Mumbai: For most Class 12 students, the Maharashtra HSC result marks the end of one demanding academic year. For Yajat Shinde, it came in the middle of something even more layered board exams, competitive entrance preparation, recovery from surgery, and years of national-level sport.
The student from R A Podar College of Commerce and Economics scored 97.17 per cent in the commerce stream in the Maharashtra HSC 2026 examination, a result he says he took in stride. “I feel happy, to be honest. I wasn’t calculating my marks. I wasn’t actually hoping for a certain percentage or anything like that,” Yajat said.
From the gymnastics mat to the examination hall
Yajat is not only a high-scoring commerce student. He is also a national medallist in gymnastics, a sport he has been practising for nearly 10 to 11 years.
During the HSC year, his sporting background also counted toward his academic record. “I had 15 marks from sports because I played at the state level and had won the gold medal,” he said.
That additional recognition came alongside a year that was far from routine. Until December, his attention was divided. “I was also preparing for my competitive exam, and I had one important exam on December 13. So before December, I wasn’t really focusing on my boards. Post 13 December, I started actually focusing on my boards,” he said.
From then on, his attention narrowed. “From 13 December till my last paper, which was on March 10, I was mainly focusing on boards. And that’s it, basically.”
Behind the 97.17 per cent score was also a difficult physical phase. Yajat underwent surgery in February 2025 after a shoulder injury that had been troubling him for months. He said the trouble began in 2023 while practising gymnastics. “While I was practising, I felt a sensation as if my shoulder were dislocated,” he recalled.
At first, doctors advised rest and a sling. But the problem did not go away. “Even after strengthening for six to seven months, it did not heal any better. So then we went for surgery,” he said. The surgery meant six months of rest, a major pause for someone used to the rhythm of daily training. “I haven’t yet completely resumed gymnastics,” he said.
Not sure about gymnastics, but not stepping away from sports
For now, Yajat is realistic about returning to full-scale gymnastics. “I’m not confident that I’ll be able to fully-fledgedly start gymnastics again,” he said. But stepping away from sport altogether is not part of the plan. “I do plan to start some other sports which aren’t super heavy on my shoulder, which wouldn’t put a lot of strain on it.”
What's next
Even as the HSC results were being celebrated, Yajat’s focus had already shifted. He is now preparing for IPMAT, with the entrance exam scheduled for May 4. He aims to pursue the Integrated Programme in Management offered by select IIMs.
“Mainly, I’m focusing on Indore. If not Indore, then I hope Ranchi,” he said. He explained that the programme appealed to him because it offers a combined undergraduate and postgraduate route, allowing students to continue directly into management studies.
