KVPY 2018

TOPPERS INTERVIEW
 KVPY 2018 TOPPERS INTERVIEW

CONTENTS
Introduction 03
1.1 About KVPY
1.2 KVPY 2018 Selection Process
1.3 KVPY 2018 Statistics
1.4 Benefits of KVPY

KVPY 2018 Topper B Guruvayurappan Interview 04

KVPY 2018 Topper Harshil Vagadia Interview 07

KVPY 2018 Topper Kartikey Gupta Interview 09

KVPY 2018 Topper Interview with Niyati Mehta 11

KVPY 2018 Topper Jayesh Singla Interview 13

2
 KVPY 2018 TOPPERS INTERVIEW

INTRODUCTION:
About KVPY
KVPY is a fellowship program, initiated and funded by the Department of
Science and Technology, Government of India. This fellowship is provided to
deserving students up to the pre-PhD level to attract them to pursue basic sci-
ence course and make a research career in science.
KVPY exam is held by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) which comprises
two tests: aptitude test and interview test. Students who clear both tests are
selected finally for the fellowship program. KVPY fellowship is provided to
them if they continue their studies in basic science.

KVPY 2018 Selection Process

KVPY toppers were selected based on their performance in aptitude test held
on November 4, 2018, and interview test conducted from January 15 to Febru-
ary 28, 2019. The merit list was prepared by considering 75% weightage to the
aptitude test and 25% for interview.

KVPY 2018 Statistics

A total of 3281 students qualified the aptitude test including 2991 general
category students, 276 SC/ST category students and 14 PwD category
students.

Benefits of KVPY
●● KVPY fellows are provided with a monthly stipend and annual

contingency grant up to pre-Ph.D level.

●● KVPY Fellows are also provided with an Identity Card which makes

students eligible to access to National Laboratories/ Universities.

●● After getting selected for KVPY fellowship, students are eligible to get

direct admission to top institutes like IISc and the various IISERs.
●● Opportunity to participate in a science camp (Vijyoshi) at IISC.

3
 KVPY 2018 TOPPERS INTERVIEW

KVPY 2018 TOPPER B

GURUVAYURAPPAN INTERVIEW (AIR 1)
B Guruvayurappan achieved 1st rank across India in SA (Class XI) stream.
He scored 87. 25 in the aptitude test and 95.2 marks in the interview test. He
said that one should study NCERT Books and syllabus to prepare for the apti-
tude test. He aims to make a career in the field of science and contribute to
make this world a better place.10. Post-Matric Scholarships

Careers360: Congratulations on emerging as KVPY 2018 Topper? How are

you feeling about your KVPY results?
B Guruvayurappan: I am quite happy about the results and I am immensely
thrilled to achieve All India Rank 1 in KVPY.

Careers360: Tell us something about yourself.

B Guruvayurappan: I am a native of Coimbatore. I am currently studying in
class XII in Suguna PIP School. I have found the study of science much fas-
cinating since my 6th grade as I have a strong inclination towards reason-
ing out what makes the things around myself tick. I have been thoroughly
impressed by the videos of Dr. Walter Lewin, a retired eminent professor at
MIT and has drawn a lot of inspiration to pursue science as my career.

Careers360: What is your ambition in life?

B Guruvayurappan: I would like to invent something that plays a key role in
converting the excessive emission of CO2 into usable oxygen, utilizing sus-
tainable development for the constant supply of the life-giving source.

Careers360: Did you join any coaching institute? How fruitful is it?
B Guruvayurappan: Yes, I joined FIITJEE, in Coimbatore and I have been study-
ing in the institute since my class 6. It has been an eventful academic journey
since class VI when I joined the little genie program of FIITJEE as the coach-
ing is helpful. It has also built my basic understanding of sciences and sharp-
ened my application of concepts in real life. The faculty members are very
knowledgeable, quite friendly and are willing to clear my doubts enthusiasti-
cally. Moreover, the study materials contain a variety of techniques to solve a
lot of problems. They also conduct a lot of tests at national level, which helps
me to measure my performance at an all India level.

4
 KVPY 2018 TOPPERS INTERVIEW

Careers360: How did you start your KVPY preparation?

