Maharashtra NEET 2026 topper Shravani Kodali, from Pune district, who scored 710 out of 720 marks in the exam, said she stayed away from mobile phones and social media for about a year to stay focused on her studies.
Kudale has secured 5th rank in All India (AIR) and has emerged as 1st rank in Maharashtra as well as in OBC category. She completed her primary education at Zilla Parishad Primary School in Gopalwadi before moving to Shardabai Pawar Vidyaniketan in Malegaon to further her studies.
Shravani told HT that studying in Zilla Parishad School did not put her at a disadvantage.
“I did not face any problem in understanding English, even though I completed my primary education in Zilla Parishad School and my secondary education in a semi-English medium school. I worked hard for the exam and prepared at the Success Symbol Coaching Institute in Baramati,” she said.
Shravani had appeared for NEET earlier and treated the re-examination as a new opportunity to improve her performance. She added, “In my previous attempt in May, I was expecting around 715 marks but wasn’t sure about my rank. This year, I took the re-test as a new opportunity and prepared for it with full dedication.”
Shravani’s parents, Jayashree and Krishna, are both teachers in Zilla Parishad, while her elder sister is already pursuing her medical degree. The 18-year-old attributed her success to the guidance and support she received from her family.
Shravani hails from Khadki village in Daund taluka in Pune district, and the achievement has brought great pride to her local community and government school teachers, with residents and local leaders flocking to her home to congratulate the family.
Nationalist Congress Party (SC) working president and Baramati MP Supriya Sule also congratulated her. In a post on X, Sulli also pointed out that her father Krishna Kudal had previously received the Exemplary Teacher Award from the Pune District Council.
Viraj Yally, of Success Symbol Training Institute, said the uncertainty over the exam has confused many students. “We started asking students more difficult questions and conducting daily tests. We gave them advice regularly and made them focus on their goal,” he said.
