PANAJI
The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) results were out on Monday. While at the all-India level three students got 100 percent score, Goa saw Abhida Eshana Barretto as the topper, with 680 marks out of 720, and a percentile of 99.93.
Abhida got an all India rank of 905. The NEET topper in Goa plans to join the leading medical training institute in India - Armed Forces Medical College Pune for her MBBS and later specialise in either oncology or psychiatry.
While speaking to The Goan, the teenager expressed her gratitude towards her teachers who motivated her and helped her focus on her goal.
Abhida, a student of Manovikas English Medium School in Margao till SSC, joined Loyola Higher Secondary for her XI and XII. “While I studied on my own, without any tutelage till SSC, I opted for Estellar Academy for my further coaching. Due to the pandemic our school as well as coaching classes both were online. However, the multiple mock tests taken in physical classrooms helped me a lot to get practice of writing exam papers in a stipulated time frame,” shares Abhida, the eldest of three siblings.
Thanks to Dr Jigni Pathan, her teacher in Zoology, Abhida scored full marks (180/180) in Zoology, 175 in Botany, 160 in Physics and 155 in Chemistry. “I dropped Maths and instead took my favourite subject Psychology in XII,” says Abhida who decided to join medicine in XII. Then she focussed on her goal to join the Armed Medical College as she wanted to serve the army too, and being a doctor would help her achieve the mission.
Self-study is crucial and focus on one goal is also equally important. Answering too many competitive exams does not help, but motivation for study does, she asserted. “Instead of studying for more hours, one has to put in quality time to study. I went out, played and watched movies too. As I was in the athletic team in school, I enjoyed playing football, jogging and running. I also did a lot of cycling alone and with friends. It helps in reducing the stress level,” shares Abhida who attended school from 8 am to 2 pm and coaching classes from 4-7 pm thrice or four times a week.
