Every year, thousands of students lose their confidence after receiving disappointing board exam results. Some begin to believe that a bad score has permanently closed the doors to the college of their dreams.Jainendrajeet’s journey tells a very different story.Today, he is pursuing a B.Tech in Computer Science at IIT Bombay, one of the most sought-after engineering programs in India. But just a few years ago, he had scored 54% in his class 10 exams, including 41 out of 100 in Maths and 48 out of 100 in Science. Friends had scored over 90%, he faced criticism for his performance and, for a brief moment, even questioned his own abilities.In 2023, however, the same student surprised everyone by scoring 99.98 percentile in JEE Main and AIR 349 in JEE Advanced (Open Category) along with 54th OBC rank.His story is a reminder that an exam never defines a student’s future.
“I thought the result was not mine”
In a YouTube video chronicling his journey, Jainendrajeet says he had not been eagerly waiting for his Class 10 results.He had spent almost 40 to 50 days on bed rest before the exams, missed several classes and knew his preparation had suffered.While studying with a friend via Zoom, someone sent him a message saying the results had been declared.“I opened the website, looked at my score and froze. My first thought was, ‘This can’t be my result’. I refreshed the page, checked my roll number again, but it was true. I had scored 54%.”Remember to silently look at the screen.There were no tears.no angerOnly one question crosses his mind.“How did I get such low marks?”
The hardest part wasn’t the marks
When friends started sharing their scores, the reality became even harder to accept.Some had achieved 80%.Others had exceeded 90%.Some had even achieved 98%.“I had the lowest grades in my entire circle of friends,” he recalls.More than grades, however, he was worried about how people would react.“I was terrified of what my parents would say.”He says he barely spoke that night.But somewhere in the midst of the disappointment, another voice emerged.“This is not who you are. You are better than this.”That thought changed everything.
The decision that transformed his life
Instead of blaming circumstances or accepting defeat, Jainendrajeet decided to rebuild himself.Not for society.Not to silence critics.But for himself.“If I wanted to achieve something meaningful in life, excuses would no longer work.”He started planning every day.He fixed his study hours, reduced distractions, limited social media, used YouTube only for learning, and gradually made studying for almost 10 hours a day a part of his routine.The transformation, however, was not at all easy.
There were days he doubted himself
He openly admits that math felt impossible at first.Physics intimidated him.Chemical reactions refused to stick to memory.Some days, despite studying from morning to night, I felt that I had not achieved anything.“There were many times when I really believed that JEE was beyond my ability.”Whenever frustration took hold, he turned to his friends.One lesson stayed with him throughout the journey.“Your best teachers are often your friends.”
From 41 in Mathematics to AIR 349 in JEE Advanced
Perhaps the most remarkable part of Jainendrajeet’s journey is his transformation into mathematics.The student who had scored just 41 out of 100 marks in Class 10 Mathematics cleared one of the toughest entrance exams in the country.His effort paid off spectacularly.In JEE Main 2023, he scored 99.98 percentile.Soon after, he scored AIR 349 in JEE Advanced (Open Category) along with OBC rank 54, getting admission in Computer Science at IIT Bombay.For someone who once thought his academic future was over, it was a remarkable turnaround.
The three habits that changed everything
Looking back, Jainendrajeet credits three simple practices for his improvement.The first was to study all the topics before attending the class by watching educational videos on YouTube, to facilitate the understanding of the lectures in the classroom.The second was to set clear daily study goals rather than relying on motivation alone.Finally, he solved the Previous Year Questions (PYQs) immediately after completing each chapter because they helped him understand how concepts are tested in JEE.According to him, these habits matter far more than complicated study plans or expensive training materials.
More than an IIT story
Stories about IITs often begin with the school’s toppers who consistently scored above 95%.Jainendrajeet’s journey stands out because it started with disappointment.A student who scored 54% in class 10, including 41 marks in Maths and 48 marks in Science, finally secured a place in one of India’s most prestigious engineering institutes through persistence, discipline and constant hard work.For thousands of students preparing for JEE, NEET and other exams, his journey carries a reassuring message.Your current marks reflect a moment in time.They don’t determine the rest of your life.Sometimes the result that hurts the most becomes the start of the biggest comeback.Disclaimer: This article is based on Jainendrajeet’s personal account shared in a publicly available YouTube video and other information available in the public domain. His academic journey, study methods and experiences are his own. Exam results vary from student to student and there is no guaranteed formula for success.