Don’t Be Afraid of Experimenting with Preparation Strategies Until Zeroing to One: NEET 2021 Topper Mrinal Kutteri, AIR

NEET 2021 Topper Interview: Mrinal Kutteri, AIR 1

Hyderabad boy Mrinal Kutteri has topped NEET 2021 by scoring a perfect 720 and an All India Rank (AIR) 1. Unlike regular toppers, Mrinal did not put very long hours for preparation but followed a flexible approach and did not shy away from following various methods by trial and method until zeroing down to one. This is what he has to suggest to the future NEET aspirants as well.

An avid music and video games enthusiast, Mrinal took out time to binge-watch his favourite shows on OTT platforms to unwind. He aims to study in AIIMS Delhi and pursue higher studies in the field of Surgery. Mrinal gives credit to his family, teachers and friends for being his constant support system.

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In this exclusive interview with Shiksha, Mrinal shares his preparation strategy, future plans and suggestions for future NEET takers. Read the full interview below.

NEET 2021 Topper Interview

Q: Congratulations on your result! What was your reaction when you came to know about your rank?

A: I had expected a good score based on the OMR sheet and provisional NEET answer keys, but receiving the final result was like a moment of dream come true. I felt out of the world and thoroughly thrilled. I am yet to process the feeling and it still feels overwhelming. I was in my coaching institute when the NEET result was declared and everyone around me was really happy.

Q: When and how did you decide to pursue MBBS?

A: Initially I wanted to be an Engineer, but in Class 9 I developed a specific aim to be a doctor in the Indian Army. I started studying the medicine field and developed an interest. Then I decided to become a doctor in general and serve society and not any specific field.

Q: Tell us something about your family, schooling, etc.

A: My family is originally from Kerala but I was born and brought up in Hyderabad. I have a big yet close-knit family comprising my parents, younger brother and grandparents. All of them have supported me during my journey of preparing and cracking NEET. I have a huge support system in the form of my family, friends and teachers whom I can rely on. I did my schooling till Class 10 in Geetanjali Devshala and studied in Class 11 and Class 12 in Heritage School, Hyderabad.

Q: When did you start preparing for NEET and what was the strategy?

A: I started preparing for NEET from Class 11 by joining Aakash Institute. I did not have a fixed strategy per se. I focussed on concept clearing rather than following the timetable. I maintained a flexible approach. I wanted to build a comprehensive understanding. I used to set fixed targets and aimed to complete those. After completing a particular portion, I took practice tests to check my level of learning and then went back to revision to bridge gaps.

Q: What was your strong and weak areas?

A: Physics has always been my area of strength. I enjoyed solving Physics problems. On the other hand, Inorganic Chemistry was my weak area. It is a very memory-heavy topic. Since my way of learning is by understanding the concepts, it does not work for Inorganic Chemistry hence it posed a challenge. I kept revising the topic to memorise the formulas and studied from the books and study materials.

Q: Which books did you refer to for NEET?

A: I referred to NCERT books for NEET along with the study modules from my coaching institutes. Apart from that, I had initially referred to HC Verma and DC Pandey books but to be honest I could not study from those much as I had my hands full with the NCERT books and coaching institute materials and those sufficed for me.

Q: When did you start taking full-length NEET mock tests?

A: I started taking full-length mock tests approximately three months prior to the exam in an intensive manner. Prior to that, I took sectional mock or practice tests right after completing a particular section or topic. Full-length mock tests should be taken only after completing the entire syllabus.

Q: How did you balance your NEET preparation along with your school and board exams?

A: There was not much of a difference in terms of the NEET syllabus. Only the exam-taking approach and practice varied since NEET is objective type and Board exam questions are subjective type. While preparing, I focussed on NEET more.

Q: How did the lockdown impact your preparation and how did you cope with it?

A: Initially my life turned upside down with the lockdown as I found it difficult to focus by sitting at home and preparing without being able to go to school or coaching institute. However, with time it became the way of life and I settled into the new scheme of things.

Q: The NEET exam pattern changed this year just 2 months before the exam. How did you manage the change?

A: The new exam pattern of NEET was not that different. All I had to do was to manage time to go through the extra 20 questions and select those for the final attempt. For this, I practised solving questions faster than usual while maintaining accuracy.

Q: What was your exam taking strategy?

A: I had a fixed strategy to solve the NEET paper with an order of Physics, Chemistry and Biology. I gave one hour to each subject and in case a question or subject turned out to be time-consuming, I left it and moved on to the next question or subject and revisited it later.

Q: During your rigorous preparation journey, how did you unwind yourself?

A: Post pandemic I got hooked on to various OTT platforms and binged watched various shows. Apart from that, I listened to music which is one of the best stress busters. I also played video games, which reduced a bit in Class 12 but I did play occasionally.

Q: Which is your dream medical college?

A: I would like to take admission to AIIMS Delhi. Hopefully, with my rank, I would be able to bag a seat there.

Q: What are your plans after completing MBBS?

A: I would like to pursue higher studies in Surgery. I am yet to explore the options and I hope I would get sound knowledge on different specialisation options and avenues during my MBBS and would be able to make an informed decision then.

Q: Your suggestion for next year’s NEET takers.

A: My suggestion for them would be to not follow anyone else’s suggestion strictly and try different approaches before knowing which strategy works best for you. Be flexible in your method. If something does not work for you, don’t continue with it if it does not work for you. Don’t be afraid to experiment and find out the best path after multiple rounds of trial and error. Once you find out the perfect strategy, stick to that.

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