JEE Main 2016 Topper Interview: Pratyush Maini AIR 2

Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) Main 2026 ( JEE Main )

shadow

JEE Main CSAB special counselling

22 Jul '26 - 18 Aug '26

Updated on Jun 24, 2016 15:11 IST
JEE Main 2016 second topper Pratyush Maini wants to do Electrical Engineering from IIT Bombay. Read more on Shiksha.

JEE Main 2016 Second Topper Pratyush Maini

Surprised by his own performance in JEE Main 2016, Pratyush Maini of Gurgaon is feeling like being on top of the world right now. Currently in mood of celebration, Pratyush doesn’t want to think or talk about his future but like to enjoy the moment of happiness with his family and friends. Pratyush has also topped in class 12th of his school- DAV Public School, Gurgaon, where his mother Charu Maini teaches Chemistry.  

Check JEE Main 2016 ranks here!

Also see- How are JEE Main ranks calculated!

Seventeen years old Pratyush has scored 98.2 in class 12th, he says, “I am very lucky to have made my parents and teachers proud of me. I owe my success to them as they are the ones who stood by my side whenever I needed them.” Young boy Pratyush is now aiming to do Electrical Engineering from either IIT Bombay or IIT Delhi. In a chat with Shiksha.com, he talks about his study plan, expectations, struggle, and more.

Explore colleges based on JEE Main

Mumbai
#3 NIRF
₹8.00 L
Chennai
#1 NIRF
₹8.00 L
Delhi
#2 NIRF
₹8.00 L
Chennai
#14 NIRF
₹11.00 L

Want better recommendations?

There is a 90% more chance of getting best college recommendations by sharing preferences.
Tiruchirappalli
#9 NIRF
₹5.00 L
Kharagpur
#5 NIRF
₹8.00 L
Kanpur
#4 NIRF
₹8.00 L
Hyderabad
#7 NIRF
₹8.00 L
Coimbatore
#23 NIRF
₹2.50 L
Chandigarh
#31 NIRF
₹5.97 L
Confused about which college or exam to opt for?assitentRcpRhsImage
  • Chat with our counselor
  • Get your personalised list of colleges & exams matching your preferences
View allCollections

Get more information on JEE Main 2016 toppers here!

Q. Congratulations on your achievement. How are you feeling being the JEE Main 2016 topper with an AIR 2?

Thanks for your wishes. I have amazing feeling right now, I am extremely happy to make my parents and teachers proud. Can’t thank them enough for their support and guidance.

Staying updated about the latest educational events is just a click away
Enter Mobile Number

Q. Did you expect to be one of the toppers of the exam?

AIR 2 is something I never expected. Though I was hoping something in top 30, but getting second rank was a surprise for me and my family. I had really studied hard for this entrance exam and I am very happy to be at this position today.

Explore more B.Tech exams with upcoming dates

ATIT 2026 Commencement of Classwork

3 Aug '26

Last date to apply with JEE Ma...

5 Aug '26

BITSAT 2026 Iteration-V fee pa...

6 Aug '26

Web Options Entry (Choice Filling)

25 Jul '26 - 3 Aug '26

COMEDK 2026 Counselling: Round...

28 Jul '26 - 3 Aug '26

CUSAT CAT 2026 B.Tech Second R...

3 Aug '26

KEAM 2026 counselling phase 3 ...

3 Aug '26

AP ECET 2026 Self-Joining and ...

31 Jul '26 - 5 Aug '26

TNEA 2026 General Counselling ...

3 Aug '26 - 5 Aug '26

Assam JLEE 2026 result

12 Aug '26

Q. How long have you been preparing for?

I started preparing for JEE Main 2016 and JEE Advanced 2016 two years back after joining FIITJEE Gurgaon. Since, my mother is a Chemistry teacher, she always helped me in studies. I used to clear my doubts whenever and wherever I can and I think, it helped me in getting a clear understanding of each subject.

Q. Can you share your class 12th Board marks, your score in JEE Main and your rank and score in JEE Advanced?

  • Class 12th Board Marks – 98.2 in boards
  • JEE Main 2016 marks – 320/360 (Subject wise break up: Physics- 105, Chemistry- 110, and Mathematics- 110)
  • JEE Advanced 2016 Rank – AIR 217
  • JEE Advanced 2016 score – 228/372

Q. You were ranked 217 in JEE Advanced and 2nd in JEE Main. How did your parents react to it?

They are extremely happy about it. I cannot express their feeling in words, but I know everybody is proud of me. Tomorrow we have a school reunion, where I will meet all my friends and we are all going to celebrate.  

Q. Which institute are you vying for and which is the course you aim to pursue?

I am planning to take up Electrical Engineering at IIT Bombay or IIT Delhi.

Q. Have you taken any other exam/s besides JEE Main and Advanced?

I also appeared for BITSAT this year.

Q. Any tips for aspirants taking the exam next year?

I would like to say that students should focus on engineering knowledge and have a clarity of subjects they are studying. One should never hesitate in clarifying doubts or asking questions to their teachers as they are the people who can improve our knowledge.

Q. So, tell us something about your family?

My father Kapil Maini is working in Nokia and my mother Charu Maini is a Chemistry teacher at DAV Public School, Gurgoan. I have an elder sister Pragya Maini, who is an employee of KPMG Gurgoan.  

