Grades don’t determine your self-worth: CBSE class 12 Term 1 toppers of Apeejay Noida

Vanshika Singh, who topped the school with 97.8%, said the preparation of IIT JEE helped her face Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)  in Term 1 Board Exam. “Since class 11, I have been preparing for JEE and that has polished my ability to crack MCQs. However, I had to be extremely thorough with my preparation because to score well in this format you need to be clear with every concept and topic. It’s only then you can score good marks as often in MCQs many answers will seem correct. I read my NCERT books comprehensively, studied attentively and solved a lot of sample papers.”

Vanshika said her biggest challenge was to stay physically active during the pandemic. “Managing digital distractions was not a big issue for me as I am not on social media. I only use WhatsApp. Though staying at home for prolonged periods of time can pose a significant challenge for remaining physically active. To detoxify myself, I used to play badminton, workout at home and go for walks. Also, I never compromise on my sleep.”

She explained her ‘don’t obsess over marks’ mantra for success. “I have been regularly doing well in exams. In fact, in class 10 boards, I missed the top position by just two marks. I believe board exams help you in your future studies and admissions and should be taken seriously, if not obsessively. Nevertheless, I would like to make it clear that grades don’t determine your self-worth.Each one of us has so much potential. For instance, I am doing not-so-well in my IIT JEE preparation, but that doesn’t mean I am not a good student.”

She added, “For the CBSE Term 2 board exams I will solve a lot of past papers as subjective questions tend to get repeated.”

Shruti Heda from Humanities stream stood second with 96.9%. She said, “Solving mock papers for subjects such as Maths is extremely important. It helps you to mentally prepare for exams and get used to exam patterns. I also got all my doubts cleared from teachers. Staying calm during or before an exam is equally critical.”

Sharing her strategy to reduce digital distractions and improve focus, Shruti commented, “For the most part of class 11, I struggled to wean myself from digital devices as I didn’t have a routine. I’ve realised it’s vital to have a good routine during exam time or otherwise to make you accountable and bring order into your life.”

She added, “As our curriculum slowly goes beyond marks and assesses students holistically, people will soon realise that marks are not everything. For example, Delhi University has opted for the Central Universities Common Entrance Test (CU-CET ) as the mode of entrance exam for undergraduate admissions for academic session 2022-23. This will level the playing field for students. Being consistently obsessed with marks and letting grades define your self-worth will only give you mental agony. Don’t think of marks, just give your best.”

Talking about her future plans, Shruti said she wants to pursue her graduation in Economics.

Arnav Vajpayee, who is from Commerce stream, stood third with 96.5%. “I practiced solving a lot of MCQs and worked on clearing my concepts. It’s important to start the preparation early rather than exert yourself when the exams are approaching.”

With a lot of universities opting for the Common Entrance Test, Arnav too said marks will not make or break your career. “Due to the Common Entrance Test the prominence of Board marks will gradually be reduced.”  Arnav aims to pursue Integrated Programme in Management from IIM Indore.

Our students have worked tirelessly to achieve perfection and up to a large extent, despite all kinds of difficulties and challenges due to pandemic and online education, they have been successful. They fulfilled the expectations they had from themselves and their teachers and parents. I credit all the teachers for putting in the hard work. I am also thankful to the continuous support we have received from our parents. Lastly, I am deeply grateful to the management for their cooperation and guidance.

-DR. AK SHARMA, PRINCIPAL, APEEJAY SCHOOL, NOIDA