CBSE 10th Topper 2026: Lakshya Faujdar bags 99.8%, Credits Concept Clarity Over Rote Learning

Lakshya scored 99.8% in CBSE Class 10, saying he believed in hard work and consistency. Calling the NCERT books his holy bible, he shares how it is enough to score well in the exam.

CBSE 10th Topper 2026 Credits Concept Clarity Over Rote Learning

CBSE 10th Topper Lakshya Faujdar, in an exclusive interview with shiksha.com, shared how his belief in understanding the concept and not believing in rote learning helped him get 99.8% in boards. "Throughout the year, I enjoyed studying for hours. I focused on understanding, not rote learning. And I treated every class test and pre-board like the final board exam. Short notes preparation was the key," he said.

Q: Congratulations on your result! What was your reaction after seeing CBSE 10th results? Did you score what you expected?

Thank you very much for your good wishes. After the announcement of the result, I was a little nervous while checking the website with my parents. When I saw 99.8%, I was hoping for a high score of 98%+, so this was beyond what I expected. It was a really special moment for my parents and the school.

Q: Please tell us something about your family background?

I belong to a middle-class family in Noida. My native place is Bharatpur, Rajasthan. My father is an engineer, and my mother is a homemaker. My younger sister is in 8th grade. My parents have always encouraged me to overcome any difficulty in my study and they just told me to give my best. Their guidance & immense support made the biggest difference.

Q: Please share your subject-wise marks?

I scored the following marks in each subject

• Maths: 99
• Science: 100
• Social Science: 100
• AI: 100
• Sanskrit: 100
• Total: 499/500 (99.8%)

Q: Which subject did you find most challenging, and how did you overcome it?

Social Science, because the syllabus was so vast and required a lot of reading and a lot of points to be remembered. In the last 2 months, I did only revision and written practice of previous years' papers.

Q: How important were NCERT books in your preparation? Did you use any additional resources?

NCERT books were my Grantha. Almost every question in the board paper can be traced back to NCERT text, in-text questions, or examples. After finishing NCERT thoroughly, I used Allen's notes for Maths & Science. For SSC, I read only NCERT books. My main mantra was no multiple books but one book for multiple time readings.

Q: What was your strategy to score 99.8%?

Throughout the year, I enjoyed studying for hours. I focused on understanding, not rote learning. And I treated every class test and pre-board like the final board exam. Short notes preparation was the key.

Q: Did you follow any specific strategy for revision in the last 1 to 2 months?

Yes, in the last 40 days I focused only on revision and taking mock tests. No new topics. I did 2 full revisions of all subjects. My rule was: morning = Maths & Science subject,
evening = language & SSc. I solved 1 CBSE previous year paper daily in Feb, strictly in 3 hours.

Q: What was your daily routine to score well in CBSE exam?

On school days, I used to study for three hours straight with two 15-minute breaks. On weekends or holidays, I stretched my time and studied for 5 to 6 hours. But I was clear that I have to focus on the quality of time spent on the studies rather than the quantity. I slept 7 hours minimum and played cricket on Saturday & Sundays.

Q: What is your favourite subject?

Science, especially Physics. I love how it explains real-life things.

Q: What are your future plans? Which career path are you aiming?

I’ve opted for PCB with Maths in Class 11. I’m interested in research & medicine. Right now the focus is on building strong concepts in 11th PCMB without worrying too much about competitive exams yet.

Q. Please share some tips for students prepping to appear in CBSE Board Exams 2027?

I would suggest candidates follow the tips & tricks to score well in exam

• Maintaining mental & physical health
• Thorough study of NCERT books.
• Writing practice
• Solving of previous years papers & sample papers
• Deep understanding of Diagrams/ Maps/ Theorems/ Formulas/Equations etc.
• Learning from mistakes
• Regular study