Getting a good score in a competitive exam is not an easy task. It requires a lot of dedication, sacrifices, and hard work to excel in such tests. And, the perfect example of that is Soyeb Aftab and Akansha Singh, two students who scored a perfect 720 out of 720 marks in NEET 2020 exams. However, it was 18-year-old Soyeb who was declared the topper, reports NDTV.
Congratulations to #AkankshaSingh & #SoyebAftab for securing this unbelievable first time in history perfect score of 720 in the #NEET2020 exam
I am in awe of students who bring in such exceptional performance
Welcome to the profession of empathy & humanity #NEET2020result pic.twitter.com/iwziVTJ45Q
— Dr. Sangita Reddy (@drsangitareddy) October 17, 2020
Even though Akansha from Delhi also scored a perfect 720, Odisha’s Soyeb secured the first position due to his age. Confused? Well, the National Testing Agency (NTA) considers factors such as the age of students, the number of incorrect answers, and subject-wise marks as tie-breakers for when the students score identical marks, reports News18, In this case, since both scored identical marks, age was the deciding factor.
An official was quoted saying by India Today,
“Soyeb Aftab of Odisha and Akansha Singh of Delhi have both scored perfect 720 score in the NEET examination. However, as Aftab is older, he has been ranked at the top in the national ranking.”
#AkankshaSingh, NEET candidate from Delhi, has a perfect total (720 out of 720) in the exam, securing the second rank. She is the first girl from rural Purvanchal to crack the medical entrance exam. #NEETResult2020 https://t.co/x0eIhF29TU pic.twitter.com/Ko4GN6rYHu
— SheThePeople (@SheThePeople) October 17, 2020
Speaking about her future plans after her commendable achievement, Akanksha was quoted saying by The Hindu,
“Earlier, I wanted to be an IAS officer, but from Class 9 onwards, I wanted to be a doctor only. I liked that medicine is a job where you can interact with people. My dream was to make it to AIIMS. I hope that my research will benefit people not only from my village, but all over India.”
Congratulations to Delhi’s Akanksha Singh and Odisha’s Soyeb Aftab on scoring 100% in #NEET2020. This is the first time a perfect score has been achieved in the exam. It takes tremendous hard work to achieve such a feat. I wish both of them a bright successful career.
— Dr. Aminul Khan Suri (@SuriAminul) October 17, 2020
Originally from Rourkela, Odisha, Soyeb also revealed how he studied for 12-13 hours daily and didn’t lose hope amid the pandemic. The teenager, who coached at a leading institute in Kota, expressed gratitude to his teachers and mother, Sultana Nazir. In fact, it was Sultana along with her younger daughter who stayed with Soyeb in Kota for almost two years as he prepared for his exams.
After topping the examination, Soyeb is all set to be the first doctor in the family. He said, “I want to be a specialist in cardiology. Along with this, I also dream of discovering treatments for diseases that have no cure till now; want to do research in such field.”
There is no doctor in my family, so I didn't expect this. I had hoped to make it to top 100 or top 50 but I never expected to score 720/720. The exam was being postponed, so there was a lot of pressure. But the goal was to stay calm & utilise time: Soyeb Aftab, #NEET2020 topper pic.twitter.com/9WA6u3NPW3
— ANI (@ANI) October 16, 2020
Congratulations to both the students. We wish them all the success for their future. It’s people like them who motivate us to work harder each day.