to success was marked by dedication. His initial NEET score in the main exam was 706, but through rigorous revision for the re-exam, he managed to secure the second position nationally.#neet_ug_2026 #central_bureau_of_investigation #dharmendra_pradhan #panshul_bansal #nayab_singh
