Toppers Interviews 1 1

Toppers’ Handbook 1
TOPPERS’
HANDBOOK
Success Secrets of Toppers Revealed
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Table of
Contents
Why “Toppers Read Disha Books?” 06
Toppers- UPSC
Garima Lohia AIR 2 08 - 11
Mayur Hazarika AIR 5 12 - 14
Waseem Ahmad Bhat AIR 7 15 - 17
Sunil Phogat AIR 77 18 - 20
Pratiksha Pandey Rank 2 (UPPSC) 23
Himanshu Vats AIR 1 (CAPF AC) 24 - 25
Toppers- JEE
V C Reddy AIR 1 29 - 30
A. Venkata Siva Ram AIR 5 31 - 32
Y. Maneendhar Reddy AIR 10 33 - 34
Toppers- NEET
Navya Mishra AIR 92 38 - 40
A message to aspirants 44
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Why “Toppers Read Disha Books”?

The idea for this campaign emerged from a simple realization: many accomplished
toppers across various exam categories have relied on Disha Publication’s books during
their preparation. They have confirmed in interviews and testimonials that they greatly
benefited from our books. We found this to be a remarkable testament to the quality and
effectiveness of our study material. It inspired us to connect these achievers with the
larger student community, allowing their knowledge and experiences to benefit aspiring
candidates.
This campaign was started with the sole purpose of helping aspirants all over India. By
sharing success stories of toppers and their insightful strategies, we aim to inspire and
motivate others who wish to take this success trail further and farther.
6
Toppers Read Disha Books is an initiative that aims to bridge the gap
between accomplished students and those aspiring to excel. We firmly
believe that learning from the experiences of high achievers can provide
invaluable guidance and motivation to others. Through in-depth
conversations, we bring you the perspectives, strategies, and tips of these
toppers, straight from the sources themselves. Disha’s Topper campaign
is for all those who are passionate about their goals and are pursuing
their own unique journeys towards success.
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UPSC CSE
The UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) stands as one of India’s most
esteemed and challenging competitive exams. Conducted by the Union
Public Service Commission (UPSC), the CSE serves as a gateway to various
prestigious positions within the country’s administrative machinery.
8 Toppers’ Handbook
GARIMA
LOHIA
AIR 2
UPSC CSE 2022
Garima Lohia is the AIR 2 topper of the Civil Services Exam 2022. She hails from Buxar
district of Bihar and belongs to a business family. She is a commerce graduate from Delhi
University’s prestigious Kirori Mal College. This was her second attempt at the UPSC CSE
examination. She started the preparation during the Covid-19 lockdown and was able to
crack the exam on her second attempt.
In UPSC, PYQs hold a very specific importance.

