Pratyush Maini from Gurugram was All India Rank 2 in JEE Main 2016, with 320 out of 360 and 98.2% in CBSE Class 12. He studied about 4 to 5 hours a day for most of his preparation and expected a rank near 50. He told AglaSem how he prepared. Here is his story, and how JEE Main 2027 differs.
Pratyush Maini: JEE Main AIR 2
His profile, study routine and advice in his own words, and how to use them for JEE Main 2027.
Who is Pratyush Maini?
Pratyush Maini is a Gurugram student who finished second in JEE Main 2016 and aimed for Electrical Engineering at IIT Bombay or IIT Delhi.
| Detail | Pratyush Maini |
|---|---|
| Exam | JEE Main 2016 |
| Rank | All India Rank 2 |
| JEE Main marks | 320 out of 360 (Chemistry 110, Physics 105, Mathematics 105) |
| Class 12 | 98.2% (CBSE) |
| School | DAV Public School, Sector 14, Gurugram |
| Coaching | FIITJEE Gurgaon |
His mother Charu Maini, a Chemistry teacher at DAV Gurgaon, taught him Chemistry, and his father Kapil Maini is a mechanical engineer. He played table tennis, lawn tennis and cricket to de-stress and used Quora rather than other social media.
How did Pratyush Maini prepare for JEE Main?
His method was simple: “My preparation strategy was first to clear the basic concepts and then practiced questions based on them.” He took many mock tests and solved sample papers and past papers, which showed him his weak areas.
- Study hours: “On an average, I would study for 4 to 5 hours in a day. However, a month before the JEE Main exam, I studied for around 8 hours daily.”
- Doubts: he cleared every doubt with his teachers at once.
- Coaching: he felt it is important because competition is tough, and his FIITJEE mentors helped with basics.
| Subject | Book he used |
|---|---|
| Physics | H.C. Verma |
| Mathematics | S.K. Goel |
| Chemistry | N. Awasthi and Himanshu Pandey |
His success mantra: “Enjoy your studies and give your 100% in everything.”
How did the JEE Main 2016 rank work?
In 2016 the rank combined 60% of the JEE Main score with 40% of normalised Class 12 marks, and CBSE ran the exam. Reports at the time noted that Pratyush reached rank 2 after this normalisation. Board marks have not been part of the rank since 2017.
How is JEE Main 2027 different from Pratyush’s exam?
| 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?
- Clear each concept before moving to problems on it.
- Keep regular hours you can sustain (he managed 4 to 5 a day) and raise them in the last month.
- Write down every doubt and clear it with a teacher the same week.
- Take mock tests and solve the JEE Main previous year question papers to find weak chapters.
- Practise in the real computer-based format with the free JEE Main mock tests on AglaSem.
Read how Deepanshu Jindal topped the same exam.