B Guruvayurappan: I studied the NCERT books, particularly class 11 study
materials that contain all the fundamental information of various sciences. In
addition, the courseware meticulously prepared by FIITEE was of great help,
especially in physics, chemistry and math. The mock interviews conducted by
the FIITJEE teachers gave me better insight into the methodical preparation
for the test.

Careers360: What was your daily study schedule?

B Guruvayurappan: I studied three hours every evening and revise the lessons
taken in the classes daily. I also had some breaks in between for recreational
activities.

Careers360: Which books you preferred to prepare for KVPY and which is
your favourite subject?
B Guruvayurappan: I strongly recommend the NCERT books for the prepara-
tion for KVPY. I studied the NCERT books in detail and practised extensively
from FIITJEE study materials and assignments given by the teachers. My
favourite subject is physics.

Careers360: How did you overcome stress during preparation?

B Guruvayurappan: While preparing for the KVPY, at times I experienced a bit
of stress; however, I kept myself engaged with some constructive activities
such as playing football and reading interesting fictions to overcome mental
stress.

Careers360: What was your exam day strategy?

B Guruvayurappan: I believed that a sound sleep in the night before the exam
would give me a fresh start on the day of exam. My time management began
right at my home. I reached the venue of the examination 30 minutes before
to keep myself calm and composed. Furthermore, I made sure that I attempt-
ed the familiar questions first so as to save much time to answer the difficult
ones later.

Careers360: What was the difficulty level of KVPY 2018 aptitude test and
how did you tackle it?
B Guruvayurappan: On a scale of 10, I would rate 7.5 to the difficulty level of
KVPY. I answered the questions in biology as it would consume much of my
time and as soon as I completed it, I focused on physics, chemistry and math.

5
 KVPY 2018 TOPPERS INTERVIEW

Careers360: Share your experience of the interview process. How many

members were there in the panel? What kind of questions did they ask you?
B Guruvayurappan: I sailed through the interview very comfortably as the
panel members were really friendly during the interaction. The 5-member
team comprising a coordinator and 4 interviewers for the four subjects began
with easy questions. Since I stated that the choice of my interest was quan-
tum mechanics in the application, I was asked a couple of questions in that
area to check my readiness to face challenges in the subject. There were
around 7 questions in various streams of science.

Careers360: Did you appear for any other scholarship exam or entrance
exam?
B Guruvayurappan: Yes, I appeared for the NTSE scholarship exam and I am a
scholar now.

Careers360: Any message or advice for future KVPY aspirants?

B Guruvayurappan: For the aptitude test, it is important to study the complete
NCERT syllabus for Physics, Chemistry, Maths and Biology. Time manage-
ment is very crucial and hence, structured plan to deal with the sections of
the KVPY question paper is a key to succeed in the exam. Ample practice in
improving problem-solving is also equally essential. It would be better if the
familiar questions could be answered first in Physics, Chemistry and Biology
and attend questions in math later. I would emphasize that the KVPY aspir-
ants do this test well as it fetches more weightage.
As far as the interview is concerned, good communication skills draw the
attention of the panel members as they are looking for such personal traits
from candidates. It is always advisable to keep calm and composed demean-
our while answering questions asked by the panel during the KVPY interview.

6
 KVPY 2018 TOPPERS INTERVIEW

KVPY 2018 TOPPER HARSHIL VAGADIA

INTERVIEW (AIR 3)
Harshil Vagadia became the KVPY 2018 topper by securing the AIR 3 under
SX stream. As per Harshil Vagadia, students must have conceptual clarity
rather than just mugging up the syllabus. He told previous year question are
the key tool for success. Harshil says that cracking the KVPY exam is not a
challenge if one is already preparing for JEE Main or AIIMS as the syllabus is
almost similar.

Careers360: Congratulations on emerging as a KVPY 2018 topper! How are

you feeling about your KVPY results?
Harshil Vagadia: I feel very delighted that I achieved a great rank in KVPY. It is
good to see that all the hard work is paid off.

Careers360: Tell us something about yourself.

Harshil Vagadia: I am from Rajkot, Gujarat. I studied for 2 years at Kota where
I was preparing for JEE. I have completed my 12th grade this year. Apart from
studies, I like Computer programming. I also like reading novels. My father is
a businessman and my mother is in the educational field.

