Karnataka NEET UG 2025 results have been announced by the National Testing Agency (NTA), revealing a qualification rate of 58 percent for the state. Out of the 1.42 lakh candidates who appeared for the medical entrance exam from Karnataka, 83,582 students qualified. This marks a slight dip from last year’s 59 percent, with 5,305 fewer candidates clearing the exam compared to 2024.
Mangaluru’s Nikhil Sonnad Leads the State
At the top of Karnataka’s merit list is Nikhil Sonnad, a student of Expert PU College in Mangaluru, who secured an impressive All India Rank (AIR) of 17. Scoring 670 out of 720, Nikhil earned a 99 percentile and also performed well in other competitive exams, bagging a KCET BSc Agriculture rank of 8 and a JEE Mains rank of 8000.
Originally from Vijayapura, Nikhil credits his success to a strong foundation in basics and a consistent study routine. “I loudly exclaimed ‘YES!’ after hearing my rank. It was pure satisfaction and validation of hard work,” he said. Coming from a family of doctors—his father a neurosurgeon and his mother an ophthalmologist—medicine was always his natural choice.
Nikhil emphasized the importance of mock tests in his final two months of preparation but said true success comes from mastering core concepts. “Solving random questions from multiple sources helped sharpen my basics. That’s something I picked up from my father,” he added. He aims to pursue his MBBS at AIIMS, New Delhi.
Other High Achievers from the State
Following closely behind is Ruchir Gupta from Alpine Public School in Bengaluru, who secured AIR 22. Ruchir, who relied heavily on revisions and NCERT textbooks, said, “I never believed in rote learning. I preferred understanding the material and building clarity over cramming.”
Physics posed the greatest challenge for him, especially during the early minutes of the exam. However, with focus and calm, he managed to finish confidently. Over the last two years, Ruchir practiced over 600 mock tests and stressed the importance of breaking down study loads into manageable parts. He too is targeting a seat at AIIMS, New Delhi.
Diganth S from Narayana College in Kempapura also made it to the top with AIR 80. Along with his NEET success, he achieved a KCET engineering rank of 289 and a JEE Mains rank of 10,000. Diganth’s preparation included using education apps to solve 50 to 60 problems daily.
His mother, Nagarathna, shared that Diganth always maintained a relaxed attitude. “He would come back from college, enjoy watching IPL matches, eat dinner, and only start studying around 9 pm. He would then study for four focused hours,” she said.
A Slight Drop, But Consistent Performance
Although Karnataka’s NEET UG 2025 qualification rate dropped by one percent compared to the previous year, the overall performance remains strong. The dedication, strategy, and calm approach of students like Nikhil, Ruchir, and Diganth reflect a culture of disciplined learning and long-term focus.
As competition tightens and the number of aspirants grows, Karnataka’s NEET toppers continue to prove that with the right mindset and method, excellence is well within reach.
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