‘Be Consistent’: How Mumbai’s Sahil Deo Went From Rank 102 In JEE Mains To AIR 7 In Advanced?

Last Updated:June 04, 2025, 15:31 IST

JEE Advanced AIR 7 Sahil Deo also hails from a family of engineers. While his father is an engineer at Mahindra, his brother graduated from IIT Delhi and works at Goldman Sachs.

“Being consistent is the key”, says 18-year-old Sahil Mukesh Deo who grabbed the seventh spot in the JEE Advanced 2025, the results of which were released on Monday. However, it was no mean feat for Sahil who was quite demotivated after his JEE Mains 2025 exams held in February and April. He had scored an All India Rank of 102. But it was his love for science and motivation by his teachers that kept him going.

After securing more than 99 per cent in his 10th boards from Wisdom High International School, Nashik, Sahil, shifted to Mumbai in class 11 to prepare for the JEE Advanced. It was his love for computer applications that made him take up engineering. “I have always been interested in science especially the application part such as computer science and mathematics. Coding is something that grabbed my attention. Hence CSE at IIT Bombay is a natural choice,” the youngster said. He joined Narayana in class 11 for his JEE preparations.

While Sahil scored 285 marks in JEE Main session 1,  he got 270 marks in session 2. However, he proved that once you set your goals, nothing can stop you and made a comeback in the IIT entrance exam by securing 321 marks out 360 or AIR 7 in JEE Advanced.

“Mains did not go very well for me. The final rank was 102 and I had lost a lot of confidence after that. My teachers really motivated me. They had explained how JEE Mains and Advanced are different exams. Hence, I had to keep myself motivated,” Sahil told News18.

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Talking about his preparation process, he said, “While I kept no track of how long I studied, I would continue with my preparations at anytime I could. After returning home from classes in the evening, I would relax for sometime, watch some YouTube videos, and then get back to study. Again, take break during dinner time and go back study. It’s more about consistency. It’s the key. Study whenever you get the chance to and create those opportunities more often. Don’t let it slip and think so now I can relax.”

He had also appeared for Chemistry, Physics and Astronomy Olympiads in 12th standard. “I was also selected for the Indian National Olympiads in the second level however couldn’t crack the third level as I did not really prepare for it,” he said.

Besides, Sahil also hails from a family of engineers. While his father is an engineer at Mahindra, his brother graduated from IIT Delhi and works at Goldman Sachs. His mother is a housewife.

Sukanya Nandy

Sukanya Nandy is a sub-editor at News18.com. She has been writing and reporting for the education and careers section of the website since 2021. She completed her graduation in English followed PG in Journalism…Read More

Sukanya Nandy is a sub-editor at News18.com. She has been writing and reporting for the education and careers section of the website since 2021. She completed her graduation in English followed PG in Journalism… Read More

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