Interviews
‘Stay on track with a focused game plan’
A Class XII student at Apeejay School, Noida, advises future JEE aspirants not to give up on extracurriculars
Many students in Class XII set their sights on competitive exams like the JEE to pursue a career in engineering. With emerging fields such as Artificial Intelligence driving interest in Computer Science, students are increasingly aware of the need for analytical thinking and strong mathematical skills. Balancing academics with extracurricular passions, they devise focused strategies and rely on expert guidance to reach their goals and secure admission into premier institutes.
Meet one such student – Dhairrya Meennahalli Palleda of Class XII at Apeejay School, Noida, who aspires to make a career in Computer Science. In a candid interview, he talks about his preparations for the Board and JEE exams.
What are your plans after taking the Board exams?
I’m hoping to get into Computer Science at IIT Roorkee. I am particularly interested partly because of Artificial Intelligence, and also because of the way the field is growing. It’s opening up more and more opportunities.
Do you think a student needs any specific traits to pursue Computer Science?
Yes, I think it’s important to have excellent mathematical skills and strong logical thinking. Writing a code requires a lot of critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
What’s your preparation strategy for JEE now that you’re in Class XII?
Right now, the school and JEE syllabi are progressing rapidly, so my priority is to complete the Class XII syllabus first. The JEE syllabus is expected to finish the syllabus by October, so once that’s done, I’ll start revising the Class XI topics.
What challenges are you currently facing, and how are you managing them?
At the moment, things are manageable because not much of the syllabus has been covered. The pace will pick up soon. I’m attending school regularly, but I plan to focus more on JEE after the summer vacation.
What advice would you give to students aspiring to take the JEE?
I’d say don’t give up on extracurricular activities. I love playing football and continued playing throughout Class XI. Also, always take guidance from your teachers; they are very experienced and know how to guide students effectively. It’s all about maintaining a balance between academics and other interests.
