How to Crack

JEE Main
 How to Crack JEE Main

Contents
Introduction3

JEE Main 2015 Topper Interviews

Sankalp Gaur- Scored 345 out of 360 4

Pranay Agarwal- Scored 341 out of 360 9

Tanuj Kaza- Scored 335 out of 360 12

Rishabh Shah- Scored 332 out of 360 15

Pritesh Kumbhare- Scored 320 out of 360 18

2
 How to Crack JEE Main

Introduction

I
n our quest to bring all the information that helps you in your preparation
of JEE Main, we conducted interviews of the toppers of JEE Main 2015. This
E-book is a collection of those interviews, which will not only help you in
getting the success mantras of these talented students, but also inspire you to
perform exceptionally, because till last year even these students were aspir-
ants like you.

Today, they are sharing their insights on preparation strategy and success
tips on how to ace JEE Main, which is considered as one of the toughest engi-
neering entrance exams in the country. Also, they speak about their prepara-
tion of JEE Advanced and future dreams. Who knows, next year you may be
the one featuring in this book!

Get real-time News & Alerts on JEE Main & JEE Advanced at your
fingertips with Careers360 App! Click here to Download
3
 How to Crack JEE Main

JEE Main 2015 Topper

Interviews

How Sankalp Gaur cored 345 out of 360

S
ankalp Gaur, the Pune boy did wonders once again! Not only did he
score the highest marks (345/360) in JEE Main 2015 but also obtained
the All India Rank (AIR) 1 out of 13.05 lakh JEE Main candidates. A
good student throughout his school days, Sankalp had scored 97.80% in Class
XII from DAV Public School, Pune and also achieved AIR 56 in JEE Advanced
2015.

The music and sports enthusiast is an ardent fan of Indian cricket icon MS
Dhoni and his super cool approach; and enjoys playing cricket and badmin-
ton along with cycling to keep himself charged up amidst the strict study
regime. Sankalp firmly believes in the phrase all work and no play, makes Jack
a dull boy.

Sankalp says he believes that more than putting meticulous efforts, it is

the love for science that led to his success. This precisely being the reason,
Sankalp aims to go for research in Pure Physics unlike most of his fellow engi-

4
 How to Crack JEE Main

neering aspirants who aspire for either corporate placements or lucrative job
opportunities after their engineering programme.

In the exclusive chat with Careers360, Sankalp shares his success strategy,
future plans and hobbies. Read on to know more about him.

Careers360: Congratulations on your stupendous performance! Were

you expecting All India Rank 1?
Sankalp: Thank you! Since I had topped the JEE Main exam with a score of
345 out of 360, I was sure of obtaining a top rank. However, I was not sure of
securing the Rank 1! This definitely came as a pleasant surprise.

Careers360: How did you celebrate your sucess?

Sankalp: I enjoyed the moment with my family, friends and my teachers.
Without their guidance this achievement would not have been possible.

Careers360: What according to you are the key factors behind your
spectacular performance?
Sankalp: Love for the subjects is the main reason behind the success along
with regular and systematic study regime. I worked hard for the past 2 years
and even decreased the time for recreation but that did not appear to be much
of a burden for me as I really enjoyed studying the subjects Maths, Physics
and Chemistry. Also, my teachers from school and coaching institute guided
and motivated me a lot.

Careers360: Did you decide to go for engineering on your own or the

decision was put on you by your parents/well-wishers?
Sankalp: Frankly, since my childhood I was focused on pursuing Pure Sci-
ence and not Engineering. After Class X, my teachers suggested that pursuing
engineering would be a better choice as I will not only be able to know the
details about the subjects but also the practical and application aspect of the
area as well. Engineering leads to more diverse career pathways and I can
pursue Pure Science after completing engineering as well. Since then I have
had a focused approach in cracking JEE.

