HOW TO CRACK JEE

MAIN:
KNOW SUCCESS
MANTRAS FROM
TOPPERS
 HOW TO CRACK JEE MAIN: KNOW SUCCESS MANTRAS FROM TOPPERS

CONTENT
Introduction3

About JEE Main 4

Success mantras from JEE Main 2017 Toppers

1. AIR1 Kalpeet Virwal 5

2. AIR2 Vasu Jain 7

3. AIR3 Ananay Agarwal 9

4. AIR4 Vedant Raval 10

5. AIR5 Vishwajeet Agarwal 12

6. AIR6 Mohan Abhyas 14

7. AIR7 Akshat Chugh 17

8. AIR8 Shafil Maheen 19

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 HOW TO CRACK JEE MAIN: KNOW SUCCESS MANTRAS FROM TOPPERS

INTRODUCTION
JEE Main is one of the toughest national level entrance exams held for
admissions to NITs, IIITs and CFTIs. It is also the eligibility test for the JEE
Advanced which is the entrance test for admissions to the IITs.

Since JEE Main is based on the 10+2 syllabus for Physics, Mathematics and
Chemistry, it is imperative that you be well versed with it to prepare in a bet-
ter manner. To help you gain more command over the subjects, continuous
hard work is very important but a proper guidance and a push from previous
year toppers will surely help you gain an extra edge over the preparation.

These toppers are a source of inspiration for all JEE aspirants. In this Ebook,
we share some tips & tricks given by them for the upcoming Mains examina-
tion. We bring to you interviews from the top 8 rankers of JEE Main 2017 to
help you keep motivated for the better results in the near future. Read on to
know their success mantras, use them to create your own.

All the best!

Team Careers360

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 HOW TO CRACK JEE MAIN: KNOW SUCCESS MANTRAS FROM TOPPERS

ABOUT JEE (MAIN)

• JEE Main is the national level entrance exam for undergraduate engineering
courses at the 31 NITs, 23 IIITs and 22 CFTIs.
• JEE Main is held for in two papers – Paper I for B.Tech programmes and
Paper 2 for B.Arch or B.Planning programmes.
• Around 12 lakh students appear for the exam every year for admissions to
about 25,220 seats in total.
• The exam is held both offline and online for Paper I while Paper II is a pen
& paper based exam only.
• Candidates are allowed a total of three attempts provided they meet the
eligibility of year of qualifying exam and date of birth.
• JEE Main application process is completely online and is generally available
from the first week of December to January.
• Aadhaar Card is mandatory for all applicants to register for JEE Main except
for candidates from Assam, Meghalaya and Jammu & Kashmir.
• The admit card has to be downloaded by candidates who have successfully
registered from the second week of March.
• JEE Main result for Paper I is announced online by CBSE generally in the
last week of April while the result for Paper II is announced in the last week
of May.
• CBSE also will announce the JEE Main cut-off scores for candidates to
appear for the JEE Advanced exam. 2, 24,000 candidates who score marks
equal to or more than the given cutoff will be eligible to appear for the JEE
Advanced exam.

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 HOW TO CRACK JEE MAIN: KNOW SUCCESS MANTRAS FROM TOPPERS
SUCCESS MANTRAS OF JEE MAIN
TOPPERS 2017
1. Kalpit Veerwal
JEE Main AIR- 1
JEE Main Score- 360
Careers360: Tell us something about yourself. Which
board have you studied under? Which school have you
studied in?
Kalpit: I have studied from CBSE board in MDS Public
School, Udaipur.
Careers360: What is your score in JEE Main 2017?
What is your All India Rank and Category Rank?
Kalpit: My JEE Main 2017 score is 360/ 360. My All India
Rank is 1 and Category Rank is also 1.
Careers360: Did you appear for the offline JEE Main
exam or the online one? What is the reason behind this
choice of yours?
Kalpit: I appeared for the JEE Main offline exam as I
believe that it is the traditional method. I am not very con-
fident with the online option. Moreover I am used to the
offline pattern as my coaching institute follows it. Therefore
I choose to give my exam in pen and paper mode.
Careers360: Why do you want to study engineering?
When did you decide to study engineering? Which
branch would you be interested in? Any reason?
Kalpit: Actually, I did not plan to prepare for any engineer-
ing exam. I just happen to enjoy my studies. To help me with
this properly, I joined coaching. I had the desire to improve
my knowledge for which I prepared consistently and regu-
larly. I want to go for Computer Science engineering.
5
Careers360: When did you start your JEE Main prepa-
ration? Tell us something about your preparation strat-
egy and daily routine for JEE Main?
Kalpit: I studied sincerely from class VIII but any serious
preparation from my side for JEE Main started from class
XI. Every day after coming back from school, I studied with-
out fail. I never bunked any of my classes and followed my
teachers religiously. I used to wake up early in the morning
to study.
Careers360: Was there a difference in the preparation
strategy in the last months of JEE Main considering that
the board exams also are during this period? How did
you manage preparation for both?
Kalpit: As you know that board exams were scheduled to
happen in March and JEE Main 2017 was scheduled to be
held in April so I revised all my syllabus of class XII boards
in November and once again in February. When one month
was left, I revised the entire syllabus from NCERT.
Careers360: Did you take coaching for JEE Main and
if yes from where? What are the benefits of coaching
according to you?
Kalpit:  I have taken coaching from Resonance. They used
to clear all my doubts, whenever required. Teachers at Reso-
nance are really supportive and helpful. They gave me all the
knowledge possible.
 
