IIT JAM 2019 Mathematics Topper Interview: AIR 2, Vikas Didel wants to get into research
Indian Institute of Technology Joint Admission Test for MSc 2027 ( IIT JAM )
IIT JAM 2027 Application Process
5 Sep '26 - 12 Oct '26
Vikas Didel cracked IIT JAM 2019 Mathematics paper by securing AIR 2. Shiksha got talking to Vikas to know his preparation strategy for IIT JAM exam.
Securing All India Rank (AIR) 2 with a total score of 82.66, Vikas Didel cleared IIT JAM 2019 Mathematics paper. His section-wise scores in the exam include 40.67 marks in MCQ (Multiple Choice Question) section, 18 marks in MSQ (Multiple Select Question) section and 24 marks in NAT (Numerical Answer Type) section.
Currently studying BSc (Bachelor of Science) from SS Jain Subodh PG College, Jaipur, Rajasthan, pursuing in MSc (Master of Science) was always Vikas’s first preference. Other than IIT JAM 2019, Vikas had also appeared for TIFR GS exam, which he cleared and received an interview call from TIFR CAM (TIFT Centre for Applicable Mathematics), Bangalore.
A sports enthusiast, Vikas likes playing Badminton and Volleyball. Apart from this, Vikas also like listening to music. His father is a teacher and mother is a home-maker.
In a candid interview with Shiksha, Vikas shares his prep strategy and success mantra for IIT JAM exam. Read the complete interview below:
Q. Congratulations for clearing IIT JAM 2019! Did you expect to be the topper of IIT JAM?
I had appeared for this Science entrance exam last year as well wherein I had secured AIR 46. Therefore, this year I predicted to be in the top 10 rankers of the exam.
Q. Could you tell us your preparation strategy that helped you crack IIT JAM exam?
I studied regularly for three to four hours every day. I also practiced a lot of questions by solving past years’ IIT JAM question papers and taking mock tests.
I did not study any book for IIT JAM preparation. Rather, I used my own notes for preparation and also practiced the sheets that my coaching institute gave me.
Q. Where did you take the coaching for the exam?
I took the coaching at Innovative Institute of Mathematics in Jaipur (IIM Jaipur).
Q. How did you deal with your strengths and weaknesses while preparing for the exam?
I gave more time to the topics in which I was weak and practiced a lot of questions on that topic.
Q. What as per you are the mistakes one should avoid while preparing for the exam?
One should not take any topic lightly and do a lot of practice. Also, one must focus on increasing his/her speed of solving the problems/ questions. And, most importantly one should avoid making silly mistakes in the exam.
In my case, there were three to four questions which were extremely easy but due to silly mistakes I did those wrong and lost marks in the exam.
Q. Any advice to manage time while giving the exam?
During the exam, the first thing you have to do is neither be depressed nor be overconfident and just be yourself. Thereafter, first attempt questions which are easy and can be done at once. For this, you have to be accurate as you will not have time to solve the questions twice.
Q. There is negative marking in the exam so what strategy should students adopt to score high?
To avoid negative marking, first attempt questions that you are sure of and leave the ones about which you have no idea.
Q. Which as per you was the most difficult part of the IIT JAM exam?
All the parts of IIT JAM 2019 exam were of moderate difficulty level, except the first part (MCQ section), which was a bit time taking as well as difficult.
Q. How was your experience of giving a computer-based test?
My experience of giving a CBT (computer-based test) was good as I could change the answers for the attempted questions any time.
Q. Anything that students should keep in mind to perform well on the day of the exam?
Sleep tight, relax and do not take any stress before the exam. Keeping myself relaxed before the exam had helped me a lot during the paper.
Q. What are your future plans?
In future, I want to develop my career in the field of research. I want to do further research in Mathematics.
