Pranshu Gupta from VIBGYOR High School in Vadodara, Gujarat, loves to read Sherlock Holmes and Harry Potter apart from his regular school books. Well, this diligent CBSE Class 10 student scored a remarkable 99.20 per cent in the 2024 Board exam, thanks to his dedication and sincerity. In an exclusive interview with The Times of India, Pranshu shared valuable insights into his academic journey, study strategies, and aspirations for the future.As the conversation delves into his approach towards studies, extracurricular activities, and aspirations for the future. Driven by an unwavering commitment to growth and a profound passion for learning, Pranshu delves into the driving forces behind his academic journey. Read on to know about his future plans, inspiration, success secrets and more.
Who or what has inspired you throughout your academic journey?
I myself wanted to have a good score and learn new things. So, for me it was primarily learning something new which inspired me.
Can you share some of your study strategies that helped you excel across all subjects? Did you have a particular approach that worked well for you?
As for strategy I used to follow whatever the teachers would say as they were really supportive. I would like to make a special mention of my Mathematics teacher who used to guide me a lot. However, as we approached the exam during the last 3 months, I used to sit for a lot of mock tests and do many previous year questions. I noticed that many of the questions are just repeated as it is every year. That also helped me a lot.
Were there any specific subjects you found more challenging than others? How did you overcome these challenges to achieve such a high score?
I faced a lot of problems in Hindi due to the spelling mistakes. However, I was able to solve that problem by just practising a lot. Also, I got lucky as in my year the paper was 50 per cent objective. Secondly, I had a problem with time management especially in English. To overcome this, I took a lot of mock tests.
What are your aspirations for the future? What stream are you planning to choose for Class 11 and beyond?
In 11th I have taken PCM as I wish to pursue engineering in Mathematics and Computing Science from IIT Delhi.
Outside of academics, what are you passionate about? Do you have any hidden talents or interests you’d like to share?
Outside of academics I like to play and listen to music a lot. I also play Table Tennis and like solving various puzzles such as Rubik’s Cubes and several mystery games.
Balance is key. How did you manage to juggle academics with extracurricular activities or hobbies during your preparation?
At the start of the year, I was not studying too much. So balancing was easy. But in the last months I gave up on a lot of hobbies so that I could focus on my studies only.
Are there any particular books or movies that you find motivational or inspiring?
I like reading various books such as Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle and Harry Potter by JK Rowling among others. I prefer the books over movies as they show more of the character development and the plot is also more interesting.
Many students feel pressure from family or friends to perform well in exams. How did you create a positive and supportive study environment for yourself during your Class 10 preparations?
Personally, I did not feel any pressure as my family was very supportive. However, one thing I can say is that many a times we think of issues to be way bigger than they actually are. For example, right now 10th boards may seem very important but later on there will be even more important exams like NEET, CAT, JEE etc.
What advice would you give to your fellow students who are just starting their Class 10 journey?
For the students who are just starting 10th I would advise them to follow their teachers. They should also read the NCERT books thoroughly for all the subjects except in mathematics where one more book along with NCERT is required for sufficient practice. This is because the quantity of questions in NCERT is very less. Also, I would recommend them to solve the previous years’ questions and try to analyze trends from them as repetition in boards is very common. Lastly, I would advise them to work on various sample papers and tests as they can help us adapt to the exam environment, improve time management and also analyze our mistakes.
Looking back, what would you say is the most valuable lesson you learned throughout your Class 10 experience?
In 10th , the most valuable lesson I learnt was perhaps to respect the teachers and always try to be calm.
Who or what has inspired you throughout your academic journey?
I myself wanted to have a good score and learn new things. So, for me it was primarily learning something new which inspired me.
Can you share some of your study strategies that helped you excel across all subjects? Did you have a particular approach that worked well for you?
As for strategy I used to follow whatever the teachers would say as they were really supportive. I would like to make a special mention of my Mathematics teacher who used to guide me a lot. However, as we approached the exam during the last 3 months, I used to sit for a lot of mock tests and do many previous year questions. I noticed that many of the questions are just repeated as it is every year. That also helped me a lot.
Were there any specific subjects you found more challenging than others? How did you overcome these challenges to achieve such a high score?
I faced a lot of problems in Hindi due to the spelling mistakes. However, I was able to solve that problem by just practising a lot. Also, I got lucky as in my year the paper was 50 per cent objective. Secondly, I had a problem with time management especially in English. To overcome this, I took a lot of mock tests.
What are your aspirations for the future? What stream are you planning to choose for Class 11 and beyond?
In 11th I have taken PCM as I wish to pursue engineering in Mathematics and Computing Science from IIT Delhi.
Outside of academics, what are you passionate about? Do you have any hidden talents or interests you’d like to share?
Outside of academics I like to play and listen to music a lot. I also play Table Tennis and like solving various puzzles such as Rubik’s Cubes and several mystery games.
Balance is key. How did you manage to juggle academics with extracurricular activities or hobbies during your preparation?
At the start of the year, I was not studying too much. So balancing was easy. But in the last months I gave up on a lot of hobbies so that I could focus on my studies only.
Are there any particular books or movies that you find motivational or inspiring?
I like reading various books such as Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle and Harry Potter by JK Rowling among others. I prefer the books over movies as they show more of the character development and the plot is also more interesting.
Many students feel pressure from family or friends to perform well in exams. How did you create a positive and supportive study environment for yourself during your Class 10 preparations?
Personally, I did not feel any pressure as my family was very supportive. However, one thing I can say is that many a times we think of issues to be way bigger than they actually are. For example, right now 10th boards may seem very important but later on there will be even more important exams like NEET, CAT, JEE etc.
What advice would you give to your fellow students who are just starting their Class 10 journey?
For the students who are just starting 10th I would advise them to follow their teachers. They should also read the NCERT books thoroughly for all the subjects except in mathematics where one more book along with NCERT is required for sufficient practice. This is because the quantity of questions in NCERT is very less. Also, I would recommend them to solve the previous years’ questions and try to analyze trends from them as repetition in boards is very common. Lastly, I would advise them to work on various sample papers and tests as they can help us adapt to the exam environment, improve time management and also analyze our mistakes.
Looking back, what would you say is the most valuable lesson you learned throughout your Class 10 experience?
In 10th , the most valuable lesson I learnt was perhaps to respect the teachers and always try to be calm.
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