Q. What are your plans for the future?

Right now I don’t know. It’s too early to say anything. I like to teach so there is a possibility that I might go in this profession but how and when, I can’t say that right now. I will be doing higher studies, but I am definitely not going to do MBA after B.Tech.

Q. Do you want to go for higher studies in this stream only – Electrical Engineering?

I can’t say that right now.

Q. Tell us about yourself and your hobbies?

I like to play Table Tennis and Lawn Tennis. I do like to watch movies also.

The JEE Main 2016 ranks got declared on the late evening of June 23, 2016 on the official website of CBSE. Deepanshu Jindal of Delhi has bagged the first position with AIR 1 in JEE Main 2016, while the third position is secured by Rajesh Bansal of Delhi. JOSAA 2016 seat allocation has also begun from today i.e. June 24.

For more information on JEE Main 2016, stay tuned to Shiksha!

Also read:

JOSAA 2016 Seat Allotment Schedule Announced

JOSAA 2016: Students Unhappy with Seat Allocation can Withdraw Admissions after Every Round

IIT Seat Allocation 2016 - Course/Categorywise

IIT Seat Allocation 2016 – Course/Categorywise Part 2

IIITs Seat Allocation 2016

GFTIs Seat Allocation 2016

Videos you may like
About the Author
This is a collection of news and articles on various topics ranging from course selection to college selection tips, exam preparation strategy to course comparison and more. The topics are from various streams inclu Read Full Bio
Download Important Dates for B.E. / B.Tech Exams

News & Updates

Latest NewsPopular News

Explore Other Exams

Jun '26

JoSAA 2026 starts

1 Jun '26

JEE Advanced 2026 Result Date

6 Aug '26

BITSAT 2026 Iteration-V fee pa...

10 Aug '26

BITSAT 2026 Iteration-VI Annou...

9 Jul '26

SRMJEEE Phase 3 Result 2026

4 Jul '26 -

5 Jul '26

SRMJEEE 2026 Exam (Phase 3)

28 Jul '26 -

3 Aug '26

COMEDK 2026 Counselling: Round...

28 Jul '26 -

3 Aug '26

COMEDK 2026 Counselling: Round...

28 Jul '26

WBJEE 2026 seat allotment - Ro...

24 Jul '26 -

26 Jul '26

WBJEE 2026 counselling registr...

Oct '26

VITEEE 2027 Registration Start...

Apr '27

VITEEE 2027 Mock Test Release ...

The list of exams are recommended based on what other exams do the students in your area show interest in
qna

Student Forum

chatAnything you would want to ask experts?
Write here...

Answered 2 days ago

Yes, you can get admission to VNIT Nagpur with 95.55 percentile in JEE Main under the EWS category (Maharashtra home state) but your course options might be limited or into less competitive or core branches.

A

Akanksha Yadav

Contributor-Level 8

Answered 3 days ago

No, JEE Main ranks are not accepted for core engineering seat allotments at this campus. Admission to all BTech tracks is handled exclusively through the university's own entrance test ranks. VIT Bhopal University requires all engineering aspirants to register for and clear the VITEEE exam to secure

...Read more

R

Rashmi Karan

Contributor-Level 9

Answered 4 days ago

Sorry, but even under the SC category, securing a seat in an NIT with a JEE Main CRL rank of 632000 is not possible.

A

Akanksha Yadav

Contributor-Level 8

Answered 4 days ago

The rank needed for admission to the BTech course would depend on the course, round and branch you are applying for. For the General HS category, the Round 2 cutoff was 770798 for the BTech CSE course. So, this category students need a rank of at least 770798 to be considered eligible for admission.

...Read more

N

Neerja Rohatgi

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 5 days ago

Yes, several colleges convert a good JEE Main percentile directly into a fee waiver. Graphic Era's GECET-linked scholarships and UPES's merit scholarships can cut your fees by up to 50%. This makes originally expensive private colleges much more affordable for high scorers, so it's worth applying ev

...Read more

T

Tasbiya Khan

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 6 days ago

No, JEE Main is not required to get admission in BTech at Rajalakshmi Engineering College. Admissions under the government quota rely primarily on Class 12 marks through TNEA counseling. However, JEE Main scores may be considered for admission.

R

Raj Priya

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 6 days ago

Yes, most Coimbatore colleges, including PSG Tech, Karunya, and Kumaraguru, primarily admit students through TNEA counselling, which is based on Class 12 merit rather than JEE Main. JEE Main is mainly relevant if you're targeting government institutes like NITs. So a strong Class 12 score alone can

...Read more

T

Tasbiya Khan

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 6 days ago

No, I don't think you can get into B.Tech EEE at Ajay Kumar Garg Engineering College, Ghaziabad with JEE Main rank of 5,30,000 as General, non-UP domicile candidate. Typically, closing rank for EEE close much earlier around 3,00,00.

A

Akanksha Yadav

Contributor-Level 8

Answered 6 days ago

Absolutely. Unlike government colleges with very tight cutoffs, most private engineering colleges in UP admit students across a wide score range, and several also accept students without a JEE Main score at all. Your branch choice and college reputation still matter, but private colleges generally o

...Read more

T

Tasbiya Khan

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

No, JEE Main is not mandatory for BTech admission to SVSU Meerut. While JEE Main scores are accepted for BTech application, students can qualify directly through the university's SNET examination or Class 12 merit.

A

Al Kashaf

Contributor-Level 9