Careers360: Are you a PCM student? If yes, how did you prepare for
Biology?
Harshil Vagadia: Yes, I am a PCM student. In KVPY SX there is an option to
choose maths or biology. So I attempted the maths section and left biology.

Careers360: How did you come to know about KVPY?

Harshil Vagadia: I came to know about KVPY from discussions among stu-
dents. I heard that it is a national level exam and decided to attempt it. I gave
KVPY in both 11th and 12th grade.

Careers360: When did you start your KVPY preparation? Did you join any
Coaching Institute?
Harshil Vagadia: I did not explicitly prepare for KVPY. I continued my JEE
preparation and gave KVPY along the way. The syllabus for both exams is
almost similar. I had joined Allen Career Institute, Kota.

Careers360: Which books you preferred to prepare for KVPY and which is
your Favourite subject?
Harshil Vagadia: I solved the KVPY module provided by my coaching classes
(Allen Institute). My favourite subject is Physics.

7
 KVPY 2018 TOPPERS INTERVIEW

Careers360: Did you practice the previous year KVPY question papers? How
did it help you?
Harshil Vagadia: I solved the question papers of the past 3 years for practice.
They helped me tremendously as they gave an idea about exam pattern and
time management.

Careers360: What was your exam day strategy? How did you prepare for it
on a daily basis?
Harshil Vagadia: I decided to attempt section 1 first then section 2. I attempt-
ed PCM in section 1 and PC in section 2. The number of questions is more so
one needs to be fast and accurate. Also, the computers can be slow during
online exams so one needs to be prepared for that. The best way to practice
this is to solve the past year’s papers.

Careers360: Share your experience of the interview process. How many

members were there in the panel? What kind of questions did they ask you?
Harshil Vagadia: The interview panel generally consists of 7-8 members. They
asked conceptual questions which usually don’t involve much calculation. The top-
ics were the ones I had written in the self-appraisal form. All the subjects were given
equal weightage. The interview lasted for 20 minutes. All the questions were academ-
ic and no personal questions were asked.

Careers360: Share some KVPY exam preparation tips for future aspirants?
Harshil Vagadia: In KVPY, a lot of conceptual questions are asked so students
must practice them instead of rot learning. During the KVPY interview, it is
important to be confident. Major weightage is of aptitude test so students
must focus on that. Best of luck to all future KVPY aspirants.
Reading success stories of others might be fascinating but following the
same path shown is challenging. If a student is determined to achieve a goal
then every challenge becomes temporary. Hard work always pays off, remem-
ber that.

8
 KVPY 2018 TOPPERS INTERVIEW

KVPY 2018 TOPPER KARTIKEY GUPTA

INTERVIEW (AIR 6)
Careers360 interacted with Kartikey Gupta who secured 6 ranks in KVPY
2018. Kartikey secured 93.75 marks in the stage 1 theory exam and 76 marks
in stage 2 i.e. interview under SX category. According to him, NCERT syllabus
plays a key role in the preparation of KVPY exam. A firm determination in
the right direction and proper guidance by his parents and teachers helped
Kartikey to climb the ladder of success.

Careers360: Tell us something about yourself.

Kartikey Gupta: I am from Maharashtra. I was preparing for JEE from Allen
Mumbai along with KVPY. I appeared for KVPY in both class 11th and 12th
and managed to clear both the times. In SA stream I had AIR 129 and in SX
stream my rank was AIR 6. Respectively.

Careers360: Congratulations on your KVPY 2018 result. How do you feel?

Kartikey Gupta: I am feeling great as KVPY was challenging exam but I man-
aged to clear it with good scores

Careers360: Are you a PCM student? If yes, how did you prepare for
Biology?
Kartikey Gupta: Yes, I am a PCM student. In KVPY SX, there is an option to
choose maths or biology. But in SA stream, Biology syllabus is from class
10th, so not much efforts are required.

Careers360: How did you come to know about KVPY? What made you apply
for it?
Kartikey Gupta: I came to know about KVPY through Allen Career Institute.
Teachers at Allen encouraged me to take part in KVPY.

Careers360: When did you start your KVPY preparation?

