A Day In The Life Of A JEE Topper

A Day In The Life Of A JEE Topper

Isha JainUpdated on 28 Mar 2022, 09:50 AM IST

If you are writing the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main and hoping to join the ranks of JEE toppers, you need the right strategy. Apart from an ease with the Sciences and Mathematics, JEE Main and JEE Advanced toppers typically have workable preparation strategies, stress-busting techniques and practical tips at their disposal. Here, some of the JEE top rankers from previous years share their schedules and strategies.

LiveJEE Mains Answer Key 2026 (Out) LIVE: Session 1 response sheet out; result on Feb 12, counselling datesFeb 5, 2026 | 11:00 PM IST

The JEE Main 2026 Session 2 exam dates are scheduled from April 2 to 9, 2026.

Read More
A Day In The Life Of A JEE Topper
A Day In The Life Of A JEE Topper

Conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), the JEE is divided into two levels – JEE Main and Advanced. The JEE Main is for admission in National Institutes of Technology (NIT), Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIIT) and other government-funded institutions. The top 2,50,000 JEE Main rank-holders get to appear for the JEE Advanced which is the second step and for Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) admissions. Over 10 lakh students write the JEE every year.

A look at the study schedules and efforts of the JEE toppers shows a dedicated approach to studying, fierce determination and a single-minded focus on achieving the desired result. Toppers from previous years share their study plans and preparation tips that aided their success.

Mridul Agarwal | JEE Main 2021 March | AIR 1

JEE Main 2021 topper Mridul Agarwal secured 100 percentile. He emphasised on the need for a well-balanced schedule which included proper hours for sleep, a dedicated study timetable and ample practice. He started his JEE preparation in Class11. His JEE preparation was in tandem with studies for Classes 11 and 12 where he not only studied the syllabus in depth but also made sure to practise by solving previous JEE Main papers on a regular basis.

Amity University-Noida B.Tech Admissions 2026

Among top 100 Universities Globally in the Times Higher Education (THE) Interdisciplinary Science Rankings 2026

UPES B.Tech Admissions 2026

Ranked #43 among Engineering colleges in India by NIRF | Highest Package 1.3 CR , 100% Placements

His daily JEE preparation schedule did not just include small breaks but also stress-busting activities like cycling, time with family and friends. According to Agarwal, these are equally important to relax and recoup energy to tackle the gruelling study schedule.

Parth Dwivedi | JEE Main 2020 | AIR 14

One of the JEE Main 2020 toppers, Dwivedi feels that the JEE Main journey is more like a marathon. One has to keep working hard till the last days.

He started his “target IIT journey”, in Class11 and for the next two years worked with a triple goal in mind - Board exams, JEE Main, and JEE Advanced.

His day would start at 7 am and he would attend classes till 1 pm. Self-study time started at 4 pm. For Dwivedi, remaining calm was very important and he feels these two factors also contributed to his success in JEE.

This routine was constant till the last week before the exam. That's when he concentrated on relaxation techniques to avoid anxiety on exam day.

Vedang Asgaonkar | JEE Advanced 2020 | AIR 7

While Asgaonkar attended foundation courses in Class 8, his JEE journey officially started in Class 11. He devoted around six hours every day to JEE preparation during Class 11 and increased it to 14 hours in Class 12. He would alternate between two subjects in a day to prevent boredom.

On the difference between JEE Main and JEE Advanced, said that JEE Main questions are more textbook-oriented while JEE Advanced are analytical in nature. He further participated in the Physics and Mathematics Olympiads that year to prepare better for the JEE Advanced.

Kartikey Gupta | JEE Advanced 2019 | AIR 1

Having missed out on the top rank in JEE Main 2019 by a narrow margin, Gupta had decided to excel in JEE Advanced. He attained All India Rank 1 in JEE Advanced 2019 exam.

Gupta said he believed in smart work and that keeping long hours was not really necessary for excelling. His daily self-study time ranged from six to seven hours after the regular classes. Weekly tests were a regular exercise in his JEE preparation strategy and this helped him analyse and improve his performance. One of his mantras was to clear doubts every day before he retired for the day. Breaks every two hours were a part of his schedule. He kept away from social media and used his time to focus on improving his performance in every test.

JEE Main Syllabus: Subjects & Chapters
Select your preferred subject to view the chapters

Sambit Behera | JEE Main 2019 | AIR 11

With the aim of studying Computer Science at IIT Bombay, Sambit Behra relocated to Kota, Rajasthan, almost three years before the JEE Main 2019 exam. His passion for Mathematics and Science stood him in good stead and he scored 100 percentile in the entrance test.

His daily JEE preparation routine included coaching classes from 6:30 am till noon followed by self-study from 4:30 pm for at least three to four hours. Jogging for at least half an hour after this was mandatory. Post dinner he would study till 11 p.m.

Behera’s JEE preparation started in Class 11. While his primary focus was JEE Advanced throughout his preparation days, he focussed on JEE Main 2019 in the last days before the actual exam date.

Articles
|
Upcoming Engineering Exams
Ongoing Dates
HITSEEE Application Date

5 Nov'25 - 22 Apr'26 (Online)

Ongoing Dates
SMIT Online Test Application Date

15 Nov'25 - 12 Apr'26 (Online)

Ongoing Dates
SNUSAT Application Date

19 Nov'25 - 31 Mar'26 (Online)

Certifications By Top Providers
B.Tech Engineering Technology
Via Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani
Certificate Program in Machine Learning and AI with Python
Via Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
Post Graduate Diploma Program in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence
Via Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology, Delhi
Computer Fundamentals
Via Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya, Indore
Programming Basics
Via Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
C-Based VLSI Design
Via Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
Udemy
 1525 courses
Swayam
 817 courses
NPTEL
 773 courses
Coursera
 697 courses
Edx
 608 courses
Explore Top Universities Across Globe

Questions related to JEE Main

On Question asked by student community

Have a question related to JEE Main ?

A score of 110 in JEE Mains is expected to be equal to 94 to 95th percentile. This score may not secure your admission in top NIT institutes for the general category, but candidates from OBC, SC, ST, and EWS categories have a good chance of getting into NITs and

Here are the best engineering colleges for 35,000-50,000 rank in JEE Main 2026 examination -

No, JEE Main Answer Key for 2026 session 1 is not out yet. NTA will release the JEE answer key 2026 on February 4.

With 100 marks in JEE Main exam, you can apply for several IIITs depending upon the branch of the course. Candidates with 100 marks in JEE Main are likely to secure seat in IIITs like IIIT Manipur , IIIT Nagpur, IIIT Dharwad, IIIT Sri City , IIIT Trichy and other

With 77 marks in JEE Main, you can expect engineering colleges like NIT Mizoram, NIT Meghalaya , and NIT Arunachal Pradesh. Consider private colleges like GITAM, Lovely Professional University, SRM Institute of Science and Technology , Chandigarh University, and Amity University for better branch options.