Through this book I have been able to cover past
year questions for GS as well as CSAT. All the
PYQs are arranged subject-wise and thematically
in this book. I highly recommend Disha’s IAS
Solved Papers for CSE preparation.
How many hours a day did you study?
Initially, as everything is new, you get interested a lot. At that time, it used to go until 10 hours
because I used to enjoy it a lot. Then there are days when you will feel very low. You might feel like
leaving it, but you see your friends working at good jobs earning well, going abroad. So, in those
days it is difficult to do even 2-3 hours because you feel sad. But then the exam comes close and
your anxiety shoots up which leads to increased study time again. So, I think it keeps fluctuating,
but the average is around 8 hours.
What was your optional? How should one choose their optional subject?
Commerce and Accountancy. I think we should, first of all, consider our educational background
once. But it might be the case that UPSC does not provide the specific UPSC optional that is your
educational background. if that is the case then you have to pick a different subject. But if you are
not interested in studying your Graduation Subject or if you feel like you are not that well-versed
in your graduation subject or if you are bored and want to study something new then you should
definitely pick a different option. Because optional carries 500 marks and you have to invest a lot
of time in your optional subject so if you are not interested in your optional then it can get very
difficult. But if you are interested in your graduation subject then you should definitely choose
that because when you start preparing there is a lot of new information and you would like to have
something that you are familiar with.
How did you plan your studies and what was your strategy?
If I talk in terms of timeframe, I started preparing with the optional. If your prelims are scheduled
in May, you should be done with your optional until December. So, this was my strategy, I finished a
basic reading of GS, and optional until December. So that I can solely focus on prelims starting in
January. For a lot of people, prelims is a big hurdle including me. So, the 5 months starting January
I decided to give to prelims. Then from January, I used to revise the basic readings of the subject
that I had done. I aimed for at least 4 rounds of revision. You need to take out a month for CSAT
preparation as well. And CSAT is about that you are usually anxious after giving the first paper. And
in that pressure, you need to solve the second paper which is why it is more difficult as compared
to the first paper because you can’t stop thinking about the first paper and the mistakes that you
might have made. I think at least 4 months must be kept exclusively for prelims.
What was your strategy for answer writing? What kind of answers fetch marks in the mains exam?
The first thing is that your handwriting should be legible. The examiner should be able to read
whatever you have written. You don’t need cursive beautiful writing but your writing must be clear
IAS MAINS
Solved Papers
POWER HOUSE
and legible. Second, in terms of how you answer the question. For instance, if the question has
subparts then you are required to answer all the subparts in a way that equal weightage is given to
all sections. If a question is asking about the cause and effect, you can’t write about the cause in 1.5
pages and then the effect in only two lines. The answer should be in appropriate proportion.
A good answer should have a good introduction that you can relate to a recent event or you can
start with a quote or a constitutional article. After that, make a subheading of whatever is asked
in the question. It is better to answer in a point format because the examiner also knows that you
know 3 points of a certain aspect as you have mentioned and you should underline the important
parts. And then towards the end, you should give a way forward to whatever issue is being talked
about in the question. The exam that you are giving requires you to be a solution-oriented person
and hence it is important to give a way forward. You can give 2-3 suggestions; these can be your
own suggestions or you can include suggestions by an expert committee. When you regularly read
the newspaper, you often find experts in various fields giving their insights. You can name them and
write them in your answers. And I think you should include a small conclusion as well. This would
be a good answer for UPSC.
What was your strategy for current affairs and newspaper reading?
Initially, you get a lot of interest in the newspaper because a lot of things are happening but not
everything is imp from the perspective of UPSC. There are a lot of websites that publish every day
the topics in the newspaper that are important from UPSC’s Perspective. So you can mark that and
read it. When you start it on the first day, you might not know the background so it can be difficult.
You can google the news and you’ll get to know the background. If you face difficulty in reading
text, you can watch YouTube videos which will help you. Once you are aware of the issue then you
can go back to the paper and read it. If any issue is there in the paper for a week, different people
give their opinions on it. So I would suggest that you should not make any kind of notes in the initial
two months. You should focus on being aware of whatever is going on. And the after looking at the
mains syllabus you can make notes from the mains perspective.
How did you tackle philosophical questions in the mains exam?
I think these questions are given to test one’s creativity. Whenever a quote is said, it is in a certain
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TOPIC-WISE ANALYSIS
context but today there can be multiple interpretations of it. So the solution is not to learn the
quotes and learn about the writer. But you will be able to interpret the quote in multiple ways which
is a good way to go about it. You can think of any quote in terms of Indian context, or international
context. So, you can break a quote into different dimensions and then answer the question. I hardly
knew about 2-3 quotes that were there in the exam and I think it’s better if you do not know. You are
not pre-informed which prevents you from giving a narrow interpretation. You need not mention
the speaker of the quote.
How was your Interview experience?
I think initially you are very underconfident. And especially for people like me for whom this was
the first interview of their life due to not having worked in corporate. So there is a lot of anxiety, to
reduce this, you can try mock interviews which give you an idea. And you do not really know how to
talk to people who are so senior to you. There are a lot of little things like how to wish for someone,
what manners should be followed etc. can be understood by mock interviews. So mock interviews
really boost your confidence.
And you get to learn a lot during those 30 minutes. It is a very conversational style of interview,
there is no grilling and they ask you questions from your life that you probably would not imagine.
What according to you is the most important element in the whole preparation
journey?
I think consistency is very important. Despite what goes on, despite your mood you have to study.
Consistency is the key.
What is your message to other aspirants?
I think you should do your preparation happily. You should not lose friends and connections. Even
if you don’t qualify for this exam, there is life beyond it. Whatever you want to do for society you
can do through other ways always. And if you are consistent, you will get through. Be grateful and
prepare happily.
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The No. 1 Bestselling Book for Prelims
MAYUR
HAZARIKA
AIR 5
UPSC CSE 2022
Hailing from Tezpur in Assam, Mayur Hazarika is a doctor by profession. He started his
preparation journey during his medical internship and was able to crack the exam on the
first attempt. He wishes to join the Indian Foreign Services. Let us know about his journey
and strategy in cracking the Civil Services Exam.
International Relations is a very important and