 HOW TO CRACK JEE MAIN: KNOW SUCCESS MANTRAS FROM TOPPERS
Careers360:  Mock tests and sample papers – how
extensively did you practise with the help of these? Do
you think practising from the previous year papers help
and how?
Kalpit:  My coaching institute used to organise tests every
three weeks for the entire duration of two years. Apart from
that, in the last week I solved JEE Main previous year’s ques-
tion papers.
 
Careers360:  Are there any special books that you feel
have helped with your JEE Main preparation? Are the
school text books adequate for preparing for JEE Main
and Class XII?
Kalpit: It’s not really required for JEE Main. While prepar-
ing for JEE Main, I studied from NCERT books and other
fine authored books like Resnick, Halliday and J.D Lee along
with the study materials given by my coaching institute. For
class XII boards, I studied from NCERT books and referred
books from authors like HC Verma.
 
Careers360: Did you face any problem during the JEE
Main examination? Which subject was the easiest and
which was the toughest in JEE Main? What do you think
is a tough thing to manage during the JEE Main exam?
Kalpit:  I used to enjoy my studies so I didn’t find any sub-
ject difficult. My teachers have really taught me well and I
followed their direction. I managed it all with my interest in
the subjects.
6
Careers360:  What do you think are the key factors
behind your stupendous success in JEE Main?
Kalpit: I want to give credits to my family, my school princi-
pal and my teachers who have taught me well.
 
Careers360: How did you de-stress yourself during the
preparation? What are your hobbies? How often could
you pursue them?
Kalpit: I used to listen to music, play cricket and badminton
to take breaks in between of my studies. I like listening to
Coldplay and Linkin Park. 
 
Careers360: Who is your ideal or biggest inspiration in
life and why?
Kalpit: I don’t have any single ideal.My ideals in life are my
parents, my teachers who have guided me. My brother too.
These are the people whom I want to credit my success to. 
 
Careers360:  You know you are an inspiration to thou-
sands of students across the country. Do you have any
message for future aspirants on tackling the JEE Main
exam?
Kalpit: I think confidence, focus and hard work are the
things that one should keep in mind while preparing and
appearing in the exam. One should study regularly and follow
one’s teachers’ advice. Be confident about yourself because
it’s just an exam and if you don’t succeed, it’s not the end of
life.
 HOW TO CRACK JEE MAIN: KNOW SUCCESS MANTRAS FROM TOPPERS
2. Vasu Jain
JEE Main AIR- 02
JEE Main Score- 350
Careers360: Tell us something about yourself. Which
board have you studied under? Which school have you
studied in?
Vasu:  I studied at Modern School, Barakhamba Road,
which is affiliated to CBSE.
Careers360: What is your score in JEE Main 2017?
What is your all India rank and category rank?
Vasu: I scored 350 marks out of 360 in JEE Main 2017 and
came second in the All India Rankings (AIRs). I belong to
General Category.
Careers360: Why do you want to study engineering?
When did you decided to study engineering? Which
branch would you be interested in? Any reason?
Vasu:  At this point, I am not looking too far ahead and am
just focusing on scoring well in JEE Advanced.
Careers360: When did you start your JEE Main prepa-
ration? Tell us something about your preparation strat-
egy and daily routine for JEE Main?
Vasu:  I joined Vidyamandir Classes when I was in the
9th standard; however, it wasn’t until I was in the 11th stan-
dadard that I became serious about the exam. The faculty
members of Vidyamandir Classes had a big role in motivat-
ing me.
 
Careers360: Was there a difference in the preparation
strategy in the last months of JEE Main considering that
7
the board exams also are during this period? How did
you manage preparation for both?
Vasu:  I honestly don’t want that people take my technique
as some sort of modus operandi, because I personally believe
everyone has to find out what works best for them and not
blindly follow any notions.
 
Careers360: Did you take coaching for JEE Main and
if yes from where? What are the benefits of coaching
according to you?
Vasu:  Yes, I joined Vidyamandir Classes for a 4-year pro-
gram starting from class 9th onwards.
Careers360: Mock tests and sample papers – how
extensively did you practise with the help of these? Do
you think practising from the previous years’ papers
help and how?
Vasu:  Taking mock tests actually helps in enhancing one’s
ability to perform well. We used to get regular test series from
Vidyamandir Classes.
Careers360: Are there any special books that you feel
have helped with your JEE Main preparation? Are the
school text books adequate for preparing for JEE Main
and Class XII?
Vasu: I followed books recommended by my school. Other
than that the only books and modules I followed were those
provided by Vidyamandir Classes.
 HOW TO CRACK JEE MAIN: KNOW SUCCESS MANTRAS FROM TOPPERS

Careers360: Did you face any problem during the JEE Main examination? 
Which subject was the easiest and which was the toughest in JEE Main?
What do you think is a tough thing to manage during the JEE Main exam?
Vasu: I found Mathematics to be the easiest, which probably had to do with the fact
that it is also my favourite subject. Also, I am of the view that if one studies hard and
is focused, one can easily tackle even difficult looking topics easily.

