When the NEET exam was postponed, Sankalp Sandeep Naik considered giving up because he had completely lost interest in studying. However, his mother refused to let him stop trying, and his father provided support. His brother gave up their shared bedroom every night so that Sankalp could study without interruption.
After several months, the student, who studies at Ascentria and also attends the private school JSS in Dubai, secured the position of the highest-ranked candidate among those taking the National Entrance Examination (NEET-UG) 2026 in centers outside India. He scored 650 out of 720, achieved an All India Rank (AIR) of 1398, and topped the 'Outside India' category in the list of top graduates published by the National Testing Agency. His report card also shows an overall percentile of 99.9253.
The 18-year-old Sankalp noted that the exam postponement was the most difficult part of his journey. He told Khaleej Times: 'The exam postponement is very difficult for students. It affects their mindset. When the exam was postponed, I completely lost interest. I thought I should stop. But my mom, dad, and brother kept pushing me. Then I continued. I am grateful to everyone who supported me.'
Sankalp joined the Ascentria coaching center in Dubai in 12th grade under the guidance of biology mentor Ms. Alki. Initially, he focused on CBSE exams, but in the last few months before the test, he completely shifted his focus to NEET. He mentioned that he prepared seriously for about five months, and regular tests and institute training helped him consistently improve his results.
Despite the excellent result, it was backed by the support of his entire family. During his preparation, his brother moved into the living room every night so that Sankalp could study peacefully. His father also took leave from work several times to support him during critical months before the exam. Sankalp added that his whole family provided him with immense support. Furthermore, the path to his goal required him to give up many hobbies; he stopped attending his cricket academy when studies became more demanding, although he sometimes played for school. He also missed several family events, including his 18th birthday, as he was studying that day.
When asked which day of his NEET journey he would relive, Sankalp replied that it was the day he finished writing the exam, because then he knew all the pressure would be over, and he could enjoy freedom again. Although he felt confident after the exam, he admitted that there was some nervousness while waiting for the results. He emphasized that the biggest challenge is the lifestyle change, as people only see the grades but do not see the sacrifices involved in transitioning from constant leisure to daily six-to-seven-hour sessions. He advised future applicants to focus more on revising material than trying to cover as many topics as possible, stating that studying one chapter five times is better than studying five chapters once.
Sankalp, whose father is an engineer, said he always dreamed of becoming a neurosurgeon. He now plans to complete admission formalities before returning to Dubai in August, and his preferred choice is AIIMS Nagpur, where he hopes to begin his journey toward this profession.
On Friday, hundreds of Indian expats lined up outside the Consulate General of India (CGI) in Dubai to receive consular and passport services. Sajida Begum, one of these individuals, waited in line to process a passport for her ten-day-old son. She noted that the procedure went surprisingly smoothly.
Sajida Begum expressed surprise as she had anticipated a long wait in the heat, so she brought an umbrella and a fan. However, applicant tents were set up, and consulate staff offered visitors free tea and snacks while waiting. When her son started crying and demanding to be fed, she panicked, but the consulate provided them with a dedicated nursing room, which made a strong impression on her.
The Indian Embassy and CGI organized a limited range of consular services (passport, visa, legalization, and others) on a walk-in basis, following a 'first come, first served' principle from 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM. This was made possible after legal issues arose with the outsourcing contract for consular services. This is the first time in over 15 years that the Indian mission has handled consular matters independently.
On Friday alone, the CGI processed over 800 applications and received more than 1400 visitors. Over the last two days, the embassy and consulate have provided approximately 2000 consular services to Indian citizens in the UAE, paying special attention to the elderly, newborn passport applications, and people with specific needs.
When Khaleej Times visited the CGI premises at 3:00 PM, there were still many people in the waiting area, and the flow of visitors continued despite the end of the reception time. One visitor noted the exceptional help from the consulate staff. Mohammed, who came to renew his passport, stated that the staff, from security to the officers at the desks, were extremely helpful because he initially did not know what to do.
Over a hundred staff members are involved in supporting this large-scale operation. Gopal, who was at the consulate for document legalization, reported that some staff work 13–14 hours to ensure all tasks are completed on time, and some even skip lunch breaks. He emphasized that everyone is going above and beyond to help everyone and expressed gratitude for the staff's work.
Meanwhile, Alhind Tours & Travels confirmed that although the launch of its Consular Passport Visa (CPV) services is temporarily suspended until further notice, all 16 of its centers are fully prepared to start processing applications as soon as instructed by the Indian Embassy. Malini from Sharjah and her husband were preparing for their summer vacation when they realized her passport had expired. Since they had less than ten days before their trip, the couple was among the first in line on Friday. She noticed there was already a queue at 8:00 AM, and some people started lining up as early as 6:30 AM.
Malini was also surprised by the payment prices. She reported that she paid about half of the amount they paid last year for her husband's passport renewal. Previously, they could not find a convenient time to renew the passport at a regular center, so they had to book a premium lounge and pay extra for copying and photos. In this case, everything was free, and the passport costs were significantly lower than previously set.
During the summer months, which are peak travel season, there is significant demand for consular services. Due to this, the mission announced that legalization services will be provided by the Consulate General of India in Dubai at the India Association in Sharjah on July 4th and 5th from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM, and also at the Indian Social Club in Fujairah on July 5th from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.