vast subject to cover for Civil Services Exam. I
used Disha’s ‘International Relations’ book by
Deepanshu Singh sir which helped me immensely
to prepare India’s Foreign Policies with analysis,
challenges and impact in accordance with the
dynamic nature of the UPSC exam.
This used to vary a lot. I used to work before prelims but after prelims my contract ended and I left
my job. Before prelims, I used to study around 6-7 hours a day. After that, maybe 8-9 hours a day
between prelims and mains
My optional was anthropology. The first reason was that coming from a medical background a lot
of things in physical anthropology come naturally to me. I had already studied it in detail during
medical preparation. And for social anthropology, it helped me in value addition in the GS papers.
My preparation was integrated. I used almost the same sources for prelims and Mains but for prelims,
since January I started revising. I learned all the facts and after that, I focused a lot on Value addition
during Mains, and for the interview, I gave a lot of mock interviews.
What was your strategy for answer writing? What kind of answers fetch marks in the
mains exam?
I basically used two things. There is the basic part of the answer and then there Is value addition.
What a lot of candidates miss is that you don’t fulfill the demand of the question. the demand
of the question should be addressed. All the keywords in the question should be addressed. The
introduction and conclusion should be good. Value addition makes the answer more scoring and
elevates its stature. You can start your question using data, reports, schemes, anecdotes, diagrams, etc
I was a very static-oriented person. For current my approach was very messy. I used to read
compilations, and at times I used to read newspapers. My newspaper reading was not that regular
due to the time constraint. With respect to the exam, some questions are there that you know
most won’t be able to attempt. It’s better to leave such questions and avoid negative markings. You
should not miss topics that are getting repeated in the news and that most people are doing. You
get an idea about such topics from prelim compilations.
I think there is always a context and theme behind a quote. Instead of literal context, you should think
about the theme of the quote. You need to condense the theme that is presented in the question.
when you think of the theme it is easier to view it from a political, economic, or social angle. There
was a question about a quote “A ship is safest in the harbor, but that is not what it is built for”. So I
answered this question with the theme of courage. I started my answer with an anecdote. I used the
anecdote of Rosa Parks and then I connected it with the answer. Then I connected it with ancestors
taming fire and then the beginning of civilization.
journey?
I used to feel low after 10 to 15 days, and doubts are always there. Staying motivated throughout
the process is not really possible, ups and downs are there but then I think you always have to
pick yourself up. You should always think that why you started this journey. I also used to draw
motivation from there.
I think I prepared the most for the interview stage. I went to Delhi and discussed it with a lot of
other candidates. I made a group of friends with whom I used to discuss questions.
The main interview was very cordial. The experience was very nice. As my preference was India
Foreign Service, around 70 percent of the questions were about international relations
I would say you should have self-confidence. You can do it too; it is hard but you must also work
smartly. Revise a lot and best wishes for them.
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RELATIONS
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Waseem
Ahmad Bhat
AIR 7
UPSC CSE 2022
Waseem Ahmad Bhat hails from Anantnag in Kashmir. This was his second attempt in the
UPSC exam, in his first attempt, he was able to secure AIR 225. As he wanted to serve in the
Indian Administrative Services, he gave the exam again to improve his rank and was able to
achieve AIR 7. Let us know about his journey from AIR 225 to AIR 7.
Disha’s Topic-wise Previous Years Solved Papers

helped me a great deal in understanding the UPSC
exam pattern and keeping a track of my progress. I
did not skip a single PYQ from this book during my
preparation!
I used to study 8-10 hours a day. I think the major strategy is to constantly revise. And you should
have conceptual clarity. I used to revise my notes a lot and give a lot of tests.
My optional was anthropology. I think the reason for the increasing trend is that a lot of toppers had
anthropology as their optional and because of that there are a lot of resources for the same. And
there are not a lot of current affairs in anthropology. And you can do whatever you want in statics.
And some people also think that it has less syllabus compared to other optional. And you can do
whatever you want in statics. And some people also think that it has less syllabus compared to other
optional.
Firstly, I looked at the syllabus and devised a strategy on how to prepare for different subjects. I
decided on the resources for different subjects and began my preparation. For current affairs, I
prepared for every subject. Current affairs are more important in prelims.
I used to study 8-10 hours a day. I think the major strategy is to constantly revise. And you should
have conceptual clarity. I used to revise my notes a lot and give a lot of tests.
mains exam?
The first thing is that you should meet the demand of the question. whatever the question is asking
you must answer that. Read the question properly and then frame your answer accordingly. The
introduction of an answer should be very relevant. You can define any keyword given in the question,
or you can quote a statistic or use a quote. And whatever arguments you use in your answer, you
should be able to substantiate them with examples. There are a lot of opinions but they should be
supplemented with facts. You should end the answer with a positive note, a way forward. You can
give a solution or a government initiative.
I feel that you should read the newspaper daily. Secondly, you should read one magazine monthly.
You can read that and it helps to revise the newspaper that you have read. I followed these sources
because the time is also less.
There are two sections in the essay paper, part a and b. And part b used to comprise of philosophical
essays. I personally feel it is easier to answer philosophical essays. They are easier to write than
general issues. Because the data and content is almost the same for everybody, but in philosophical
essays you write it according to your point of view, your life experiences. I think it becomes easier
and adds creativity as well. Due to this, candidates with a more valuable personality get more marks
rather than just cramming.
Whenever there is a quote, it has some context behind it. The quote has some literal meaning but
also there is an essence. There was a quote in the exam, “A ship in harbour is safe but that is not what
ships are for.” So the essence I figured was that it can be applied to anybody. We can be safe sitting
at our parent’s home, we can be safe. But we are meant to go out and compete and we are meant
to become anti-fragile. So I answered the essay according to the understanding of this essence.
Another essay was there that the best time to repair a roof is when the sun is shining, I answered
it in terms of how you must work on a problem that is there in our country so that we don’t regret
later. So accordingly, you have to work on the essence. If you go in the literal sense then it can be a
little difficult. When you are preparing, you have a lot of material, you just need to connect it well.
journey?
The motivation was internal to some extent. You get to contribute so much to society so that
was there. Another factor was that I used to have monthly plans. And when I used to look at my
targets and that I used to motivate me. Setting and achieving little goals that you put for yourself
is important.
I think one piece of advice is the most important thing is consistency. If the exam is three months
down the line, make up plans for three months then divide it into weekly and daily goals. That plan
will help you stay on the path. And when the exam is close stay away from any distractions, if you
are using social media, stay away from that. Third, this exam should be kept as a part of life, rather
than life itself. You might get anxious and not perform well, so you must stay calm. Keep revising
what you have already read and it will be better for you in the long run.
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Sunil
Phogat
AIR 77
UPSC CSE 2022
Sunil Phogat hails from a small village Jhinjar in Haryana. He completed his Bachelor’s
degree in Computer Science and Engineering and started preparing for the Civil Services
Exam in the final year of his graduation. This was his fourth attempt and he secured AIR 77.
Let us know about Sunil’s journey of perseverance that led to his success.
You must Practice PYQs from a trusted and

