‘Self-study & time management,’: JEE Main topper Arnav Gautam’s mantra for success

The National Testing Agency (NTA) released the JEE Main 2026 Session 1 results on Monday. 12 students have scored a 100 percentile this time. Among them, one Arnav Gautam from Rajasthan aced the examination in his maiden attempt. Though both his parents were from a humanities background, Gautam said, he decided that he would become an engineer early on in his school life. He has scored 295 out of 300 in the JEE Main January session exam. Arnav will appear for the Class 12 exams from today (February 17). LATEST | JEE Main 2026 Results Out: Complete list of toppers, scorecard link and more His mother told Indianexpress.com, “Arnav was always intelligent and very sincere in his studies. He has a tight schedule. He is also independent when it comes to studying. Arnav studied from Allen and relied on coaching notes completely.” JEE Mains Rank Predictor 2026: Check Here She added that even amid his tight schedule, Gautam prioritised his mental and physical health. “After coming from coaching around 9-9.30 pm, he used to play cricket with his younger brother.” Meanwhile, Gautam said, “I believe that self-study is the most important factor in truly grasping a concept, but finding the right direction is nearly impossible without professional coaching. In an examination as competitive as the JEE, the immediate resolution of doubts is of utmost importance.” Gautam’s path to a good rank in JEE Main 2026, he shared, was paved by his approach to the examination. He attempted Chemistry first, followed by Physics, leaving Mathematics for the final stretch. “My disciplined time management didn’t just allow me to finish early; it granted me a crucial ‘buffer zone’ to re-evaluate the entire exam. This final sweep allowed me to catch errors, ensuring a zero-mistake performance and a flawless result,” he said. The JEE Main topper told Indianexpress.com that he wants to study Computer Science at IIT Bombay and is looking forward to scoring a top rank in JEE Advanced 2026. Apart from JEE, Arnav participated in the Junior Science Olympiad OCSC in 2023, the Astro Olympiad OCSC in 2024, and the Physics Olympiad OCSC in 2025. He also won a bronze medal in the Asian Physics Olympiad 2025. Sheen Kachroo is the Senior Sub-Editor working with the Indian Express Digital. ... Read More