JEE Main topper Kalpit Veerwal
Ever since Kalpit Veerwal has topped the JEE Main exam last year, life has changed 360 degrees for him. He got admission in the prestigious IIT Bombay in his favourite course – B Tech in computer science. While Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) is considered tough nut to crack, this Udaipur boy scored a perfect 360/ 360 marks.
With his remarkable achievement, he has made it to the Limca Book of Records for becoming the first-ever student to have scored 100 per cent in the engineering entrance exam. Kalpit’s record score has been listed under the “Education Achievements” category of the 2018 edition. With just a few days left for the JEE Main 2018, the indianexpress.com talks to the topper and finds out his preparation strategy.
A topper throughout
Veerwal has always maintained first position since he was in class 2. His concepts were clear and he developed a love for maths at a young age. His parents (mother is a teacher and father a male nurse) ensured that he and his brother remain focus on studies. “I took up PCM as I am fond of maths and therefore never restricted my knowledge to only course books. I gained knowledge from other writer’s books as well,” he said. It is his consistent approach towards his subjects that he scored 95.2 per cent in class 12 boards.
JEE preparation
Kalpit relied on study material given by teachers as well as he kept making short notes by himself. “I never wasted time in other activities. Like many engineering aspirants, I started preparing for the exam when I was in class 11. I remained consistent and on an average, gave about 13 hours to studies in a day. In fact, during last few months, I relatively dedicated less time as I was already done with my revision,” said Veerwal.
During the last few days before the exam, short notes helped him revising the major points in the subjects. Mock tests in coaching classes provided confidence. In the last week before the JEE, he only solved sample papers and practised filling OMR sheets. “The previous years’ question papers – from 2013 to 2016 – boosted my confidence. Moreover, students should also read NCERT as alot is been taken from the course books,” he said.
How to maintain a balance of mind?
It’s not easy to remain calm during these days. Veerwal made a point to spend time with family and watched comedy shows to bust stress. “I watched TV for at least half-an-hour in a day. I played keyboard as music is therapeutic,” he said. However, like students of age, he kept away from social media. “I used internet only for study purpose. It’s only now that I have started my own page on Facebook to guide JEE aspirants,” he said.
Like many students, Kalpit also got a bit nervous while appearing for the exam, however, he boosted his morale. Being sure of his performance, just after the exam, he started preparing for JEE Advanced. “I revised my weak areas and solved more mock tests. I got 109 rank in the Advanced,” he said.
Kalpit Veerwal playing guitar at IIT Bombay
Life in IIT Bombay
Pursuing engineering in his dream college has given a new level of confidence to Kalpit. He is actively participating in various competitions including Mr Fresher and has started learning guitar as well. “It’s always good to be surrounded with like-minded people. There is a competitive environment that brings out the best in you. I also read a lot of study material related to computer science. I want to innovate but haven’t decided anything yet,” said the topper.