errorless resource only like Disha’s topic-wise
previous year solved papers by Mrunal Patel which
I had used during my preparation and hugely
benefited from.
UPSC requires 8-10 hours of consistent studies and that is more than enough for anybody to clear
this exam.
Being from a Computer Science background there was no specific optional for me. I had to either
choose a technical subject like Mathematics or any subject from Humanities like History and
Geography as my optional. I decided not to opt for Mathematics because it would require three to
four months of preparation. I could instead use that time to prepare for my Prelims. So I decided
to opt for a Humanities subject and found History very interesting. I was fond of History even in my
school time and I was good at social sciences so I decided to opt for History. At first, I regretted
choosing History as it was bringing my score down but I kept working on different answer writing
strategies and improving my skills. Finally I ended up with a decent score.
Yes, scoring in History is a little difficult. It has a lot of facts that need to be remembered. Remembering
all the timelines and dates is a difficult task too. You chose a challenging subject for yourself.
For this we need to take two three steps. First of all, it is a recurrent phase of feeling low and every
aspirant feels that. To deal with that first of all you should have a good friend circle with which you
can spend time with. Secondly you should organise your studies in such a way that they do not give
you boredom. I used to study for two three hours and listen to songs for one hour or half an hour.
So this was my schedule studying for two hours and one hour rest. And you should take your own
time and introspect and to analyse and to make yourself understand that you are doing the right
thing in the right direction and you do not need to get bored. And through the opportunity that
you have provided me I would like to convey to other aspirants also that the low phase that you are
going through is not just limited to you. Every aspirant, every topper has been through this phase
and mostly those who have failed two or three times in UPSC so please take care of yourself and do
not get depressed or like that. Just cheer yourself up and be self-confident and be calm and focus
on your studies.
mains exam?
There is a wrong perception about UPSC that you need to use very flowery language in answer
writing but I think if you keep it as simple as possible then UPSC rewards you for that thing and You
do no need to use very heavy words but there are some keywords for every subject for example, for
Economics there are some keywords for every subject like for Economics there are some keywords
in economic concepts, there are some keywords for political science also in GS paper 2. If you are
using that and keeping the language very simple then it is not a problem you can very well write in
English but you need to work hard on that and practice answer writing a lot.
For current affairs I opted for newspapers. I used to study The Indian express and The Hindu. Current
affairs is the key for cracking UPSC be it prelims or mains. Even in the interview you need to study
the newspaper and be updated with what is going on around you and know what should be the
solution for the problems if there is any. You can study newspapers, extract news from them and
make notes.
What according to you is the most important element in the whole preparation journey?
For me, more than toppers I’d like to salute aspirants who failed in this process and my heart goes
out to them because only person who has been through that knows and I was one of them a few
days ago so I want to convey to them, don’t feel depressed, don’t be sad one day you will also be
able to clear just keep practicing, keep working in the right direction keep working on your answer
writing and if you are lacking in prelims then keep working on attempting more and more mock
test so that you can feel comfortable with that process. And I’d like to say all the best to all of you.
It was very cordial board. I got Preeti Sudan Ma’am board. And it was very cordial, very attractive
conversation I had. They asked questions from me and I answered them. If I was not able to answer
them I said sorry also. There were normal questions like what we can do for agriculture, what we
can do for army. It was one of my hobbies, knowing about the Indian defence technology, so it was
a cordial board and no grilling was done.
There is nothing I think in UPSC there is nothing like self-doubt because even the topers have the
self doubt whether they will be in the final list or not so nobody knows when you are going to clear
it so please keep practicing keep working hard and if you are getting self doubts you are not the
only one everybody is getting that because this is such an examination unpredictable. So just keep
working hard that’s all I’d like to say.
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Anirudh Yadav
AIR 8
Anirudh comes from a legacy of Civil Servants. His father is
an IPS, who served as the former DGP of Haryana. His elder
brother is also an IAS officer stationed currently in Assam. His
mother has served in the Ministry of Commerce. Anirudh holds
a degree in engineering from IIT Delhi. In his first attempt,
he cracked the exam and was assigned to the Indian Railway
Personnel Service and it was in his fourth attempt he was able
to secure AIR 8. The long journey of 4 attempts highlights the
perseverance and dedication of Anirudh towards serving the
nation.
Disha’s Topic-wise Previous Year Solved

