By Manish Gautam
Kota: Kota-based student Arnav Singh has made a remarkable achievement by joining the 100 percentile club in the January session of the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main 2025. Arnav, who is currently taking coaching in Kota, expressed his happiness, attributing his success to his rigorous preparation and the unwavering support of his father, a mathematics faculty member at a local private coaching institute.
In an exclusive interview with ETV Bharat, Arnav's father, Ajit Singh, emphasised that he never set specific targets for his son but focused on giving him the right kind of preparation. "Even if he had not made it to the 100 percentile club, I would not have been sad because I know Arnav left no stone unturned in his preparation. Arnav always focused on thorough preparation, rather than results," Ajit said.
Arnav's journey to success began in class 10 when he started preparing for the IIT entrance exam. Before moving to Kota, Arnav studied in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, where his coaching classes were smaller and less intense. Upon arriving in Kota, Arnav had to adjust to a more demanding routine, balancing both his school and coaching commitments. "The amount of time invested in coaching in Kota is substantial, which requires significant effort to prepare for both the board exams and the JEE," Arnav explained.
Ajit Singh said, "It is wrong to expect from children. Instead, we should prepare them well. If the preparation is solid, success will naturally follow." He also emphasised the importance of maintaining a calm and focused mindset, regardless of the exam results. "If you are disturbed by the result, it indicates flaws in your preparation," he added.
Ajit also stressed the importance of staying healthy and being a good person while pursuing academic goals. Despite the achievement, Ajit revealed that there was no prior planning for Arnav's 100 percentile.
"Before the exam, we always told Arnav to prepare well, stay calm, and accept whatever result came his way. Even after the exam, Arnav was unsure about his score. It was only when the final answer key came out that he realised he had scored 295, and still, I was not expecting a 100 percentile," Ajit shared.
Arnav, who scored 97 per cent in class 10, remains focused on his future goals. Although there are no specific plans yet, he expresses a keen interest in mathematics and has participated in the Olympiad at the camp level. His primary goal is to secure admission to IIT Bombay for a B.Tech in Computer Science, which requires him to clear the JEE Advanced.
"I complete my homework diligently every day. Along with practice, clearing doubts from homework strengthens my understanding of the subject," Arnav explained. He currently studies for 10-12 hours daily, with his father helping him to clear doubts if any.
Ajit Singh also highlighted the unique study environment in Kota, noting that the intense competition among students creates a motivating peer group. "Arnav's best friends, Rajit, Saksham, and Om have all scored a 100 percentile as well. This type of peer group is unique to Kota, where education is the utmost priority and students work round the clock," Ajit said.
Arnav's family hails from Bihar, though he was born in Durgapur, West Bengal. They later moved to Nagpur, Maharashtra, before settling in Bhopal. Since 2019, Arnav has been studying in Kota, where his father has been teaching since 2018. His mother, Neha Bharti, is a homemaker.
