The JEE (Joint Entrance Examination) Main 2024 results were unveiled on Feb 13, revealing an exceptional achievement where 23 students achieved a perfect 100 percentile score, including Aaditya Kumar who scored 300/300.
Originally hailing from Bengaluru, Karnataka, Aaditya made a pivotal decision in June 2022 to relocate to Kota, driven by his ambition to conquer the JEE Mains.
News X scheduled an interview with Aaditya Kumar about his success and vocalizing his journey to victory.
How do you feel topping the JEE Main?
It is pretty elating experience, as something which I can not describe in words. And it just makes you feel great when you see all your hard work gets converted to a good result.
How did you prepare for the JEE Main?
If I were to speak subject-specifically, I would say I dedicated almost equal time to all subjects. Mathematics requires a lot of practice, so I solved a multitude of math problems, drawing from various sources such as different books, some from coaching institute modules, and some from publications like Arihant or Vikas Gupta, etc. For Physics, HC Verma is sufficient for JEE Mains purposes, and NCERT serves as a valuable resource to grasp the context, observe different types of illustrations provided, and comprehend the theory.
In Chemistry, NCERT is indispensable. JEE Mains directly extracts statements from NCERT and poses them as questions, making it crucial to thoroughly understand NCERT content. Additionally, dividing Chemistry into Physical Chemistry and Chemical Chemistry, Physical Chemistry necessitates a certain amount of problem-solving practice to maintain a decent calculation speed. For this, I utilized resources like Neeraj Kumar and Narendra Avasthi. Chemical Chemistry is a bit more speculative, requiring practice. For Inorganic Chemistry, I placed significant focus on NCERT, supplementing it with additional resources like JD for JEE Advanced, where I felt the need for more content.
As for Organic Chemistry, since it is primarily concept-based, once you grasp the fundamentals, predicting the products of certain reactions becomes easier. Thus, I must emphasize that NCERT is essential for all divisions of Chemistry.
How did you manage your stress levels?
So for escaping or staying away from stress I had days when I had certain time of the day when, I would spare like 1 and a half hour doing recreational activities. It could be anything like going for a walk or just looking at the night sky, making a sketch, talking with my friends, playing badminton, recollecting with my school friends, it could be anything. And even after that if I would have felt low I would go to my parents and talk to them and they would help me get through.
Who was the most supportive through your preparation parents / teachers ?
I would say it was my mother. She has been extremely supportive from the beginning. She has been here with me, working from home, and so she has observed me studying. There, she comes to add valuable inputs where I need to work more, such as avoiding silly mistakes and rectifying improper time management. That’s for the academic side. She has been emotionally supportive as well, and she is also a good listener.
Did your parents / teachers help you manage stress?
I would say that the acknowledgment is due to both my family and my friends. My teachers also merit recognition as they played the role of mentors more than just educators. The outcomes held the same significance for them as they did for us, and they consistently provided support. They engaged with us in various ways, be it academic discussions, casual conversations, or enjoying recreational activities together. Speaking about friends, their presence is truly valuable. In a competitive environment, being surrounded by enthusiastic individuals aids in maintaining motivation and persevering. And unquestionably, my parents have been by my side since the beginning.
What has been your biggest learning during your preparation?
I would say that believing in yourself is crucial. As we often end up underestimating ourselves and what we can achieve.
What is the biggest mistake students make during their prep?
I would say it is improper time management. As time goes by, people start losing focus due to several distractions. Hence, it is important not to deviate from your aim. Usually, students do not allocate much time to the subjects they dislike, but rather focus on their favorite subjects, which can be extremely harmful.
How does one deal with depression?
Depression starts when we come in contact with some sort of negative influences, and the best way to deal with it is to eliminate them, as there is no point in arguing and trying to make others understand or deal with things that are not suitable. Hence, stay away from negative interactions whenever you encounter them.
