PW NID Pre Topper Vrinda Rathi’s Journey to AIR 81 Alongside Class 12

Vrinda Rathi’s interest in drawing started much before entrance exam preparation became part of her routine. As she moved through Class 12, that interest gradually shaped her decision to pursue design, even as she kept other competitive exam options open. Managing school, JEE, B.Arch, NID and NIFT preparation together meant constantly switching between very different demands.

What made the journey more challenging was the uncertainty that came with it. There were moments when Vrinda questioned her own performance, especially after a mistake in the NID paper made her believe she had lost her chance. The outcome surprised her: AIR 81 in NID Prelims, along with around 99.5 percentile in JEE B.Arch.

Drawing Was an Interest Before It Became a Career Choice

Vrinda had enjoyed drawing since school and regularly participated in co-curricular activities. Support from her drawing teacher and parents encouraged her to take this interest seriously.

“Jab main school mein thi tab se hi mera drawing mein interest bahut zyada tha.”

Although architecture was initially an option, she gradually became clearer about where her interest lay.

“Mujhe designing mein jitna interest tha, toh maine socha ki main uske liye zyada prepare karungi.”

That clarity helped her continue working towards design even while keeping other entrance options open.

One Mistake Made Her Think NID Was Over

Vrinda did not leave NID Prelims feeling confident. During the paper, she panicked and misread a question involving a crow and a cow.

“Main panic ho gayi thi... maine crow ko galat padh liya aur main poora question galat karke aa gayi thi.”

The mistake made her believe that her chances of qualifying were gone.

“Maine toh hopes chhod hi di thi.”

Clearing NID Prelims with AIR 81 changed that perspective. It also taught her to read questions carefully and not allow one mistake to affect the rest of the examination.

How PW Helped Vrinda With Aptitude Preparation

While Vrinda already had a foundation in drawing, PW Design & Architecture supported the aptitude side of her entrance preparation.

“Aptitude maine PW se kiya hai.”

She particularly found the marathon sessions useful for revision before the examination.

“PW ki jo marathons wagairah thi, paper ke pehle bhi mujhe bahut help ki hai.”

This allowed her to revise aptitude alongside the drawing and design practice she was already doing.

Managing Class 12 With Multiple Entrance Exams

Vrinda had to divide her time between Class 12 academics, JEE B.Arch and design entrances. Instead of giving every area equal time, she focused according to her strengths and the requirements of each exam.

“Jo cheez common thi woh sirf drawing thi aur kahin na kahin thoda bahut GK tha.”

Mathematics was one of her weaker areas, so she also worked on strengthening areas where she could score better.

“Jo mera achha tha, maine usko aur zyada improve kiya taaki mere marks mein farq na aaye.”

For design entrances, much of her time went into memory drawing and perspective drawing, while she also worked on GK and aptitude.

Design Preparation Is Not Only About Drawing

Vrinda believes students should not judge their chances in a design entrance only by how polished their drawings are. The ideas behind an answer and the ability to think differently can matter just as much.

“Drawing se zyada jo ideas hain tumhare, woh zyada matter karte hain.”

She also recommends developing observation as part of everyday preparation.

“Tum kahin bhi ja rahe ho toh tum observe karo, tum mechanism dekho... tumhari thinking process zyada matter karti hai.”

For Vrinda, preparing for NID therefore involved both drawing practice and becoming more attentive to objects, mechanisms and situations around her.

Finding Design-Focused Guidance Through PW

Vrinda also pointed out that finding detailed online content for design and architecture entrance exams was not always easy. Compared with larger engineering and medical entrances, she found fewer platforms discussing these exams in depth.

“Kuch-kuch hi platforms hain jo ye sab cheezon ke baare mein batate hain.”

This was another area where she found PW Design & Architecture useful. Apart from aptitude preparation, she appreciated the explanations and support available when she had doubts.

“PW bahut hi achhe se samjhata hai. Mere jo bhi doubts the, woh clear bhi bahut achhe se ho jaate the.”

Having access to design-focused preparation support helped her alongside the school and entrance preparation she was already managing.

Vrinda’s Advice for Future Design Aspirants

Vrinda heard people question design and architecture as career choices and even downplay her JEE B.Arch performance. Her response was to avoid letting those opinions decide her direction.

“Khud pe focus karna chahiye. Tum jo kar sakte ho, woh tum karo.”

For students starting design preparation, she recommends practising drawing, improving observation, developing their thinking process, and continuing to believe in themselves even when something goes wrong.

“Khud pe believe rakho. Agar tum khud pe believe rakhoge toh phir tum kar sakte ho.”

From almost giving up hope after NID Prelims to securing AIR 81, Vrinda’s journey shows that one mistake does not have to define an entire attempt. By staying focused on design, working around her weaknesses, and building on her strengths, she continued moving towards the field she wanted to pursue.