JEE Advanced 2018 Topper Interview: Pranav Goyal AIR 1
Pranav Goyal
JEE Advanced 2018 results got declared on June 10 and Panchkula’s Pranav Goyal topped the exam by securing an AIR (All India Rank) 1. The topper, who got an AIR 4 in JEE Mains 2018, credits all his success to his teachers and parents. According to him, it was due to the guidance, motivation and support of his parents and teachers that he has achieved this success.
The son of a businessman, Pranav, isn't surprised with the results. According to him, when he started preparing for the JEE two years ago, he saw himself among top 10. A voracious reader, Pranav’s excellent grasping power added to his hard work and helped him secure a rank 1 in one of the most competitive engineering entrances in India.
His love for Physics, Mathematics and Programming helped him make up mind to pursue engineering. In JEE Advanced 2018, Pranav scored 117/120 marks in Physics, 114/120 in Chemistry and 106/120 marks in Mathematics.
In an interview with Shiksha, Pranav Goyal, JEE Advanced 2018 topper talks about his success mantras, preparation strategy and more.
Q. Congratulations on your achievement. So, how do you feel being the JEE Advanced 2018 topper with an AIR 1? Did you expect it?
Thank you. I feel great and ecstatic. I never expected that I will be the exam topper even though I was expecting a rank under 10. But securing an AIR 1 is unbelievable for me.
Q. Which board have you studied under and which school are you from? What was your Class XII marks?
I studied at Bhavan Vidyalaya Panchkula and my school was affiliated to CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education). In Class 12th examination, I secured 97.2%.
Q. JEE Advanced was conducted online for the first time ever this year. What are your views on the exam being conducted in CBT mode?
It has its own pros and cons. While the exam was conducted efficiently, there were questions which required offline calculation and could have been solved in a better way if done in pen and paper mode. Even though, the exam was being held online for the first time ever, I prep strategy remained the same. Infact, to make it better, I took a lot of online mock tests. It helped me a lot in getting an insight into the pattern of the examination.
Q. How long have you been preparing for the exam? What as your study plan like?
I started my preparations for JEE Mains and JEE Advanced when I entered Class XI. As far as my study plan is concerned, I focused on understanding and getting my concepts right. My key focus was on Chemistry.
However, I used to take a lot of short breaks in between my studies and watch television as well. Overall, I used to study for around 8 to 9 hours a day.
If you focus well, the number of hours you put in don't really matter. When I studied, I did not think about breaks, and when I was on a break, I didn't stress about studies.
Q. What according to you in the difference between the preparation of JEE Advanced and JEE Main?
JEE Mains is more about memorizing while JEE Advanced is all about conceptual understanding.
Q. What was your JEE Mains ranks and score?
I secured an All India Rank 4 in JEE Mains 2018 with a score on 350/360 in the exam.
Q. Do you think coaching is required to crack an exam like JEE?
I think coaching is very important for an exam like JEE. Coaching helps you get your hands on the right books and the right atmosphere for preparation. The online tests and test series that coaching institutes provide is unmatched. Moreover, the guidance and support of teachers helps a student achieve his/her goal.
Q. Did you take up mock tests and sample papers? Did they help you towards your preparation?
In the last three weeks before the exam, I took a lot of online mock tests and solved numerous sample papers for JEE Advanced. Since, all these were timed, it helped get a feel of the examination. I suggest, students should solve atleast eight to nine years of JEE Advanced previous years question papers to get an idea of the difficulty level of the exam. Moreover, it also gives an over-view of the time once should spend on each subject.
Q. Any important books you would like to suggest for future JEE aspirants?
Yes.
- Mathematics by S L Loney
- Physics by H. C Verma
- Organic Chemistry by Solomon
- Chemistry and Physics Theory by Pradeep
Q. Which IIT are you aiming at and which course do you want to pursue?
Well, I want to get into IIT Bombay to pursue CSE.
Q. Any tips for aspirants taking the exam next year?
- If you focus well, your study hours will not matter
- The quality of study matters more than quantity.
- Remain calm and focused.
- Brush up your basics and ensure your concepts are strong
- Take lots of online tests and solve the previous year’s question papers.
Q. Why do you want to study engineering? When did you decide you want to go for this field?
I have always been fascinated with the field. My favourite subject in Class X was Mathematics while that in Class XI was Physics. Both these subjects are part of Engineering so I decided to pursue my career in this field.
Q. Tell us something about yourself and your hobbies?
I like watching television and videos on Youtube. Earlier, I used to play cricket and table tennis too with my batchmates. I am also fond of reading mythological books. Even though I still watch TV to destress myself, I am not able to pursue a lot of my hobbies.
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