PGI Topper 2020 Interview: Dr Aman Agrawal (AIR 7) Shares His Success Mantra

Dr Aman Agrawal, reaping the benefits of his hard work and dedication, has made it to the top 10 of PGIMER 2020 scorers. Read what Aman has to say about his preparation here.

PGIMER 2020 exam was conducted on June 14. The examination was conducted by the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) Chandigarh, for admission to MD/MS courses offered by the institute. PGI Chandigarh is one of the most sought after medical colleges in India. The institute has maintained the second position for the past two years on the NIRF ranking for medical colleges. Therefore, getting admission to this college is a dream come true for medical aspirants.

One such dream was fulfilled on June 22, when PGI announced the results for its postgraduate entrance test. Dr Aman Agrawal checked the PGIMER result only to be pleasantly surprised by it. He has also secured AIR 5 in NEET PG 2020 and AIR 101 in AIIMS PG 2020. Making it to the top 10 of two of the most difficult entrance examinations in India, Dr Aman Agrawal has been rewarded for all the hard work that he had put into the preparation. In an exclusive interview with Shiksha.com, Aman shares his success story. Read on to know about the expert tips from Dr Agrawal.

Also Read: NEET PG 2020 Topper Interview: Dr. Aman Agrawal (AIR 5)

PGI Topper 2020: Interview with Dr Aman Agrawal Rank 7

Shiksha: An AIR 7 in PGIMER 2020, how are you feeling?

Dr Aman Agrawal: I am feeling very good. I was not expecting a rank seven in PGI. I was going to leave for Delhi tomorrow, was planning on joining the institute allotted through NEET PG 2020. PGIMER result came as a surprise, and a happy one.

Shiksha: Which college were you allotted through NEET PG 2020?

Dr Aman Agrawal: I was allotted Maulana Azad Medical College, General Medicine, through NEET PG 2020.

Shiksha: What are you going to choose, MAMS or PGIMER?

Dr Aman Agrawal: I will shift to PGI Chandigarh now. I have heard that PGI is the best institute for General Medicine.

Shiksha: What was new in the PGI exam this time?

Dr Aman Agrawal: No, I think PGIMER 2020 was pretty much the same. I had attempted a few mock tests before the examination and the examination was also on similar lines. Nothing came as a surprise or shock during the examination.

However, AIIMS PG 2020 was easier this time. The questions were basically one-liners and only single-best answer type questions were asked.

Shiksha: PGIMER 2020 was conducted online. What is your take on this change?

Dr Aman Agrawal: Online examinations are easier as compared to those conducted offline. First, you save time as marking OMR sheets takes up a lot of it. Next, it is easier to focus on the question that you are attempting because there is only one question on the screen.

Shiksha: Where was your exam centre? Did you travel to get there?

Dr Aman Agrawal: My exam centre was located in Delhi. I took a cab to Delhi and had to stay overnight at one of my relative’s place.

Shiksha: Were you scared of getting infected with COVID-19 on the exam day?

Dr Aman Agrawal: Yes, a little. The number of cases is higher in Delhi, which caused my parents to worry a little. They asked me to give it a second thought and appear for the exam only if it was absolutely necessary. But I felt that it was important to at least attempt the PGIMER 2020 exam.

Shiksha: Is the preparation of PGIMER 2020 different from AIIMS PG/NEET PG?

Dr Aman Agrawal: The basic things that help you prepare for these examinations is the same, be it the notes or the question banks. The difference between these examinations is the exam pattern. PGIMER 2020 has multiple-correct answers-type questions. So, you need to practice these questions. You get only three hours to look at 1,250 option, which is difficult.

When the questions are single-best answer type, like the ones in AIIMS PG 2020, you can simply mark one answer and move to the next one. But for the multiple-correct answers-type questions, you have read every option carefully before marking them. It is time-consuming. During my preparation or while attempting other exams, I rarely felt that I needed more time to solve the question paper. But during PGIMER 2020, I struggled a bit. So, time management is very important.

PGIMER exam generally has theory-based questions. You can mark answers only when you know the answers, there can be no guesswork.

Shiksha: Was this your first attempt at the PGIMER exam?

Dr Aman Agrawal: Yes, this was my first attempt.

Shiksha: What is your take on the PG exams being conducted during an ongoing pandemic?

Dr Aman Agrawal: I was ok with the exam being conducted on the said date. We are in the medical profession and we cannot make excuses. Every hospital needs resident doctors, they are also helpless. So, I feel we should support them. And we are sitting at home anyway, we want to go out and help during these tough times.

Shiksha: What did you do to stay motivated during the lockdown period?

Dr Aman Agrawal: There was a lot of uncertainty about whether or not these exams will be conducted. Every day started with a new notification that the XYZ exam has been postponed and there was no definitive period for how long. It was really demotivating because how will you get the will to study if you are not certain that the exam will be conducted. The news and the environment also had a negative impact.

Only when the dates for AIIMS PG were announced, I started preparing for them. I had around 25 days to complete my revision and solve the mock tests and question papers.

Shiksha: Any suggestions for the future PGIMER aspirants?

Dr Aman Agrawal: You have to believe in the sources (study material) that you are referring to. Being confused and jumping from one source to another will not help. You must solve the question banks. And towards the end of your preparation you must focus on mock tests—taking them, analysing the mistakes and working on them.

Read More: 

• PGI Chandigarh announces PGIMER result 2020 for MD/ MS courses; check here
• AIIMS PG 2020 Topper Interview with Dr Shiv Kumar Sharma Rank 8