'No separate prep for CBSE and JEE': Gurugram CBSE topper balances both with one routine, here's how

The Central Board of Secondary Education announced the CBSE Class 12 Results 2026 today. Although the board has discontinued the practice of publishing merit lists, several schools have reached out to share details of top-performing students. Among them is 18-year-old Ekansh Gupta from Satya School, Gurugram, who scored 95.2 per cent in Class 12 while simultaneously preparing for the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main. Ekansh had earlier secured 97.4 percent in Class 10 board exams in 2024. He said that school helped him balance JEE and CBSE board preparation. CBSE Class 12 live updates.

In an exclusive conversation with Careers360, Gupta shared that consistency played a much bigger role in his preparation than long study hours or rigid timetables. “Consistency is what most students are missing. I studied every day so that I could maintain the rhythm,” he said. Even while balancing board exams and competitive exam preparation, Gupta managed to score 99 marks in Chemistry and Mathematics. He initially opted for Psychology in Class 11 but later dropped the subject to devote more time to PCM and entrance exam preparation.

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One major decision that helped him stay focused was stepping away from social media during preparation. Gupta revealed that he deactivated his accounts nearly a year ago. “Reels are such a big distraction,” he said, adding that avoiding unnecessary scrolling helped him improve concentration and productivity.

Image: Careers 360

‘CBSE, JEE preparation can go together’

Unlike the common perception that toppers strictly follow hourly study schedules, Gupta said he focused more on daily targets instead of maintaining a fixed timetable. “I did not really have a timetable. Most toppers don’t follow it every single day. You just have tasks to complete, and you focus on finishing them,” he explained.

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Despite the academic pressure, Gupta did not completely cut himself off from extracurricular activities. “Throughout my preparation, I played football in the evening. It helped me stay relaxed,” he said. Gupta spent part of his childhood in Germany before moving to Gurugram.

Gupta appeared for both sessions of JEE Main, securing 99.23 percentile in Session 1 and 99.74 percentile in Session 2. “At the beginning of the Session 1 exam, I could not solve the first few questions and got pressured,” he said. “In Session 2, I changed my strategy. If a question looked difficult, I skipped it and moved ahead," he added.

Gupta is now preparing to appear in JEE Advanced, scheduled for May 17, 2026. He wants to pursue B.Tech. CSE at IIT Bombay.

On the ongoing NEET-UG paper leak controversy, Gupta said he believes NEET should eventually be conducted online like JEE Main to improve examination security and reduce the risk of paper leaks. He felt relieved that he never considered preparing for NEET and was fortunate to avoid the stress caused by paper leak allegations

17-year-old Anusha Chourasia of Modern Public School, Shalimar Bagh, scored 99.2% in Commerce with Mathematics. “Scoring 99.2% in Commerce with Mathematics feels surreal and deeply rewarding,” Chourasia said. She credited consistency, discipline, regular tests and conceptual understanding for her success. “My teachers and family supported me throughout, and I focused on steady preparation and self-belief,” she added, expressing interest in pursuing a future in finance.

CBSE 12th toppers list

Ananya Singhal, a commerce stream student from Shiv Nadar School, Faridabad, secured 96.2% in the CBSE Class 12 exams 2026. Delphea Tanwar from the humanities stream secured 95% in the CBSE 12th results 2026. Saanvi Jaitley from interdisciplinary subjects and Aryavir Bajaj from Science stream scored 94.4% and 91.2 % respectively.

About 153 students from Modern Public School, Shalimar Bagh, secured first division. Commenting on this, Principal Alka Kapur said, “Students have demonstrated that hard work, discipline and perseverance always lead to success. The achievements of 27 perfect scores of 100 are indicative of the high standards of academic excellence and the love for learning that our students have developed.
I would also like to take this opportunity to recognise the outstanding efforts put forth by our students. These results are a reflection of their determination, resilience and collective efforts, and they truly deserve to be celebrated!”

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At Shiv Nadar School, Noida, students delivered strong performances across streams. Aarav Goel topped Science with 97.20%, followed by Kushagra Goyal with 96.20%. In Commerce, Navya Sundarajan secured 97%, while Mohini Mishra scored 95.60%. From the Humanities stream, Lakshmi Rao Cairae achieved 95.60%. Anju Soni, Principal, Shiv Nadar School, Noida said, "The declaration of Board Results is always a moment of immense pride and reflection for the entire school community. These achievements are a measure of academic excellence, and a testament to the resilience, perseverance and character of our students. I believe that each learner has embraced challenges with determination and emerged stronger, wiser and more confident."

Satya School in Gurugram recorded a 100% pass percentage, with 27.8% of students scoring above 90% and 44% securing above 80% marks.

Meera Pandey, Principal, VidyaGyan School Bulandshahr said, "To our teachers and parents, your unwavering support has been the foundation of every success celebrated today. At VidyaGyan, we believe that knowledge is the highest wealth — and this cohort has proven that beautifully. We look forward to witnessing all that you will achieve and contribute to the world."

SAI International Education Group have once again reflected a legacy of academic excellence, with students at SAI International School (SIS) and SAI International Residential School (SIRS) achieving an outstanding 100% first-division result, continuing an unbroken record since inception. A significant number of students achieved scores above 90% and 95%, along with exceptional subject-wise distinctions and multiple centrums in key subjects.

Dr Silpi Sahoo, Chairperson SAI International Education Group, believes that learning needs to be creative, flexible and respect differences, as each child is unique in their learning style and personality.

Result highlights

This year, a total of 17,68,968 appeared for the exam out of which 15,07,109 passed, making the pass percentage 85.20%. Districts from southern states once again dominated the pass percentage rankings, with four districts recording pass percentages above 92.7%.

Prayagraj recorded lowest pass rate with 72.43%.