IIT JAM 2026 AIR 17 Physics Topper Bhagyashree Panda’s Journey with PW

IIT JAM 2026 AIR 17 Physics Topper Bhagyashree Panda has shared her preparation strategy, revision plan, mock-test approach, and exam-day experience in an exclusive interaction with the PW IIT JAM & CSIR NET team. Coming from Odisha, Bhagyashree secured AIR 17 in IIT JAM 2026 Physics while simultaneously pursuing her B.Sc. and managing regular college commitments.

Her journey highlights the importance of conceptual clarity, consistent practice, repeated revision, and effective time management. Bhagyashree revealed that although she knew about IIT JAM from her first year, her intensive preparation began after the fifth semester, around October–November. She became even more focused from January onwards.

As part of her preparation, Bhagyashree enrolled in the PW Saakar Pro Batch, which supported her detailed preparation and helped her strengthen concepts, practice questions, and stay consistent with her IIT JAM preparation alongside college.

How Bhagyashree Panda Started Her IIT JAM Preparation 

Bhagyashree said that she had known since her first year that she wanted to appear for IIT JAM. However, she started preparing seriously after completing her fifth semester.

“Actually, if I honestly say, I knew from the first year that I had to give the exam because our department used to tell us from the beginning that if you clear the IIT exam, you will get a very good college.”

She further explained that her intensive preparation started around October-November, while her focused preparation became stronger from January.

At the same time, Bhagyashree was continuing her B.Sc. She attended college from 7 AM to 1 PM, which meant she had to carefully manage her time between college and IIT JAM preparation.

How Bhagyashree Panda Managed College and IIT JAM Preparation

Managing college academics alongside competitive-exam preparation can be challenging. Bhagyashree credited her teachers and father for being highly supportive throughout her preparation.

“Our teachers and my father were really supportive for me.”

Her college teachers consistently encouraged her to prioritise IIT JAM preparation. This support helped her maintain focus despite her regular academic responsibilities.

Bhagyashree was associated with the Sakaar Pro 2026 batch and also used the Khazana package. Her preparation strategy focused heavily on completing one unit at a time and then solving a large number of questions.

Bhagyashree Panda’s Question Practice Strategy

Instead of simply watching classes or reading theory, Bhagyashree emphasised extensive question practice. After completing a unit, she attempted around 100–200 questions, including previous-year questions.

“My plan was that I would finish one unit. After that, I would solve 100–200 questions, like the question bank and previous-year questions.”

This approach allowed her to test whether she had actually understood the concepts after completing each unit. Solving questions also helped her identify areas that required additional attention.

Bhagyashree Panda’s Approach to Building Conceptual Clarity 

One of the strongest messages from the IIT JAM 2026 AIR 17 Physics topper was to prioritise concepts rather than simply trying to memorise long answers.

“Don't focus too much on college. At least focus on your studies. Focus on concepts.”

According to Bhagyashree, students should develop strong conceptual understanding because it makes problem-solving easier. Her preparation demonstrates that understanding the fundamentals and applying them through practice can be more useful than simply collecting multiple study resources.

How PW Supported Bhagyashree Panda

PW played an important role in Bhagyashree’s detailed IIT JAM preparation. She was associated with the Sakaar Pro 2026 batch and also had access to the Khazana package. Her preparation through the course was combined with regular question practice and previous-year questions.

Rather than depending heavily on additional books, Bhagyashree focused on completing her units, revising her notes repeatedly, and practicing questions. The dedicated learning environment helped her follow a focused preparation routine while continuing college.

She also specifically remembered Muskaan Ma’am as her favourite teacher and appreciated the support and motivation she received during her preparation.

Bhagyashree Panda’s Revision Strategy

Revision was another major part of Bhagyashree’s IIT JAM preparation. She completed the syllabus by January and then started revisiting each unit.

“I read one unit and then completed it. By January, it was finished. After that, I read each unit again.”

Instead of repeatedly changing study material, she relied heavily on her existing notes.

“I didn't read much extra because I read one set of notes four times.”

This shows the value of repeated revision. Rather than constantly searching for new resources, students can strengthen retention by revisiting reliable notes multiple times.

Importance of Mock Tests in IIT JAM Preparation

Bhagyashree also highlighted the importance of taking mock tests before the actual examination. She believed that students should not wait until the entire syllabus is completed before testing themselves.

“A lot of mock tests are absolutely important.”

According to her, mock tests help students become familiar with the examination environment, improve time management, and identify mistakes before the actual exam.

She also recommended taking tests after completing individual units. This can build confidence gradually and prevent students from facing excessive pressure at the end of their preparation.

How Bhagyashree Panda Learned from Mock-Test Mistakes 

Making silly mistakes in mock tests is common, but Bhagyashree emphasised learning from them instead of becoming discouraged by a low score.

“Silly mistakes will happen, whether in the paper or anywhere else. But once a mistake has happened, at least we should not make that mistake again.”

For her, analysing mistakes was an essential part of preparation. Students should identify why they made an error and ensure that the same mistake does not occur again.

Bhagyashree Panda’s IIT JAM 2026 Exam Experience

Bhagyashree described the IIT JAM 2026 Physics paper as difficult.

“The paper was definitely tough.”

Despite finding the paper challenging, she secured an impressive AIR 17. She also mentioned that she made some mistakes involving negative marking, but her overall performance was strong enough to achieve the excellent rank.

Her experience demonstrates that students should remain composed even when an examination appears difficult. A challenging paper is faced by everyone, so maintaining accuracy and making appropriate question choices becomes crucial.

How Bhagyashree Panda Approached Question Selection on Exam Day 

Bhagyashree strongly emphasised the importance of selecting questions carefully during the examination.

“When you sit for the exam, there will be many questions you don't know. You don't have to take tension. You have to focus on making sure that what I know, I don't get wrong.”

Students should first attempt questions they are confident about and leave uncertain questions for later. Spending too much time on difficult questions can affect both time management and confidence.

“Select the questions carefully. If you know that you can definitely attempt a question, attempt that question, and push the unsure ones to the last.”

This strategy can help students protect their marks while making better use of the limited examination time.

Bhagyashree Panda’s Advice to IIT JAM Aspirants

For students preparing for IIT JAM, Bhagyashree’s journey offers a simple but effective roadmap: build conceptual clarity, complete one unit at a time, solve a large number of questions, revise repeatedly, and take regular mock tests.

Most importantly, students should not panic when they encounter questions they cannot solve immediately. The goal should be to maximise the marks from questions they know rather than wasting valuable time on uncertain problems.

Bhagyashree Panda’s IIT JAM 2026 AIR 17 journey shows how consistent practice, repeated revision and careful question selection can strengthen exam preparation. For future aspirants, her experience offers a practical reminder to focus on concepts, learn from mistakes and make the most of the resources they already have.