From IIT BHU to IIT Bombay: Soumil's JEE Drop Year Success Story

eSaral › Success stories From IIT BHU to IIT Bombay: Soumil's JEE Drop Year Success Story

For Soumil, getting an IIT seat after Class 12 was already possible. He had scored around 99.1 percentile in JEE Main and secured a JEE Advanced rank of around 12,000. During counselling, he was getting a lower branch at IIT BHU, which he described as Industrial Chemistry. His family suggested accepting the opportunity and improving after joining college.

Soumil chose differently.

He had wanted to go to an IIT from the beginning and decided to take another chance through a drop year. He joined eSaral and approached preparation with a different routine, especially focusing on tests, test analysis, mentorship and consistency.

The result was his selection at IIT Bombay.

For students looking at different JEE preparation formats, eSaral's [JEE Online & Offline Courses] can be explored as a starting point for understanding the available options.

Common mistakes JEE aspirants should avoid

Soumil's preparation difficulties began before his drop year.

He studied in a local offline coaching institute in Gujarat during Classes 11 and 12. According to him, Class 11 did not go well, particularly in Mathematics. He described his performance in the subject as becoming very weak and said that he was not doing much with it.

There was also a practical problem with his earlier preparation. His school ran from around 7 AM to 2 PM, after which he had coaching. This left him with very little time for self-study.

By Class 12, he had improved enough to reach around 99.1 percentile in JEE Main and around 12,000 rank in JEE Advanced. However, he still felt that IIT was his goal.

Looking back, Soumil identified two things that could have changed his earlier journey: consistency and guidance.

He said that if he had remained consistent for three years, he might have achieved a better rank and perhaps would not have needed a drop year. He also felt that the guidance and support available to him earlier were not enough to clearly identify when he was making mistakes.

His advice to JEE aspirants was therefore straightforward: guidance matters, but consistency matters just as much.

For students specifically considering a drop-year route, eSaral's [JEE Early Warrior] is a relevant preparation resource.

How eSaral's test series and mock tests helped in JEE preparation

Tests were the feature Soumil highlighted most strongly when describing his eSaral experience.

During the drop year, he regularly attempted tests. He said that the marks did not always come as expected, but the tests became particularly useful because of the detailed analysis that followed.

The analysis showed his subject-wise score, rank and the mistakes he had made. This meant he did not have to separately spend additional effort trying to figure out what had gone wrong.

When revising a paper later, he could look back at the same analysis and identify the mistakes he had made.

This gave him a way to connect testing with improvement.

The transcript also shows that the test process was not limited to simply checking a final score. Soumil described the detailed information available after a test as one of the major reasons he found the feature useful.

Students looking for a similar testing approach can explore eSaral's [JEE Test Series — AI-Powered Mock Tests].

Turning test results into preparation feedback

One of the useful parts of Soumil's experience was that the test itself was not the end of the process.

The analysis showed where he stood and where mistakes occurred. When he later revised the paper, he could revisit those mistakes instead of simply moving on to the next test.

That gave him a feedback loop: attempt the test, understand what went wrong, and use that information during revision.

His experience is particularly relevant for students who take regular mock tests but do not spend enough time understanding their results.

Role of mock tests and mentorship in improving JEE preparation

Testing was not the only support Soumil mentioned.

He also spoke about mentorship, particularly the role of Deepak Gupta Sir.

Soumil said he tried to avoid missing classes and tests. When he did miss a class, his family would receive a call, which acted as another form of accountability during his drop year.

The combination of tests and mentorship helped keep his preparation connected to what he was actually doing rather than only what he planned to do.

Another important part of the mentorship experience was that mistakes were visible. Instead of having to figure out every weakness independently, the testing system and mentor support gave him a clearer picture of his preparation.

This also helped him deal with negative thoughts that could arise during the drop year.

He already had an IIT BHU opportunity from his previous attempt. Taking a drop meant accepting uncertainty. There could always be a thought that things might not work out the second time.

Soumil said that he did not allow those thoughts to take over his preparation.

A similar emphasis on learning from mistakes can be seen in other eSaral student journeys, including the [Kushagra IIT Bombay Electrical success story].

Why consistency matters more than simply studying for long hours

When asked what advice he would give to JEE aspirants, Soumil's strongest answer was consistency.

He said that if he had been consistent for three years, his rank could have been much better and he might not have needed to take a drop year.

But he made an important distinction about consistency.

According to him, the exact number of hours studied is not the only thing that matters. What matters is maintaining the amount of study you are capable of doing regularly.

His advice was to study every day, regardless of whether it was Sunday or Monday.