Papers proved to be extremely helpful in my
preparation. I think every serious aspirant must
have that book in their book list!
Aditi Varshney
AIR 57
Aditi Varshney hails from Bareilly in Uttarakhand. She
qualified the exam in her first attempt with AIR 57. She holds
a bachelor’s degree from Delhi University and cleared the
exam without any formal coaching.
I needed a flawless PYQ book to understand

and practice the CSE exam pattern, and Disha’s
Previous Year Solved Papers by Mrunal Patel
helped me a lot in this regard. There was an IAS
Planner too with it that was very helpful.
Questions Garima Mayur Waseem Sunil Phogat
Lohia Hazarika Ahmad Bhat AIR 77
AIR 2 AIR 5 AIR 7
How many hours a
8-10 8-9 10-11 8-9
day did you study?
Did you delete
No, but limited
your social media No No No
it.
accounts?
What is the most
Self- Internal
important element Consistency Perseverance
motivation Motivation
in preparation?
Did you refer to
Yes Yes Yes Yes
Disha’s books?
How was your It was a It was a It was a very
I got to learn a
interview very cordial learning conversational
lot.
experience? interview. experience. interaction.
Be grateful You must Trust yourself
Your message to Consistency is
and prepare have self- and keep
future aspirants? the key.
happily. confidence. working hard.
Change the way to
Learn GK
with Visuals
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All Topics
covered
Equipped with
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all Topics in just 30 Days
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Pratiksha
Pandey
Rank 2
UPPSC 2022
Pratiksha bagged AIR 2 in the UPPSC exam on her fifth attempt. As her father is a retired
government engineer, she found inspiration at home to work on development projects
of the government. Pratiksha, in her preparation directed most of her focus on Past Year
Question Papers which she says was the key to her success in the exam. She aims to work
for Women’s Empowerment through her position in the government. She referred to Disha’s
1000-plus objective General Studies book. She found this book to be the best resource as it
is very exhaustive and covers a variety of topics eliminating the need for multiple sources.
In my preparation, I kept in mind 2 things: revising whatever

I studied and solving as many questions from a topic as
possible. When I found Disha’s 10,000+ Objective General
Studies book. For me, the tedious task of solving MCQs for
different topics from different books was made easy with this
one stop resource. There were also explanatory notes given
with each solution for deep understanding of the topic. I
highly recommend this book to every aspirant
24 UPSC CAPF Topper 2023
Himanshu
Vats
AIR 1
UPSC CAPF AC 2021
Himanshu Vats was born and bought up in Najafgarh, Delhi. He did his B. Tech
in Computer Engineering from NSIT, Delhi.
If there is a single book that can provide everything

for CAPF Exam, it is Disha’s CAPF Guide. I used it
during my preparation and found it immensely helpful.
It covers everything, all subjects with PYQs for paper
1 & 2. The content in this book is up-to-date and
accurate. Similarly, Disha’s 11 Years UPSC CAPF AC
Solved Papers contain all PYQs of past 11 years. I used
them to strengthen my grasp on the syllabus.
UPSC CAPF Topper 2023 25
There was no fixed amount. I used to wake up and study. I used to start my day at around 8 and
study until 2 in the night. I used to take breaks to go for a walk, to go to the gym to eat meals etc.
At times, when I couldn’t study at all I used to take a day off and watch movies or shows the whole
day. I played online exams as well.
I had actually started my preparation for the civil services exam. So I had a strong base. As I prepared
for the civil services, I figured out the difference in the syllabus for civil services and CAPF AC exam,
and it could be covered in 20-25 days. So, my strategy was a year of preparation for civil services
followed by 15-20 days of preparation for CAPF exam. So understanding the pattern is important.
Students feel if they have prepared for the Civil Services exam then they’ll automatically be able to
clear the CAPF exam which is not the case.
What was your strategy for answer writing?
I used very simple language but I just wrote my paper in the correct manner. I never wrote a single
essay for the CAPF exam practice because I knew I am skilled in that and worked more on Paper
1. But some students don’t know how to write, they don’t have the experience so for them writing
practice is important.
What holds more importance, the vocabulary used or the facts in the answer?
I used very simple language but I just wrote my paper in the correct manner. I never wrote a single
essay for the CAPF exam practice because I knew I am skilled in that and worked more on Paper
1. But some students don’t know how to write, they don’t have the experience so for them writing
practice is important.
What things should be focused on during the preparation?
During the preparation of any exam, previous year questions are the most important. For example,
Disha’s previous year questions book which has the question papers of past 11 years. Paper 1 and
2 can be covered easily from this book. Detailed explanations are given. For paper 2 having a test
series is important. You need to get it evaluated so that you can improve your writing. Practicing
writing is very important. You should also give mock interviews which help you a lot.
How was your interview experience?
This varies from person to person. Some candidates are grilled a lot while some are not. Some
interviews last for about 40 minutes and still the score given to the candidate is less and sometimes
the interview goes on for 15-20 minutes and the candidate gets a good score. My interview lasted
for around 20 mins and I was grilled for a few questions but I got a good score. So, it varies from
person to person. If they understand your personality within a few questions then the interview is
kept short.
What is your message to future aspirants?
Firstly, be it CAPF or any other exam you must be confident and trust yourself. I had confidence in
myself that I could do it and I kept trying. Candidates give up after one or two attempts. But if you
don’t have trust in yourself then nobody else will.
Secondly, understanding the exam pattern is very important. Every exam has a different pattern and
that must be kept in mind while preparation.
Thirdly, the physical and medical test in the CAPF exam is important so special attention should be
paid to that.
And lastly, having a mentor is important. If you can afford coaching, you should take it otherwise
it is not a necessity. You can look for direction from other sources too. I was lucky to have found
a mentor this time, Chaudhry sir. He helped me a lot in my interview. He used to conduct mock
interviews for me and give be constructive feedback. He used to explain my shortcomings to me.
In the end, trust and motivation are important along with preservation.
Crack
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All the 8 Essays in IAS Mains 2021 Essay paper
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JEE Main &

