The declaration of the CBSE Class 12 results this year turned into an emotional moment for lakhs of students across the country. The long wait ended on May 13, bringing with it celebrations, tears, relief and disappointment in equal measure. While some students nervously refreshed result portals, others struggled to gather the courage to check their marks. Parents too spent anxious hours beside their children after months of intense preparation, late-night revisions and mock tests.
For some students, the day became a moment of triumph. For others, it brought frustration and uncertainty. Yet every marksheet carried its own story of effort, pressure and perseverance.
One such story is that of Aarav Goel, a student of Shiv Nadar School, who scored 97.20 per cent in the Science stream, according to TOI.
‘It all felt overwhelming together’
Despite the impressive score, Aarav described the moment as emotionally overwhelming rather than celebratory, as he was simultaneously dealing with the stress surrounding NEET examinations.
“There was happiness, obviously,” he said, “but the emotions were very high because around the same time, there was uncertainty around NEET as well. So it all felt overwhelming together.”
Behind the high score was nearly two years of disciplined preparation centred around one crucial date — May 3 — which Aarav believed would define his medical entrance journey. However, uncertainty surrounding a possible NEET reconduct extended the anxiety even after board results were announced.
According to TOI, Aarav openly spoke about the mental exhaustion that often accompanies academic success in India’s highly competitive education system. While toppers are frequently celebrated through ranks, banners and social media praise, conversations around emotional fatigue remain rare.
“You mentally prepare yourself since the start of Class 11 that May 3 is when the exam is going to happen,” he said. “After that, you think you’ll finally be relatively free. So when things change suddenly, it affects your mental state.”
A topper who still doubted his performance
From January onwards, Aarav spent between seven and eleven hours daily studying, while balancing both board exams and NEET preparation. Throughout Class 12, he maintained a schedule of six to seven study hours every day.
Despite his preparation, he admitted he did not expect to top his school.
“I expected to be in the top 10 or top 5 in school,” he said. “I didn’t really expect that I would get the highest marks.”
Even after scoring 99 in Chemistry and 98 in three subjects, Aarav expressed disappointment over his Psychology marks.
“I was a little surprised by my Psychology score,” he said. “I thought my exam had gone just as well as my other subjects.”
He also reflected on concerns many students raised regarding subjective evaluation patterns in board examinations.
“CBSE is a subjective exam and it isn’t always very transparent about the markings,” he said. “At the end of the day, you can control your actions and your performance, but you cannot control how an examiner grades you.”
Physics pressure and adapting inside the exam hall
Like many NEET aspirants, Aarav described Physics as his most stressful subject, especially because it was scheduled first in the board examination timetable.
“I was definitely more stressed about Physics,” he recalled.
He dedicated nearly 12 days exclusively to Physics preparation before the examination. According to TOI, Aarav felt this year’s paper was significantly more application-based than previous years.
“The moment I opened the paper, I realised the difficulty had been stepped up,” he said. “So inside the exam hall itself, I adapted accordingly.”
His preparation strategy focused on conceptual clarity, previous-year question papers and timed practice tests rather than rote memorisation.
“In one or two derivations, I had forgotten parts during the exam,” he admitted. “So I had to derive them there itself. That’s why your fundamentals need to be very clear.”
He also explained the practical challenges students face inside the examination hall.
“If the paper is tough,” he explained, “you need to compromise slightly on presentation and focus on completing the paper properly.”
‘Burnout is very real’
During the interview with TOI, Aarav repeatedly highlighted the importance of mental health and balance during preparation.
“Burnout is very real,” he said.
“There were many days when I felt low,” he admitted. “Especially from January onwards because I was giving so many NEET mock tests and board mock tests.”
He said mock test scores often became emotionally draining.
“Sometimes it was like, even if I got 61 out of 70 in this test, I would try to avoid those mistakes next time.”
However, unlike narratives that glorify nonstop studying, Aarav stressed the importance of taking breaks and maintaining hobbies.
“Sometimes taking a break is important,” he said. “You need to be in your best mental state if you want to do good things in life.”
Even during his preparation phase, he continued playing guitar, stayed connected with friends and participated in activities outside academics.
“Transitioning from Class 10 to 11 and 12 isn’t about giving up everything you love,” he said. “It’s about maintaining balance.”
The role of parents and teachers
Aarav also credited his teachers and parents for creating a supportive environment during his preparation journey.
“My teachers understood that my journey was a little different,” he said.
“I think parents are very important in creating an environment where you feel good,” he reflected. “You cannot always do everything right.”
Towards the end of the interview, Aarav described board preparation in three words: “Discipline. Focus. Positive attitude.”
He added, “You need to manifest success, but also realise that you can only control your own actions.”
