Meet Rahul Pandey, who has set a new benchmark by his performance in the IIT JAM 2018. Rahul Pandey scored record-breaking 98 marks out of 100, highest ever to be scored in the history of IIT JAM.
He belongs to a middle-class family of the historic Nalanda District in Bihar. Being consistent and dedicated were the key to achieve his goal without even going to any coaching for IIT JAM.
His performance and dedication are the inspiration to all the aspirants of the JAM Exam. This interview will definitely inspire and guide you to achieve your goals as well. Let’s begin.
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Ques. Scoring 98 out of 100 marks is not at all easy when there is negative marking. How did you attempt the questions with just one mistake?
Ans. I will not say that it was easy to score 98 out of 100. Actually, in the exam hall, I wasn't worried at all about marks. I was just considering it as a normal paper and I gave my best.
Ques. In your opinion, which one has better future opportunities, Geology or Geophysics?
Ans. The choice is up to you whether you want to go for IIT JAM Geology or Geophysics. In my opinion, you should go with the subject of your interest. I will continue with geology because in past three years I got to know a lot about this subject and found it very interesting.
Ques. At what proportion the JAM syllabus is similar to what you've studied in BHU B.Sc. Geology? How did you prepare for topics which were not in the BHU syllabus?
Ans. The IIT JAM Syllabus is not exactly same as that of IIT-BHU. Basics are there in the BHU syllabus and I integrated those basics to the level of JAM myself. For this, I used different books and instructions that were provided by my seniors.
Ques. Did you have any extra edge over other B.Sc. Geology students, as you are from BHU which itself is a prestigious academic institute? Can an average student do it as well?
Ans. A little extra edge, not much. And of course, an average student can do it. Even I consider myself as an average student. By being regular and following a proper IIT JAM Study Plan, anyone can make it possible as I did.
Ques. You stand out from most of the toppers who always try to get into the books. You are more fun-loving. How do you keep balance in your studies and extracurricular activities?
Ans. According to me, it is not good to study for a long duration. A little break for fun time with your friends helps to unwind all the stress. And after that whenever you start studying, you start with 100% efficiency. You can grasp things better and learn concepts when you study with full efficiency.
Apart from this, focus on one thing at any given point of time. Means, if you want to enjoy, enjoy the moment without any tension or stress. If you are studying give your 100% and don’t let your mind wander everywhere. This is my perception, I am not asking anyone to do the same until they get any better result from applying the same mantra in their lives.
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Ques. The person who had significant influence in your IIT JAM preparation? Parents, Teachers, or someone else?
Ans. Although everyone that surrounds me is important, my elder brothers and friends influenced me the most. I used to share every difficulty with them that I faced during my preparation and my family & friends always motivated and guided me. I would like to mention one of my friend's name "Nishika”, who was always there to encourage me in situations when I needed someone to motivate me to never give up.
Ques. Did you plan for JAM from the starting only or this was just one of the exams you were preparing for?
Ans. Yes, before JAM I had a dream to crack JEE Advanced. Although I was qualified, but due to low score, I didn't get admission in top IITs. When I joined B.Sc. at BHU, my senior influenced me to prepare for JAM and so I did it.
My parents always supported me in my study. I got qualified in JEE Main (151 marks) as well. I was very upset but at that time, my parents supported me and encouraged me not to lose hope. I've always held my parents in high regards.
When I joined B.Sc., my seniors always helped me and motivated me to prepare for JAM. They used to explain questions that were asked in JAM, important books for each topic, numerical problems solving approach and everything that is important for IIT JAM.
Besides this, they also provided me the psychological support which played a crucial role in my preparation.
During B.Sc. 2nd year I applied for IAS summer internship and got selected. For two months of last year, I was there at VSSC (ISRO) for my internship work. During my internship, I got to know a lot about the research works going on in India during that time. That encouraged me a lot to make a career in the research field.
Hope you have got enough inspiration from this guy, who didn’t lose his hope even after a setback in the JEE Advanced Exam. There is definitely a lot to learn from him. His story inspires us to-
Dream Big, Work Hard, Stay Focused and Surround Yourself with Good People.
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