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How do you achieve a good All India Rank in JEE Advanced? Topper reveals

JEE Advanced top ranker also reveals how he kept himself motivated through the preparation process

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When it comes to JEE Advanced, what matters is one’s critical thinking skills, says Ankur Khetan, AIR 785, from Apeejay School, Pitampura. And practise is what helps you perfect that skill, he adds. In an interview, the aspiring engineer shares his future plans, how he tackled exam fear and more. Edited excerpts:

Are you happy with your performance? How did your parents and teachers react?

I am happy with my rank. After my results, I visited my school to meet my teachers and principal ma’am. All of them were very happy with my rank as well as that of the other toppers from the school. They congratulated me. My parents are also very happy.

What IITs are you planning for? Which subjects have you chosen and why?

I want to take up either electrical engineering at IIT Delhi or Computer Science at IIT Kanpur. These are among the most sought-after branches, and the bonus is that I actually like these two. Computer Science especially has a great career scope nowadays. I am getting my desired choices in IIT Madras also, but since it is too far from home, I would prefer the IITs I mentioned earlier.

Also Read: JEE Advanced AIR 393 reveals how to prepare for a tricky question paper

Did you always want to become an engineer?

My grandfather was a civil engineer. It was in class 11 only that I realised I liked Physics. I also did some coding as well, which I enjoyed. Engineering is majorly based on these two subjects—Physics and Computer Science. So, that is how I decided to get into engineering.

How does one achieve a good AIR? Please share tips.

JEE Mains is more of a basic-level exam, where you do not have to think much; speed is more important. In Advanced, you have to apply your thinking skills more. So, the difference in preparation is in terms of your revision. I mostly studied my coaching module and coaching papers, which were sufficient. The majority of the question paper is from the notes only. So, if you have thoroughly studied your notes, it will cover 70-80 per cent of the JEE Advanced question paper. If you try to focus on the other 20 per cent at the cost of the rest, it will be disastrous for you. JEE Advanced is anyway not the type of exam where you have to attempt all questions. So, even if you just attempt those that you know very well and solve them accurately, you can get a very good rank.

How did you develop critical thinking skills?

Practice and IQ. It also depends on how your teachers guide you, what kind of papers you solve and how much you think.

Exam jitters are common, making it difficult for a student to think clearly at the time of the exam. How does one cope with it?

This happens to most people—it has happened to me also quite a few times. I experienced this even in the first JEE Mains session. But after that, in the second Mains and Advanced exams, I decided I would not panic no matter what happens. That was my mantra. You have to believe in staying calm.

How did you ensure you stayed motivated and focused throughout your preparation journey?

Sometimes, it indeed became tiring and boring. Having said that, I knew there was no other way but to stay focused and calm. Meanwhile, my teachers motivated me. There was no added stress of living up to my parents’ or anyone else’s expectations.

Meditation is a good way to de-stress. I used to do it in class 11 but lost touch later on. Besides, taking breaks is important. Studying for prolonged hours continuously can become tough. Instead, one can study for two hours at a time and then take a break. One can concentrate better that way.

Disha Roy Choudhury is a Principal Correspondent at Apeejay Newsroom. She has worked as a journalist at different media organisations. She is also passionate about music and has participated in reality shows.

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