TOPPER TALK: Indore boy sets new record in JEE Advanced with 98.61% marks

Ved Lahoti from Indore has broken all previous records in the JEE Advanced exam, achieving the highest marks ever with a score of 355 out of 360, an impressive 98.61%. Securing AIR 1, 17-year-old Ved now aims to pursue Computer Science at IIT Bombay. His exceptional performance, particularly in Chemistry, reflects his strategic focus on conceptual understanding over rote learning.

 

He scored the maximum marks in Chemistry. “The JEE Advanced papers were moderate to tough as usual, but it was relatively easier compared to the past two years. I focused more on the conceptual part rather than rote learning because if concepts are not clear, you will not be able to solve the problems,” says Ved, who relied heavily on NCERT books for his JEE Advanced preparation. 

 

He started preparing for the exam two years ago. Hailing from Indore, he studied at SICA Senior Secondary School and Rankers International before moving to Allen Kota to prepare for the JEE. “I moved to Kota because the competition available here is not available elsewhere. The best students from across the country come to Kota to prepare for JEE Advanced,” says Ved.

 

“I did not put any pressure on myself, and even if I did not do well in the tests, my parents supported me. I did not entertain any negative thoughts, and that helped in the long run,” adds Ved. Talking about his preparation strategy, he says, “I did not have any fixed hours of study. I studied according to my interest and devoted 11-12 hours of study every day, giving equal attention to all three subjects: Maths, Physics, and Chemistry initially. Towards the end, when I realised my strengths and weaknesses, I started giving more time to my weak areas.”

 

Ved believes in taking short breaks during intense study sessions. “The 10-12 hours were not in one go. I studied for three to four hours, then took 30-minute breaks in between. I would talk to friends and family during these breaks, which helped me relax,” Ved explains.

 

He feels that students must avoid social media as it takes up a lot of time, which is detrimental to those preparing for entrance exams. He advises those preparing for the JEE Advanced to listen to their teachers." "They have more experience, so it is very important to follow their advice. Practice a lot, take mock tests, and never repeat your mistakes because if you repeat your mistakes, the entire purpose of preparing for the JEE is defeated,” Ved advises.

 

He says that his teachers were supportive, and his family stood by him like a rock, ensuring that he did not face any problems in accomplishing his goals. Ved has an elder brother, and his father is an electrical engineer and mother a homemaker. He says that his real inspiration is his love for Mathematics, and since childhood, he enjoyed solving Maths problems and taking on new challenges at varying levels of difficulty. He likes coding and wants to pursue it further. “I will first explore the fields and then do something that is beneficial for the country,” says Ved, who believes that it is important to give back to one’s own country and participate in its development.

 

He loves sports such as cricket and chess and until two years ago spent a significant amount of time playing them. Talking about how he prepared for JEE in two years, Ved says that two years are sufficient to prepare for JEE if students get sound advice from teachers and follow that advice.