Expressnews
Chennai, 28th July, 2026: Over 100 NEET and JEE toppers from across the country were felicitated today by AakashEducational Services Limited (AESL) at the Champions of Aakash event, held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, in recognition of their performance in the two exams held in April 2026.
The scale of the gathering was near-historic as around 3000 students filled the venue, creating a massive wave of shared triumph. Alongside them were over 100 elite NEET and JEE Champions, a collective gathering of brilliant young minds who cracked two of the toughest competitive exams in India. Accompanied by their parents, the Champions were the cynosure of all eyes on an electrifying event at the event designed to honour perseverance and milestones.
The atmosphere was intensely charged as the raw energy of the students burst out in a sense of pure liberation from exam-cycle inhibitions as they were now officially future doctors and engineers. The rising adrenaline in the huge auditorium coupled with profoundly emotional response from parents brought out tears of validation and overwhelming relief. The felicitation event transformed into a light-hearted, high-octane carnival after Sabali The Bandfrom Pune began belting out their infectious live rhythms.
The event saw a stupendous participation of around 3000 students and more than 100 NEET and JEE Champions with parents. The atmosphere was charged, adrenalin rising — emotion of the parents and energy of students coming out and light hearted celebration with the band, Sabali The Band from Pune,
The results reflect a remarkable demonstration of continued academic excellence: four students in the Top 10, 18 in the Top 50, 41 in the Top 100, 138 in the Top 500, 232 in the Top 1000, 17 state toppers and 30+ city toppers in NEET 2026, with Aakashians dominating results in states like Uttar Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir, accounting for over 18 city toppers in the former and all the top 10 rankers in the latter. Aryan Gupta secured AIR 1, Upalakshya Goyal secured AIR 3, Aryan Dubey secured AIR 7, and Geetansh Sarin secured AIR 8 in NEET 2026.
In JEE Advanced 2026, 11 students in the top 100; 26 in the top 200; 56 in the top 500 and 111 in the top 1000 reflects strong and consistent performance across 15 states and Union Territories. Mohit Shekhar Shukla secured an AIR 4, Aarav Gupta AIR 17 and Utkarsh Khokhar AIR 35.
AESL also launched the much-awaited Aakash National Talent Hunt Examination (ANTHE 2026) its flagship scholarship exam for Class V–XII and XII students, and unveiled the new ANTHE logo at the event. The event also hosted two panel discussions on life after JEE and NEET that saw industry leaders giving a grounded view to the students.
Addressing the students, Mr. Chandra Sekhar GarisaReddy, MD & CEO, AESL, said: “The JEE and NEET results are a reflection of the dedication and perseverance of the students, and the unwavering support of their parents and mentors. At Aakash, our PanchTatva philosophy of Legacy, Faculty, Content, Testing & Technology, and Infrastructure, has been the constant thread behind this consistency, giving students the right academic ecosystem, personalised guidance, and learning tools that enable them to achieve their fullest potential. The outstanding performance across national ranks, state toppers, and city toppers showcases the trust students and parents place in Aakash.”
During his address, Mr. Chandra Sekhar Garisa Reddy, said, “At Aakash, we believe that Aakash is for All, ensuring that every deserving student has access to quality education, irrespective of their financial background. Guided by this vision, we have awarded over ₹100 crore in scholarships, enabling more than 6,000 students to pursue their education free of cost. Through over ₹700 crore in interest-free education loans, facilitated in partnership with leading financial institutions, more than 75,000 students have been able to access our courses. Additionally, over 10,000 students from defence families and underprivileged backgrounds have benefited from our special scholarship initiatives.
AESL’s ‘PanchTatva’ concept is a collection of five key factors that Aakash follows to repeat its success, year on year, with stunning consistency.
Legacy: AESL has built a legacy of over 38 years with trust and proven results. A legacy built on consistent excellence in Medical and Engineering entrance examinations, earning the trust of generations of students and parents. It is this trust and credibility that has enabled Aakash to give consistent results year on year.
Faculty: Its experienced faculty and Mentors have continuously delivered extraordinary outcomes. They are few of India’s most experienced academic teams, dedicated to nurturing every student’s potential through expert teaching, mentorship, and personalised guidance.
Content: AESL meticulously designs its study material, and continuously updates it to align with evolving exam patterns and strengthen conceptual understanding. Its content is designed to build confidence in students.
Testing & Tech: AESL keeps improving its testing and technology to help students and teachers to measure, analyse, and improve, their results with every iteration. This robust testing ecosystem is powered by intelligent technology, AI-driven insights, performance analytics, and personalisedinterventions that help students continuously improve and perform at their best.
Infrastructure: Its modern classroom infrastructure creates an environment for excellence. With advanced learning facilities, digital ecosystems, and an inspiring academic environment enables every student to focus, grow, and excel.
Panel Discussions
The event also featured two panel discussions involving thought leaders and professionals from the engineering and medical backgrounds, reflecting Aakash’s commitment to guiding students beyond the classroom and preparing them for what comes after the exam. The experts at the discussions also threw light on the roadmap the students should follow after their success in NEET and JEE. The NEET panel, moderated by Dr. Monika, former CCO, Roche, brought together Dr. ShashidharTB, HOD-ENT, Artemis; Dr. Karan Thakur, Corporate Affairs, Apollo Hospitals; Dr. Vidur Mahajan, Founder, Carpl AI for a conversation on unconventional career paths in healthcare. The JEE panel, moderated by Ms. Shifa, Campus Fund, featured Mr. Julius, COO & Founder, Newspace; Ms. Richa Singh, Founder & CEO, Spectatr.ai; Mr. Chinmaya Sharma, Partner, Info Edge Ventures; and Mr. Rahul Gupta, Park Smart, in a discussion on how an engineering mindset applies well beyond the discipline itself
Through its holistic learning ecosystem comprising experienced faculty members, scientifically designed study material, technology-enabled learning solutions, regular testing, AI-driven performance analysis, and personalised mentoring, AESL continues to empower students to excel in highly competitive examinations like NEET and JEE. With its extensive network of centres and digital learning platforms, Aakash continues to mentor and inspire lakhs of aspirants every year.
