CBSE Class 12 Humanities 2025 Topper Shloka Upadhyaya Scores 499/500, Reveals Her Study Plan, CUET UG Prep Tips

Shloka shares her preparation strategy, the crucial role her family played, her approach to managing CBSE board exams and CUET UG 2025, and what lies ahead in her academic journey.

Shloka Upadhyaya, a Humanities student, has emerged as the CBSE Class 12 all-India topper in the Board Exams 2025 with an outstanding score of 499 out of 500, translating to a 99.8% score. In this detailed conversation with Shiksha.com, she shares her preparation strategy, the crucial role her family played, her approach to managing CBSE board exams and CUET UG 2025, and what lies ahead in her academic journey.

Q: Congratulations on your result! What was your first reaction when you saw your marks?

Shloka: Firstly, thank you so much, sir. Honestly, when we got the result yesterday, I had to recheck it at least 3–4 times. It was a lot of happiness, of course—everyone was very happy. But since then, it's been overwhelming, getting so many messages and calls, even from newspapers and publications.

It all feels like a dream. Just two days ago, I was a normal student who had appeared for her board exams, and now it feels like I’ve become a celebrity for a week!

Q: Tell us about your family and schooling. How did your family support you during the board exams?

Shloka: A lot of the credit goes to my family. My mother made a major sacrifice by choosing to stay at home instead of working. She wanted to invest that time and energy in us, and that made a huge difference in my journey.

My father, though he has a full-time job, would always check in with me after work—asking if I needed help or support. Even my extended family, like my grandparents and cousins, were extremely supportive. They never put pressure on me to get a certain score. They trusted my efforts and told me not to stress about the outcome. That kind of emotional support really helped me perform at my best.

Q: When did you begin preparing seriously for the Class 12 boards, and what was your overall strategy?

Shloka: As far as I can remember, I was serious right from the beginning. Even in Class 11, I was consistent with my studies. Once Class 12 started in March, I knew I had to be disciplined.

I didn’t aim to become a national topper or even to score above 99%, but I made sure I was consistent. On weekdays, I studied for about 2–3 hours after school, and gave some extra time on weekends. I never had to make big sacrifices—I would still go out with my family sometimes. But I ensured that whatever I studied was thorough and didn’t need to be repeated again.

Q: Which subjects did you find the strongest and which were more challenging? How did you tackle the weak ones?

Shloka: English was easy for me because my basics were strong, especially in literature. Political Science was also manageable. I scored 99 in History, so even though I missed one mark, I’m satisfied.

The most challenging part was remembering dates and timelines, especially in History and Political Science. There’s a lot to memorise—events, rulers, sequences. Geography was a bit harder for me, especially with maps.

Q: Apart from NCERT textbooks, did you refer to any additional books or resources?

Shloka: For studying, I only used NCERT. I had gone through them multiple times and was confident that the board questions would be from NCERT. For practice and sample papers, I used OSWAL.

Q: How did you manage your time between board exam prep and entrance exam preparation like CUET?

Shloka: Yes, I am preparing for CUET. If you’re preparing seriously for boards, CUET preparation doesn’t require separate study. The syllabus is mostly the same.

Now I’m just giving mock tests for CUET and revising the same syllabus. There wasn't much of a distinction between board prep and CUET prep—it went hand-in-hand.

Q: What was your approach while attempting the actual board exams—any time management or answering strategies?

Shloka: I finished my syllabus by the end of November. After that, I focused only on revision and solving sample papers.

From January onwards, I regularly gave mock exams in a three-hour setting. That really helped me with time management. I wasn’t very tense during the real exams because I had already practised under similar conditions.

Q: What did you do to relax or take breaks during your preparation phase?

Shloka: During Class 12 in general, I used to go out occasionally with family. But during the last two months before the boards, I was more particular about limiting outings.

Even then, I took regular breaks for meals, sleep, and short rest periods. Just before exams started, my day usually began with studying, followed by short breaks, and then studying again.

I even went out once during the exam phase, so I don’t think you need to avoid breaks completely. I scored 100 in two subjects despite that. You just need to compensate and manage your time well.

Q: Which college or course are you aiming for now, and why?

Shloka: I am giving CUET for Delhi University. My first preference is Geography Honours, followed by History Honours. College-wise, I hope to get into Miranda House because it’s a reputed college.

Also, I plan to prepare for Civil Services, and these subjects align well with that goal. I also genuinely enjoy studying History and Geography. I also have a personal interest in History and Geography—that’s why I chose Humanities in the first place.

Q: Any tips or suggestions you’d like to share with next year’s Class 12 students?

Shloka: I don’t think there’s one-size-fits-all advice. But from my experience, I can say it’s not that hard.

Even I wasn’t expecting to score 99.8%—I was expecting something above 97%. You don’t have to study the entire day or cut off from everything else. I didn’t write a book or make huge sacrifices!

The key is consistency. Keep studying regularly and revise thoroughly. Stick with what works for you and don’t panic. Consistency is more important than intensity.

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