Hyderabad: In Telangana, preparation for competitive examinations often begins as early as school. But not for Veeriahgari Sahyu, who secured AIR 13 and emerged as the state topper in NEET-UG. The Warangal student began preparing only during his intermediate and chose to stay in his hometown instead of moving to Hyderabad or another city. Sahyu, who scored a 99.99915 percentile, said his teachers made the subjects interesting, encouraging him to move beyond the curriculum and learn new concepts.“I am not against students beginning their preparation years in advance, right from Class 6 or Class 8, or moving to coaching hubs such as Hyderabad or Kota. But I did not feel the need. All my life, I studied in Warangal. I was happy to study intermediate and secure the state first rank in NEET from here,” Sahyu told TOI.He said he was initially disappointed when he learnt that the examination had been cancelled, but quickly turned the setback into an opportunity. “That additional month gave me time to revise the entire syllabus. I did not leave even a small topic unrevised. I also appeared for one or two mock tests every day and made the most of the extra time,” he added.The 17-year-old said that though both his parents are doctors, they were initially not keen on his decision to enter the medical field. “They were of the opinion that doctors hardly have time for personal life. So, they suggested other fields. But later, they extended their full support,” he said, adding that he aspires to become a surgeon.
