Four students from preparatory centres at Rajasthan’s coaching hub of Kota have secured the first, second, sixth, and seventh positions in this year’s Joint Entrance Examination – Advanced (JEE-Advanced) for admissions to premier engineering colleges.
Rajit Gupta, 18, who secured the first rank, said his father, Deepak Gupta, a sub-divisional engineer in Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited, inspired him. “My father has been an inspiration,” said Rajit Gupta, whose mother, Shruti Agrawal, teaches home science at a Kota college.
He added that his father prepared for the Rajasthan Pre-Engineering Test (RPET) at the same Kota institute where he studied. “He ranked 48th in RPET in 1994,” said Rajit Gupta, who ranked 16th in the JEE (Mains) for admissions to undergraduate engineering, architecture, and planning courses.
Rajit Gupta credited his focus on ensuring he did not repeat his mistakes for his success. “…because only when the mistakes are removed, the foundation of your subject becomes strong,” he said. He called happiness the key. “I remain happy in every situation. Even now, if I get a chance, I play with the children in my neighbourhood. I am confident about my preparation. I never followed a strict schedule for studies because it creates unnecessary pressure. I used to study only when I felt like it, but for whatever time I studied, I studied well.”
Rajit Gupta, who got 332 out of 350 marks, looked forward to studying at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi.
Saksham Jindal, 18, who is from Haryana and secured the second rank, said he dreamt of being a cricketer before the Covid-19 lockdown. “I played at the under-14 level in Haryana’s Hisar district. But my practice stopped during Covid-19. I had no clue what to do. I found my new interest in puzzle games and mathematics-based activities. I also started appearing for Olympiads. Gradually, I decided to take JEE,” said Jindal.
Jindal said his parents are doctors in Hisar, who gave him full freedom to choose what he wanted. “Two years ago, I decided to come to Kota and prepare for JEE. It was challenging. But you can achieve anything when you have dedication and proper guidance that I got from my coaching institute,” said Jindal, who is set to join IIT Bombay.
Majid Mujahid Hussain, who is from Maharashtra’s Jalgaon, secured the third rank after preparing for the exam at Madhya Pradesh’s Burhanpur, around 100 km away. He said he chose a school in Burhanpur, along with his twin brother, Sajid, to avoid the undue pressure and hustle and bustle of bigger cities.
Hussain, who secured 97% marks in class 12, said that a big city and coaching might give exposure to students, but they have no role in a deeper understanding of concepts. “I am glad that my teachers and family helped me in my studies and supported me mentally,” said Hussain, whose brother secured the 1,600th rank. He added that he studied 12-14 hours daily and concentrated on understanding the concepts. “After success in the JEE (Mains), I spent 10-12 hours on revision. I was expecting a good rank in the JEE-Advanced.” He called focus and self-confidence key to success.
Hussain’s father, Mujahid, a professor at Jalgaon University, said, “I am happy that my son made us proud. He was an intelligent boy since childhood and won Olympiads in school.”
Akshat Kumar and Devesh Kumar, who also studied in Kota, secured the sixth and eighth ranks.
Kota, the hub of India’s test preparation business, estimated to be worth ₹10,000 crore annually, has been in the news for student suicides. Students from around the country arrive there in numbers after completing class X and register in residential institutes, besides enrolling in schools, largely for certification purposes.
According to police data, 15 students died by suicide in Kota in 2022, 18 in 2019, 20 in 2018, seven in 2017, 17 in 2016, and 18 in 2015. No suicides were reported in 2020 and 2021 as coaching institutes were shut or ran in online mode due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
In January 2024, the Union education minister issued instructions for the functioning of coaching centres and restricted the enrolment of students only above 16. It warned of a penalty of ₹1,00,000 for institutes in case of any violation.