Aryan Gupta, who secured All India Rank 1 in the NEET UG 2026 re-examination held on June 21, has spoken about the emotional strain he faced after the original exam was cancelled following the paper leak controversy.
In comments carried by Hindustan Times, Gupta said the cancellation left him deeply shaken before he decided to begin again and prepare for the retest.
#WATCH | Delhi: Aryan Gupta, who secured AIR 1 in Re-NEET UG 2026, says, "…I was disappointed at first, I was really devastated and cried a lot when the paper was cancelled. Still, I came to the realisation that of course it is unfair what happened but it's not just with me, 22… pic.twitter.com/dow7s5oDRm
— ANI (@ANI) July 22, 2026
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When calm gave way to commotion
The cancellation of the examination had triggered uncertainty for lakhs of aspirants and also fueled protests over the alleged leak.
Gupta said he was initially unable to process what had happened. “I was disappointed at first,” he told ANI. He was “really devastated” and “cried a lot” after the paper was cancelled.
VIDEO | Ludhiana: Punjab's Aryan Gupta topped the NEET-UG for medical admissions.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 16, 2026
He says, "I secured AIR 1, I scored 715 out of 720, my father and mother are doctors… I worked hard, I would not get sleep, but it is feeling surreal now, looking like a dream, everyone is happy,… pic.twitter.com/wwsNL8QNeX
Fortune favours the steadfast
Gupta said the turning point came when he realised that he was not alone in facing the disruption.
“Of course it is unfair what happened but it’s not just with me, 22 lakh other aspirants have suffered the same fate,” he pointed.
He said that once he accepted the scale of the disruption, he treated the re-examination as a second chance and resumed studying from the next day itself.
Success seldom travels alone
He also said the result was shaped by the support around him. Gupta said his parents, who are doctors, gave him “very strong foundation” and “very big emotional support” during the period.
His rank would not have been possible without his parents, elder brother and teachers. He credited his family and teachers for helping him stay focused through the difficult phase.
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FAQs
Q1: Why was the NEET UG 2026 exam cancelled?
The original NEET UG 2026 examination was cancelled following allegations of a paper leak, prompting the National Testing Agency to conduct a re-examination.
Q2: What did NEET AIR 1 Aryan Gupta say about the re-exam?
Aryan Gupta said the cancellation initially devastated him, but he treated the re-exam as a second chance and went on to secure All India Rank 1.
