Getting a top rank in the Combined University Entrance Test (CUET) may seem like the result of an intense, round-the-clock study schedule. But for Divina Gahlot, the all-India exam topper, daughter of BJP leader Kailash Gahlot, the approach was much more balanced.
The CUET results were announced by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on Tuesday. CUET is a nationally standardized entrance examination in India conducted by NTA for students seeking admission into undergraduate and postgraduate programs across hundreds of central, state and private universities.
22 candidates obtained 100% in three of the subjects they chose, while 180 candidates obtained 100% in two subjects, according to the agency.
Among the top scorers, Devina Goliath from Delhi (NCT) bagged the highest NTA score in five subjects at 1,232.19, followed by Saksham Goel from Delhi (NCT) with 1,230.82 and Udit Chaturvedi from Himachal Pradesh with 1,207.21. Shreyansh Mishra from Bihar ranked fourth with 1,205.96 points, while Khushi Sublok from Uttar Pradesh ranked fifth with 1,203.78 points.
The story of Divina Goliath’s preparations for CUET
Commenting on her preparatory journey, Divina said that she never felt the need to study all day, adding that taking breaks is very important. “During my preparation, I never felt like I had to sit and study all day. Taking breaks was very important,” she told news agency ANI.
“I worked hard for my board exams and also worked hard for CUET, but the nature of preparation was different. This exam did not require rote memorization,” Divina said.
She credited her family and school for helping her stay focused without creating unnecessary stress.
“My parents and sister have played the biggest role in my journey. Without them, it would have been impossible to achieve this. My school, DPS Vasant Kunj, has also contributed greatly in every way,” she said.
“You don’t have to look beyond the basics.”
According to Divina, students preparing for the CUET exam do not necessarily need to look beyond the basics. I relied heavily on NCERT textbooks and extensive practice.
“I think if you have prepared well for your board exams up to a certain level, CUET will not be much different. My preparation was completely based on NCERT textbooks. I had solved a lot of question papers in previous years,” she said.
She said that one of the factors that helped her perform without worry was the lack of expectations surrounding rank.
“I never went into the exam thinking that I had to get an All India rank. My only expectation was to finish well and get a good result. Neither my parents nor anyone else pressured me to get a certain rank or get first place,” she said.
“Pressure never helps.”
The topper also advised students not to let the pressures of competitive exams overwhelm them.
“Pressure never helps. I think the moment you start taking pressure, your focus and awareness start breaking down. There were many times when I felt uncertain and wondered how things would go. But once you get past those thoughts, you realize that you already know what you need to know and the power is within you,” she said.
She admitted that success in competitive exams is a combination of preparation and circumstances on the day of the exam.
“My grandfather always said that success is 95 percent hard work and 5 percent luck,” she said. “Fortunately for me, 5 percent luck was in my favor, and the questions that came up were questions I knew well.”
3 main tips
In a direct message to future aspirants, she stressed on focusing on NCERT, regular revision and avoiding marathon study sessions.
“Initially, I was often confused about what exactly I should study, because there are so many scattered sources available. My advice is simple: stick to NCERT. At least in my subjects, the entire paper was based on NCERT, and I didn’t feel anything was completely out of the ordinary,” she said.
“The test is application-based. The way many of us are used to studying – writing long answers or memorizing things word for word – doesn’t really help here. What matters is reading each line carefully, practicing constantly, reviewing regularly, and maintaining discipline,” she added.
“In my experience, studying all day is never the answer. My advice is to keep working steadily, take breaks when needed, and review regularly.”
Her father, former Delhi minister Kailash Gahlot, said that as parents they did not force Devina or put any pressure on her. Speaking to news agency PTI, he said: In fact, we consider ourselves lucky because our two daughters have done very well.
He added: “I would often tell her that she did not take her studies seriously enough, but her usual response was always: ‘Daddy, it will be fine.'”
He credited her hard work for its accomplishment, as well as his wife’s role in their daughter’s success. “I believe this achievement is a result of her hard work. My wife has played a very important role in her success. Her teachers and Vasant Kunj at DPS also deserve a lot of credit,” he said.
According to the NTA, a total of 15,68,867 unique candidates registered for the exam, of which 11,64,098 appeared.
Of those registered this year, 7,94,257 were males, 7,74,607 were females and three third gender candidates, the NTA said, adding that of those who appeared, 5,78,500 were males, 5,85,596 were females and two were third gender candidates.