The idea was simple: determine your capacity and then maintain that level consistently.

This was one of the clearest lessons from his own experience. His earlier preparation had not been consistent enough, particularly during Class 11, whereas his drop year gave him another opportunity to build a more disciplined approach.

For students preparing with JEE Main and JEE Advanced resources, eSaral's [JEE preparation courses] provide a structured learning environment around which such consistency can be built.

Is online coaching effective for JEE preparation?

Soumil's experience provides a direct comparison between his earlier offline preparation and his drop-year online preparation.

During Classes 11 and 12, he attended offline coaching alongside school. His school schedule ran approximately from 7 AM to 2 PM, followed by coaching, leaving limited time for self-study.

During the drop year, he joined eSaral's online program.

His father had already seen examples of students clearing JEE through online preparation on YouTube and was therefore open to the idea. Soumil's mother was less familiar with the possibility, but his father had confidence that online learning had developed significantly and could provide useful resources.

Soumil said that he learned a lot of additional things during the drop year that he felt he had not learned during his earlier preparation.

For him, the important difference was not simply online versus offline. It included the testing system, detailed test analysis, mentorship and the additional learning he received during the program.

Students who want to compare preparation formats can explore [eSaral's JEE Online & Offline Courses].

What parents should know about supporting a JEE dropper

Soumil's decision to take a drop year was not immediately obvious to everyone.

After his Class 12 results, he already had an IIT BHU opportunity. His parents initially encouraged him to take the seat and continue improving after joining college.

Soumil, however, wanted to give himself another chance because IIT was his goal from the beginning.

His father's response was particularly important. Rather than rejecting online preparation, he had already looked at examples of students clearing JEE through online resources and believed that the internet offered enough educational resources for online preparation to work.

This support allowed Soumil to take the drop year and try a different approach.

When the IIT Bombay result came, his parents were happy. His father himself had graduated from NIT Durgapur, which made the IIT Bombay selection an especially meaningful moment for the family.

Why analysing JEE mock tests matters

A test can tell a student a score. Analysis can tell the student what to do next.

That distinction was particularly relevant in Soumil's drop year.

He explained that the test analysis showed his subject-wise performance, rank and mistakes in one place. Because of this, he did not have to spend additional time separately analysing every aspect of the paper.

When revising later, he could look at the paper and identify what had gone wrong.

This gave him a more organised way to learn from tests.

For JEE aspirants who want to practise previous-year questions alongside tests, eSaral also provides [JEE Main Question Papers] and [JEE Advanced Question Papers].

Timestamp proof table

The following timestamps are taken from the YouTube chapter/timestamp information supplied with the interview.

Watch the complete interview and hear these parts directly from Soumil.
▶ Watch Soumil's JEE Success Story

eSaral's role in the result — a balanced view

Soumil's IIT Bombay selection was not described as the result of one feature alone.

His own consistency and decision to take a second attempt were central to the journey. He had already identified that his earlier preparation had problems, particularly around consistency and guidance.

During the drop year, he joined eSaral and found the tests particularly useful. Detailed test analysis showed him his subject-wise performance, rank, and mistakes. This allowed him to revisit errors while revising rather than trying to independently analyse everything from scratch.

Mentorship also formed part of the preparation. Soumil mentioned Deepak Gupta Sir and described how missing classes could lead to calls and reminders, creating accountability during the drop year.

He also said that he learned considerably more during the drop year than he had during his earlier preparation.

So, the transcript presents a combination of factors: Soumil's decision, consistency and effort, supported by eSaral's classes, tests, analysis and mentorship.

Explore the preparation resources discussed in this journey: JEE Test Series and JEE Online & Offline Courses.

What other JEE aspirants can learn from this journey

Soumil's journey offers a useful perspective on taking a JEE drop year.

He had already reached around 99.1 percentile in JEE Main and had an IIT BHU option after Class 12. Still, he decided that he wanted to try again because his goal was to reach a better IIT.

The drop year did not become about simply studying for more hours. His own advice focuses much more strongly on consistency and guidance.

Tests gave him detailed feedback. Test analysis showed where he had made mistakes. Mentorship provided accountability. Online preparation also gave him access to additional learning that he felt he had missed earlier.

For other aspirants, the key takeaway is straightforward: identify what was missing in your preparation, find the right guidance, and then remain consistent with the process.

Soumil's own reflection was that if he had been consistent from the beginning, he might not have needed a drop year at all.

Read more student journeys like this on eSaral's Success Stories page, or watch more real conversations on the eSaral Student Success Stories YouTube channel.