Advanced
AIR
10
AIR
5
V C Reddy
AIR 1
JEE Advanced 2023
Vavilala Chidvilas Reddy from the Hyderabad zone topped the Joint Entrance
Exam Advanced 2023 and received the AIR 1 ranking. He has scored 341/360
marks. His parents are both government school teachers of mathematics. Let
us take a quick look at his preparation journey.
During my JEE preparation, what I felt was that JEE

PYQs are the most important thing because they
help you understand the JEE paper setting and how
JEE puts up its questions. I used Disha’s 45 Years
Solved Paper books. You will have levels and, in
every order. So, on the final day you’ll be confident
that you have covered every single question of
JEE. So, these books were very helpful in my
preparation. I thank Disha Publication!
Since when did you start preparing for JEE?
I started my preparation when I was in the eighth standard. During my 11th and 12th I had my final
preparation.
How many hours did you study during your preparation for JEE Mains?
I started focused preparation for the Mains exam in January. My daily routine was half a day for Mians,
and half a day just Physics, Chemistry and Math. During my half day with regards to Mains, I used to
give Previous Year Papers.
How did you manage your JEE preparation along with your school studies?
In my school I had English and Sanskrit along with Physics, Chemistry and Math. They were already
covered in coaching so there wasn’t much trouble in Physics, Chemistry and Math but in English and
Sanskrit I had to mug them up a month before the board exam.
Which subject do you think was strongest for you?
Mathematics was my favorite subject. There was no difficult subject, I had a little problem with Physics
at the start but now it’s easy.
How should one prepare for JEE Advanced? How is the strategy different from JEE Main?
I think in the beginning you just have to do Math, Physics and Chemistry with interest and nothing
specific to the JEE papers. After your JEE Main is done, you should start with PYQs of JEE Adv. You
should attempt it like a JEE Adv paper itself. According to me, PYQs are the most important. In my
preparation, I referred to Disha’s Errorless 45 years which helped me a lot. In that all the questions are
covered chapter-wise and topic-wise with absolutely no errors.
Should we concentrate more on revision or problem-solving?
First, whenever a chapter is completed, on that day you should revise your class notes and weekly
keep revising again and again. There should be a balance between revision and problem-solving. For
Chemistry you can do more of revision and for Math you can do more of problem-solving.
What was your strategy in the last 15 days prior to the exam?
As I was done with my syllabus before the exam there wasn’t much left to do. I concentrated more on
PYQs, I did the NCERT completely for all the subjects. I think during that period we should concentrate
more on staying calm.
How did you stay calm during your preparation?
I used to play some games like table tennis and foosball. I used to plan my studies so that there wasn’t
much stress during the preparation. My friends also helped and supported me a lot.
What was your feeling on the day of the examination?
On the final day, you may get nervous but you should focus on staying calm. You should enjoy and give
the exam.
What was your exam-giving strategy?
I solved Physics first, and then Chemistry followed by Math. So, I used to give 60 minutes to Physics
and then solve Chemistry as fast as I could and then I used to be left with more than an hour for Math.
I used the same strategy in Physics, Chemistry and Math. I used to stop with Physics at one hour, no
matter what and the rest of time for Math I used to solve questions quickly and leave the tough ones
for the end if I have time left.
What was your strategy for more than one correct option?
If you know the answer for sure then only you should go for it. If you are even a little doubtful then you
should not take the risk. In JEE Adv losing 2 marks is better than negative marking of 2 marks.
Which subject do you think is the most challenging in the exam?
It will be different for everyone but I think Physics is the challenging part for most people. Physics is a
bit tricky.
A. Venkata
Siva Ram
AIR 5
JEE Advanced 2023
I want to share that Disha’s Previous Years JEE

