NEET 2020 Topper Interview: Soyeb Aftab AIR 1

‘I focused on my goal throughout’, says NEET 2020 topper Soyeb Aftab. Bagging an AIR 1 with 720 marks, Soyeb has created a new record.

NEET 2020 Topper Interview: The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test, popularly known as NEET, is the only entrance test for admission to UG medical courses in India. NEET 2020 result was announced on October 16, along with which a list of this years' toppers was also released. NEET Toppers will be able to put their claims on the MBBS seats of some of the most prestigious colleges in India, such as AIIMS Delhi, JIPMER, MAMC and PGIMER.

Being a NEET topper is one thing and scoring a perfect 720 is another. Yes, we are talking about Soyeb Afteb, the boy who created history. NEET 2020 Topper, Soyeb Aftab, has secured AIR 1. He hails from Odisha and was staying in Kota for the past two years to prepare for NEET. He never gave up his preparation, not even during the pandemic. In this article, read about the NEET topper tips by Soyeb Aftab and know his success mantra.

NEET 2020 Topper interview:  Soyeb Aftab

Question: Congratulations Soyeb, how are you celebrating your success?

Soyab Aftab: I am very happy. I was not expecting a rank 1 in NEET 2020. When I gave the exam, I hoped to get around 700. I wasn’t sure about two of my answers. It was only after the NEET 2020 answer key was out that I became sure of my marks.

Question: Can you tell us a little bit about your family?

Soyeb Aftab: My father is a businessman and mother is a homemaker. When I was in Class 8, our business suffered heavy loss. My father was a tea merchant at that time. He had to change his line of work due to the financial losses. I was not certain if my family would be able to afford coaching for me. When I came to Kota, I told my father that I would not return unless I have achieved my dreams. Today, I feel like I have fulfilled my word.

Question: What role has your family played in your success?

Soyeb Aftab: I give 90 per cent credit to my family. They have been very supportive, especially my mother and my little sister. They moved to Kota with me and helped throughout my preparation. My mother kept motivating me to work harder and she did not let me falter.

Question: What difficulties did you face while preparing for NEET 2020 during an ongoing pandemic?

Soyeb Aftab: I never stopped preparing for NEET 2020. I did not go home for the past two years. I think the consistency during NEET preparation paid off. And, my motivation to serve people grew stronger during this time.

Question: In which year did you complete Class 12? 

Soyeb Aftab: I completed my Class 12 this year. I started preparing for my board exams in January.  

Question: Was this your first attempt?

Soyeb Aftab: Yes, this was my first attempt.

Question: When did you start preparing for NEET 2020? Were you enrolled with any coaching institute?

Soyeb Aftab: I started preparing for NEET 2020 in April 2018. I went to Kota for NEET preparation and enrolled myself in a leading coaching institute there. I have been living in Kota since, and I haven’t been home all this while.

Question: How important are coaching institutes for NEET preparation?

Soyeb Aftab: Coaching classes helped me to stay focused. When I came to Kota, I had dreamed about getting a seat in a Government College. The coaching institute guided me and my marks began to improve. In Class 11, I thought maybe I can secure a position for myself amongst the top 500. In Class 12, my average score used to be around 700. Now, I started feeling that I can secure a rank amongst the top 100. All this while, the faculty was very supportive and helped me throughout. Even during COVID-19, the teachers stayed in contact with us. Even if I could not perform well in any mock test, they would call me to motivate me.

Question: How did you balance your NEET preparation and preparation for Class 12?

Soyeb Aftab: I used to attend school from 7 am to 2 pm, and then I would directly go to my coaching institute. My classes ended at 7 pm and this left me exhausted. I managed to spend around three hours for self study. But I was not happy with the fact that I could only spare 3-4 hours for self study, therefore, I used to make up for it by studying on the weekends.

Question: Which subject was a challenge for you?

Soyeb Aftab: Biology. I took some time to understand this subject. Physics has been my strength all along.

Question: Which college are you going to choose now?

Soyeb Aftab: I want to study in AIIMS Delhi.

Question: Any advice to the future NEET aspirants?

Soyeb Aftab: I would like to say that they should try to remain consistent during their preparation. They must avoid deviating from their path and focus on their goals inspite of all the obstacles.