Careers360: What do you think are the key factors behind your stupendous
success in JEE Main?
Vasu: I think the credit for my success goes to my focusing on quality rather than
on quantity.

Careers360: How did you de-stress yourself during the preparation? What
are your hobbies? How often could you pursue them?
Vasu: My mantra to de-stress is to read books.

Careers360: Who is your ideal or biggest inspiration in life and why?

Vasu: The biggest inspirations in my life are my parents.

Careers360: You know you are an inspiration to thousands of students across

the country. Do you have any message for future aspirants on tackling the JEE
Main exam?
Vasu:  I have never studied for long hours, but personally believed in limited but
focused preparation instead of a broad based and extensive coursework.

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 HOW TO CRACK JEE MAIN: KNOW SUCCESS MANTRAS FROM TOPPERS
3. Ananye Agarwal
JEE Main AIR- 03
JEE Main Score- 350
Careers360:  Tell us something about yourself. Which
board have you studied under? Which school have you
studied in?
Ananye:    I stay with my family in Delhi. My parents are
doctors, my mother is a Dentist in Maulana Azad Institute of
Medical Sciences while my father is in AIIMS in the Paediat-
ric Department. I have studied from Hope Hall Foundation
School located in RK Puram, affiliated to CBSE.
Careers360:  What is your score in JEE Advanced
2017? What is your All India rank?
Ananye:    I scored out 331 out of 366 in  JEE Advanced
2017 result.  My All India Rank is 3.
Careers360:  Why do you want to study engineering?
When did you decided to study engineering? Which
branch would you be interested in? Any reason?
Ananye:  I was always interested in computers, therefore, I
want to study Computer Science engineering.
Careers360: Since there was just a month after the JEE
Main, elaborate on your preparation strategy?
Ananye:   I used to revise everything thoroughly that was
taught in the class. Besides revision, I took all the test series
of my coaching centre on a regular basis. Those test series
helped me a lot during the preparation phase. I made sure
that there was the right balance between JEE preparations
and board exam preparations.
Careers360:  Did you take coaching for JEE and if yes
from where? What are the benefits of coaching accord-
ing to you?
Ananye:    Yes, I did my coaching from FIITJEE Delhi,
South Centre. I think coaching helps you practice well by
9
giving regular tests and this helps you revise your syllabus.
Careers360:  What do you think are the key factors
behind your stupendous success in JEE Advanced?
Ananye:   My family’s support helped me a lot throughout
the preparation and the exam. I tried my best to keep myself
calm and composed on the examination day that helped me
perform better. I believe that one should not carry stress and
anxiety inside the examination hall because that in no way
helps.
Careers360:  How did you de-stress yourself during the
preparation? What are your hobbies? How often could
you pursue them?
Ananye:  I like playing lawn tennis in the tennis court near
my house. I used to go to the court with my friends regularly
to play tennis and relax myself. I also play guitar.
Careers360: Who is your ideal or biggest inspiration in
life and why?
Ananye:   My parents are my ideals all because they sup-
ported me throughout in my life.
Careers360:  You know you are an inspiration to thou-
sands of students across the country. Do you have
any message for future aspirants on tackling the JEE
Advanced exam?
Ananye:  Yes, I would like to convey a message saying that
there is no substitute for regular studies. I want to tell all
the future aspirants of JEE that it is important on their part
to not miss their studies and focus on the basics. In JEE
entrance exam, most of the questions are based on the basic
concepts. So,  its necessary to get a good hold on basics and
practice them regularly.
 HOW TO CRACK JEE MAIN: KNOW SUCCESS MANTRAS FROM TOPPERS
4. Raval Vedant Sanjay
JEE Main AIR- 04
JEE Main Score- 345
Careers360: Tell us something about yourself. Which
board have you studied under? Which school have you
studied in?
Raval: I passed  from Gujarat State Board and studied at
Smt. P.B.D.Joshi Higher Secondary School, Maninagar
Careers360:  What is your score in JEE Main 2017?
What is your all India rank and category rank?
Raval: I scored 345 / 360 and I got an All India Rank 4 in
general category in JEE Main 2017.
Careers360:  Did you appear for the offline JEE Main
exam or the online one? What is the reason behind this
choice of yours?
Raval: I appeared in the offline exam and there was no spe-
cific reason for it.
Careers360:  Why do you want to study engineering?
When did you decide to study engineering? Which
branch would you be interested in? Any reason?
Raval: I was always interested in engineering. From stand-
ard ninth, I wanted to study computer science and I believe
that it has a lot of scope.
Careers360: When did you start your JEE Main prepa-
ration? Tell us something about your preparation strat-
egy and daily routine for JEE Main?
Raval: I have been preparing for this exam for the past three
years. I used to regularly study for seven to eight hours and
focussed on conceptual learning.
Careers360: Was there a difference in the preparation
10
strategy in the last months of JEE Main considering that
the board exams also are during this period? How did
you manage preparation for both?
Raval: There was no major change in the preparation strat-
egy for both as I could manage both with proper planning
Careers360:  Did you take coaching for JEE Main and
if yes from where? What are the benefits of coaching
according to you?
Raval: I took coaching from Bothra Classes (Allen). The
extra study material and proper guidance helped me in my
preparation for the JEE Main exam.
Careers360:  Mock tests and sample papers – how
extensively did you practise with the help of these? Do
you think practising from the previous year papers help
and how?
Raval: I only practised from the exam papers that were
provided by the institute.
 