Advanced Solved Papers are exactly what they
claim to be. There were really no errors, all solutions
were authentic and explained in detail step-by-
step. The topic-wise and Chapter-wise division of all
questions was extremely helpful to understand all
concepts while practicing simultaneously. I bought
these books at the start of my preparation and
they became my constant companion. Every time I
prepared a chapter topic, I did the PYQs from these
books. That’s how they helped me to master the
whole syllabus.
How many hours did you study during your preparation for JEE Advanced?
For preparation, I used to study each subject for around 4 hours. I used to solve problems, and for
Chemistry I used to focus on reading the NCERT. I used to focus on solving the previous year’s
questions.
For my intermediate examinations, I started my preparation one month before the exams were
scheduled. The only problem I faced was in English and Sanskrit as I was familiar with Physics,
Chemistry, and Math.
Do you think JEE Advanced can be cleared by referring only to NCERT books?
No, I think you cannot clear the exam only by NCERT. In the JEE examination, you should do the
previous year’s questions to determine the level of questions asked in the examination.
For me, Mathematics was the strongest. I have mostly struggled with Chemistry as it has a vast
syllabus.
What was the difference in your preparation strategy in the JEE Main and JEE Adv?
I feel students should start preparing for JEE Adv in the beginning. JEE Main has normal questions
but for JEE Adv lot of hard work is required. For JEE Main I mostly concentrated on NCERT but
for Advanced I have changed my plan and practiced a lot. In my preparation, after completing the
syllabus I started with revision number 1. I solved the Previous Year’s Questions from Disha’s 45
years Errorless. It gave me an idea about what kind of questions will be asked in the exam. As they
were divided topic-wise it was easy to navigate and revise as I went through my syllabus.
What was your feeling on the day of the examination?
My feeling on the day of the exam was indescribable. I was not confident enough that I will clear the
exam. I tried to keep myself calm and concentrate on the examination.
What was your strategy for exam writing?
In my JEE Adv exam, I started with Chemistry and then moved to Math. I attempted Physics in the
end. I think the subject you find the easiest should be done first, and the subject you find difficult
should be done in the end.
I think only if you are sure about an answer you should go for it. Losing marks is better than
negative marks.
Which subject was the most challenging?
For me, it was Chemistry because it has a vast syllabus and you need to remember a lot of things.
Y. M. Reddy
AIR 10
JEE Advanced 2023
I think solving PYQs played a very important role

in my success. I used Disha Publication’s Previous
Years JEE Advanced Solved Paper books of Physics,
Chemistry and Maths. They were recommended to
me by my coaching institute. I found them to be very
easy to use. Divided Topic-wise and Chapter-wise. The
detailed and well-explained solutions given with each
PYQ really helped me to gain conceptual clarity. Every
problem became simple and interesting to solve. I
highly recommend these excellent books to all IIT
aspirants!
Since when did you start preparing for JEE?
I started my preparation from 8th standard.
How many hours did you study during your preparation for JEE Advanced?
I spent around 12 hours a day studying every day.
Only Sanskrit and English were tough, Physics, Chemistry and Math were already covered in
coaching.
Do you think JEE Advanced can be cleared by referring only to NCERT books?
I think some problems cannot be cleared just by using NCERTs. To the maximum extent, Chemistry
NCERT can help in clearing the Mains exam but Advanced it cannot help with it.
Math was the strongest subject for me and Physics I found to be a little tough.
What was the difference in your preparation strategy in the JEE Main and JEE Adv?
It will be helpful to prepare for JEE Advanced since the starting as in the end there will not be much
difficulty.
Should we concentrate more on revision or problem-solving?
I think there should be focus on problem solving as there will be a lot of tough questions in the
exam.
What did you do in the last 15 days before the exam?
All my preparation was completed before the 15 days. But I studied and tried to keep myself calm
during that time.
How did you keep yourself calm during the preparation?
I started thinking about the scenario after the exam and how I will be free.
How did you feel on the day of the exam?
I thought of the exam as a regular exam which helped my stay calm during the JEE Adv exam.
What was your strategy in attempting the exam?
In JEE Main, I first attempted Math, then Physics and then Chemistry. But in JEE Advanced I changed
my strategy to first attempting Chemistry followed by Math and then Physics.
I chose only the option in which I was absolutely sure. I didn’t go for it if I was even a little doubtful.
Which subject is the most challenging?
I think Math needs the most time as they were a little lengthy.
Question V. C. Reddy A. Venkata Y. Maneendhar

AIR 1 Siva Ram Reddy
AIR 5 AIR 10
When did you start your
8th standard 8th standard 8th-9th standard
preparation?
How many hours a day did
8 hours 4 hours for mains 12 hours
you study?
Which subject was the most
Physics Chemistry Math
challenging?
Which book did you refer Disha’s errorless Disha’s errorless Disha’s errorless
for PYQs? 45 years 45 years 45 years
What was your strategy I only attempted I only attempted I only attempted
for more than one correct when I was when I was when I was
option? absolutely sure. absolutely sure. absolutely sure.
Can JEE Adv be cleared
No No No
only through NCERTs?
JEE Main
incomplete without these Blockbusters
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Toppers
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NEET
AIR
92
Navya
Mishra
360/360
in Biology
Navya
Mishra
AIR 92
NEET 2023
To increase my chances of success, I did not leave

