Pranav Goyal with friends and family members after he topped the JEE Advanced, at Chandigarh on Sunday. (Express Photo by Jasbir Malhi)
Chandigarh boy Pranav Goyal is the all-India topper of the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Advanced 2018, the results of which were announced on Sunday. He secured 337 out of 360 marks in the test that is the final step for getting into one of the 23 branches of the premier Indian Institute of Technology (IIT). This year, 18,138 candidates have qualified the JEE Advanced.
A student of Bhavan Vidyalaya, Panchkula, Pranav was also the non-medical stream topper in the Chandigarh tricity area comprising Panchkula and Mohali and scored 97.2 per cent in the CBSE Class 12 board examination. He secured All-India Rank (AIR) 4 in the JEE Main with a score of 350 out of 360.
Pranav said, “It’s the most amazing feeling ever and I feel so much lighter than before. I had always dreamt of topping the exam. Now, I want to study computer science engineering from IIT Bombay, work for two years, do an MBA and become an entrepreneur.”
His parents, Mamta and Pankaj Goyal, are running a pharmaceutical start-up Albia Biocare in the city. His father too is an electronic engineer by profession.
The topper dedicated his success to his parents’ “numerous sacrifices” and added that his mother helped him form his base and his father was a constant source of motivation for him.
Talking about his success mantra, Pranav further said, “Calculated hard work with five to six hours of self-study and four to five hours of coaching did the trick for me. I timed each question in every exam I ever sat for and solved previous years’ question papers.”
He added that his “blind faith” in his teachers helped him get through the workload and he just followed them whichever way they guided him.
“Don’t doubt your teachers as they’re the building blocks for your success, motivation and all your knowledge,” he said.
Pankaj Goyal, his father, told The Indian Express, “It is a great day for us and I am really proud of him. He has always been an extremely hard working boy and the results are here for everyone to see.”
His mother, Mamta Goyal, equated her happiness to what parents would feel when they married their children off. “I’m on top of the world. But I’m worried that he’ll be staying away from home for studies for the first time. He’s been away for science olympiads, but this is going to be for a longer period.”
While Pranav kept away from all forms of entertainment and hobbies for the past two years, he added that he de-stressed by reading mythological novels and watching movies on television. “I still have a lot to achieve and learn and I’m excited about the future, but my real test will be my journey at the IIT. I knew I’d be among the top 10, but rank 1 came as a surprise,” he signed off.