JEE (Main) Session 2: Top strategies from high achievers

The JEE Mains 2024 Session 2 results were announced on April 25, 2025, with numerous students from Apeejay Schools achieving commendable scores. Among them are Saarthak Singh, Nandikaa Singh, Siddharth Vivek, and Kanishk Malhotra of Apeejay School, Nerul. These students who studied a combination of Physics, Chemistry, and Math aspire to pursue a career in engineering – Computer Science and or Electronics.

In the challenging world of engineering entrance exams where lakhs of students take the exam, these students have set a high standard not only through their scores but also through their strategic preparation and disciplined approach to one of India’s toughest exams.

Saarthak expressed satisfaction, revealing a score of 99.22 percentile in JEE Mains Session 2, maintaining a similar performance from the first session where he also scored 99.22 but slightly less, 99.10, in the second session. “I am happy that I have bettered my score and the next step is to take the advanced JEE and pursue Computer Engineering,” he said and added that he managed to get a slightly good percentile since he focused more on the revision, which he found crucial as the exam neared. This strategy, he shared, helps in correctly recalling the syllabus during exams.

“Any exam can be challenging when you also have to take the Board exams. However, I ensured that I gave equal preparation to JEE and Board exams. What made things easy was the syllabus of the Boards and JEE preparation is similar and you have to concentrate on the NCERT which is foundational for both exams. Hence, I was more relaxed for Session 2. Also, there was a month between class XII Board and JEE exams, which made serious preparation easy,” Saarthak explained.

Nandikaa too was pleased with her performance in JEE Session 2, noting an improvement from her previous results. “In the first session, I got a 97.3 percentile, and in the second session, I scored 98.03. I would attribute my success in my study approach, to focusing more on practicing questions rather than merely revising theory,” she said.

Balancing her Board exams simultaneously, Nandikaa explained her strategy: “During the Board exams, I concentrated solely on those. Once they were over, I intensified my practice with more questions and then revisited JEE material. For those wanting to take the JEE exam next year; I would emphasise the importance of solidifying basic concepts before advancing to more complex topics and the necessity of ample practice,” she advised and highlighted the crucial support she received from her school and teachers, which helped her balance her school responsibilities with JEE preparation effectively.

“They were extremely supportive, allowing me to prioritize JEE alongside schoolwork and assisting me in clarifying concepts,” she stated. She also acknowledged the tremendous support from her parents, who encouraged her throughout.

“In Session 1, I achieved a 96.78 percentile and now in Session 2, I have reached 97.51,” Siddharth shared. At present, preparing for the JEE Advanced, he aims to pursue a degree in either Computer Science or Electronics.

He attributed his improved score to a strategic shift in his preparation, focusing more on practicing problem-solving questions and reducing the time spent on theory, emphasising the practical nature of the exam questions.

Sidharth also offered advice to future candidates, stressing the importance of performing well in the first session to alleviate pressure in the subsequent one, given the escalating competition each year. “I prioritised JEE preparation while relying on school sessions to cover Board-related studies adequately. I mainly focused on my JEE preparations and a little less on the Boards because school was covering all the necessary studies. This approach ensured that I was well-prepared for both exams. I had devised this strategy the minute I came into class XII,” Siddharth shared.

Kanishk on the other hand followed a more rigorous schedule, splitting his day between Board preparations in the morning and focusing on Math questions for the JEE (Main) Session 2 in the afternoon. “During study leave, I dedicated time to Board studies and revised theory, which also helped in my JEE preparation,” he added. He also appreciated the support from his school teachers, who were instrumental during his illness by providing notes and consistently uploading practice questions to aid his study.

Offering advice to future examinees, Kanishk emphasised the importance of focusing on weaker areas. “Practice more on what you don’t know than what you do know,” he advised who scored 96.913 in this session as compared to 93.44 in the first, stressing that mastering unfamiliar problems is crucial for improving exam performance.

He attributed his better performance primarily to his enhanced focus on Math, where he increased his percentile from 91 to 98. “I focused a lot on my Math, tackling questions that were asked in the 2024 session across all ten shifts,” he said.

Looking ahead, Kanishk plans to sit for the JEE Advanced, though his immediate goal is the BITS entrance exams, where he feels he has a better chance. He aspires to study Computer Science, aiming for a career in Software Engineering.