Students who placed first, second and third in this year's university entrance exam said that they prepared day and night for the past two years to achieve these positions.

Sulaiman, 18, a citizen of the province of Herat, who graduated from Sultan Ghiyasuddin Ghori High School, scored 355.4204 on the exam, taking first place, and was admitted to the medical faculty of Herat University, according to the institution.

At the Sultan Ghiyathuddin Ghori high school in Herat, Sulaiman received a warm welcome from his teachers and his classmates.

He said that he put in two years of diligent study to accomplish this success.

"Through learning, I want to make my country one of the leading countries in the world,” Sulaiman said.

"He would leave the house at six in the morning to study, and he would return at eight in the evening, and he was also studying at night,” Ghulam Jailani Rayan, Sulaiman’s father said.

Mohammad Shabir, a Kabul resident, came in second place with 355.328, and Hedayatullah Ahmadi, a Herat resident, came in third place with 354.

“One of my biggest dreams is to become a successful doctor and serve my society. I ask the Islamic Emirate to provide us with the opportunity to study in the world's leading universities,” Mohammad Bashir said.

"I hope that schools will be opened for females as well, so they will be given the same chance to compete with boys as in the past,” Hedayatullah Ahmadi said.

There were no females within the top 10 scorers in this year's university entrance exam.

The top position in last year's Kankor Exam was earned by Selgai from the Northern Balkh province, a young woman.