3 min readUpdated: Feb 18, 2026 09:35 AM IST
Unlike many teenagers, 18-year-old Rahul Konar — who scored 99.93 percentile in JEE Main Session 1 — does not use social media, as he doesn’t own a personal phone. “I will buy a phone after cracking JEE Advanced and getting into IIT,” he said. Although he misses out on some typical social activities of his age group, Rahul remains clear about his priorities. “There’s enough time in life for those. For now, academics have to come first,” he added.
The National Testing Agency (NTA) on February 16 released the JEE Main session one results on its official website. This year, 12 students made the topper list issued by the Agency.
Rahul Konar from Kolkata scored 98 per cent in his ICSE Class 10 exams, and this was his first attempt at JEE. “There was some exam fear, but my parents assured me that this was not the only exam. I relied on my preparation, which helped boost my confidence,” he explained. His father is a retired engineer, and his mother is a homemaker. Rahul has also participated in Olympiads, securing a place in the top 1 per cent at the state level in the National Standard Examination in Physics.
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On balancing school and competitive preparation, Rahul said, “I set aside dedicated time for schoolwork and used the remaining hours for competitive preparation. My regular coursework by Infinity Learn Sri Chaitanya supported my overall understanding as well.” He added that he kept a flexible timetable and adjusted it based on upcoming school exams and competitive tests.
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Unlike many students who spend long hours studying, Rahul focused on efficiency. “I didn’t study for 12–14 hours a day. I ensured that the time I spent was effective and without wastage,” he said.
Looking ahead, Rahul’s main focus is JEE Advanced. He is aiming for IIT Bombay’s Computer Science programme, though he acknowledged that his final choice will depend on his rank. He is also looking for study abroad options.
“It’s mostly about revising concepts, practising more, and focusing on applications,” he said about his strategy for the next stage. When asked about his success mantra, Rahul summed it up in two words: “Consistency and smart work.”
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He added that his revision method involved solving problems from smaller sub-topics rather than going through textbooks page by page.
