Meet The Boy Who Ranked Second Across India In JEE Exam

Mumbai: Name: Akshat Chugh
All India Rank: 2
98% Akshat's score in his Class XII exam
This Pune-based lad surpassed all expectations when he ranked second across India in the JEE. A Delhi Public School alumnus, Akshat Chugh now aspires to get admitted to IIT Bombay. A jubilant Akshat told mid-day, "Time management and solving past question papers helped me a lot. It basically helped me master academic strategies. It has been my dream to get an admission in IIT-Bombay to study Computer Science. Apart from studies, I love to play games on my computer, which I also why I have such a keen interest in computers. I also watch TV in my free time."

Akshay's father Vikas, was ecstatic at the result and said, "Akshay is hardworking and sincere at his work. Since his Class IX, he has been preparing for JEE and solving papers regularly has helped him a lot. He loves to keep researching every aspect of his surrounding, which has helped him get the grassroots knowledge of his subjects. It's a proud moment for us."

Name: Dhananjay Tiwari
All India Rank: 1,364
93% Dhananjay's score in Class XII
 
At first glance, his rank might not impress, but this son of an autorickshaw driver from Thane has made the entire family proud. His interest in engineering first spawned when he saw his elder brother hard at work. A student at one the Thane civic schools, this was Dhanajay's second attempt, as he managed to score 93.08 percent in Class XII, but failed to succeed in his JEE attempt. "It was then that one of my teachers introduced me to IITian's PACE coaching class, which gives training on scholarship to deserving students from underprivileged background. I was selected and since then, there has been no looking back. I was certainly expecting more marks, but everything is not perfect in life," said Dhananjay, who now hopes to pursue Mechanical Engineering in IIT Bombay. Consistent and focused preparation has been his way of studying and this is what he recommends others to do as well. His father, Subhashchandra, is happy about Dhananjay's achievement, but is worried how he will support his son financially. "We always encouraged our children to study because we want them to live a better life than us. They have chosen what to study on their own. We now hope to get financial support so Dhananjay is able to complete his IIT education," said Subhashchandra.

Name: Rahul Bharadwaj
All India Rank: 20
1st Rajulss rank in the city toppers' list
 
With his remarkable India rank, it is no surprise that Rahul, son of a Naval officer, has topped the city in JEE Advanced. However, it hasn't come as a surprise to Rahul, who has been preparing for this exam since Class IX and now hopes to build a career in artificial intelligence. "It is important to love the subject and be focused; good score and rank will follow. This is what I want to tell all those preparing for competitive examinations: If you worry about rank, you tend to get lost. Initially, I also went through this phase of competition with others, but there are always going to be others who know more than you. For example, I started preparation in Class IX, but some might have begun in Class VII, and they are bound to know more than me. So instead, I just focused on my preparation with complete dedication," said Rahul, who, in fact, hoped to score higher. "With this score though, I now hope that I will be able to join IIT Bombay to read Computer Engineering," said Rahul, who also scored 88 per cent in Class XII. Interestingly, a passionate cricsket player, he did not stop playing even during the prep time, as it served to be his stress buster. "I love watching movies too, but I had to cut down on that," said Rahul, who has since been busy participating in science Olympiads.

Name: Yash Kumar
All India Rank: 2,661
5th His rank in the People with Disability category
 
Yash Kumar has had a hearing impairment since birth, but he has not let that hold him back. In that quest, he has now cleared another hurdle: He ranked 5th rank across India in the PWD category. Kumar uses a hearing machine, but is equipped to deal with situations. " I face problems when trying to understand a chapter in a noisy environment. But, after the lecture I speak with my teachers and friend to understand what has been taught," said Yash, who is also a table tennis player and wants to at some point in the future, become an entrepreneur. "My son is able to fight the odds because we always helped him to first accept what he lacks and then work on how to improve. Today, we are really proud of him," said his father Rajesh Kumar.

Name: Shubham Pathak
All India Rank: 7,053
88.8% His score in his class exam
 
At a very young age, this boy had to figure out the balance between his studies and responsibilities towards his family. In the middle of his academic year, his mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, and so Shubham Pathak was studying for his JEE in the hospital. His father is in the Merchant Navy, so the responsibility of looking after his mother and taking care of business till she is cured has fallen on Shubham. "In October, my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer and because my father is in Merchant Navy, I decided to look after her. Though I was unable to attend tuitions in person, I studied in the hospital with the aid of some video coaching," said Shubham, who despite losing out on his chance to secure a seat in IIT- Bombay, Mechanical Engineering, is satisfied with his result. "I wanted to get into IIT-Bombay, but I couldn't score so well. However, I am happy because my mother is almost cured of her disease, and as I had promised her, not only did I appear for the JEE, but also managed to clear it," he added.


(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)