JEE Advanced Topper: AIR 122 Gulshan Kumar shares his preparation strategy

Gulshan Kumar shared his JEE Main and JEE Advanced preparation strategy with Shiksha.com. Read more...

Gulshan Kumar a boy from one of the backward districts of India, Gaya in Bihar has not just made his village proud but also the district and the state. Gulshan has been ranked AIR 122 in the JEE Advanced and was AIR 37, in the JEE Main 2023 Rank.

Gulshan who hails from Patwatoli, in Gaya, Bihar is the topper of the Gaya District. His father is a weaver. He has been a student in a two-year program classroom and joined FIITJEE through the F-40 program. He is also an NTSE Scholar and has qualified for Olympiad Stage-1 in Physics (NSEP), Chemistry (NSCE) and Astronomy (NSEA). He has also qualified for KVPY-SA.

Gulshan shared his JEE Main and JEE Advanced preparation strategy with Shiksha.com

Q: Congratulations on your result! What was your reaction when you came to know about your rank?
A. Thank you! When I first found out about my rank, it was an overwhelming moment for me. I celebrated with my parents, friends and FIITJEE family who had supported me throughout my journey. It was truly a moment of pride and validation for all the hard work and sacrifices I had put in. I feel incredibly grateful for this achievement and the opportunities that lie ahead.

Q: When and how did you decide to pursue B.Tech?
A. I decided to pursue B.Tech during my high school years after realizing my interest in science and mathematics. The exposure to some engineering concepts during my JEE Advanced preparation further strengthened my decision.

Q: Tell us something about your family, schooling, etc.
A. My family has been very supportive in my preparation. My parents have been my pillars of strength, encouraging me to chase my dreams. We belong to a low-income family from Manpur Patwatoli, Gaya, Bihar. I heard about the Fortunate-40 program by FIITJEE to help academically sound but having financial problems. FIITJEE provided me 100% scholarship for study and living.

In terms of schooling, I was studying at British English School. My school has also supported me to chase my dream.

Q: When did you start preparing for JEE and what was the strategy?
A. I joined FIIT-JEE Punjabi Bagh in class 11th in the two-year classroom program through Fortunate-40. I started preparing for JEE at the beginning of the class.
My strategy involved a few key elements. Firstly, I dedicated sufficient time to understand the fundamental concepts of each subject thoroughly. I made sure to cover the syllabus comprehensively. Regular practice was a crucial aspect of my preparation.

I solved a wide range of practice questions and previous year's papers to develop problem-solving skills. FIITJEE AITS has helped me a lot in final practice and time management during the paper. I used to take short breaks to keep my physical and mental health good.

Q. What were your strong and weak areas?
A. I was strong in the subject of Physics and moderate in Mathematics and Chemistry(Physical and Organic). My Weak areas were inorganic chemistry.

Q. Which books did you refer to for JEE?
A. First of all I go through all the FIITJEE packages and NCERT textbooks apart from my notes. Then I read some of the foreign author books recommended by my teachers for my better understanding of concepts.

Q. When did you start taking full-length JEE mock tests?
A. when I covered and revised the major portions of JEE advanced syllabus, I started to give JEE mock tests. It may be around 5-6 months before the exam.

Q: How did you balance your JEE preparation along with your school and board exams?
A. Generally for physics chemistry and maths, JEE preparation is sufficient for Board preparation. and for English and physical education, I used to give extra time during my class 11th and 12th along with JEE preparations going on.

Q: What was your exam-taking strategy?
A. My strategy was to solve the first easy questions of chemistry - a scoring and easy subject. Then I solve easy questions from Physics, followed by Maths. At the last, I will reattempt the unsolved questions again. I focused to maintain accuracy during paper solving.

Q: During your rigorous preparation journey, how did you unwind yourself?
A. I used to do some physical exercise in the morning. And take some short breaks during the study. taking enough sleep makes me feel energetic the next morning.

Q: Which is your dream Engineering college and branch?
A. IIT Bombay and Computer Science and Engineering.

Q: What are your plans after completing B.Tech?
A. My goal is to contribute to the field of engineering and computer science. I, along with this, want to contribute towards the students and the people of my society in terms of education and well-being.

Q: Your suggestion for next year’s JEE takers?
A. Start Early, Understand your goal, create a study plan according to your needs, focus on concepts, stay healthy and motivated, and manage your time effectively.