From Kota to Bihar and Back: NEET 2025 AIR 4 Mrinal Jha Journey Through Covid

The National Testing Agency (NTA) released the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test, Undergraduate (NEET UG) on June 14. Mrinal Jha, a native of Bettiah, Bihar and resident of Faridabad, has secured All India Rank 4 in NEET UG 2025. The 17-year-old MBBS aspirant shared his journey, preparation strategy, and his strategy to stay calm despite challenges.

Mrinal’s interest in Biology began way back in Class 7 when he took admission in Kota coaching. “I found the subject fascinating,” he shared. However, his decision to pursue medicine was cemented in Class 9, when he began preparing for NEET. He had to discontinue coaching class during the COVID-19 pandemic. “I did have to go back to my hometown, but I had enough study material to be able to study on my own. So even when I went back to Bihar, I didn’t stop studying for NEET,” he told Times Now Digital. He then resumed targeted preparation for NEET in Class 11, after he joined Allen coaching centre.

NEET AIR 4 Mrinal scored 681 marks under the general category. His favourite subject was Organic Chemistry, which he says gave him an edge. “After checking the answer key, I realised I had performed significantly better than many of my batchmates,” he said.

As a strategy, he tackled weak topics first during preparation but adopted the opposite approach during the exam where he attempted easy questions first to build confidence. “On regular days, I studied between 4 to 8 hours. As the exam approached, it sometimes stretched to 11 hours,” he said.

Unlike other aspirants who listen to music or go for a walk when in stress, Mrinal either spoke to his parents or simply continued studying. “During free time, I used to go for a walk or listen to music,” he added.

To stay motivated, he regularly watches interviews of previous NEET toppers on YouTube. This helped him stay focused and optimistic.

Mrinal’s father, who is a mechanical engineer at NHPC, had advised him to consider engineering as a profession, since he enjoyed Chemistry. However, he chose NEET over JEE, but his younger brother is now preparing for JEE. "My father initially encouraged me to pursue both engineering and medicine, suggesting a PCMB combination, but I chose to focus entirely on NEET."

Coming from a close-knit family, Mrinal’s parents’ reaction was heartwarming for the 17-year-old. “My father danced with joy and my mother began calling up relatives on her own.”

Mrinal admits that the paper leak controversy surrounding NEET 2024 affected him mentally. “There were moments when I felt I might not make it. I thought about how many candidates with good marks had to drop a year earlier, and the cut-off was expected to rise. But I kept moving forward.”

He now aims to pursue MBBS from AIIMS Delhi, and plans to decide on a specialisation later. On the issue of ragging, which usually makes headlines in medical institutions, he said, “Yes, I’m a bit scared, but I don’t overthink it. I believe I’ll manage”

His final message for aspirants is simple: “Take one step at a time. Don’t panic, just stay consistent and focused.”

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