Amid the protests that have taken over the National Capital, Panshul Bansal, NEET All India Rank 2, has said that although the cancellation of the original exam initially left him in despair, he quickly turned that setback into motivation. “I thought, why should I go to the protest? Instead, I could be studying at home and improving my skills and score,” Bansal said in an interview to NDTV. The 19-year-old performed better in his NEET re-exam and achieved a 99.9999 percentile.
His comments come amid mounting public outrage, as large numbers of students continue to stage protests while the Opposition has stepped up calls for Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignaton.
‘Students of India deserve better than being treated as props’: Pradhan’s sharp attack against Opposition
Meanwhile, Dharmendra Pradhan broke his silence for the first time over NEET row and the protests. The minister sharply defended the government’s position after Congress leaders protested outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence. He accused Rahul Gandhi and the Congress of “shamelessly exploiting students as political tools” and said their protest was aimed more at spectacle than solutions.
According to Pradhan, the government had already shown readiness for a comprehensive discussion on NEET in Parliament, but the Congress chose “disruption for political headlines.” He said the party’s march to the Prime Minister’s residence caused inconvenience and ignored established security protocols.
“The students of India deserve far better than being treated as props in a political campaign,” Pradhan said in a post on X, adding that the government remained committed to discussing NEET and addressing real concerns. He ended his message with a pointed line: “We owe our students more than outrage. We owe them answers, reforms and accountability.”
LoP Shri @RahulGandhi and @INCIndia continue to shamelessly exploit students as political tools to manufacture disruption during the Monsoon Session of Parliament.
Shri @RahulGandhi and @INCIndia chose to stage a dharna outside the Hon'ble Prime Minister's residence , causing…
— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) July 21, 2026
Social media reaction to NEET topper Bansal’s remark
Panshul Bansal’s comment has clearly sparked a split reaction online, with many users praising his focus, discipline and merit-first approach, while others have called the remark insensitive at a time when students are still protesting the NEET paper leak. NDTV’s Instagram post carrying the quote has drawn thousands of comments, which shows the statement quickly went viral and became a talking point across social media.
The reaction also got more attention because Dharmendra Pradhan had already met Bansal and publicly congratulated him for his AIR 2 result, which pulled the topper further into the centre of the political conversation.
One user wrote on Instagram and said, “If you don’t want to support don’t do so, you don’t need to act as a puppet in their hands. Kudos to you for your hard work and courage but you are also lucky you speak from a place of privilege.”
Some online users are reading Bansal’s statement as a symbol of hard work and composure, while others are using it to argue that the exam controversy cannot be separated from the wider anger over the leak and the protests.
NEET protests
The NEET protests escalated sharply since Monday, when thousands of students and supporters gathered at Jantar Mantar and then attempted a march towards Parliament under the “Sansad Chalo” call. The demonstration turned violent after protesters tried to breach barricades, prompting police to use lathicharge and tear gas, with reports of more than 170 injuries and around 70 detentions.
Organisers said the movement was being driven by outrage over the alleged NEET paper leak, the demand for Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation, and anger over what they described as excessive police action against students. After the clashes, the protest returned to Jantar Mantar, where the sit-in continued and the organisers said they would suspend further marches to Parliament but keep the agitation alive.
The issue then widened into a full political confrontation as Congress leaders marched to the Prime Minister’s residence on Tuesday, Rahul Gandhi and others were detained, and Dharmendra Pradhan accused the Opposition of using students as political props instead of seeking solutions. At the same time, the health of activist Sonam Wangchuk became part of the larger protest narrative, with ministers Jitendra Singh and JP Nadda visiting Medanta Hospital in Gurugram, underlining how serious and politically charged the standoff had become.
The original NEET-UG examination was held on May 3 and later cancelled on May 12 after allegations of a paper leak and irregularities. The cancellation affected more than 22 lakh candidates and sent shockwaves through the education sector, especially because NEET is the gateway to undergraduate medical admissions across the country.
A fresh examination was then conducted on June 21 under heightened security arrangements, and results were declared on July 16. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is investigating the leak, with reports pointing to a wider network involving multiple states and several arrests.
