Every NEET-UG result season, a handful of topper stories circulate — but this year's from Maharashtra carries lessons beyond the marks. Shravani Kudale, an 18-year-old from Khadki village in Pune district, scored 710 out of 720 and secured All India Rank (AIR) 5, topping both Maharashtra state and the OBC (Other Backward Classes) reservation category. What makes her result worth a closer look for NEET aspirants isn't just the score, but the path: a government-run Zilla Parishad school for primary education, a family of school teachers, and a second attempt at NEET this year that she treated as a fresh chance rather than a setback. For lakhs of students preparing under pressure, her story is a useful, grounded counterpoint to the idea that only elite schools or unlimited resources produce top ranks.
A strong NEET-UG rank is possible from a government-school background with focused preparation and discipline — and a repeat attempt can genuinely improve your outcome if you use the extra time well.
Who is Shravani Kudale, and what did she score?
Shravani Kudale hails from Khadki village in Daund taluka, Pune district, Maharashtra. She scored 710 out of 720 marks in NEET-UG 2026 and secured AIR 5 — making her the top scorer in Maharashtra state and in the OBC category nationwide.
Her early schooling was at a Zilla Parishad Primary School (a government-run local-body school) in Gopalwadi, after which she moved to Shardabai Pawar Vidyaniketan in Malegaon, a semi-English-medium school, for her secondary education. She prepared for NEET at Success Code Coaching Institute in Baramati.
The re-attempt angle: why it matters for other aspirants
Shravani had appeared for NEET earlier this year and, by her own account, expected around 715 marks in that attempt but was uncertain of her rank. She described this year's exam as a 're-examination' — effectively a second opportunity — which she used to sharpen her preparation rather than coast on her earlier performance.
For any NEET aspirant who ends up repeating the exam, whether by choice or because of a fresh notification, her approach is instructive: a repeat attempt is not a lost year if it is used deliberately to fix weak areas and build exam temperament, not just to redo the same routine.
Family background and coaching support
Both of Shravani's parents, Jayashree and Krishna Kudale, are teachers with the Zilla Parishad school system, and her father has previously received the District Council Pune's Ideal Teacher Award. Her elder sister is already pursuing a medical degree, which meant Shravani had a family member who understood the NEET-to-MBBS pathway firsthand.
Her coaching institute in Baramati reportedly responded to the uncertainty around the exam by increasing question difficulty, running daily tests, and providing regular counselling to keep students focused — a structure many small-town coaching centres now follow for NEET batches.
The digital detox: how much does it really matter?
Shravani has attributed part of her focus to staying away from mobile phones and social media for close to a year during her preparation. This is a common thread among many top NEET rankers each year, and it reflects a simple reality: NEET's syllabus (Physics, Chemistry, Biology across Class 11 and 12 NCERT content) requires sustained, distraction-free study hours that are hard to protect if a phone is constantly pulling attention.
This doesn't mean every aspirant needs a complete year-long ban — but limiting non-essential phone and social media use during peak preparation months is a low-cost, evidence-backed habit that repeatedly shows up in topper interviews.
What this means if you studied in a government or vernacular-medium school
Shravani has explicitly said that studying at a Zilla Parishad school for her primary years, and a semi-English-medium school afterward, did not create any disadvantage in understanding NEET's English-medium question papers. This matters because many aspirants from smaller towns and rural districts worry that their school background will hold them back against students from large city-based English-medium schools.
The real determinants of a NEET rank remain consistent NCERT-based preparation, regular self-testing, and disciplined revision — not the medium of instruction in earlier schooling. Aspirants from government-school backgrounds should treat this as reassurance to stay the course rather than a reason for self-doubt.
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See My CollegesFrequently asked questions
What rank and score did Shravani Kudale get in NEET-UG 2026?
She scored 710 out of 720 and secured All India Rank 5, topping Maharashtra state and the OBC category.
Did Shravani Kudale study at a private school?
No. Her primary education was at a Zilla Parishad (government-run) primary school in Gopalwadi, and her secondary education was at a semi-English-medium school, Shardabai Pawar Vidyaniketan, in Malegaon.
Was this her first NEET attempt?
No. She had appeared for NEET earlier this year and treated this year's exam as a fresh opportunity, using it to improve on her previous performance rather than repeat the same preparation approach.
Where did she prepare for NEET?
She prepared at Success Code Coaching Institute in Baramati, which reportedly increased test difficulty and conducted daily assessments to keep students exam-ready.
Does a rural or vernacular-medium school background hurt NEET performance?
Based on Shravani's own account, no — she said she faced no difficulty with English despite her schooling background, and NEET performance depends far more on consistent, syllabus-focused preparation.
Is avoiding phones and social media necessary to score well in NEET?
It's not mandatory, but many top scorers, including Shravani, report that cutting down phone and social media use during peak preparation months helped them protect study hours and stay focused.
Shravani Kudale's result is a reminder that a top NEET-UG rank is not reserved for students from big-city schools or expensive setups — disciplined daily preparation, honest use of a repeat attempt, and cutting out distractions matter more. Aspirants preparing for future NEET cycles should watch for their own state's official counselling schedule once the results and merit lists for MBBS/BDS seat allotment are released.
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