In probably a first for Goa, ST girl Gracina Colaco tops NEET

PANAJI: A scheduled tribe girl from Vasco, Gracina Colaco, topped Goa for the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET) (UG), the results of which were declared by the National Testing Agency on Tuesday.
This is probably the first time an ST candidate from Goa has topped this test. Gracina, a student of St Andrew's Higher Secondary School, Vasco, scored 680 at the NEET, attained an all-India rank of 1,738 and a percentile of 99.91 "I want to pursue medicine of course, but I want to see after counselling which institute I get into. I want to study outside Goa, ideally," said Gracina.
Colaco figures among top ten students in national list of ST category toppers
She is the daughter of retired Goa Shipyard employee Joao Filipe Colaco and homemaker Inacina Fernandes.
"I did coaching at Aakash Institute and I knew I would score well," she said.
She has also figured in the top ten students in the national list of ST category toppers, figuring at the 10th spot. Among all the state and UT toppers in the country, Gracina's rank of 1,738 is at the 30th spot.
An ST student topping NEET in the state is significant, considering that nationally, the number of ST students appearing for the exam is not very high compared to other categories. The rate of qualification for ST students is also lower nationally, at 44.7% as against 53% for other students.
This year, 56,381 ST students qualified in NEET (UG).
The NEET (UG) was held on May 6 and 7 this year and, from Goa, 4,277 students appeared, of which 2,204 have qualified in the exam and are now eligible for medical, dentistry, homeopathy, ayurveda, and nursing graduate programme seats in Goa and across the country. These students can also claim veterinary science seats with their NEET score.
This year, the rate of students who qualified at NEET from Goa is slightly higher, at 51.5% as against 50% in 2022. The number of students (4,277) to appear for NEET (UG) from Goa was also higher in 2023 as compared to last year's 3,755. This is in keeping with the national trend of an increasing number of students answering the NEET (UG) each year.