CBSE 10th Topper Interview 2026: Zaheen Nalakath Shares How NCERT & PYQs Led to 99.2%
CBSE 10th Topper Zaheen Nalakath scored 99.2% by focusing on NCERT, PYQs and regular practice. She has advised students to study daily in a balanced manner.
CBSE 10th Topper Interview 2026
CBSE 10th Topper Interview 2026: Zaheen Nalakath, who scored 99.2% in class 10 exams, credits her success to regular practice and clear study strategy. She shared that she studied from multiple sources, but kept NCERT books as her main focus while also solving previous year questions and extra practice sets for better preparation.
She highlighted that consistency played important role. Instead of studying for very long hours on some days and then losing motivation, she followed a steady routine by studying a few hours every day. According to her, maintaining this balance and practising regularly helped her stay focused and perform well in CBSE 10th board exams.
Q: How was your reaction after seeing CBSE 10th results?
A: It was truly a memorable moment for me. I had expected a score above 95, but 99 was unbelievable.
Q: Please tell us something about your family background?
A: My dad is an engineer and my mom used to be a teacher. They never pressured me to study; they trusted that I would work hard on my own.
Q: Please share your subject-wise marks?
A: Here are my CBSE 10 marks for all subjects
| Subjects |
Marks |
|---|---|
| Mathematics |
100 |
| Malayalam |
100 |
| English |
99 |
| Social Science |
99 |
| Science |
98 |
Q: Which subject did you find most challenging, and how did you overcome it?
A: At the beginning, I did find Mathematics challenging because of tricky questions. I practised a lot, from all sources, including NCERT and previous year questions. PYQs and extra questions from internet helped me in time management in Maths.
Q: How important were NCERT books in your preparation? Did you use any additional resources?
A: I also practised using other resources like PDFs of extra questions, exemplar problems and materials provided by my teachers. However, I kept NCERT as my main priority. I did not attend any coaching. I practised using online resources and also used a question bank from Oswaal.
Q: What was your strategy to score 98%?
A: There was a time when I scored lower than expected in one of my model exams. That motivated me to aim higher. I wrote 99%, I can do it on a piece of paper and stick it on my table. From then on, I studied consistently.
Q: Did you follow any specific strategy for revision in last 1 to 2 months?
A: By last couple of months, I had completed most of my syllabus and only needed to revise a few times. This was possible because of consistent studying from beginning. During final months, I focused on completing all previous year questions and exemplar problems.
Q: During your CBSE board preparation, what did your daily routine look like, and how many hours did you spend studying on average?
A: In beginning, I studied for about 3 to 4 hours a day and gradually increased my study time. I knew I couldn’t suddenly start studying for 5 hours daily. As time passed, both syllabus and my study time increased. I eventually studied 5 to 6 hours daily, 2 hours in morning waking up at 5 and 3 hours after school. Towards end, I studied around 13 to 15 hours daily.
Q: What are your future plans? Which career path are you aiming for?
A: I haven’t decided on a specific course after 12th yet. I am not particularly interested in entrance exams like JEE or NEET. I am more interested in scientific fields.
Q: Please share some tips for students prepping to appear in CBSE Board Exams 2027?
A: One thing I would definitely say to my juniors is to believe in themselves. If you don’t believe in your own abilities, it becomes very difficult to achieve your goals. Instead of studying for 12 hours one day and losing interest next, try studying a few hours daily. Another important point is to use your resources wisely. Do not completely stop using your phone, it may only increase urge to use it. Instead, reduce your screen time and limit it to about 1 to 2 hours a day.
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