JEE Advanced 2025: Mumbai boy secures AIR 4, two from state in top 10

Parth, whose father is an engineer and mother a practicing ayurvedic doctor, said he is passionate about mathematics. “Solving mathematical puzzles with my father was not just a hobby, it helped me unwind even during intense preparations,” said the 17-year-old Parth, who prepared for the JEE Advanced at Narayana E-Techno School in Marol.

The weekly mock-tests at Narayana School, which replicate the JEE-Advanced exam, helped Parth prepare well with smaller goals. “Every weekend I would get a thorough evaluation of my strengths and weaknesses,” he said.

Although their residence in Vile Parle is not far from Marol where Parth’s coaching centre is located, the family relocated temporarily to Andheri to cut down on commute time to the coaching centre.

Though delighted by Sahil’s impressive rank, it wasn’t unexpected for the Deo family, which shifted from Nashik to Mumbai just so that Sahil could prepare well for the JEE. Sahil too prepared for the test at Narayana E-Techno School, a coaching centre in Marol. According to Sahil, setting up small goals and working toward achieving them was his strategy for success. “Every weekly test was a checkpoint. I used the feedback to fine-tune my preparation for the next one,” he said. His elder brother, Vedant — an IIT Delhi graduate in CSE — has been a great support for him.

The family shifted to Andheri in Mumbai two years ago to ensure Sahil received the best JEE coaching. “It was a small move for a big dream,” said his father Mukesh Deo, a mechanical engineer. Sahil, who gave up his FIDE-rated chess pursuits to fully dedicate his time for studies, used to watch science documentaries on YouTube to unwind.

A resident of Juhu, Andheri, Arnav’s interest in science began early through his participation in the Homi Bhabha Balvaidnyanik (Junior Scientist) competition during Class 6 and 9. “Physics and Mathematics became my favourite subjects since then, and that led me to prepare for JEE,” Arnav said. He prepared for the JEE Advanced at Sri Chaitanya Integrated Coaching Centre in Andheri. He too is looking forward to joining CSE at IIT Bombay.

According to Arnav, consistency and following guidelines by teachers is key to success. “After attending classes for nearly seven hours, I made it a point to dedicate time to self-study, which is important for revision,” he said, adding that he stayed away from social media to ensure complete focus on studies.

Among candidates who have cleared JEE Advanced, there are a total 11,226 students from IIT Bombay zone, which comprises Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa and Karnataka. Even as the IIT Bombay zone ranks third among a total seven zones in number of qualified candidates, it tops the chart in terms of top 500 candidates with 145 candidates featuring in that bracket.