Careers360:  Are there any special books that you feel
have helped with your JEE Main preparation? Are the
school textbooks adequate for preparing for JEE Main
and Class XII? 
Raval: The school books help in building the foundation
while the reference books suggested by teachers do help in
better preparation for the JEE Main exam. 
Careers360: Did you face any problem during the JEE
Main examination?  Which subject was the easiest and
which was the toughest in JEE Main? What do you think
is a tough thing to manage during the JEE Main exam?
 HOW TO CRACK JEE MAIN: KNOW SUCCESS MANTRAS FROM TOPPERS

Raval: I did not face any problem at the time of the JEE Main Exam. The only challenge
was the three hours duration of exam.

Careers360: What do you think are the key factors behind your stupendous success
in JEE Main?
Raval: Positive inspiration and regular studies are the major factors for my success.

Careers360: How did you de-stress yourself during the preparation? What are your
hobbies? How often could you pursue them?
Raval: I used to relax between the studies by watching movies, sports channel and playing
cricket

Careers360: Who is your ideal or biggest inspiration in life and why?

Raval: My mother is my biggest inspiration. She always inspired me and told me how to
develop a positive attitude.

Careers360:  You know you are an inspiration to thousands of students across the
country. Do you have any message for future aspirants on tackling the JEE Main
exam?
Raval: Future aspirants for JEE Main 2017 should focus on conceptual clarity, they
should study regularly and with sincerity.

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 HOW TO CRACK JEE MAIN: KNOW SUCCESS MANTRAS FROM TOPPERS

5. Vishwajeet Agrawal

JEE Main AIR- 05

JEE Main Score- 345

Careers360: Tell us something about yourself. Which strategy and daily routine for JEE Main? 
board have you studied under? Which school have you Vishwajeet:  From class XI onwards I started my prepara-
studied in? tion for JEE Main. I had no fixed schedule that I followed
Vishwajeet: I come from UP. I came to Kota in class XI for my study regime. Mostly I used to study in the afternoon
to take coaching for JEE Main. I have studied from Bhagat and evening. 
Public School, Kota with CBSE board.
Careers360: Was there a difference in the preparation
Careers360: What is your score in JEE Main 2017? strategy in the last months of JEE Main considering that
What is your All India Rank?  the board exams also are during this period? How did
Vishwajeet: My JEE Main score is 345 out of 360. My All you manage preparation for both? 
India Rank is 5.  Vishwajeet: Preparation for both was same as the syllabus
was the same. In JEE Main the maximum questions come
Careers360: Did you appear for the offline JEE Main from NCERT. Even in boards, the maximum questions come
exam or the online one? What is the reason behind this from NCERT. I never had to plan anything unique to prepare
choice of yours?  for both the exams. 
Vishwajeet: I appeared for JEE Main exam in the offline
mode. I haven’t appeared in any online exam before; there- Careers360: Did you take coaching for JEE Main and
fore, I was skeptical about attempting it in the online mode. if yes from where? What are the benefits of coaching
I was more comfortable in offline mode hence my choice.  according to you? 
Vishwajeet: I took my coaching from Resonance, Kota.
Careers360: Why do you want to study engineering? Initially the homework given by the teachers used to bother
When did you decide to study engineering? Which me but with time everything fell in place. I think coaching
branch would you be interested in? Any reason?  is important when you are appearing for such a big exam. I
Vishwajeet: I always had an inclination towards logical think Mathematics can be prepared by self but for Chemistry
subjects like Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics; there- one needs help from teachers. 
fore, I decided to go for engineering in class VIII.
I want to study Computer Science engineering as it involves Careers360: Mock tests and sample papers – how
Mathematics. Mathematics is my favourite subject so I extensively did you practise with the help of these? Do
would like to study a branch that allows me to pursue my you think practising from the previous year papers help
passion for it and Computer Science suits this purpose.  and how? 
Vishwajeet: I didn’t practice any such question papers by
Careers360: When did you start your JEE Main prep- myself. I appeared in all the class tests conducted by Reso-
aration? Tell us something about your preparation nance which helped me. 