Get real-time News & Alerts on JEE Main & JEE Advanced at your
fingertips with Careers360 App! Click here to Download
5
 How to Crack JEE Main

Careers360: Tell us something about your family. How was your sup-
port system, especially from family?
Sankalp: I belong to a nuclear family. My father is a DGM of Arms and Am-
munition Factory, Khadki, Pune. My mother was working with High Energy
Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL) but she left the job 2 years back just
to be with me and support me in these crucial years. Since I belong to a small
family, she felt that I needed someone to be there by my side. I really appreci-
ate and value this sacrifice and owe my success to her. Last but not the least;
my pet dog is the fourth and youngest member of my family who has been my
stress buster throughout!
My family members did not put any pressure on me regarding studies or
career. They supported all my decisions. Since I have always been a fairly good
student, they had faith in me and my decisions.

Careers360: What was your preparation strategy?

Sankalp: On regular days, after attending school and coaching, I used to
study for 2 to 3 hours. During holidays, I studied for 6 to 7 hours. My coaching
institute helped me a lot. It guided me in the right direction and kept me mo-
tivated through my preparation. There was not much pressure of homework
or stress on tests. Hence, I had focused on studying with full concentration.

Careers360: Which subject was the easiest and which was the tough-
est for you? Did you decide your test taking strategy accordingly?
Sankalp: Maths and Physics are my favourite subjects and I enjoyed study-
ing them. Chemistry on the other hand was a bit tough and complicated for
me due to the vast knowledge and theoretical aspect that is involved in the
subject.
Accordingly, I had decided my test taking strategy. I had attempted Chem-
istry first followed by Physics and Maths. Since I had attempted the maximum
number of questions from Maths, I wanted to solve them in peace and score
as much marks as possible.

Careers360: Do you think coaching is necessary to crack the JEE Main

and Advanced exams?
Sankalp: I believe to obtain a high rank, you need guidance from coaching.
The school level education is not enough to help you crack the exam. I found

6
 How to Crack JEE Main

the text books to be disorganized as well. On the other hand, coaching insti-
tutes follow a systematic approach. The teachers keep you motivated as well
which is a real good confidence booster.

Careers360: It was quite a busy preparation schedule for you. Could

you find time to connect with your friends during preparation?
Sankalp: I was always connected with my friends as they are either from
my school or coaching institute. I did find out time to chat with them and dis-
cuss the tough problems and their solutions. Moreover, nobody can study the
whole day so a little bit of chat outside studies did not harm me!

Careers360: Are you active on Facebook or any other social media

platform?
Sankalp: No, I am not on Facebook. However, I am quite active on What-
sApp and Google+.

Careers360: Do you enjoy watching movies? What is your favourite

movie genre?
Sankalp: I do enjoy watching Science Fiction movies. I watched Jurassic
World recently. Apart from movies, I like watching cartoons and informative
documentaries on Discovery and National Geographic channels.

Careers360: Did you turn to any recreational activities during your

preparation?
Sankalp: During breaks, I used to go for cycling to keep myself fit. I am a
music enthusiast and listen to music whenever I get a chance. Although I used
to play badminton and cricket but I had curbed down the duration of these
sports significantly after Class X so as not to hamper preparation for XIIth
boards and JEE.

Careers360: So, what is your favourite sport? Any sportsperson you

look up to?
Sankalp: My favourite sport is badminton. Among sportsperson I admire
MS Dhoni due to his leadership quality and super cool approach.

Get real-time News & Alerts on JEE Main & JEE Advanced at your
fingertips with Careers360 App! Click here to Download
7
 How to Crack JEE Main

Careers360: Who is your idol?

Sankalp: I do not have any particular person as my idol. However, I admire
and respect those scientists, who work tirelessly to serve the mankind with-
out striving for fame or money.

Careers360: What is your preferred IIT and Engineering branch?

Sankalp: I hope to get in IIT Bombay with Electrical Engineering branch.
After completing B.Tech I want to do my Masters degree in Pure Physics. In
future I would like to go for research.

Careers360: The JEE Main 2015 Rank List declaration was postponed
by CBSE. How did the delay affect you?
Sankalp: Though I had AIR 56 in JEE Advanced and I was sure to get IIT
of my choice, still I was curious to know my JEE Main rank. Frankly, I did not
expect Rank 1 but I was sure to be among the top 5 owing to scoring the high-
est score in JEE Main. Hence the delay made me anxious.

