GPAT topper shares her mantra for success

Doni Sinha is pursuing her undergraduate studies from School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Apeejay Stya University (ASU). The 22-year-old mentioned that she was an average student in her high school. However, she credits her mother who took charge of her studies and kept sharing valuable advices that led to Doni’s improvement in academic performance. “From UKG onwards to higher secondary, I was a topper in every class,” she added. Recently, the Apeejay student scored an impressive All India Rank (AIR) of 26 in the Graduate Pharmacy Aptitude Test (GPAT), a national level entrance examination for entry into M. Pharm programmes. In an interview, Doni shares her exam preparation strategy and more. Edited excerpts: 

Why did you decide to pursue a pharma programme? What is one thing you like about the pharmacy field? 

I had attended a counselling session and that’s when I gained interest in the subject. I enrolled myself for the course and I have been enjoying it so much.  One thing I really like about the pharmaceutical field is, it provides one with a plethora of opportunities such as to do research, medication dispensing, vigilance, hospital services, clinical services, among others. However, ‘Har field acha hota hai bas bande me dum hona chahiye’ (Every field is filled with opportunities, an aspirant must only have the toughness to excel in it).

You have scored an amazing score in the GPAT exam?  Since when did you start preparing? What was your daily routine like? When shall an aspirant start preparing for this exam? 

The score I got in the GPAT exam was unbelievable for me too! I was stunned when the results were announced because the level of paper was moderate to tough. After giving the exam I only hoped and prayed that I atleast pass this exam. Finally, the results are out and I am happy to have scored so well.

I started my preparation in 6th semester. My daily routine was waking up early and doing revisions of the topics. The toughest part of any competitive exam is revision. I would say the lockdown really helped adding more time to my preparation process. Ideally, an aspirant should start preparing from 5th semester. They can start solving previous year’s question papers to atleast get an idea of what kind of questions come as well as which topics are important. 

What were your preparation strategies?

The only mantra that I relentlessly followed was: revise all the topics as much as possible. Another most important thing is to maintain a balanced diet  and get a good sleep. 

How important is it to have an effective study plan to crack the GPAT exam?

To crack a competitive exam, creating a study plan becomes imperative – otherwise you will get lost in what subject you have studied and what you haven’t.The inspiration of my study was Tina Dabi, the UPSC topper 2017 batch. I created a plan according to my schedule and yes, it helped me a lot. Study plan gives an idea about the small goals that aspirants need to achieve on a daily basis. And taking these baby steps, you are able to cover a lot of the study course and become well-prepared for the final day. 

How did solving sample papers and appearing for mock tests help you in preparation?

I started solving sample papers in my third year of college. I also used to solve previous year’s questions and appear for mock tests. One thing that I was focused on was to be consistent with solving papers. Mock test gives you an idea about your preparation status, helps you identify your strengths and weaknesses. So, I gave as many mock tests as I could and it literally helped me to boost my rank .

Another thing about giving a mock test is you can invest about half an hour in analysing why and what went wrong and write it on paper . So that next time whenever you come across the same question it will click in your mind and this time you will get it right.  That’s the point of giving multiple mock tests .Even though you haven’t revised your entire syllabus, don’t skip your mock test. Do not procrastinate!  

What is your next plan and where do you see yourself in another five years?

At present, the goal is to pursue Masters and then in the upcoming years, I see myself gaining more knowledge and skill relevant to the field so that I can do something better for the society.