IIT topper Ved Lahoti said such a big thing that you will also say- 'Wow son, everyone should learn this'

Ved prepared for JEE by staying in a hostel away from home for two years. He says, I started preparing for the Olympiad from 2017. I was very interested in it. I also joined coaching for this. I also got a gold medal in the UAE Olympiad. This kind of competition builds a good foundation and gives international recognition. I participated in many Olympiads and met very intelligent children from all over the country. During my studies, I felt that I was good at maths, so I set a goal to go to IIT.

Ved says, “I decided to go to Kota and prepare for the exam. I took admission in Allen Kota in 11th class. Staying in Kota, I got a lot of healthy competition. Very intelligent children from all over the country come here, so we get inspired to perform well.”

IIT Topper Tips: Study by setting goals, not by hours

Ved has scored 355 marks out of 360. Talking about his preparation, Ved says, 'I did not do anything special. I was interested in studies, so I used to study. I never studied by looking at the hours, rather I studied by setting a target and did not let a backlog build up. Tests were also helpful because I learned time management from them. I did not take my poor performance negatively, rather paid more attention to my weaknesses.'

Staying away from family was a little difficult for Ved, but he learned a lot from it. Ved says, “By staying in the hostel, I learned discipline. I did not let my attention get distracted. It is important to see that entertainment is also important, but in a limited way. I felt very relaxed by talking to my mother every day.”

Ved likes to play cricket and chess. He says, chess keeps the mind active, it is very beneficial in student life. Although in these two years I could not give much time to these hobbies. But still I did it, which kept the mind fresh.

A heartwarming quote: 'Not being in IIT doesn't make you any less'

On the tough competition for JEE and the mental health of students, Ved says, 'You will succeed only if you prepare without considering studies as a pressure. Secondly, confidence is very important. Thirdly, you have to recognize your potential. It is not necessary that everyone goes to IIT. It is not for everyone and not being in it does not make you any less. Apart from IIT, there are many institutes and many fields which are for you and are as good as IIT.