From Hope to Heartbeat: What JEE Advanced Really Feels Like

Six hours. Two papers. One exam that had the power to make my heart race faster than any formula I had ever memorized. JEE Advanced wasn’t just a test of Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics—it was a test of my patience, confidence, and mindset.

My journey was full of ups and downs, but above all, it taught me how to fight when the obstacles were at their hardest. I often remember a line by one of the most loved personalities of the IIT-JEE journey—"Jeetu Bhaiya" from Kota Factory:

“IIT-JEE ko sapna nahi, aim maan kar chalo. Sapne dekhe jaate hain, aim achieve kiya jaata hai.”

From being a top 10 ranker in my institute during Class 11 to slipping to around 50th rank in Class 12 among nearly 300 students, the journey was anything but smooth. Struggles became a constant companion.

Then came JEE Main Session 1—the infamous 24th January 2025, Shift 2, known for its extremely high cutoff. Despite my efforts, I missed the 99+ percentile by nearly 20 marks. I pushed myself harder for Session 2, improved my score, yet missed 99+ percentile by just one mark, partly due to the confusing and unforgiving marking scheme.

With barely one month left for JEE Advanced 2025, I was lost—no clear plan, no certainty about where or how to start. But there was one thing I was sure about I had to fight back. Once again.

Finally, the day arrived—18th May 2025. I woke up at 6 a.m. The exam center was nearby, so I reached comfortably by bus and auto. During the journey, I revised some inorganic chemistry notes, my strongest area.

At 8 a.m., Paper 1 began. I started with Chemistry, as it is often the safest section—and thankfully, it turned out to be the easiest for me. Physics, however, was extremely tough. I was left with barely 20 minutes for Mathematics, managing to score only 3 marks.

At the back of my mind, I knew the harsh reality—JEE Advanced has individual subject cutoffs. If I failed Mathematics in Paper 2, my rank wouldn’t even be generated.

Paper 2 was my moment of redemption. I started with Mathematics and managed to solve three questions, fetching around 12–15 marks, which instantly calmed me—I had cleared the cutoff. Chemistry was moderate again, Physics remained brutal, but somehow, I managed to push through.

What haunted me afterward was the memory of JEE Advanced 2024, where the cutoff was 109 marks. Since Chemistry felt easier this year, I assumed the cutoff would be close to 100. I estimated my score around 110, expecting a rank near 15k.

Little did I know that JEE Advanced 2025 turned out to be the second toughest paper after 2022, mainly due to Physics and Mathematics. The cutoff dropped to 74 marks for the General category, and my rank jumped to around 8k.

I knew that with a drop year, I could possibly achieve a 4k–5k rank. But fear crept in—what if next time things go worse? What if I don’t even clear the cutoff?

Considering my true potential during Class 12 was around 6k–7k, I made peace with my result. An 8k rank felt earned.

And finally, I took admission in an IIT.

Sometimes, life pushes you into situations where every door seems closed. But the moment you stop fighting back, you lose for sure. Even if you fail, at least you’ll know—you tried.

“I was a warrior, not a coward.”

And even if things don’t work out, don’t lose hope. Try something else—who knows, you might outperform everyone there. God has many plans for you. Just keep moving forward.

As Rancho said in 3 Idiots:

“Success ke peeche nahi, excellence ke peeche bhago. Success khud-ba-khud tumhare paas aa jaayegi.”

I hope this story-cum-experience helps you in your journey.

Thank you for reading.