Deepanshu Jindal from Delhi was All India Rank 1 in JEE Main 2016, scoring 321 out of 360 with 98.6% in CBSE Class 12. That year the rank also counted board marks. He told AglaSem how he balanced school and coaching, which books he used and what he would advise. Here is his story, and how JEE Main 2027 differs.
Deepanshu Jindal: JEE Main AIR 1
His profile, flexible study plan and advice in his own words, and how to use them for JEE Main 2027.
Who is Deepanshu Jindal?
Deepanshu Jindal is the Delhi student who topped JEE Main 2016 and then chose Computer Science at IIT Delhi.
| Detail | Deepanshu Jindal |
|---|---|
| Exam | JEE Main 2016 |
| Rank | All India Rank 1 |
| JEE Main marks | 321 out of 360 (Physics 111, Mathematics 110, Chemistry 100) |
| Class 12 | 98.6% (CBSE) |
| School | S.D. Public School, Pitampura, Delhi |
| Coaching | Narayana IIT/PMT Academy, Punjabi Bagh |
| JEE Advanced 2016 | AIR 53 (as he told us) |
| BITSAT | 434 out of 450 (as he told us) |
| College | IIT Delhi, Computer Science |
His father Jai Bhagwan Jindal is a tuition teacher and his mother Anita Jindal a homemaker; his younger sister was in Class 11 then. He played cricket and football, enjoyed school activities and stayed active on social media through his preparation.
How did the JEE Main 2016 rank work?
In 2016 the JEE Main All India Rank was based on 60% of the JEE Main score and 40% of normalised Class 12 marks, and CBSE, which then ran the exam, declared the ranks on 23 June 2016. News reports at the time said his rank moved up from 20 to 1 once board marks were added. Board marks have not counted in the JEE Main rank since 2017.
How did Deepanshu Jindal prepare for JEE Main?
He kept his plan flexible: “There was never a fixed schedule for me. I always kept it flexible and did what I wanted to do at the moment or what was the urgent need of the hour.” Only in the last two months did he study about 12 hours a day, split equally between the three subjects.
- Concepts first: build each topic from what teachers taught, then practise questions on it.
- No split between school and JEE: “I never prepared myself by saying that now I am preparing for school or now I am preparing for JEE. It was always like I am studying concepts and practicing questions.”
- Mixed difficulty: he solved questions of every level so practice never became monotonous.
- Coaching: the regular tests showed his weak areas, though he felt coaching is not necessary for everyone. “The only thing required is a self-motivation to achieve the goal.”
Books he used besides institute modules: H.C. Verma and the GRB Physics book by Misra and Sharma, A. Das Gupta for Mathematics, and J.D. Lee for Chemistry.
What are his success mantras?
- Never be rigid with schedules; go with the flow.
- Introspect and set your own priorities.
- Do not worry about marks if you know the topic well.
- Do not follow everyone’s advice blindly; use your own judgement.
On exam day he attempted almost every JEE Main question; in JEE Advanced he left two Physics and one Mathematics question that were too long, and called that a good decision.
How is JEE Main 2027 different from Deepanshu’s exam?
The exam has changed a lot since 2016, so his 321 out of 360 cannot be compared with today’s scores out of 300.
| Feature | JEE Main 2016 | JEE Main now (2026 bulletin) |
|---|---|---|
| Conducted by | CBSE | NTA (since 2019) |
| Mode | Pen and paper or computer-based (candidate’s choice) | Computer-based test only |
| Paper 1 | 90 MCQs, 360 marks (30 per subject) | 75 questions, 300 marks: 20 MCQs + 5 numerical per subject |
| Marking | +4 / -1 | +4 / -1, including numerical questions |
| Rank based on | 60% JEE Main score + 40% normalised Class 12 marks | JEE Main NTA score only; Class 12 marks matter only for the 75% admission rule |
| Sessions | One | Two (January and April); the better score counts |
JEE Main 2027 Session 1 is on 20 to 24 and 28 January 2027, as per NTA’s public notice of 24 October 2026, and registration is open till 22 November 2026. Dates, eligibility and the application process are on the JEE Main 2027 page.
How can you use his tips for JEE Main 2027?
- Treat school topics and JEE topics as one syllabus and study each concept once, deeply.
- Practise questions of mixed difficulty on every chapter.
- Increase hours in the last two months and give the three subjects equal time.
- In the exam, skip very long questions and return to them only if time allows.
- Take full tests in the computer-based format, such as the free JEE Main mock tests on AglaSem, and solve the JEE Main previous year question papers.
Read the stories of Pratyush Maini (AIR 2, 2016) and Kalpit Veerwal (360/360, 2017).