Careers360: What is your advice for the JEE aspirants who will be ap-
pearing for the entrance exam next year?
Sankalp: Most of the aspirants think that JEE is tough. But if you develop
an interest and explore the beauty of the subjects, it will not be a big deal to
crack the exam. Along with your school and coaching, make sure you keep
some time for focused self-preparation. Number of hours of study does not
matter, the amount of concentration you put matters the most.

8
 How to Crack JEE Main

How Pranay Agarwal scored 341 out of 360

P
ranay Agarwal, scoring 341 of 360 in JEE Main 2015, credits his suc-
cess to NCERT books and sincere self-study. Pranay, who deactivated
his facebook page and kept his mobile phone aside for months during
his preparation period for JEE Main, shares his success mantra and strategy to
crack the next level -JEE Advanced 2015.

Read here what the JEE Main 2015 Topper says regarding his JEE Main 2015
Preparation and exam taking strategy.

Careers360: Congratulations! How are you feeling by being in the JEE

Main 2015 toppers club?
Pranay Aggarwal: Thank you so much. Though I was confident of clear-
ing JEE Main 2015 exam but was not expecting such a nice score. This result
has alerted me to be more focused for the next level. Yes, I am very happy but
trying to concentrate more on JEE Advanced 2015.

Careers360: What was your overall and section wise score in JEE
Main 2015?
Pranay Aggarwal: My total score is 341. I have scored 116 in Chemistry,
115 in Physics and 110 in Mathematics.

Careers360: Now that you are a topper of JEE Main, what do you
think was the key factor behind your spectacular performance in this

Get real-time News & Alerts on JEE Main & JEE Advanced at your
fingertips with Careers360 App! Click here to Download
9
 How to Crack JEE Main

most competitive engineering exam?

Pranay Aggarwal: I cannot name any one key factor behind my suc-
cess. Through study of NCERT Books, continuous guidance from my coaching
institute and sincere self-study, I have been able to score this much marks in
JEE Main exam.

Careers360: What was your exam taking strategy for JEE Main 2015?
Pranay Aggarwal: I started preparing for JEE since I was in Class IX.
Mathematics was my strongest subject. However, I used to devote my time
equally for all the three subjects. I used to remind myself that do not lose con-
centration. It is also very important to know your strengths and weaknesses. I
have always tried to convert my weaknesses into my strengths.

Careers360: How much time you devoted for your preparation?

Pranay Aggarwal: Well initially, apart from my school and coaching
classes, I used to devote two to three hours a day for self-study. But, after
some days I felt that I need to devote more time for self-study, so I started
studying for 5-6 hours a day.

Careers360: So was it a hectic preparation schedule for you? Could

you find time to connect with your friends on Facebook during your
preparation?
Pranay Aggarwal: I am not at all active on Social Media and I do not
have an account on Facebook. I do not have a mobile phone because my only
focus is to crack JEE Advanced exam with a single digital Rank. To connect
with my friends, I simple give them a call.

Careers360: What was the role of your family members in guiding

you towards your performance?
Pranay Aggarwal:Preparing for Class XII Board exams and simultane-
ously studying for JEE Main was a time demanding schedule. At times, I used
to get worried and nervous but my parents have always helped me in over-
coming this pressure and maintaining my pace for study.
My elder sister, always helped me in studies. It was her precious tip to attempt
easy questions first followed by less difficult and the toughest to be solved in
the end, thatmade me solve the paper in the perfect manner.

10
 How to Crack JEE Main

My father, who is a Vice President of a software company in Jaipur, kept me

calmed and adviced me not to take pressure. Many times, he asked me to play
outdoor games and recreate during exam day pressure.

Careers360: So once, you crack JEE Advanced 2015, which engineer-

ing branch would you like to opt and which IIT would you prefer?
Pranay Aggarwal: For engineering branch, Computer Science is my
preference and my dream college is IIT Bombay. But, even if I get a chance to
study another branch in IIT Bombay, I will accept the admission offer.

Careers360: Besides studies what is your favorite activity?

