No coaching, health struggles — autorickshaw driver’s son cracks JEE, gets IIT Bombay | JEE Main Topper Tips

Hailing from Sirsa, a small village in Uttarakhand, Yogesh Singh Jeena decided early in life to become an engineer. However, his father, an autorickshaw driver, and mother, a farmer, were in no financial condition to support his dream of pursuing a BTech from an IIT.

Moreover, the 19-year-old faced a serious medical condition, Ankylosing Spondylitis (a form of spinal arthritis). However, Jeena, a second-year student pursuing BTech in Environmental Science and Engineering at IIT Bombay, overcame everything through “consistency and small daily effort.”

Jeena completed his Class 10 and 12 from Hargovind Suyal Saraswati Vidya Mandir and was well-prepared for the Joint Entrance Exam (JEE). But fate had another plan for him. Owing to his medical condition, his Class 12 marks were affected, and while he cracked JEE Main followed by JEE Advanced, he could not meet the required eligibility criteria to seek admission in any IIT.

“Since I belonged to the top 20 per cent of the state board, I was still eligible, but because of my health, my parents did not allow me to leave home, and I could not join any college at that time,” told Yogesh Singh Jeena to indianexpress.com. He scored 74.8 per cent in Class 12 in 2023.

Ankylosing Spondylitis is a medical condition that caused Yogesh to experience severe pain and stiffness, particularly in his spine and joints. “There were periods when I was unable to get out of bed on my own, and at times I could not even walk properly. My movements were extremely restricted, making daily activities very difficult,” he said.

If not IIT, he might have got a seat in some other engineering colleges in his state, but the tag of being an IITian and the childhood dream were hard to leave.

“That phase was emotionally challenging for me. But instead of losing hope, I decided to take a drop year. That year was not just about preparing for IIT again; it was also about improving my health, rebuilding my confidence, and trusting myself once more,” said Yogesh.

Belonging to a humble background, Yogesh could not afford the coaching institute’s fees, so he opted for a self-study path, aiming to get a seat in 2024.

“YouTube became my classroom and my teachers. I carefully shortlisted a few quality channels and followed them consistently throughout the year. I completed my entire syllabus within one year. As I had a strong interest in Mathematics and Physics, they were easier to me, while Chemistry was my weakest subject,” said Singh, who avoided the use of social media during his preparation time.

There were some chapters that he found difficult, but instead of avoiding them, he decided to devote more time to them. By revising each topic multiple times and solving questions until the concepts became clear, he crossed the ‘most difficult subject’ barrier.

“I truly believe that any subject becomes manageable if you spend honest time with it,” he said, adding that during his drop year, he studied for 10 to 12 hours every day, with his focus completely on preparation.

In the drop year (2023), he focused on his notes as he was already well-prepared. He devoted time to revision and solved standard books, previous year questions, and mock tests.

“My revision method was simple but effective. Every week, I closed my books and wrote down everything I remembered in a separate notebook. This helped me identify my weak areas, and I worked on them again. This habit strengthened my concepts and boosted my confidence,” he said while crediting consistency as his mool mantra.

He ensured that he did not miss a single day of study throughout the year, believing that consistent, small daily efforts are more powerful than irregular bursts of hard work.

In the examination hall, he followed a clear strategy. He started with Physics, then moved to Chemistry, and attempted Mathematics at the end, as it is lengthy and time-consuming. As there were time restrictions, he prioritised solving easy and familiar questions first and kept tough and lengthy questions for the end. This approach helped him stay calm and avoid unnecessary pressure.

After coming to IIT Bombay, Yogesh believes his life has changed. He attends classes regularly and actively participates in sports and cultural activities. The environment here has helped him grow not only academically but also personally.

Explaining his choice of Environmental Science Engineering, he said, “Growing up in Uttarakhand, I was always surrounded by nature. Environmental issues are among the most critical challenges of our time, and I wanted to work in a field that addresses real-world problems.” He added that he faced no judgment for his decision and instead received encouragement and respect for choosing a discipline focused on contributing to society.

Looking back, he feels proud of his journey, which has taught him patience, discipline, and the importance of believing in oneself, even when circumstances are not in one’s favour.