Chandigarh Teen Ranks 8th in JEE After Ditching His Phone

When Aarush Singhal realized YouTube videos were eating up his study time, he made a bold choice that would change his future forever.

The 18-year-old from Chandigarh didn't just limit his screen time. He gave up his phone entirely, traded scrolling for studying, and just scored All India Rank 8 in the JEE Main exam with a perfect 100 percentile.

"There was a time when I got too addicted to my phone," Aarush told reporters after results were announced this week. "I realized I was going the wrong way and gave it up completely."

The Bhavan Vidyalaya student put in 10 to 12 hours daily, balancing five to six hours of classes with focused self-study at home. But his approach wasn't about grinding without breaks.

Aarush made time for walks with friends and family hangouts to recharge. "Breaks help you rejuvenate your energies," he explained, proving that balance beats burnout.

His father Nakul works as an engineer, and his mother Malti manages their home. Aarush credits consistent practice tests and quick doubt-clearing sessions with teachers for building his success step by step.

The teenager has already excelled in four national Olympiads across physics, chemistry, math, and astronomy. Now he's setting his sights on IIT Bombay to pursue computer science engineering with a focus on artificial intelligence.

Why This Inspires

Aarush's story resonates because it tackles a challenge millions of students face today. Phone addiction isn't a character flaw but a design feature of modern apps, engineered to keep us scrolling.

What makes his achievement special isn't just the top rank. It's his honest admission that he struggled, recognized the problem, and took action most teenagers would find impossible.

His classmate Arnav Gandhi also cracked the top ranks at 22nd position, showing that their school's supportive environment helps students excel. Both took coaching at Sri Chaitanya Institute but emphasized that understanding concepts mattered more than memorization.

The JEE Main exam determines admission to India's prestigious engineering colleges, with millions of students competing each year. A perfect percentile means Aarush scored better than 99.9% of test takers.

His next challenge is JEE Advanced, the final gateway to IIT admission. But for now, he's proof that sometimes the smartest technology decision is putting down the device and picking up the books.

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