It may come as a surprise to many that though Kota has the reputation of being the IIT factory of the country that churns out test-taking machines year on year, students from small towns and cities in Madhya Pradesh have claimed top ranks in JEE Advanced. The exam is the last hurdle that an engineering aspirant needs to clear to secure a seat in IITs or ISM, and the state has proved its mettle in producing the highest number of top rankers in the last three years.
As per JEE Advanced statistics, the top three AIR ranks of 2015 were claimed by aspirants from Madhya Pradesh. To add to its glorious track record, even the all-India girls’ topper Tiwari hailed from Indore in the state. In 2014 too, two of the top 10 Advanced ranks and 18 of the top 100 ranks were bagged by aspirants from the state.
What helps the state register such a stupendous success in JEE Advanced and how do state’s candidates beat Kota’s coaching tricks and tactics? Prof Sundeep Gupta, Director at MLearning Coaching Institute, Indore, said that the state has seen a steady rise in JEE training centres and also witnessed an increased awareness among engineering aspirants in the past years. He says, “Schools have changed their approach towards JEE. Earlier, this exam was considered extremely tough and impossible to crack. However, over the years, schools have started giving more teaching facilities and motivation to JEE aspirants, which have helped students from Madhya Pradesh claim top slots.”
Another reason that contributes to the high success rate in the state is the fact that some government schools here are providing scholarships for JEE coaching to aspirants. Students are now receiving support from local schools to attempt and aim higher.