Kabir Chhillar, who scored 329 out of 360 and missed AIR 1 by one mark, has become one of the most talked-about names in the country after the JEE Advanced 2026 results.
From the IIT Delhi zone, Chhillar secured AIR 2 in JEE Advanced 2026 after scoring 100 percentile in JEE Main 2026. The Allen Career Institute topper now aims to pursue Computer Science Engineering (CSE) at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay and dreams of studying further at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Speaking to The Free Press Journal after securing All India Rank 2 in one of India’s toughest engineering entrance examinations, Chhillar opened up about his preparation strategy, stress management, confidence issues and what mattered more to him than the rank itself.
At a time when AI tools such as Claude, ChatGPT and NotebookLM have become a part of many students’ preparation journeys, Chhillar said he relied on hard work, confidence and teachers, not artificial intelligence.
“I Was Almost 100% Sure”
Asked about his first reaction after the results, Chhillar said he was already confident after checking the revised answer key. “I was almost 100% confident I would get in after the revised key came out. But parents still need confirmation to actually believe it,” he said with a laugh.
According to him, the result announcement became a much bigger emotional moment for his parents than for him. “They were extremely happy. It was more of an exciting event for them.”
“What Matters More Than Rank? Giving Your Best”
Despite securing AIR 2, Chhillar said the number itself was not the most important thing to him. “It matters that I gave my best. Two or three silly mistakes happen, that’s fine,” he said.
Kabir’s Simple Preparation Strategy
While talking about the preparation strategy, Chhillar said his approach for JEE Main and JEE Advanced remained largely the same, with only a slight shift before the Main examination.
“Around 20 days before JEE Main, I primarily focused on NCERT,” he said. After JEE Main, he shifted gears. “After Mains, I didn’t really read NCERT that much. I focused more on modules and class notes.”
“No, I Didn’t Use AI”
At a time when AI-assisted studying has become one of the biggest debates among students, Chhillar gave a direct answer when asked whether he used AI during preparation. “No, not really. I didn’t really use AI. For doubt clarification, I only talked to teachers,” he said. Chhillar instead highlighted the importance of direct guidance from mentors and teachers throughout the journey.
The IIT Connection At Home
Chhillar said his father is an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, although he did not fully understand its significance during childhood. “When I was very young, my father used to tell me he got some insane percentile or something. I didn’t really understand it back then. Then, when I came in 8th, he enrolled me in coaching and stuff. So, at that time I got to know that he is also from IIT, and now I'm preparing for IIT and his rank and stuff,” he said.
It was only later, after joining coaching classes in middle school, that he realised how significant his father’s IIT journey had been. His father initially challenged him to beat his rank. “Then he clearly figured out that wasn’t really a challenge,” Chhillar joked.
From Kota To International Chemistry Olympiad
While most students would take a break after JEE Advanced, Chhillar already has another major goal lined up for July.
He said he will participate in the International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) in Uzbekistan. “Right now, I’ll study more chemistry. After that, I’ll go to IIT Bombay,” he said.
His Biggest Struggle? Confidence
Chhillar also spoke about self-doubt before moving to Kota for preparation. “I lacked confidence a little bit in myself. I used to think others were much better than me,” he said.
Over time, he said, he realised something that changed his mindset. “I quickly figured out I can do anything if I’m confident in myself and I work hard,” he said.
Kabir’s Advice To JEE Aspirants
Kabir Chhillar advised JEE aspirants not to spend too much time comparing themselves with others during preparation. He said students should occasionally evaluate where they stand, but not let ranks and comparisons consume their entire mindset.
Recalling his own routine after tests, Chhillar said he would think about his marks, rank, and performance compared to others only for a couple of hours after the results were announced. He said, “After tests, I would think about my marks and rank maybe for two hours. The next day would be a completely new beginning.”
He said students should focus on learning instead of constantly worrying about outperforming others.“While studying, don’t feel the stress of having to do better than everyone else. Only focus on what you’re studying,” he said.
At the end, Chhillar reflected on the biggest lesson JEE preparation taught him. It had nothing to do with physics, chemistry, or mathematics. “I understood that I needed to be more confident in myself,” he said.