Pranay Aggarwal: I play outdoor games, whenever I get time. I really
enjoy playing cricket with my colony friends. This also helps me in relaxation
and let me concentrate more on studies.

Get real-time News & Alerts on JEE Main & JEE Advanced at your
fingertips with Careers360 App! Click here to Download
11
 How to Crack JEE Main

How Tanuj Kaza scored 335 out of 360

T
anuj Kaza bagged All India Rank 2 in the JEE Main 2015 Rank List.
With his high JEE Main score of 335 out of a total of 360, and 95.85%
in Class XII board, the Maharashtra boy was obviously hoping a high
rank, but he did also not expect AIR 2 coming his way. Earlier, the IIT Bombay
aspirant performed well in JEE Advanced also and bagged All India Rank 45.
A firm believer of Thomas A. Edisons quote -There is no substitute for hard
work, Tanuj says that he put his 100 percent during his preparation journey
and focused completely on work at hand.

A school-level lawn tennis player says that outdoor sports rejuvenated his
mind during prolonged study hours and chatting with friends on WhatsApp
in leisure time relaxed him a lot. In this exclusive chat with Nancy Johri of Ca-
reers360, Tanuj shares more on his success strategy, future plans and hobbies.

Read on to know more about him.

Careers360: Congratulations for your outstanding performance in

JEE Main 2015! How did you celebrate your success?
Tanuj: Thanks a lot. I celebrated with friends and family members as they
have always supported me. This success would have been impossible without
them.

12
 How to Crack JEE Main

Careers360: Were you sure of this top rank in JEE Main 2015?
Tanuj: Yes, I was quite confident of cracking this exam with a good rank.
But achieving All India Rank 2 was unexpected to me also.

Careers360: What was your preparation strategy for JEE Main?

Tanuj: During my preparation, I focused completely on strengthening im-
portant concepts of all subjects- Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics. Apart
from that, I worked vigorously on my weak areas and tried my best for im-
proving on the same.

Careers360: Tell us about your family background.

Tanuj: My father is President of Molson Coors Cobra India Pvt. Ltd and my
mother is a homemaker. They supported me at all times during my JEE prepa-
ration journey. My parents gave me complete freedom regarding my prepara-
tion schedule and how I wanted to study.

Careers360: Do you think coaching is necessary to crack JEE Main

exam?
Tanuj: I believe that it is good to have guidance from coaching experts.
Also, you meet like-minded students in the class who want to crack this exam
with a good rank. This feeling of competition motivates everyone to improve
and give 100%.
But I would like to add that taking coaching classes is not at all compulsory. I
strongly feel that the exam can be cracked with focused self-study. Hard work
with complete devotion to the preparation is keys to success.

Careers360: You would have been very busy with your hectic prepa-
ration schedule before JEE Main exam. Could you also find time to con-
nect with your friends during your preparations?
Tanuj: During the time of preparation, I could not get time to stay con-
nected with my friends. I was not in touch with many of my close friends. But
now I have enough time to hang out with them since the exam is over.

Careers360: Are you active on Facebook or any other social media

platform?

Get real-time News & Alerts on JEE Main & JEE Advanced at your
fingertips with Careers360 App! Click here to Download
13
 How to Crack JEE Main

Tanuj: Yes, I am active on Facebook and WhatsApp.I was connected with

my friends through WhatsApp during the JEE preparation period.

Careers360: What kind of movies you like? Can you name your fa-
vorite movie?
Tanuj: I like watching Hollywood movies, especially action movies. My fa-
vorite movie is Die Hard. I love this movie and I dont think that I will ever
get bored watching it again and again.

Careers360: What did you do to relax your mind amidst study related
pressures?
Tanuj: I used to watch TV when I would get tired after long hours of studies.
I enjoyed watching funny videos on YouTube also to relax.

Careers360: Which is your favorite sport?

Tanuj: Lawn Tennis is my favorite sport. I am a school-level lawn tennis
player and have participated in Mumbai School Sports Association (MSSA)
matches. I play Table Tennis as well.

