Pranav Goyal
JEE Advanced 2018 results got declared on June 10 and Panchkula’s Pranav Goyal topped the exam by securing an AIR (All India Rank) 1. The topper, who got an AIR 4 in JEE Mains 2018, credits all his success to his teachers and parents. According to him, it was due to the guidance, motivation and support of his parents and teachers that he has achieved this success.
The son of a businessman, Pranav, isn't surprised with the results. According to him, when he started preparing for the JEE two years ago, he saw himself among top 10. A voracious reader, Pranav’s excellent grasping power added to his hard work and helped him secure a rank 1 in one of the most competitive engineering entrances in India.
His love for Physics, Mathematics and Programming helped him make up mind to pursue engineering. In JEE Advanced 2018, Pranav scored 117/120 marks in Physics, 114/120 in Chemistry and 106/120 marks in Mathematics.
In an interview with Shiksha, Pranav Goyal, JEE Advanced 2018 topper talks about his success mantras, preparation strategy and more.
Q. Congratulations on your achievement. So, how do you feel being the JEE Advanced 2018 topper with an AIR 1? Did you expect it?
Thank you. I feel great and ecstatic. I never expected that I will be the exam topper even though I was expecting a rank under 10. But securing an AIR 1 is unbelievable for me.
Q. Which board have you studied under and which school are you from? What was your Class XII marks?
I studied at Bhavan Vidyalaya Panchkula and my school was affiliated to CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education). In Class 12th examination, I secured 97.2%.
Q. JEE Advanced was conducted online for the first time ever this year. What are your views on the exam being conducted in CBT mode?
It has its own pros and cons. While the exam was conducted efficiently, there were questions which required offline calculation and could have been solved in a better way if done in pen and paper mode. Even though, the exam was being held online for the first time ever, I prep strategy remained the same. Infact, to make it better, I took a lot of online mock tests. It helped me a lot in getting an insight into the pattern of the examination.
Q. How long have you been preparing for the exam? What as your study plan like?
I started my preparations for JEE Mains and JEE Advanced when I entered Class XI. As far as my study plan is concerned, I focused on understanding and getting my concepts right. My key focus was on Chemistry.
However, I used to take a lot of short breaks in between my studies and watch television as well. Overall, I used to study for around 8 to 9 hours a day.
If you focus well, the number of hours you put in don't really matter. When I studied, I did not think about breaks, and when I was on a break, I didn't stress about studies.
Q. What according to you in the difference between the preparation of JEE Advanced and JEE Main?
JEE Mains is more about memorizing while JEE Advanced is all about conceptual understanding.
Q. What was your JEE Mains ranks and score?
I secured an All India Rank 4 in JEE Mains 2018 with a score on 350/360 in the exam.
Q. Do you think coaching is required to crack an exam like JEE?
I think coaching is very important for an exam like JEE. Coaching helps you get your hands on the right books and the right atmosphere for preparation. The online tests and test series that coaching institutes provide is unmatched. Moreover, the guidance and support of teachers helps a student achieve his/her goal.
Q. Did you take up mock tests and sample papers? Did they help you towards your preparation?
In the last three weeks before the exam, I took a lot of online mock tests and solved numerous sample papers for JEE Advanced. Since, all these were timed, it helped get a feel of the examination. I suggest, students should solve atleast eight to nine years of JEE Advanced previous years question papers to get an idea of the difficulty level of the exam. Moreover, it also gives an over-view of the time once should spend on each subject.
Q. Any important books you would like to suggest for future JEE aspirants?
Yes.
- Mathematics by S L Loney
- Physics by H. C Verma
- Organic Chemistry by Solomon
- Chemistry and Physics Theory by Pradeep
Q. Which IIT are you aiming at and which course do you want to pursue?
Well, I want to get into IIT Bombay to pursue CSE.
Q. Any tips for aspirants taking the exam next year?
- If you focus well, your study hours will not matter
- The quality of study matters more than quantity.
- Remain calm and focused.
- Brush up your basics and ensure your concepts are strong
- Take lots of online tests and solve the previous year’s question papers.
Q. Why do you want to study engineering? When did you decide you want to go for this field?
I have always been fascinated with the field. My favourite subject in Class X was Mathematics while that in Class XI was Physics. Both these subjects are part of Engineering so I decided to pursue my career in this field.
Q. Tell us something about yourself and your hobbies?
I like watching television and videos on Youtube. Earlier, I used to play cricket and table tennis too with my batchmates. I am also fond of reading mythological books. Even though I still watch TV to destress myself, I am not able to pursue a lot of my hobbies.