Kartikey Gupta: I started my preparation in class 11th. I had joined Allen
Career Institute, Mumbai for JEE exam preparation so along with that I pre-
pared for KVPY. It was easy to prepare for KVPY as the syllabus for both
exams is almost the same.

Careers360: Which books you preferred to prepare for KVPY and which is
your favourite subject?
Kartikey Gupta: I used the study material provided by my coaching classes
(Allen Institute). Along with that, I referred a few standard textbooks like HC
Verma for Physics and NCERT books for Chemistry. My favourite subject is
Maths.
9
 KVPY 2018 TOPPERS INTERVIEW

Careers360: Mock tests and sample papers – how extensively did you prac-
tice with the help of these? Do you think to practice from the KVPY question
papers help and how?
Kartikey Gupta: I practised the question papers of the past 3-4 years for prac-
tice. They helped me a lot as I got to know the level of the questions and time
required for each subject.

Careers360: What was your exam day strategy? How did you prepare for it
on a daily basis?
Kartikey Gupta: I started writing without reading the question paper and
without getting stressed. I decided to attempt section 1 first then section
2. I attempted PCM in section 1 and CM in the second section. I attempted
Chemistry first as it takes less time then I attempted PM.

Careers360: How much time do you devote to self-study vs. coaching?

Kartikey Gupta: I used to attend 5 hours of coaching classes daily. A total of
6-7 hours per day I use to devote to self-study.

Careers360: Give us your views on the interview process. How many mem-
bers were there in the panel? What kind of questions did they ask you?
Kartikey Gupta: Around 7-8 teachers were there in the panel. They asked
questions related to the answers which I had written in a self -appraisal form.
More conceptual questions were asked. The questions of Organic Chemistry
were a bit tough. In Mathematics question from the topics which were neither
part of JEE syllabus nor part of NCERT but were in Olympiad( like Number
theory, the Principle of Mathematical Induction, the Modulation index) were
asked.

Careers360: Share some KVPY exam preparation tips for future aspirants?
Kartikey Gupta: For KVPY conceptual clarity is required. The candidates
preparing for JEE and Medical exam can easily qualify KVPY exam. I would
suggest future aspirants prepare for the topics mentioned above along with
NCERT syllabus.

10
 KVPY 2018 TOPPERS INTERVIEW

KVPY 2018 TOPPER INTERVIEW WITH

NIYATI MEHTA (AIR 9)
Niyati Mehta secured AIR 9 in KVPY 2018 under SA stream. Niyati secured 80
marks in KVPY stage 1 exam and 85 marks in KVPY stage 2. Her mantra of
having no strategy worked as she has certain goals to achieve by clearing JEE
main which helped her to qualify KVPY exam.

Careers360: Congratulations on emerging as a KVPY 2018 topper! How are

you feeling about your KVPY results?
Niyati Mehta: I am feeling very happy that I am among Top 10 in the whole
country. It is good to see that all the hard work is paid off.

Careers360: Tell us something about yourself.

Niyati Mehta: I am from Ahmedabad, Gujarat. I am studying in 12th class. I
have not much clear about my future plans but I want to go for research in
Physics or Engineering in Computer sciences.

Careers360: When did you start your KVPY preparation? Did you join any
Coaching Institute?
Niyati Mehta: I started preparing for KVPY two weeks prior to the Stage 1
exam and did not prepare for stage 2 (Interview). I continued my JEE prepa-
ration and gave KVPY along the way. The syllabus for both exams is almost
similar. I had joined Allen Career Institute.

Careers360: Are you a PCM student? If yes, how did you prepare for
Biology?
Niyati Mehta: Yes, I am a PCM student. For the KVPY SA exam, I revised all
the syllabus of class 10th Biology from NCERT.

Careers360: How did you come to know about KVPY?

Niyati Mehta: I came to know about KVPY from Allen coaching institute and
other institutes advertisements.

Careers360: What were your study schedule and exam day strategy?
Niyati Mehta: I attempted 2 marks question first and later 1 marks questions.
I attempted Biology and Chemistry first followed by Physics and Maths. I used
to attend coaching classes for 5 hours and in self-study, I use to solve the
previous year question paper.