Careers360: Please share your message for JEE aspirants, who will be
appearing for the entrance exam next year.
Tanuj: It is important to keep calm during hectic preparation phase and
never get tired of putting consistent efforts. Dont get demotivated by fail-
ures. Even if you could not perform well at some point, always keep your in-
spiration level high and give your best next time. Always stay motivated!

Careers360: You are ranked high enough to get the IIT of your choice.
Which is your preferred IIT and engineering branch?
Tanuj: I would like to study Computer Science and Engineering at IIT Bom-
bay. This field of engineering interests me a lot.

14
 How to Crack JEE Main

How Rishabh Shah scored 332 out of 360

R
ishabh Shah secured 332 out of 360 in the national level engineer-
ing exam- JEE Main 2015. He did is HSC from Ryan International,
Mumbai.

Rishabh aspired to become an engineer since his school days, and to achieve
this dream, his parents motivated him throughout his preparations. Accord-
ing to Rishabh, the success mantra to crack JEE Main is self-study and solving
test papers. Throughout his preparation period, he made sure to revise what
he had studied at his coaching and solve at least one test paper every day.

Read his full interview to know what made Rishabh a JEE Main 2015 Topper
and the strategy he followed for JEE Advanced.

Careers360: Congratulations to you and your family! How have been

the reactions?
Rishabh: Thank you. Its a wonderful feeling, and just what I expected and
aimed for. My hard work has paid well. There is quiet celebration in the fam-
ily. All good wishes are coming, but my parents are trying to not get me dis-
tracted and constantly reminding me about preparing for the next level.

Careers360: Tell us about your overall and sectional scores in JEE

Get real-time News & Alerts on JEE Main & JEE Advanced at your
fingertips with Careers360 App! Click here to Download
15
 How to Crack JEE Main

Main 2015 and your exam experience?

Rishabh: My overall score in JEE Main 2015 is 332 out of 360. In Physics I
scored 116, 101 in Chemistry and in Maths I scored 115. I appeared for Paper
1 for B. Tech/B.E admission. A total of 90 objective-type questions were asked,
30 in each subject- Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics. Each question car-
ried 4 marks with negative marking of -1 (25%) for every wrong answer. Over-
all the exam was scoring and of moderate to difficult level.

Careers360: Which section was easiest and difficult for you and what
kind of questions were there?
Rishabh: As per me, the easiest subject was Chemistry, and Maths & Phys-
ics was the toughest. In Physics, some questions were time consuming, a few
areas like wave optics, properties of liquids etc. were totally absent in the
paper, and most of the questions were on Thermodynamics.
Most of the questions in Chemistry were from Organic Chemistry, and I
think they were scoring for almost every student. Organic part had 5 ques-
tions from easy topics like Practical Organic Chemistry, Bimolecular and
Chemistry in Everyday life. Inorganic paper was little unorthodox and had 3
questions to attempt.
In Maths, differential calculus was the easier portion and it played major
part in calculus. Straight Line and Circle had more contribution and 60 per-
cent questions were from Co-ordinate Geometry.

Careers360: Was it all studying for you or there were any recreational
breaks during your preparation period?
Rishabh: Well, it was mostly studies, but yes all work and no play would
make Jack a dull boy, so I was indulged into recreational activities too. Watch-
ing movies was what I used to love, and the last movie I watched was In-
ception. It is important for you to take a break from your studies for a while
and indulge into other activities. Activities like games, movies or just visiting
friends refresh your mind and body which let you study with a fresh energetic
mind.

Careers360: What was your strategy for JEE Main and how will you
prepare for JEE Advanced?
Rishabh: Preparations gets easy when you revise what you have learned

16
 How to Crack JEE Main

in the entire day. I had joined a coaching and after my classes I made sure
that I revise everything I have learned in the class. I used to solve previous
years sample papers, which is important as you get to know about the types
of questions which will be covered in the pattern.
Along with revision, I used to solve atleast 1 test paper each day. For my JEE
Advanced exam I would be following the same strategy as it has already given
me great results.

Careers360: Any suggesstions for JEE Main future aspirants?

Rishabh: Dont be nervous at any stage. If you are willing to achieve, you
will achieve it. Follow a simple strategy of revising and do not get relaxed
after writing your exam. Take maximum one day gap and start preparing for
the next level.

