Class 10 CBSE exam toppers say that slow and steady was their success mantra

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.

The CBSE class X exams were held from February 15 to March 21, 2023. The exams were conducted from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm and 21.87 lakh students registered for the CBSE class X exams this year.

Taking the Board exam for the first time can be daunting if not overwhelming. Students are unsure of the question paper pattern and it is an exam away from the school – away from their comfort zone. What makes toppers stand apart and gives them an edge is how they prepare for this exam and their entire approach on D-day.

For Pratyaksh Chauhan of Apeejay School, Noida who scored 99.6 per cent and ranked No 1 in his school, the class X result was on the expected lines. “I was sure that I would get an aggregate of over 98 per cent. But this score is high and I am thrilled. I have taken up PCM and will sit for JEE Advance, get a high score, and get admission to IIT-Bombay.

Ishita Jain with a score of 98.6 per cent, ranked No 2 at her school. “Now that I am in class XI, I have taken PCM. I plan to take the JEE exam in the future. I would like to attribute my success to my parents; they motivated me. My tuition teachers were very good. My school teachers helped me clear any doubts that I had,” Jain said, who got centum in Math and 98 marks in Science.

Tied for the No 2 rank is Keshav Vaid as well, who scored 98.6 per cent. “I am happy with the result. I was expecting a good result and this is what I had predicted. I want to sit for JEE Advance and pursue Computer engineering,” he shared.

Divyangna Rajora, who scored an aggregate of 98.4 per cent and ranked No 3 in her school said that while she is happy, she opines that she could have done better. “There is always scope for improvement. I would have been thrilled had I scored 99 per cent and above. I like to push myself. I got centum in French. My parents are happy with this score though. I have taken up PCM with Physical Education. My parents are in the IT sector and I want to work in the same field. So, I will sit for the JEE exam when the time comes,” Rajora said.

Not to be left behind is Keerti Gupta, who also ranked No 3 with 98.4 per cent. “I was in the class when I came to know about the result. I didn’t have a very good reaction. I told my mother to recheck the result. But then it all sunk in and the score thrilled me. I had not done well in my pre-Boards. But then I scored 99 in Math, centum in English, Science-96, SST-98, and German-100. These marks shocked me,” Gupta said, who aspires to sit for the JEE exams.

Another third ranker at Apeejay School Noida is Divija Pandey, who like Rajora scored a 98.4 per cent aggregate. “The aggregate was unexpected; so I am happy. For some subjects, I got the exact marks that I had predicted. I got centum in Math and SST; in English, it is 99; in German, it is 97, and Science in it 96. After I had given my Math exam, I knew that it had gone well and that I got full marks, at least in this subject. It pays to be confident,” Pandey said.

Study plan of the toppers

Chauhan ensured that he hit the ground running. The minute he came into class X, he started studying from day one. “This helped me to remain calm as the exams neared and I didn’t have to scramble to study at the last minute. I used to study for three to four hours. But from January this year, this went up to seven to eight hours a day,” Chauhan said.

Vaid on the other hand, picked up speed in the last three months before the Board exam. “If one is consistent, it is easy to score well in this exam. I would sit down and study for five to six hours and pick up two subjects daily,” Vaid shared.

To score a centum, Jain ensured that she practiced daily and took the tests and the exams that the school conducted to prepare them for the Boards. “These tests were extremely helpful,” Jain said.

Rajora took a bit of what Chauhan did and a bit of what Vaid did. “When I came to class X, I ensured that I was updated with whatever was being taught in the class. And a few months before the Board exams, I picked up the pace. I consulted extra books for Math and Science and took tuition as well,” Rajora said.

Gupta’s success mantra was to get her basic concept cleared and studied consistently. “I would attentively listen to the lectures in the class. This helped me to still answer the questions correctly even if I forgot what I had learnt. Poonam ma’am, my class teacher, really helped me. She taught SST. Her notes and lectures helped me,” Gupta said.

Pandey’s study plan began when her school completed its studies in October-November. “This helped. I took the periodic tests that the school conducted. I took all the exams very seriously. This ensured that I didn’t panic at the last moment,” Pandey said and credits her teachers at Apeejay for her success.

“I also studied from NCERT books and the notes that were given in the class for all theory subjects and revised them. For Math, I studied Exemplar and NCERT. A day before the exam, I would study from the flashcards that I had made for each subject. This helped in quick revision. I also slept for at least eight to nine hours,” Pandey said.

Tackling fear

“I have always been a good student throughout. Also, our teachers told us that pre-Boards are tougher. When I got good marks in this exam, I got confident. My success mantra is Work hard, party hard. I also play sports like lawn tennis, badminton, and cricket,” Chauhan said, who scored centum in all the subjects barring Social Science where he scored 98.

Vaid was extremely confused on the first day of the exam. “We had never taken an exam of this kind before. There were bound to be some apprehensions. But after the first exam, I realised it was like a school exam and it became a breeze for the other exams,” Vaid said, who scored centum in Math, Social Science, Sanskrit, 98 in Science, and 95 in English.

To take the pressure off and tackle exam jitters, Rajora ensured that she would not study till late into the night. “A day before the exam I would study till late afternoon and then relax to give my mind a break. I would also wake up early on D-day and quickly revise. I also played games to take small breaks in between studying,” Rajora said, who plays tennis and takes classes for the same. She even plays badminton with her father and plays in local tournaments.

Gupta said that it was normal for her to feel a bit apprehensive. “But I calmed and reassured myself that I am well-prepared since my concepts are cleared. I also told myself that it was fine if I didn’t score centum in every subject. This helped,” she added.

Pressure from the parents

Vaid said that while he had a strategy in place, his mother would egg him on to study more. “She would tell me that I push myself a bit more and remain focused. I do tend to get distracted easily; she kept me grounded. Therefore, my mother has a vital role to play in my success today. If I would get stuck, she would show a way out,” Vaid said, who loves to play tennis and played at state-level but has given this up for now.

“My parents never pressurised me; they were extremely supportive. Even the school teachers were supportive. If I had doubts they would clear them,” Rajora shared.

The pandemic changed a few things

For Rajora, who was an average student, the COVID-19 pandemic made a lot of difference. “After studying online for two years, when I came to class X everyone said that Board exams are tough and a big part of our lives. I knew then I would have to pull up my socks since the scores are going to stay with me for life.

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“The outstanding CBSE results 2023, of Apeejay School, Noida epitomise the zeal of its students for excellence in education. The students are brimming with utmost enthusiasm and fervour to scale new heights, both in academics and co-curriculars alike.”

-MS RITU KOHLI, PRINCIPAL, APEEJAY SCHOOL, NOIDA