Kota: Rajasthan's Kabeer Chhillar has secured a perfect 100 percentile in the JEE Main 2026 January Session, placing himself among the country’s top scorers. In an exclusive conversation with Free Press Journal, the 17-year-old opened up about his preparation journey as one driven by interest, discipline, and a surprisingly flexible routine rather than rigid schedules.
Kabeer, currently in Class 12, explained that managing both board examinations and JEE preparation was not particularly challenging for him. “Most of it is overlapping and may not need a totally different perspective. Physics, Chemistry, and Math align with JEE, so they didn’t require separate preparation. But Computer Science and English needed more effort,” he shared.
Started Preparing in Class 8, Inspired by His Father
When asked about his motivation for starting to prepare for JEE, he stated that his interest in science began early, especially in the PCM, long before he entered the competitive environment of Kota. His father influenced this interest by teaching him physics and mathematics when he was very young.
However, he did not formally begin JEE preparation until eighth grade. Since then he has remained focused on a single goal. Despite the early start, his main goal has always been JEE Advanced. "For the last couple of years, JEE Advanced has been the only target, and for the time being, that remains the case."
A Flexible Routine That ‘Never Stays the Same’
While other toppers stick to strict, unchanging routines, Kabeer constantly changes his study schedule due to boredom with monotonous patterns. He explained that he gets bored of repetitive patterns, so his routine changes naturally. However, on most days, he ensured at least two major study blocks, one from 9:00 am to 1:30 pm and another from 2:30 pm to around 6:00 or 7:00 pm.
He enjoys taking a break from his studies by playing badminton for half an hour in the evenings and watching YouTube whenever he has free time. He also shared that he used to play football regularly before moving to Kota but now doesn’t get enough time for the sport.
Moved From Gurgaon to Kota; Joined Allen in December 2024
Originally from Gurgaon, Kabeer moved to Kota only in December 2024 to join Allen Career Institute, where he has been preparing intensively. Describing life in Kota, he shared that students mostly stay focused on academics, with very little external interaction. He prefers keeping to himself and interacting only with peers who are equally committed to studying.
Kabeer's Preparation Strategy
He approaches his studies in a very practical manner. According to Kabeer, students can study theory when their minds are clear and then complete the exercises when they feel exhausted. He stated that “Try to study theory and not solve questions when you're really fresh. But when you get a bit tired, try to solve questions and I think if you're very tired, then you can listen to a bit of music as well to calm you down or relax".
He also stated that the coaching Institute’s resources were more than adequate for his preparation.
When asked about his exam day, he said he didn’t think much about it; it felt just like any other day. “I had taken so many mock tests before that it didn’t feel very different. I woke up feeling completely calm and normal,” he said.
When asked about handling stress, he said, “I don’t get stressed a lot. I just try to stay calm all the time.”
After reaching his perfect percentile in JEE Main, Kabeer is now fully focused on the next milestone, JEE Advanced 2026.