News & Updates
Explore Other Exams
1 Aug '26 | TIFR GS 2026 Session Starts |
Feb '26 | TIFR GS 2026 Final Result |
1 Oct '23 | JUET 2023 results |
20 Sep '23 | JUET 2023 answer key objection... |
23 Jun '26 | CUET UG 2026 Result |
21 Jun '26 | CUET UG 2026 Final Answer Key |
1 Aug '26 | CEBS Counselling: Fifth Round ... |
1 Aug '26 - 4 Aug '26 | CEBS Counselling: Payment afte... |
Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 22 hours ago
IIT Bombay JAM cutoff 2026 has been released for admission to the MSc and MSc+ PhD courses. The cutoff was announced for different categories under the All India quota.
For the General AI category, the overall cutoff ranged from 15 (MSc in Biotechnology) to 839 (MSc+ PhD in Environmental Science a
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered Yesterday
SC category students under the All India quota need a rank of at least 2336 to be considered eligible for a seat. Candidates can check the table below to know the Round 1 and Last Round closing ranks for the SC AI category.
| Course | Round 1 Cutoff 2026 | Last Round Cutoff 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| M.Sc. + Ph.D. in Chemistry | 2330 | 2336 |
| M.Sc. + Ph.D. in Mathematics | 1485 | 1485 |
| M.Sc. + Ph.D. in Physics | 2098 | 2229 |
| M.Sc. + Ph.D. in Geology | 444 | 463 |
| M.Sc. + Ph.D. in Atmosphere and Ocean Sciences | 1921 | 1921 |
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered Yesterday
IIT Hyderabad JAM cutoff 2026 ranged from 260 in the first round to 429 in the last round for the General AI category. As per this range, MSc in Mathematics turned out to be the most competitive. This course had the overall cutoff ranging between 260 and 284.
Students can see the table below to know
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 days ago
IIT Indore cutoff 2026 for the OBC AI category ranged from 211 to 1353 in the last round. As per this range, MSc in Biotechnology and MSc in Astronomy were the most and least competitive MSc branches for admission. Students can check the table below to know the round 1 and last round cutoff for vari
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 days ago
Missing the qualifying cutoff rank by even a small margin can make admission at IIT Dhanbad for its MSc and MSc Tech courses unlikely. Students who want admission to this institute need to attain course- and category-specific ranks. The admission process is strict because the seat counts are low and
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 days ago
The OBC category students need a rank of at least 1493 to be considered eligible for a seat at this instution. For this category, MSc Tech in Applied Geology turned out to be the most preffered course for admission, with the Round 1 closing cutoff of 166, which later moved up to 177 in the last roun
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 days ago
A rank of 200 could get you admission at IIT Dhanbad if you belong to the General AI category. For this category, the last round cutoff ranged from 73 to 886. So, getting admission with the attained rank might be possible to all courses, expect M.Sc. Tech in Applied Geology, which had the last round
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 5 days ago
A rank of at least 175 is required in the General AI category in the last round to gain admission to the MSc in Physics course. Check the list below to know the highest acceptable rank for other categories for the aforementioned programme.
- General: 175
- OBC: 485
- SC: 859
- ST: 1846
- EWS: 441
- PWD: 2649
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 6 days ago
To get admission to the MSc Physics course (MSc + PhD in Physics) at IIT Kharagpur, a rank of at least 409 is required to be eligible for admission in the General AI category. Students who belong to other categories can see below to know the highest rank acceptable.
| Category | IIT Kharagpur MSc cutoff 2026 |
|---|---|
| General | 409 |
| OBC | 868 |
| SC | 1990 |
| ST | 3644 |
| EWS | 747 |
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 6 days ago
Yes, you can get admission to IIT Kharagpur with a rank of 200 in the IIT JAM exam if you belong to the General AI category. For this category, the last round cutoff ranged from 100 to 894. Students can take a look below to know which courses can be availed in the last round with the attained rank.
N
Contributor-Level 10
What is the JAM cutoff for IIT Bombay?