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 2 weeks ago
You are not eligible for JEE (Advanced) 2027 because your first appearance for Class 12 was in 2025. For JEE (Advanced) 2027 candidates must have taken their Class 12 (or equivalent) examination for the first time in either 2026 or 2027. Since your first appearance was in 2025 you fall outside this
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
Yes, Indian students can apply for TU Munich Admissions directly after Class 12th, provided they meet the minimum qualifying JEE Advanced score requirement and other program-specific entry requirements.
Students without a JEE Advanced score, will either have to enroll in the Studienkolleg or complete
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
Technical University of Munich generally accepts a JEE Advanced score only for the immediate academic intake to the year the exam was passed (usually within one year).
Universities like TU Munich assess students based on current admission rules, and hence using a scorecard older than admission year i
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
No, the Technical University of Munich does not accept JEE Advanced scores for Master's programs. For entry to PG programs, students need to have completed a UG degree from a recognised Indian college or university, submit relevant documents, and meet the program-specific criteria.
Check TU Munich Ad
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
While evaluating opening and closing rank trends, JEE Advanced cutoffs, and branch allocation dynamics for civil engineering at IIT Bhubaneswar provides a helpful baseline for your academic planning, Lovely Professional University (LPU) serves as an excellent alternative to elevate your engineering
A
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a month ago
The IIT GANDHINAGAR JEE Advanced closing ranksfor the General (open) female only category in 2026 ranked from roughly 5,437 for computer Science and engineering up to 20270 for civil engineering.
m
Beginner-Level 1
Answered a month ago
IIT BHU CSE cutoff 2026 ranged from 1436 in the first round to 1439 in the last round for the General category under the All India quota. Hence, a rank of at least 1439 is needed to qualify for admission to the CSE course. Check the table below to know the overall cutoff range for other categories.
| Category | IIT BHU CSE cutoff 2026 |
|---|---|
| General | 1436 - 1439 |
| OBC | 601 - 601 (R1) |
| SC | 313 - 373 |
| ST | 161 - 170 |
| EWS | 245 - 245 (R1) |
| PWD | 66 - 66 (R1) |
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
IIT BHU JEE Advanced cutoff 2026 ranged from 601 to 7870 in the first round for the OBC AI category. In the last round, the closing cutoff ranged from 601 to 9002 for the aforementioned category. Check the table below to know the Round 1 and last round closing cutoffs for different courses.
| Course | Round 1 Cutoff 2026 | Last Round Cutoff 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| B.Tech. in Computer Science and Engineering | 601 | 601 |
| B.Tech. in Mathematics and Computing | 826 | 845 |
| B.Tech. in Electronics Engineering | 1167 | 1189 |
| B.Tech. in Electrical Engineering | 1497 | 1529 |
| B.Tech. in Mechanical Engineering | 2760 | 3175 |
| B.Tech. in Chemical Engineering | 3394 | 3609 |
| B.Tech. in Engineering Physics | 3490 | 3620 |
| B.Tech. in Civil Engineering | 3834 | 3980 |
| B.Tech. in Materials Science and Technology | 3886 | 4257 |
| B.Tech. in Metallurgical Engineering | 4269 | 4494 |
| B.Tech. in Industrial Chemistry | 4389 | 4681 |
| B.Tech. in Biomedical Engineering | 4798 | 5067 |
| B.Tech. in Biochemical Engineering | 4877 | 5156 |
| B.Tech. in Ceramic Engineering | 4899 | 5245 |
| B.Tech. in Mining Engineering | 5031 | 5329 |
| B.Tech. in Pharmaceutics Engineering and Technology | 5424 | 5776 |
| Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch.) | 7870 | 9002 |
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
IIT Gandhinagar JEE Advanced cutoff 2026 for the General AI female category ranged from 5437 (CSE) to 20270 (Civil Engineering). Students can check the table below to know the last round cutoff range for other female categories.
| Category | IIT Gandhinagar JEE Advanced cutoff 2026 |
|---|---|
| General | 5437 - 20270 |
| OBC | 2700 - 9008 |
| EWS | 981 - 3973 |
| ST | 369 - 1941 |
| SC | 802 - 4390 |
| PWD | 225 |
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
IIT Bombay cutoff 2026 for the Electrical and Aerospace Engineering courses for the General AI category in the last round was 411 and 2638, respectively. To know the last round closing ranks for other categories, see the table below.
| Category | Electrical Engineering | Aerospace Engineering |
|---|---|---|
| General | 411 | 2638 |
| OBC | 281 | 1546 |
| SC | 130 | 731 |
| ST | 90 | 458 |
| EWS | 110 | 589 |
| PWD | 7 | 103 |
N
Contributor-Level 10