How many hours of preparation needed for IITs? JEE topper, IITians share their routine after aspirant's schedule goes viral

Today "IITian" trended on social media. And not just for the arrest of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, a graduate from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur. A glimpse into the demanding regimen of a JEE aspirant has surfaced on X, showcasing the commitment required to succeed in competitive exams like the JEE for admission to esteemed institutions such as the IITs.

Shared by a user named "Mr Rc" on X, the handwritten timetable belonged to a 17-year-old preparing for the JEE. The note outlines an arduous routine, with the student waking up at 4:30 am after just 4.5 hours of sleep.

The entirety of the day is dedicated to preparation, with only two 15-minute naps interspersed and breaks for meals. A motivational message at the schedule's bottom underscores the significance of seizing each day: "Never will you have this day again. So make it count."



Many IITians reacted to this social media post. Kalpit Veerwal, who claims he achieved a perfect score in JEE Main entrance exam in 2017 and attained All India Rank 1 for JEE Main in 2017 with a score of 360 out of 360, remarked that he did not dedicate nearly as much time to studying as the individual in question.



Aman Goel, cofounder and CEO of GreyLabs AI and an IIT Bombay alumus finds the post "highly highly exaggerated and misleading", citing his preparation days for the IIT-JEE exam.

During his reparation for the IIT JEE (JEE Advanced), he said that he like many other typical IITians, dedicated around 8 to 10 hours daily to studying, based on both his personal experience and that of numerous IITian acquaintances.

"I'm saying this from my own experience and experience of countess IITian friends. On rare occasions, had to study for 12 - 14 hours a day, but those were only extraordinary days where the academic load was higher," Aman Goel said in the post.

Occasionally, during particularly demanding periods, he said, he extended my hours to 12 to 14, albeit rarely, typically when the academic workload was notably higher.

"I slept 8 hours every single day without fail. Studied for no more than 8 - 10 hours a day. Played games (GTA San Andreas). Met my friends. Attended a few family functions," he added.



Like most IITians, he said that he was also 15 years old when he started preparation for IIT JEE and appeared for JEE when he was 17.

Aman Goel also cited the studying style of some of his close friends also are also IITians. "Not a single person, including AIR 1 or 2 or 3 or any top 50 ranker, studied this hard as is shown in the post," he said.

After a netizen expressed surprise that Mr Goel cracked IIT with just eight hours a day of preparation, he said: "16 hours of study won't help either. It's just going to impact the physical and mental health."

Entrepreneur Ankish, who is a IIT Bombay dropout, also agreed with Mr Goel. "I have prepared and qualified too, but I could not remain productive for more than 6-8 hours/Day. 14 Hours is an exaggeration," Mr Ankish says.