JEE Main Topper Interview: In conversation with Gaurab Das

JEE Main Topper Interview: In conversation with Gaurab Das-AIR 1

Gaurab Das is one of the 18 students who have got All India Rank 1 in JEE Main 2021

The National Testing Agency has declared JEE Main Third Session result on August 6. Nearly 7.09 lakh students registered for the JEE Main, of which 17 students scored 100 percentile. One of them is Gaurab Das. He appeared in the February as well as March session and secured 99.99% percentile.

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Gaurab was an NTSE scholar, 2-time KVPY awardee, qualified for INPho with AIR 16and also secured the 5^th rank in WDGEE. His hobbies include playing the guitar, basketball, reading, and programming.

In this interview, he talks about books, preparation strategies, his future plans, dreams, and much more.

Here are excerpts from the interview:

Ojasvi: Congratulations on your outstanding performance in JEE Main 2021 Third Session! How did you feel after scoring 100 percentile?

Gaurab: I feel very happy. I also feel incredibly blessed to have been in the presence of very supportive teachers, family, friends, and well-wishers who have helped me a lot to achieve this.

Ojasvi: When did you start your preparations?

Gaurab: I started preparing for JEE Mains and Advance specifically from 11^th grade. But I also prepared for some Olympiads and competitive exams like NTSE and SOF exams from 8^th.

Ojasvi:  The second wave of Covid-19 was unexpected for everyone. Did it affect your preparation? If yes, then how?

Gaurab: It did make a difference in both a good and bad way. It was good because I got more time to myself and had a little more freedom to focus on my academics. But it also imposed a physical barrier that prevented me from directly interacting with teachers and peers. However, thanks to modern technology, the gap was reduced and that helped me a lot.

Ojasvi:  According to you, what helped you score so well? Tell us about your daily routine, preparation strategies, and coaching.

Gaurab: I went to Narayana for my JEE preparation. There I was able to learn from and interact with very good teachers and students. I prioritized concepts over anything else. For Mains, I focused on the basics, revised NCERT books regularly, attempted previous year’s questions, and wrote a lot of mock tests. We also wrote error lists, in which we noted all our mistakes.

Ojasvi:  Did you appear for the earlier sessions of JEE Main in February or March? If yes, then how different was your result?

Gaurab:  I did appear in both the previous sessions. In February, I got 99.85%, my chemistry paper didn’t go as well, and I hoped to improve. In March, I got 99.96%, and I was satisfied with that. I hoped to improve a little in my 3^rd attempt but didn’t expect this result.

Ojasvi: Tell us about your schooling and dream college. Why did you choose to study Engineering?

Gaurab: I studied in DPS Bangalore North from 1^st to 10^th, and there I was able to get enough exposure in various fields to clearly realize what I wanted to study in the future. I also went to Aakash Institute from 8^th to 10^th, where I worked on improving my foundations. After joining Narayana E-Techno School Sahakaranagar, my preparation for the JEEs became more intensive and focused.

Computers fascinate me, and I would like to join any college that has an excellent Computer Science and Engineering program.

I chose engineering because I love solving hard problems and challenging myself to think more deeply. I love to learn details of everyday objects like cars and computers, and as an engineer, I would have the opportunity to get involved and learn more about these.

Ojasvi: Which subject was the easiest and which subject was the toughest for you in JEE Mains? And how did you overcome what you found difficult?

Gaurab: I didn’t find any subject to be especially “easy”, but I struggled a lot in chemistry. My first two attempts went a little down because of chemistry, so I focused more on the subject by reading NCERT Chemistry and solving a lot of problems in the topics I was poor in.

Ojasvi:  What is the ideal time to start taking mock tests and what role do mock tests play in JEE Mains Preparation? What were your strategies in particular towards mock tests?

Gaurab:  We wrote tests once a week from the beginning of 12^th grade. But the frequency of these tests increased as we approached Mains and I wrote once daily. Mock tests play a very important role, and they allowed me to identify my errors and correct them. Mock tests made me feel more comfortable, and are definitely a key factor for my performance.

I attempted the mock tests as if it were the real exam. After the exam ended, I would check my mistakes and their solutions.