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 HOW TO CRACK JEE MAIN: KNOW SUCCESS MANTRAS FROM TOPPERS

Careers360: Are there any special books that you feel have helped with your JEE Main
preparation? Are the school text books adequate for preparing for JEE Main and Class
XII?  
Vishwajeet: For Physics and Chemistry, NCERT books were enough to appear in JEE Main.
Mathematics has some standard books like S.L. Loney, which can be used for reference. 

Careers360: Did you face any problem during the JEE Main examination?  Which subject
was the easiest and which was the toughest in JEE Main? What do you think is a tough
thing to manage during the JEE Main exam? 
Vishwajeet: I didn’t face any problems during my preparation. There were some days when I
could not study much so I used to study the next day to compensate the hours. 

Careers360: What do you think are the key factors behind your stupendous success in
JEE Main? 
Vishwajeet: Two things which helped me through the JEE Main exam were self-confidence
and clarity of concepts. By conceptual clarity, I mean the mapping of the concepts in mind should
be such that whenever or whatever is asked of you, you should be able to answer it without the
slightest doubt in your mind. 

Careers360: How did you de-stress yourself during the preparation? What are your hob-
bies? How often could you pursue them? 
Vishwajeet: I often visited Brahmakumaris to listen to their teachings. I used to get rejuvenated
after visiting them. To freshen up my mood, I used to go out and play cricket with my friends. 

Careers360: Who is your ideal or biggest inspiration in life and why? 

Vishwajeet: I don’t follow any ideals but I strongly believe in the teachings and values of Brah-
makumaris. Their teachings have helped me a lot in many ways. 

Careers360: You know you are an inspiration to thousands of students across the country.
Do you have any message for future aspirants on tackling the JEE Main exam? 
Vishwajeet: I believe that self-confidence is the first and the foremost thing one should always
keep in mind while moving ahead in life. I hold the opinion that one should always work on
improving self and never compare oneself with others.

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 HOW TO CRACK JEE MAIN: KNOW SUCCESS MANTRAS FROM TOPPERS

6. Mohan Abhyas

JEE Main AIR- 06

JEE Main Score- 345

Careers360: Tell us something about yourself. Which
board have you studied under? Which school have you
studied in?
Mohan Abhyas: My schooling is from CBSE Board only.
From 6th to 8th class I studied in Ratnam School (Nellore)
and in 9th I pursued my education from Kartikeya Concept
School, while my 10th is from Narayana in Kukatpally.
My intermediate 1st and 2nd year are also from Narayana,
Kukatpally.
Careers360: What is your score in JEE Main 2017?
What is your All India Rank?
Mohan Abhyas: I scored 345 in JEE Main 2017 and my
AII India Rank is 6.   intermediate started, I have been studying 8-12 hours a day.
time when I started thinking seriously to make Engineering
as my career. I would like to go for Mechanical Engineering
or Engineering Physics branch in any of the IITs. I don’t
have any specific IIT in mind as of now.  The reason for these
branches is my childhood dream to invent something new. I
wish to become a Scientist. 
Careers360: When did you start your JEE Main prepa-
ration? Tell us something about your preparation strat-
egy and daily routine for JEE Main?
Mohan Abhyas: Though I started putting serious effort
towards preparing myself for JEE, however, in 9th and 10th I
majorly focussed on my school text books. But since my 11th/
 

Careers360: Apart from JEE Main, are you also Careers360: Was there a difference in the preparation
appearing in some other exams? strategy in the last months of JEE Main considering that
Mohan Abhyas: Yes, I will also be taking BITSAT 2017 the board exams also are during this period? How did
and TS EAMCET 2017.  you manage preparation for both?
Mohan Abhyas: In the last couple of months I focussed
Careers360: Did you appear for the offline JEE Main more on my board exams. As Chemistry is same in boards
exam or the online one? What is the reason behind this and JEE Main, I didn’t have to prepare any separate plan
choice of yours? or devote time separately for it, whereas for Physics and
Mohan Abhyas: I appeared in JEE Main 2017 offline Mathematics, I had to put extra effort before my boards apart
mode, as for the last 2 years in my coaching, I had only prac- from my general preparation regime. There was no specific
tised offline for JEE Main.   strategy. I honestly did what was told to me by my coaching
faculty. I followed their guidance as it is, on day to day basis.  
Careers360: Why do you want to study engineering?  
When did you decided to study engineering? Which Careers360: Did you take coaching for JEE Main and
branch would you be interested in? Any reason? if yes from where? What are the benefits of coaching
Mohan Abhyas: My school teacher Ramabhushan Sir, according to you?
whom I revere and respect a lot, told me the basics of engi- Mohan Abhyas: I took coaching from Narayana. Yes, the
neering and inspired me to learn more about it. That was the coaching has helped me in a greater way. Although I was good

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 HOW TO CRACK JEE MAIN: KNOW SUCCESS MANTRAS FROM TOPPERS
in Physics but not in Mathematics and Chemistry in 9th and
10th. All teachers at the coaching would teach me very well.
I highly love the simple ways in which they teach. With the
coaching at Narayana, I have really improved a lot and my
Chemistry and Mathematics have improved dramatically.   with Mathematics. Because I felt Physics and Chemistry
Careers360: How extensively did you practise Mock
tests and sample papers? Do you think practising from
the previous year papers help and how?
Mohan Abhyas: I would practice sample papers and take
mock test frequently. Also, the question papers given to us
by our coaching institute are of big help. At the coaching, in
the last 2 months, we have weekly 2 tests, apart from which I
took around 17 grand tests. I feel mock tests, sample papers
and previous years papers are quite important, as you get a
complete grip of the nature of questions or their difficulty
level. You keep on practising them and your problem solving
ability gets polished which helps on the day of the test.
 