Get real-time News & Alerts on JEE Main & JEE Advanced at your
fingertips with Careers360 App! Click here to Download
17
 How to Crack JEE Main

How Pritesh Kumbhare scored 320 out of 360

J
EE Main 2015 Topper Pritesh Kumbhare secured 320 out of 360 marks in
the coveted entrance exam. Pritesh, who completed his schooling from
Dinanath School and Junior College, Nagpur, Maharashtra, gives credit
for his success in the exam to family support and teachers guidance.

In this interview with Careers360, the topper emphasizes on systematic

study and equal importance to all the three sections Physics, Chemistry
and Mathematics as these were the key factors of his success in the coveted
exam. A fan of Cricket, Pritesh also spends time on social networking web-
sites, watches movies and reads novels.

Careers360: Congratulations for your excellent performance in JEE

Main 2015! How did you make it possible?
Pritesh Kumbhare: Thank you. I am very happy but still a lot is to do for
the next level. I am just focusing on my studies these days. Its hard work, sys-
tematic study, family support, teachers guidance, which helped me achieve
this success.

Careers360: Which subject was easiest and which was toughest.

Pritesh Kumbhare: For me, Physics and Chemistry both were easy;
however Mathematics was a little tough. The overall JEE Main was of moder-
ate difficulty level exam. Since I had prepared well and given equal attention
to all sections, I was quite comfortable while attempting the paper.

18
 How to Crack JEE Main

Careers360: Now that you are a topper of JEE Main, what do you
think was the key factor behind your spectacular performance in this
most competitive engineering exam?
Pritesh Kumbhare: I will not say it was hard work behind my success
but systemic study of all the three subjects Physics, Chemistry and Math-
ematics helped me a lot. Other key factor was I never took stress about the
studies and stayed cool. Thats it.

Careers360: What was your exam taking strategy and routine study
period for JEE Main?
Pritesh Kumbhare: I did not have any such preparation strategy for the
big exam. Apart from my regular studies for Class 12, I gave 3 hours to JEE
Main, devoting 1 hour to each subject. For me, it does not matter how much
time I spent with books. What is important is that what I have learnt to never
forget.

Careers360: So was it a hectic preparation schedule for you? Could

you find time to connect with your friends on Facebook during your
preparation?
Pritesh Kumbhare: Yes. It was a little hectic preparation schedule.
However, I was in touch with my friends whenever I got free time after my
study for the day. I frequently used social platforms to know whats happen-
ing around the world. I am on Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin.

Careers360: What was the role of your family members in guiding

you towards your performance?
Pritesh Kumbhare: They helped me a lot when I was busy with studying
for JEE Main. They never put a mental pressure regarding studies but always
motivated me for better preparation. This worked for me in a very positive
way.

Careers360: How do you plan your preparation for JEE Advanced?

Pritesh Kumbhare: There is no new preparation strategy for JEE Ad-
vanced. I will like to repeat the way I studied for JEE Main. I am again focusing
on systematic study of a few hours each day. All the three subjects demand

Get real-time News & Alerts on JEE Main & JEE Advanced at your
fingertips with Careers360 App! Click here to Download
19
 How to Crack JEE Main

equal attention from my side.

Careers360: So once you crack JEE Advanced 2015, which engineer-

ing branch would you like to opt and which IIT would you prefer?
Pritesh Kumbhare: I will take Computer Science. This branch has al-
ways been my first choice to study at this level. I will opt for IIT Pune. For me
it is nice place of study and also close to my hometown.

Careers360: Which are your favorite Bollywood/Hollywood movies?

Which book did you recently read? Which sport is your favorite?
Pritesh Kumbhare: I like watching movies and reading books. While in
Bollywood, I like Student of the Year so much; my favorite Hollywood movie
is Gravity. Recently I read Chetan Bhagats Half Girlfriend and enjoyed read-
ing this book. I like watching Cricket match on TV, though sometimes I play
too.

Careers360 wishes
all JEE Main Aspirants Good Luck for the upcoming JEE Main!
We hope next year your interview features in this E-book!

20