a single PYQ or the concept behind it from any
subject, and Disha books helped me a lot in this
regard. I used Disha’s 36 Previous Years NTA
NEET (UG) PCB Solved Papers which are arranged
Chapter-wise and Topic-wise with value added notes
and detailed explanations. Also, Disha’s NCERT
Xtract Biology book helped me to score 360 out of
360 in Biology.
What was your daily routine like?
During the last two months of my preparation, I used to be up by 6:30 and then study until 9 am. At
10 am I used to attempt sample papers and I used to analyze them. After having breakfast, I used to
give another paper and analyze that as well. I used to give at least two papers daily. I focused the
most on NCERT during the last two months.
What do you think is the most important in order to cover the syllabus?
I think the syllabus must be completely done twice 4-5 months prior to the exam. And starting from
January you should start giving papers as it helps a lot. Earlier I used to get less marks when I just
started solving sample papers but gradually my score increased.
How important do you think is the NCERT? How many times should it be read?
The NCERT should be read at least 3 times. My teachers also advised me, and I also feel that at least
3 times it should be done in order to clear everything.
Do you think NCERT is enough in order to clear the NEET exam?
No, some topics cannot be completely understood with NCERT alone and for that, some reference
books are required. Some questions in the exam are tricky and for that, it is important to have deep
knowledge.
How important is it to solve the previous year’s questions? Do questions get repeated?
Every year, some similar questions are there. The wording of the question is different but the topic
1
is the same. PYQs are very important in NEET.
Master
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Chapter with
NEET
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What was your strategy for solving PYQs?

I used to do PYQs while I was studying according to the topics and once, I was finished with my
syllabus I did PYQs then as well. It’s important to do PYQs after your syllabus is complete because a
lot of time has passed and it’s a better test of your knowledge. You should solve the PYQs completely
of all three subjects so that an exam-like environment can be replicated.
What should be done to get concept clarity?
Reading your books thoroughly is important for concept clarity. You cannot mug up things even
if it is biology. So you need to understand all the topics. NCERTs are important but then reference
books help you understand all the concepts in NCERT because in NCERT it is in concise form.
How did you balance your preparation with school studies?
Physics, Chemistry, and Math are covered during the preparation for NEET. For the language
subjects I think the classes in my school were sufficient. I aimed to score 90 plus in these subjects
and it was achievable.
How much time do you think it takes to prepare for the NEET exam?
I think at least 2 years are required to prepare for NEET. If you are dedicated then it can be done in
1 year as well.
How did you relax when you needed a break from your studies?
I used to prefer sleeping in order to relax. Everybody has different preferences but I liked sleeping.
It helped me calm myself and I used to feel refreshed after waking up.
Do you have any tips to memorize things?
I used to jot down all the important points on the side of my NCERT. And I used to highlight important
things in the book itself. I think it’s important to write down things in order to memorize them.
What should be the method of note-making?
It’s important to make small notes which you can easily remember. Rather than decorating your
notes, you should concentrate on the content. You should write things the way you understand it.
You should revise and write things again and again.
What should be done in order to avoid silly mistakes?
When any question is lengthy, you should read it twice. This is something that I did not do and lost
marks. If a question is statement-based or lengthy then you should read it twice.
Which is the lengthiest section in the paper?
I think it depends on NTA. Physics is usually tough and chemistry and biology are lengthier. I
attempted biology first followed by Physics and then Chemistry.
The Most
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A Message
to all aspirants
MVs jgks D;ksfd Disha
vkids lkFk gS!
The idea behind this campaign was to fuel the fire in the belly of
young students so that they can aspire to achieve what most people
only dream.
It gives me immense joy and I take pride in revealing that our
campaign has produced such wonderful results.
Success is all about not giving in to the pressure because if there is
no pressure then there is no diamond.
I am certain that these success stories will inspire thousands of
aspirants in ascertaining that if you apply yourself then no goal is
too big to achieve.
This is only the beginning, we have miles to go before we sleep...
Deepak Agarwal,
Founder Director
Way to Reach Your Goal
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Toppers’ Handbook 1

Mayur Hazarika AIR 5 12 - 14

Waseem Ahmad Bhat AIR 7 15 - 17

Sunil Phogat AIR 77 18 - 20

Pratiksha Pandey Rank 2 (UPPSC) 23

Himanshu Vats AIR 1 (CAPF AC) 24 - 25

A. Venkata Siva Ram AIR 5 31 - 32

Y. Maneendhar Reddy AIR 10 33 - 34

Why “Toppers Read Disha Books”?

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In UPSC, PYQs hold a very specific importance.

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I needed a flawless PYQ book to understand

Change the way to

In my preparation, I kept in mind 2 things: revising whatever

If there is a single book that can provide everything

Easy Language Divided into 12 Sections

Trust the Book that

JEE Main &

During my JEE preparation, what I felt was that JEE

I want to share that Disha’s Previous Years JEE

I think solving PYQs played a very important role

Question V. C. Reddy A. Venkata Y. Maneendhar

126 JEE Main ONLINE

Trust the Books that

To increase my chances of success, I did not leave

What was your strategy for solving PYQs?

Trust the Books that

Way to Reach Your Goal

JEE / NEET Books https://amzn.to/446bPIU

Civil Services Books https://amzn.to/3OQj1DJ

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