JEE Main 2021 topper interview: To achieve big in life, focus on procedure, not just the answer: Pal Aggarwal, AIR 1
Pal Aggarwal from Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, is among the 18 candidates who have secured AIR 1 in JEE Main 2021. Read below to know her success story and JEE Main 2021 overall preparation.
Pal Aggarwal, a student of Seth Anandram Japuria School, Vasundhra, Ghaziabad, scored 100 percentile in the JEE Main July session. She had earlier scored 99.988 percentile in the JEE Main February session, but was determined to score better. So, she reappeared in the July exam and secured the first rank with 100 percentile.
Pal Aggarwal and Delhiās Kavya Chopra are the first females to secure Rank 1 in JEE Main. Pal is an avid stargazer and wants to be an astronaut. Her father is a businessman and mother a clinical psychologist.
Q. Congratulations on your performance in JEE Main 2021! What was your reaction upon knowing your score?
A. Since I had secured full marks(300/300) in all three subjects -- chemistry, physics and mathematics, I had a fair idea that I would be getting Rank 1 or 2. Secondly,earlier age used to be one of the tie-breaking criteria, but the age factor has been dropped now, so I was expecting a top rank. Until last year, there was a tie-breaking criteria under which if two students secure same marks, the older one used to be get higher rank.
Q. What is your percentile score in JEE Main 2021?
A. I had appeared for the JEE Main twice. First in the February session and second in the July session. In February, I had scored99.988percentile, whereas in the JEE Main July session, I had secured 100 percentile. There are a total of 90 questions in JEE Main paper of which the student has to answer 75 questions. In each section, there are 30 questions, 20 are MCQs and 10 are numerical type. Of 10 numerical-type questions, the student has to answer only five. So, in total, the student has to answer 25 questions in each section. I scored full in all subjects in the July session.
Q. Why do you want to study engineering? Which branch would you be interested in?
A. I donāt want to study engineering. I want to become an astronaut and to attain this goal, I will study astrophysics and IISc Bangalore is the best institute for research in India. Thatās why I have IISc in mind. I have alsogot an admission letter from IISc Bangalore after clearing Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana Exam (KVPY). Probably, I will be going to IISc Bangalore, but since an astronaut requires some engineering skills, I also have another option in mind, which is bachelors in engineering physics from IIT Bombay. It will give me a flavour of both pure physics and engineering. I am keeping both IISc and IIT Bombay options.
Q. What was your JEE Main 2021 preparation strategy?
A. I took coaching for JEE Main 2021. I have been preparing for JEE Main since Class 11. I have been attending regular classes and taking tests even in the lockdown, so it gave me an opportunity toanalysemy mistakes and this is how I improved. It was just continuity that helped me crack the JEE Main exam as many students lost motivation due the lockdown.
Q. Which subject did you focus on more and why?
A. My maths part has been strong since the beginning, so I gave more time to physics and chemistry. I could not score 100 percentile in the February session due to less marks in physics and chemistry. So, from March to July, I focused mainly only physics and chemistry as I was determined to score 100 percentile in JEE Main.
Q. Which books did you refer to while preparing for JEE Main 2021?
A. I did not refer to many books. I studied from the material given to me by my coaching institute. Apart from that, I consulted IE Irodovand HC Verma books. HC Verma book is good for JEE Main, whereas IE Irodov is good for JEE Advanced preparation.
Q. Are you planning to appear for any other engineering exam?
A. I will be appearing for JEE Advanced which is scheduled to be held on October 3, 2021. I am focusing on my weak points and taking mock tests regularly.
Q. What are your future plans?
A. IISc is best for research, but astrophysics is not just about research. I have researched a lot about astronauts profiles like what courses they have done. Most of them are either pilots or aerospace engineers, thatā why they are working for NASA. I havenāt seen a single astronaut who has done just astrophysics. So, just a degree in astrophysics will not be enough for becoming an astronaut. You also need some engineering skills.
Q. What message do you have for future JEE aspirants?
A. JEE Main preparation is not just about academics, it also depends upon your mental status. When you are studying just from the exam point of view, you learn less. Donāt study like that, rather focus on procedure and not just the answer. Start deriving formula instead of just applying it. This way,you will learn and enjoy the subject more.
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