11
 KVPY 2018 TOPPERS INTERVIEW

Careers360: Which is your favourite subject and which books did you follow?
Niyati Mehta: I referred only NCERT books and solved previous year question
papers as I didn’t have much time to prepare. My favourite subject is Physics.

Careers360: How important do you feel mock tests are and why? Is it true
that if one solves the KVPY question papers, there is a good chance of
cracking the exam successfully?
Niyati Mehta: I practised previous year question papers of the last 3-4 years.
They helped me a lot as they gave an idea about the exam pattern. I was able
to find some questions which were not there in KVPY 2019 syllabus. So, I took
help from my institute’s teachers and Internet sources.

Careers360: What’s your KVPY Interview experience and what were the
questions?
Niyati Mehta: Around 6-7 faculty members were there in panel. The interview
included conceptual questions. Equal weightage was given to all the topics.
They started questioning about Physics followed by Chemistry.

Careers360: Share some KVPY exam preparation tips for future aspirants?
Niyati Mehta: No special preparation is required for KVPY. Aspirants who are
preparing for the JEE exam can easily crack KVPY. Some basic conceptual
clarity is required.

12
 KVPY 2018 TOPPERS INTERVIEW

KVPY 2018 TOPPER JAYESH SINGLA

INTERVIEW (AIR 10)
Patiala boy Jayesh Singla scores All India Rank 10 in KVPY 2018 exam under
SX stream. Jayesh believes that self-study and coaching both are equally
important to crack the KVPY exam. His mantra of success is proper time
management and previous year question papers. He scored 85 marks in both
theory and interview.

Careers360: Congratulations on AIR 10 in KVPY Exam. How are you feeling

about your KVPY results?
Jayesh Singla: I am very delighted to see my KVPY 2018 result.

Careers360: Tell us something about yourself. What are your hobbies?

Jayesh Singla: I am from Patiala, Punjab. I completed my class 12th from
CBSE board. I am interested in Outdoor games and music. I love to watch
thriller/mystery movies.

Careers360: Are you a PCM student? If yes, what was your strategy to pre-
pare Biology?
Jayesh Singla: Yes, I am a PCM student. I didn’t prepare much for Biology.

Careers360: From where you came to know about KVPY?

Jayesh Singla: I came to know about KVPY from teachers of Allen coaching
institute and then I researched for the same.

Careers360: When did you start your KVPY preparation? Did you join any
Coaching Institute?
Jayesh Singla: I started my IIT preparation in the 11th standard. No special
preparation is required for KVPY. As most of the syllabus is the same as JEE.
I joined Allen Coaching Institute.

Careers360: Which is your favourite subject and which books you referred
for KVPY Preparation?
Jayesh Singla: My favourite subject is Physics. I made most of my prepa-
ration from NCERT books and study material provided by Allen Institute.
Additionally, I referred to the following books:
●● For Physics - Concepts of Physics by HC Verma
●● For Chemistry- NCERT
●● For Maths - study material by Allen

13
 KVPY 2018 TOPPERS INTERVIEW

Careers360: Are mock tests important. If yes, why? What are the chances of
cracking the exam by practising KVPY question papers?
Jayesh Singla: Yes, I practised the last 4-5 years question papers. They gave
me an idea about the exam pattern and how to manage time. Practising ques-
tion paper regularly helps to know new questions and how KVPY syllabus is
distributed.

Careers360: What were your exam day strategy and daily study schedule?
Jayesh Singla: I was calm and thinking to complete whatever I knew. I fol-
lowed the order of exam attempting section 1 which includes 3 subjects
(PCM) and the second section having PC. I attended 5 hours of classes 5
days a week and use to do 4-5 hours of self-study in which I use to study 2
subjects randomly a day. I use to spend more time on Chemistry as it is a
more time-consuming subject.

Careers360: What were the questions asked in the KVPY interview? How was
your experience?
Jayesh Singla: Around 6-7 teachers were present in the panel. They gave a
real-life situation and asked which tool can be used to deal with this situation.
Connection of Theoretical concept with real-life was the main ideology of the
Interviewer.

Careers360: Share some KVPY exam preparation tips for future aspirants?
Jayesh Singla: Focus on the subject of your domain need not focus on
Biology. Coaching classes are really important for KVPY preparation.

14