Class 10 CBSE exam toppers say that self-study & NCERT books came in handy

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on May 12, 2023, declared the Board exam results for classes X and XII. The overall pass percentage for class X results this year is 93.12 per cent, which is a dip from last year. This year, girls have done better than boys by 1.98 per cent.

Taking the Board exam for the first time can be stressful. However, what makes toppers stand apart and gives them an edge over the others is how they prepare for this exam and their entire approach a day before the exam.

The class X CBSE result at Apeejay School, Nerul was outstanding once again — three students scored centum in French, eight who scored 100 in Math, two got centum in English and Science each, 10 students scored a centum in Social Science and nine got a 100 in Sanskrit.

For Janhavi Kundan Patil, who scored an aggregate of 99 per cent, the result left her speechless. “I was so thrilled with the marks that it didn’t register for a few seconds. I was not expecting to top in my school. I plan to take the NEET exam and have opted for PCB,” Patil said.

Ritobroto Mukherjee, who ranked No 2 with 98.6 per cent in aggregate scored a 98 in English, 99 in Math, 100 in Sanskrit, 97 in Science, and 99 in Social Science. “I have opted for PCM with Biology. I want to pursue engineering. When I got to know my marks, I was thrilled,” Mukherjee said.

Not to be outdone was Utkarsh Kothari, who also ranked No 2 as well with 98.6 per cent aggregate. “Self-study came in handy for me. I didn’t take any tuitions in class X and balanced my studies with other activities as well. I have a YouTube channel — youtube.com/utkarshkothari — where I share some financial tips since I am obsessed with finance. My dream is to study at SRCC in Delhi,” Kothari said, who was ecstatic with his score.

At rank No 3 were three contenders — Anvi Jain, Divyanka Bansal, and Nipun Dan; all three scored 98.4 per cent aggregate. Dan, who has scored centum in three subjects – Social Science, Math, and Sanskrit, said that he has always believed that any achievement is not made alone but with the aid of uncountable helping hands which you to the top.

“Apart from my parents, it was teachers and my friends at Apeejay School, Nerul who helped me achieve my Board performance today. I want to convey my heartfelt thank you to Regional Director Mr Rakesh Joshi sir as well for his guidance and support. I pray their blessings remain with me as I prepare to tackle my future exams like NEET,” Dan said.

Jain, who is pursuing PCB and wants to become a doctor like her father said that she would study from 7 am. “I preferred to study during the day time,” Jain said and added that she could have done better.

Bansal said that her result was on the expected lines. “I scored centum in French and English. In Math I got 99, Science I scored a 96 and Social Science 97,” She said and is happy with her result.

Success mantra

Patil said that she attributes her success to the fact that she thoroughly studied the NCERT books for all the subjects a couple of times before the exam. “I also studied from reference books like Together With… for the answers. My study routine included taking notes; I prioritised this to help me remember the concepts. During my school days, I would come back and sit down to study Math,” Patil said, who also studied for NEET along side her Boards. She attributes her success to her parents, teachers, and friends who supported her all through.

It was his teachers who helped him get these brilliant marks, Mukherjee said. “My parents were also extremely supportive. Three months before the exam were consistent studies but I would also go out and play sometimes,” Mukherjee shared.  

Bansal credits her school teachers and parents for such a fantastic score. “I also practiced a lot. For Math, I used reference books but for the rest I stuck to NCERT books. A day before the exam, I would revise only from the NCERT,” Bansal said.

Dan has also never seen much meaning in studying for long hours and never studied for more than half-an-hour at one sitting. “I gave my complete attention to the teachers in class and that nearly cleared my concepts so wonderfully that I never felt the need to study intensively. I also solved 20-25 sample papers per subject as the exams approached. Thank to my friends for keeping my mood fresh and maintaining the competition which made me strive for the best,” he said.

Tackling stress and fear

For Patil, the routine was simple. “I ensured that I took small breaks in between my study time; I used Pomodoro Technique — a time management method based on 25-minute stretches of focused work broken by five-minute breaks. This helped me to remain focused,” Patil shared.

Mukherjee, on the other hand, was a bit nervous just before his first exam. “On the day of the exam, I offered my prayers and tried to keep my focus on the paper only. I didn’t let myself get distracted by what other students were doing,” Mukherjee said.

Unlike most students who spent their time cramming for the exam for the next day, Kothari would stop studying at 6pm. “I ensured that I had read all the important questions by 6pm. I also had a ‘no gadget’ rule.  I spent time with the family; I would call my relatives and take their blessings as well,” Kothari said, who has opted for Commerce since he wants to pursue Chartered Accountancy like his father.

“Exams can be daunting. But I used to go for Olympiad tuition. The CBSE exam was a cakewalk for me. Since I had studied for the Olympiad, this exam appeared simpler,” Jain said and said that whenever she got stuck her parents would sit with her and answer her queries.

Advise to students taking exam in 2024

Mukherjee had a few tips to students who will be taking the class X exam in the coming years. “Revision is the key. Second, attempt as many CBSE exam sample papers as possible. This will help the students analyse where they are going wrong and bring improvement. I myself solved sample questions papers from Oswaal, Together With… and those given on the official CBSE website; these were very thought-provoking,” Mukherjee said.

Study plan

Mukherjee had a simple study plan for the exams. “I stuck to the routine that the school had set for us and curriculum. The teachers taught us smoothly and I went with whatever was taught to us. I had studied from a few reference books but mainly I stuck to the NCERT books. I didn’t have a fixed number of hours of study plan. A night before, I would sit and make a time table for the next day and stick to it,” Mukherjee recounted.

Like Kothari, Bansal also did self-study. “To begin with, I was relaxed. But once the exam drew nearer, I got more serious and took the tests that the school conducted. This is when I would study the entire day by taking small breaks. I also ensured I got proper sleep,” Bansal said.