Careers360: What were the factors which contributed
the most in your success in JEE Main 2017?
Mohan Abhyas: I feel my coaching faculty is the reason
I can recall as of now. They helped me prepare better. I fol-
lowed their instructions obediently.
Careers360: Are there any special books that you feel
have helped with your JEE Main preparation? Are the
school text books adequate for preparing for JEE Main
and Class XII?
Mohan Abhyas: For Physics, I solved some questions
from Balaji by Anurag Mishra. Rest it was all the coaching
study material. The study material of Narayana encompasses
all good books of preparation.
Careers360: Did you face any problem during the JEE
Main examination?  Which subject was the easiest and
15
which was the toughest in JEE Main? What do you think
is a tough thing to manage during the JEE Main exam?
Mohan Abhyas: Though there was no such challenge,
however there would have been challenges if I had started
were easy, I started with them and finally took Mathematics.
To score high, you need to take up the sections you are better
in or which are easy for you. This year, Mathematics was the
toughest section as there were lengthy questions and Physics
was the easiest as they asked direct (formulae related) ques-
tions. I feel 1 hour for Maths was too less. However, as I took
the easier sections first, I was able to finish it within time.
Careers360: Who are the biggest inspiration for you
and why?
Mohan Abhyas: My biggest inspiration till date is my 9th
class teacher Ramabhushan Sir, who told me what is IIT
and how to prepare for it. Before that I did not have any idea
about it.
Careers360: How did you de-stress yourself during the
preparation? What are your hobbies? How often could
you pursue them?
Mohan Abhyas:  As there was no stress, I did not need to
de-stress myself. The only difficulty I faced was in Chemistry
whereas in Maths or Physics, if I would face a new problem,
it would bring me joy only. I enjoy studying Physics and
Maths, and I feel when you cherish/enjoy something, no
stress comes in. However, during the preparatory period,
sometimes I would watch TV. Since my class XI, I studying is
my only hobby. Earlier, I would play cricket and some indoor
games in 9th and 10th. But since coming into intermediate I
stopped playing.  
Careers360: What according to you is the most chal-
lenging thing in the exam?
 HOW TO CRACK JEE MAIN: KNOW SUCCESS MANTRAS FROM TOPPERS

Mohan Abhyas: Time management is something challenging; if we can manage

that well, nothing like it. My learning is that we must take the easiest sections and
questions first which help us in building confidence.

Careers360: You have also clinched the top rank in AP EAMCET 2017. So
tell us, how APEAMCET is different from JEE Main? Which one is difficult?
Mohan Abhyas: In AP EAMCET you need speed and that’s all as per my under-
standing. In JEE Main your need to know how to apply the subject matters but in
AP EAMCET, you need to write the test fast. 

Careers360: Did you have a different strategy for AP EAMCET? How did
you prepare for AP EAMCET 2017?
Mohan Abhyas: No, there was no different strategy. I had just taken some mock
test and sample papers in the 20 days before the entrance test.

Careers360: JEE Advanced 2017 is just round the corner. How differently
are you preparing for it?
Mohan Abhyas: I am just putting my effort to study hard and that is my sole
action, but with no different strategy. At my coaching institute, every week there
are 2 tests for JEE Advanced, so I am preparing for JEE Advanced as per the sug-
gestions of the coaching faculty.

