He scored just 54% in Class 10. A few years later, he was heading to IIT Bombay — here’s what changed
This student’s journey shows how a change in preparation and mindset can transform academic results.
- Aug 24, 2026,
- Updated Aug 24, 2026 8:00 AM IST
A 54% score in Class 10 could have become a lasting source of self-doubt for Jainendrajeet. Instead, it became a turning point. After scoring 41 marks in Mathematics and 48 in Science, he chose to rethink his preparation, rebuild his confidence and approach the next phase of his education with greater discipline.
A few years later, that change translated into a 99.98 percentile in JEE Main 2023, an All India Rank of 349 in JEE Advanced and admission to the Computer Science programme at IIT Bombay.
Jainendrajeet recalls his 54% Class 10 result
In a YouTube video, Jainendrajeet spoke about the circumstances surrounding his Class 10 board examinations and how he reacted when the results were declared.
He said he had been on bed rest for nearly 40 to 50 days before the examinations, which significantly disrupted his preparation. When he finally checked his result, the score came as a shock.
"I opened the website, looked at my score and froze. My first thought was, 'This can't be my result," he recalled, as quoted by The Economic Times.
The disappointment deepened when he saw several of his friends scoring above 90%. He began questioning how his own performance had fallen so far below expectations.
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Low marks also brought fear of judgment
The result was difficult for Jainendrajeet not only because of the marks themselves, but also because he was worried about how his parents and others around him would respond.
"How did I get such low marks?" was one of the questions going through his mind after seeing the result.
Rather than allowing the result to shape his view of himself, however, he decided to treat Class 10 as one setback rather than a measure of his ability. He reminded himself, "This isn't who you are. You're better than this."
That shift in mindset influenced the way he approached his studies after Class 10.
A more disciplined approach to studying
Jainendrajeet began bringing more structure into his daily routine. He fixed his study hours, cut down on distractions and limited his social media use.
Over time, his study schedule reached nearly 10 hours a day. But the focus was not simply on spending longer hours with books. He worked on making that time more effective by preparing in advance, setting specific targets and regularly checking his understanding through practice.
Three habits became particularly important in his JEE preparation.
The first was studying topics before they were taught in class. Jainendrajeet used educational YouTube videos to get an initial understanding of concepts, which made it easier to follow classroom lessons.
The second was setting clear daily targets. Rather than studying without a defined endpoint, he decided what he wanted to accomplish during each study session.
The third was solving Previous Year Questions (PYQs) after completing every chapter. This allowed him to see how concepts appeared in competitive examinations while also highlighting areas that required more practice.
From 54% to 99.98 percentile
The sustained change in his preparation eventually showed in his competitive examination performance.
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Jainendrajeet secured 99.98 percentile in JEE Main 2023 and then achieved an All India Rank of 349 in JEE Advanced. His performance earned him admission to IIT Bombay's Computer Science programme.
Reflecting on the approach he adopted, he said, "If I wanted to achieve something meaningful in life, excuses would no longer work."
His journey from a 54% Class 10 result to a top rank in JEE Advanced underlines how dramatically academic performance can change when preparation, consistency and mindset change with it.
For students struggling after a disappointing board result, Jainendrajeet's experience offers a simple takeaway: one examination can reflect a difficult phase, but it does not have to define the rest of an academic journey.
A 54% score in Class 10 could have become a lasting source of self-doubt for Jainendrajeet. Instead, it became a turning point. After scoring 41 marks in Mathematics and 48 in Science, he chose to rethink his preparation, rebuild his confidence and approach the next phase of his education with greater discipline.
A few years later, that change translated into a 99.98 percentile in JEE Main 2023, an All India Rank of 349 in JEE Advanced and admission to the Computer Science programme at IIT Bombay.
Jainendrajeet recalls his 54% Class 10 result
In a YouTube video, Jainendrajeet spoke about the circumstances surrounding his Class 10 board examinations and how he reacted when the results were declared.
He said he had been on bed rest for nearly 40 to 50 days before the examinations, which significantly disrupted his preparation. When he finally checked his result, the score came as a shock.
"I opened the website, looked at my score and froze. My first thought was, 'This can't be my result," he recalled, as quoted by The Economic Times.
The disappointment deepened when he saw several of his friends scoring above 90%. He began questioning how his own performance had fallen so far below expectations.
Don't Miss: Gold jewellery to property: Radhika Gupta on what actually counts as an investment
Low marks also brought fear of judgment
The result was difficult for Jainendrajeet not only because of the marks themselves, but also because he was worried about how his parents and others around him would respond.
"How did I get such low marks?" was one of the questions going through his mind after seeing the result.
Rather than allowing the result to shape his view of himself, however, he decided to treat Class 10 as one setback rather than a measure of his ability. He reminded himself, "This isn't who you are. You're better than this."
That shift in mindset influenced the way he approached his studies after Class 10.
A more disciplined approach to studying
Jainendrajeet began bringing more structure into his daily routine. He fixed his study hours, cut down on distractions and limited his social media use.
Over time, his study schedule reached nearly 10 hours a day. But the focus was not simply on spending longer hours with books. He worked on making that time more effective by preparing in advance, setting specific targets and regularly checking his understanding through practice.
Three habits became particularly important in his JEE preparation.
The first was studying topics before they were taught in class. Jainendrajeet used educational YouTube videos to get an initial understanding of concepts, which made it easier to follow classroom lessons.
The second was setting clear daily targets. Rather than studying without a defined endpoint, he decided what he wanted to accomplish during each study session.
The third was solving Previous Year Questions (PYQs) after completing every chapter. This allowed him to see how concepts appeared in competitive examinations while also highlighting areas that required more practice.
From 54% to 99.98 percentile
The sustained change in his preparation eventually showed in his competitive examination performance.
Must Read: NDA explores holding joint polls in 22 states, UTs in 2029: Report
Jainendrajeet secured 99.98 percentile in JEE Main 2023 and then achieved an All India Rank of 349 in JEE Advanced. His performance earned him admission to IIT Bombay's Computer Science programme.
Reflecting on the approach he adopted, he said, "If I wanted to achieve something meaningful in life, excuses would no longer work."
His journey from a 54% Class 10 result to a top rank in JEE Advanced underlines how dramatically academic performance can change when preparation, consistency and mindset change with it.
For students struggling after a disappointing board result, Jainendrajeet's experience offers a simple takeaway: one examination can reflect a difficult phase, but it does not have to define the rest of an academic journey.