How Sritam Mandal Prepared for IIT JAM with PW Alongside College and Secured AIR 19

Balancing college academics with a competitive entrance exam requires a preparation routine that can fit around an existing schedule. Sritam Mandal, a student of Ramakrishna Vivekananda Centenary College in Kolkata, prepared for IIT JAM while continuing his regular college studies.

He joined PW’s Saakaar Pro batch in December 2024, when he was in his fourth semester. Since attending live classes was not always convenient, he relied mainly on recorded lectures after returning from college. Over time, he combined his lectures with additional resources, practice, and tests, eventually securing AIR 19 in IIT JAM 2026.

How Sritam Mandal Started Balancing College and IIT JAM Preparation

Sritam began his IIT JAM preparation while continuing his college studies. Since he was attending college regularly, he chose a study routine that allowed him to complete lectures after returning from college rather than depending entirely on live classes.

He explained that he had taken the batch in December and initially followed a steady pace with recorded classes.

“Main to liya tha batch December mein, fourth semester mein tha tab liya tha 2024 mein, haan ek saal. Tab to dheere-dheere se class karta tha, recorded, college se aate the to aa ke do ghanta ek lecture hota tha, pehle-pehle to kar leta tha.”

This routine helped him fit preparation into his college schedule. Instead of trying to study for long hours at once, he used the time available after college to complete lectures and gradually cover the syllabus.

Sritam Mandal Focused More on Practice as IIT JAM Approached

As his college examinations and IIT JAM preparation progressed, Sritam adjusted his approach. He used the material available through his preparation setup and increased his focus as the exam came closer.

He also identified Organic Chemistry as his stronger area, while Physical Chemistry required additional practice.

“Organic mera favourite that. Mujhe to pehle Physical mein thoda issue tha, to Physical mein bahut practice kiye, practice kiye the.” 

The transcript shows that Sritam did not simply depend on his strongest subject. He recognised where he had difficulty and put additional practice into Physical Chemistry to strengthen that area.

How PW Supported Sritam Mandal’s IIT JAM Preparation

PW became an important part of Sritam’s preparation while he was managing college at the same time. He was enrolled in the Saakaar Pro batch, which he joined in December 2024 during his fourth semester.

The recorded format suited his routine because he could attend the classes after returning from college. He mentioned that the lectures were around two hours long, allowing him to gradually complete them alongside his regular academic schedule.

“Main to liya tha batch December mein, fourth semester mein tha tab liya tha.” 

He also had access to Khazana through his Pro batch. Sritam used it to study topics in advance based on the papers he had to cover in his college semester.

“To semester mein jo jo paper tha, to us paper ko dekh ke main to Khazana tha mere paas, Pro tha, to Khazana se wo pehle hi kar leta tha.” 

This helped him keep pace with his college syllabus while continuing his IIT JAM preparation. As the examination came closer, he increased his focus and practised more extensively.

Sritam also made use of the test series, attempting the tests as part of his preparation.

“Phir jab December mein poore exam ke bahut kareeb aa gaya to tab jyada focus kiye, sab bahut practice kiye the. Ab jitna test series tha, test sab diye.” 

Together, the recorded classes, Khazana access, and test series gave him resources that he could use according to the stage of his preparation and his college schedule.

How Sritam Mandal Managed Doubts During Recorded Classes

Since Sritam primarily attended recorded lectures, doubt resolution sometimes required him to use other available sources. Instead of allowing a doubt to stop his progress, he reached out to friends, used ChatGPT occasionally, or approached college teachers when necessary.

He shared:

“Nahi doubt rehta to main mera friend ko friend se pooch leta tha. Kabhi-kabhi ChatGPT dekh leta tha. To clear ho jaata. College ke sir ke paas chala jaata tha.” 

This allowed him to continue with recorded learning without letting individual doubts disrupt his overall preparation. His approach also shows that recorded classes did not mean studying in isolation; he used different ways to resolve questions whenever needed.

Sritam Mandal’s Advice for IIT JAM Aspirants

Having completed his preparation alongside college, Sritam kept his advice simple: students should remain focused on their classes and avoid getting distracted by unnecessary activity during lectures.

He said:

“Main yahi kehna chahunga, class mein sab sir bahut acche padhate hain, to just keep calm and focus to ho jaata hai.” 

His preparation also reflects this idea in practice. He followed his recorded lectures, worked on weaker areas, attempted tests and increased his practice as the exam approached.

Sritam Mandal’s IIT JAM 2026 Result and Next Step

The consistent preparation resulted in AIR 19 in IIT JAM 2026. Sritam shared that he plans to pursue his next academic step at IIT Bombay, turning his year-long preparation alongside college into a strong result.

His journey also highlights the importance of adapting preparation to personal circumstances. Rather than allowing college to become a barrier, he fitted recorded lectures into his daily routine, used additional resources when needed and increased his test practice closer to the exam.

For aspirants preparing alongside college, Sritam’s experience offers a practical takeaway: a fixed study routine, regular practice and focused use of available resources can help maintain preparation even when the schedule is demanding.