16
 HOW TO CRACK JEE MAIN: KNOW SUCCESS MANTRAS FROM TOPPERS
7. Akshat Chugh
JEE Main AIR- 07
JEE Main Score- 345
Careers360:  Tell us something about yourself. Which
board have you studied under? Which school have you
studied in?
Akshat Chugh: I studied at Delhi Public School- Pune. I
have passed from CBSE board.
Careers360:  What is your score in JEE Main and
Advanced 2017? What is your all India rank and cat-
egory rank? What were the marks that you scored in
each subject?
Akshat Chugh:  I had scored 345 in JEE Main and an all
India rank of 7 while I scored 335 marks in JEE Advanced.
My All India Rank is 2 for JEE Advanced.
Careers360:  Why do you want to study engineering?
When did you decided to study engineering? Which
branch would you be interested in? Any reason?
Akshat Chugh: I was always interested in studying Math-
ematics and Physics. Most importantly I wanted to challenge
myself.  I wanted to study in the best institutes and it’s a
dream come true to be able to do so.
Careers360:  When did you start your JEE 2017
preparation? Tell us something about your preparation
strategy and daily routine for JEE?
Akshat Chugh:  I started studying in class 9 and 10 itself
but it was only when I was in class 11 that I  decided to
seriously pursue engineering as a career therefore it was
important that I crack the JEE exam. As far as preparation is
concerned, after school hours, I used to attend the classes at
my coaching institute for three hours. Once, I returned from
the coaching institute, I used to do self- study and every night
17
I would study for at least one hour.
It is important that you have a clear strategy. The more
important thing than that is to follow it. 
Careers360:  How was the preparation for JEE
Advanced different from JEE Main?
Akshat Chugh:  As far as JEE Main preparation is con-
cerned it is more about memorizing the formulae and speed
accompanied with accuracy.  While one is preparing for
JEE Advanced, there has to be clarity of concepts. If you
have studied properly, then you need to relax before JEE
Advanced. 
Careers360: Since there was just a month after the JEE
Main, elaborate on your preparation strategy?
Akshat Chugh:  Since there was only one and half month
left for the JEE Advanced after I gave the JEE Main 2017
exam, I used to attend classes at my coaching centre for at
least six hours per day. In addition, I spent whatever time I
got in self-study.  I used to do the assignments that were given
to me at the coaching institute.
Careers360:  Did you take coaching for JEE and if yes
from where? What are the benefits of coaching accord-
ing to you?
Akshat Chugh:  I had taken coaching at Bakliwal tutorials.
The biggest benefit of coaching is that the teachers over there
keep you motivated. One tends to remain focussed and the
coaching institutes help in clearing the doubts. 
Careers360:  Mock tests and sample papers – how
extensively did you practise with the help of these? Do
 HOW TO CRACK JEE MAIN: KNOW SUCCESS MANTRAS FROM TOPPERS
you think practising from the previous year papers help
and how?
Akshat Chugh: We solved the question papers all through-
out the year while preparing for both JEE Main and JEE
Advanced.  Solving sample papers help you to analyze your
weak areas. It is important to solve the mock question papers
throughout your preparation.  were very supportive and helpful.  I would like to give them
Careers360:  Are there any special books that you feel
have helped with your JEE Advanced preparation?
Akshat Chugh:  I studied from all the standard books
for JEE Advanced. There are no special text books other-
wise. The syllabus is the same; just a slight difference in the
approach is needed. Some books I can recommend are  to take a break to de-stress but it is vital not to lose focus.
1. Physics – H. C. Verma
2. Mathematics – Cengagae Series
3. Chemistry- Balaji publications, N. Avasthi, M.S Chau-
han
Careers360: Did you face any problem during the JEE
Advanced examination?  Which subject was the easiest
and which was the toughest in JEE Advanced? What
do you think is a tough thing to manage during the JEE
Advanced exam? What is the difference between Paper
1and Paper 2 of JEE Advanced 2017.
Akshat Chugh:  There were few questions which were
ambiguous. Partial marking in Chemistry helped me a lot.
I would have got 14 marks less if there was no partial mark-
ing.  In JEE Advanced 2017, Chemistry was the toughest
and Maths was the easiest. The most important thing is to
manage the time while writing the JEE Advanced exam.
One should decide beforehand and accordingly attempt the
questions on the exam day. Stress on the strong points and
18
develop them more. Do not discuss anything with anyone in
the time between paper 1 and paper 2 during the exam.
Careers360:  What do you think are the key factors
behind your stupendous success in JEE Advanced?
Akshat Chugh:  The teachers at the Bakliwal Tutorials
credit for my success.
Careers360: How did you de-stress yourself during the
preparation? What are your hobbies? How often could
you pursue them?
Akshat Chugh: At the time of preparation, it is important
 
