IIT JAM 2026 AIR 11 Mathematical Statistics Topper Yogesh Kumar’s Strategy & Success Story with PW

Yogesh Kumar secured All India Rank 11 in IIT JAM Mathematical Statistics 2026, achieving an impressive result despite coming from a Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry background. His preparation journey is especially relevant for Mathematics students who want to attempt Mathematical Statistics without having studied Statistics extensively at the undergraduate level.

In his interview, Yogesh discussed how he discovered IIT JAM, how he covered Statistics from scratch, his approach to Statistical Inference, the importance of solving questions, and how the PW test series and study material supported his preparation.

Yogesh Kumar’s IIT JAM 2026 AIR 11 Achievement

Yogesh Kumar is from Dausa, Rajasthan, and is currently pursuing an integrated B.Sc. course from Impulse Education College. His academic subjects include Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry. While Mathematics was his stronger area, Statistics was comparatively new to him.

His IIT JAM journey began after he learned about the examination during college. Recalling how he discovered IIT JAM, Yogesh said:

“Yes sir, so sir, when I was in 12th, I had given the JEE Main exam for IIT. At that time, it did not happen. So when I came to college, I came to know that there is also an IIT JAM exam to get into an IIT. One of our teachers, Anil Sir, told me that the IIT JAM exam for IIT can be given in Mathematics and Statistics.”

This eventually introduced him to the possibility of pursuing higher studies at an IIT through IIT JAM.

From Mathematics Background to Mathematical Statistics

One of the most interesting aspects of Yogesh Kumar’s IIT JAM Mathematical Statistics preparation was that he did not have a conventional Statistics background.

His B.Sc. subjects were Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry. Therefore, while he already had a strong foundation in Mathematics, he had to learn significant portions of Statistics separately.

When asked how he approached Statistics as a Mathematics student, Yogesh explained:

“It was like this, sir. I had a very good command of calculus in Mathematics, so my calculus was completely clear from there, and matrices and so on were also good. After that, probability theory is studied a little in Class 12. So that was also useful to some extent.”

He added that he had studied concepts such as Binomial Distribution and Bernoulli Distribution in Class 12, but the remaining Statistics syllabus was new to him.

“After that, I did not know anything about Statistics, and Statistics was completely new for me. So, sir, Mathematics was clear from there, and probability was somewhat clear from there.”

This foundation helped him connect familiar mathematical concepts with new Statistical topics.

Yogesh Kumar’s Strategy for Statistical Inference

Statistical Inference can be challenging for students coming from a Mathematics background because concepts such as order statistics, sampling distributions, and inference may not be familiar to them.

Yogesh explained that he started by understanding the fundamentals of hypothesis testing and then moved toward more advanced concepts.

“In Statistical Inference, first of all, I cleared up hypotheses and so on, like how hypotheses work, and studied the most powerful tests and so on.”

He also worked on likelihood ratios and related processes.

“After that, sir, like likelihood ratio, there is almost a common process in all of them, where we write the multiplication of PDFs and take the log and differentiate. That thing also seemed quite easy.”

However, he found concepts related to sufficient and minimal sufficient statistics more difficult initially.

“The difficulty came in finding sufficient and minimal sufficient, etc. But as we kept practising, then solved questions, that thing also started becoming clear gradually.”

His answer highlights one of the most important parts of his preparation strategy: question practice.

How Yogesh Used the PW Test Series

Yogesh joined the PW test series around December. According to the interview, the test series included full-length papers, topic-wise tests, and PYQ-based practice.

He followed an examination-like routine while attempting the tests.

“Yes sir, exactly, this is what I used to do.”

He explained that he attempted the tests according to the actual examination schedule:

“I had joined your test series around December, and there were 51 papers. The PYQs and so on, I attempted them at least once through your papers. I made the schedule according to the timing of the paper. If the paper was from 2 PM, then I would give the paper at that same time.”

He treated the mock test as an actual examination:

“If your exam was from 2 to 5, then I would sit for the full-length test just like the real exam was going on, and I would give the exam exactly as I would in the examination hall.”

This strategy helped him become familiar with the pressure and time constraints of an actual examination.

Importance of Test Analysis in IIT JAM Preparation

Attempting mock tests is only one part of preparation. Analysing the results can help students identify weak areas, understand time management, and improve question selection.

Yogesh found the test solutions useful because they helped him understand how much time he was spending on individual questions and which questions should be attempted first.

He said:

“One thing was that all the solutions were provided, and there was also this thing where you could know how much time you took on which question, how much time you should take, which one is a one-mark question and how much time you should take, and which questions are the kind that get solved as soon as you see them.”

He also developed an order for attempting questions:

“Which one should be attempted first? First, I used to attempt the Numerical Answer Type, and then later I would go to the PYQ.”

This shows how mock tests helped him build an examination strategy instead of simply measuring his score.

How PW Supported Yogesh Kumar’s IIT JAM Preparation

PW played a supporting role in Yogesh’s preparation through study material and test-based practice.

• PW Test Series: Yogesh joined the PW test series and used it for full-length and topic-wise practice.

• Real Exam Simulation: He attempted mock tests according to the actual examination timing to reduce hesitation and panic.

• Test Solutions: Detailed solutions helped him understand the questions and review his mistakes.

• Study Material and Notes: Yogesh used PW notes and DPP-related material shared through his junior.

• PYQ Practice: Previous-year questions were incorporated into his test practice to understand the examination pattern.

His preparation shows that combining conceptual learning with regular testing and analysis can make preparation more detailed.

Yogesh’s Advice for Mathematics Students Preparing for JAM Statistics

Yogesh believes students from Mathematics or other non-Statistics backgrounds should first identify the common areas between their existing syllabus and the IIT JAM Mathematical Statistics syllabus.

He advised:

“So first of all, see what things are common between what you are studying and the IIT JAM Statistics syllabus. So, clear the things that are common first, which will reduce the burden and pressure of the exam.”

After building confidence through familiar topics, students can gradually move into Probability and other Statistical concepts.

For students who are completely new to the subject, starting early is particularly important.

Yogesh Kumar’s IIT JAM 2026 AIR 11 achievement in Mathematical Statistics is an inspiring example of how students from a Mathematics background can prepare for Statistics with the right approach. Despite not having a strong prior Statistics background, Yogesh gradually completed the syllabus, practised questions, worked on Statistical Inference, and used mock tests to improve his examination strategy.

His journey highlights the importance of starting early, avoiding backlogs, practising DPPs and PYQs, taking full-length tests, analysing performance, and maintaining consistency.

For Mathematics students planning to attempt IIT JAM Mathematical Statistics, Yogesh’s story offers a practical preparation roadmap: build on your existing strengths, learn unfamiliar concepts systematically, practise extensively, and simulate the real examination environment through regular tests. His AIR 11 result shows what consistent preparation can achieve.