JEE Advanced 2025: Ujjawal Kesari, who clinched AIR 5, reveals unconventional secret behind his success — and it involves Doraemon

Meditation, daily conversations with his parents, and the occasional episode of Doraemon—Ujjawal Kesari’s unconventional approach to JEE Advanced paid off handsomely, helping him secure an impressive All India Rank (AIR) 5 on his very first attempt.

Born and brought up in Delhi, with roots in Bihar, Ujjawal studied at Birla Vidya Niketan. His father works in placement services, and his mother is a homemaker. His elder sister is a history researcher at a think tank. "I have seen my parents struggle to provide me with the best. That kept me going—I wanted to get into a good college and make them proud," he told TOI.

Starting his preparation in Class XI, Ujjawal stuck to a disciplined routine of 10–12 hours of daily study, giving equal time to all three subjects. He relied on a combination of coaching and self-study, with NCERT as his go-to resource for JEE Main.


Despite the high-pressure environment, he consciously avoided getting overwhelmed. "I never took pressure from competition. I spoke to my parents every night about whatever I was going through," he said. "Meditation helped me stay calm, and I would watch Doraemon when I needed a break."

On his approach to tough topics, Ujjawal was relentless. "I'd keep trying until I understood it," he said.

His message to future aspirants: "Stay focused and don't get distracted by phones or the internet. These years won't come back."

Delhi zone’s Rajit Gupta bagged the top rank in IIT entrance JEE advanced, results of which were announced on Monday.

“A total of 1,80,422 candidates appeared in both papers 1 and 2 in JEE (Advanced) held on May 18. In the exam, 54378 candidates have qualified,” a senior official said.

“Out of the total qualified candidates, 9404 are female candidates,” he added.

Rajit Gupta of IIT Delhi zone is the top ranker in the Common Rank List (CRL). He obtained 332 out of 360 marks.

Devdutta Majhi of IIT Kharagpur zone is the top-ranked female candidate with CRL 16. She obtained 312 out of 360 marks.

(with TOI inputs)