One can get addicted to breaks if one is not careful. My hob-
bies included reading.  I used to watch TV Shows and sports
channels.  However, during my JEE preparation, I could not
pursue my hobby completely.
Careers360: Who is your ideal or biggest inspiration in
life and why?
Akshat Chugh: My biggest inspiration is Albert Einstein,
because he is a genius. The other person I look up to is my
father.
Careers360:  You know you are an inspiration to thou-
sands of students across the country. Do you have
any message for future aspirants on tackling the JEE
Advanced exam?
Akshat Chugh: My message to the future aspirants of JEE
exam is that they should have a clear cut strategy for prepa-
ration. Merely studying for fifteen hours will not help much.
One needs to be focussed and clear.
 HOW TO CRACK JEE MAIN: KNOW SUCCESS MANTRAS FROM TOPPERS
8. Shafil Maheen
JEE Main AIR- 08
JEE Main Score- 345
Careers360: Tell us something about yourself. Which
board have you studied under? Which school have you
studied in?
Shafil: I was born in Kollam district in Kerala. I am from
Tirur but currently I am staying in Kozikode for my stud-
ies. My father is a Lecturer in a polytechnic college and my
mother is a Doctor. I have completed my Class XII from
Rays Public School and it is affiliated to Kerala State Board.
Careers360: What is your score in JEE Advanced
2017? What is your All India Rank and Category Rank?
Shafil: My JEE Main score is 345 while my rank is 8. My
JEE Advanced score is 331 out of 366. I have scored equal
marks in Mathematics and Chemistry that is 112 and in
Physics it is 107. My All India Rank is 4 and OBC-NCL
Rank is 1.
Careers360: Why do you want to study engineering?
When did you decided to study engineering? Which
branch would you be interested in? Any reason?
Shafil: Actually, I don’t want to study engineering. I want to
pursue B.S in Mathematics from Indian Institute of Science.
I decided to study Mathematics when I was in class IX only
because I like it and want to study more of it.
Careers360: When did you start your JEE Advanced
preparation? Tell us something about your preparation
strategy and daily routine for JEE Advanced?
Shafil: I started my preparation for JEE Advanced from
class XI onwards. I had no strategy as such. I concentrated
on my weak areas. I revised my weak areas again and again
especially Chemistry. I used to read the text book a lot.  Shafil: I practised all the mock tests provided by my school.
Careers360: How was the preparation for JEE
19
Advanced different from JEE Main?
Shafil: JEE Advanced has a lot of multiple choice questions
and my school conducted a lot of mock tests after the JEE
Main. I attended all those tests regularly.
Careers360: Since there was just a month after the JEE
Main, elaborate on your preparation strategy?
Shafil: I used to get up at 6 in the morning and soon after I
used to start studying. While attending my school, I used to
study for 6 -7 hours per day and on holidays I used to study
11-12 hours per day. I used to sleep at 11 in the night and used
to play computer games for 1 hour at least to de-stress myself.
Careers360: Did you take coaching for JEE and if yes
from where? What are the benefits of coaching accord-
ing to you? What difference did you find in Paper-1 &
Paper-2 of JEE Advanced 2017?
Shafil: My school itself is an entrance coaching centre so
I didn’t have to go elsewhere for coaching. It was a very big
advantage for me that my school provided me with coaching
because that helped me save my time and efforts to go outside
my school and study. My school used to combine regular
classes with the entrance exam classes. I think Paper-2 of
JEE Advanced 2017 was difficult as compared to Paper-1.
Actually, Paper-2 was time consuming. I could not complete
Paper-2.
 
Careers360: Mock tests and sample papers – how
extensively did you practise with the help of these? Do
you think practising from the previous year papers help
and how?
They used to give two mock tests in a week and this happened
regularly during two years of preparation for the exam. I
 HOW TO CRACK JEE MAIN: KNOW SUCCESS MANTRAS FROM TOPPERS
think those mock tests only helped me crack the exam.
Careers360: Are there any special books that you
feel have helped with your JEE preparation?
Shafil: I referred Pradeep’s guide for JEE Main and JEE
Advanced and Arihant’s daily practice problems and maga-
zines of MTG like for Mathematics and Chemistry daily
problems.
Careers360: Did you face any problem during the JEE
Advanced examination?  Which subject was the easiest
and which was the toughest in JEE Advanced? What
do you think is a tough thing to manage during the JEE
Advanced exam?
Shafil: I found a lot of questions in Chemistry difficult as in
some books they do not give solutions, so I used to consult my
teachers. During preparation, I found Chemistry the most
difficult amongst the three subjects as it depends on memo-
rising. In the exam also, I found Chemistry the most difficult
of all but eventually I managed to score well in the subject.
 I think this year JEE Advanced had enough time; it was
much easier than last year’s paper. I hold the idea that one
should be careful while attempting the paper. One should not
hurry while answering the questions, rather read the options
carefully and then answer. I made some careless mistakes
because I was hasty and lost my marks in some very easy
questions in the Physics section.
Careers360: What do you think are the key factors
behind your stupendous success in JEE Advanced?
We wish all JEE Main aspirants best of luck!
20
Shafil: I think it’s my parents who helped me get through
the examination. We stay at Tirur but for my studies they
came to stay with me in a flat at Kozikode. They did not put
me in a hostel. They stayed with me during my preparation.
My teachers were also very helpful, they conducted regular
mock-tests and that helped me a lot.
Careers360:  How did you de-stress yourself during the
preparation? What are your hobbies? How often could
you pursue them?
Shafil: I do not have any other entertainment hobbies apart
from playing computer games. I was able to play games for 1
hour daily during regular days and 2 hours during holidays.
My favourite game is Company of Heroes 2.
Careers360: Who is your ideal or biggest inspiration in
life and why?
Shafil: I would want to be like Carl Friedrich Gauss. He was
a German Mathematician who started making theorems at
the age of 15 and he wrote a Mathematics book also when
he was 21. I look up to him for all what he achieved at such
a young age.
Careers360: You know you are an inspiration to thou-
sands of students across the country. Do you have
any message for future aspirants on tackling the JEE
Advanced exam?
Shafil: I would like to tell them to work hard for whatever
exam they are appearing for. I would also like to say that work
to serve others not just for marks and ranks.