IIT JAM 2026 Biotechnology AIR 8: Shashwata Chatterjee’s Strategy & Success Story with PW

Shashwata Chatterjee secured All India Rank 8 (AIR 8) in IIT JAM 2026 Biotechnology while pursuing a BSc in Agriculture. With an undergraduate curriculum that was not completely aligned with the IIT JAM syllabus, he had around six to seven months to prepare for the examination alongside college. 

In his interview with the PW IIT JAM CSIR NET team, Shashwata discussed his preparation strategy, subject selection, Mathematics preparation, PYQs, mock tests, self-study routine, college management, group study, and the role of Physics Wallah (PW) in his preparation. He also shared valuable advice for students preparing for IIT JAM and other competitive examinations.

Shashwata Chatterjee’s Academic Background and IIT JAM Journey

Shashwata is currently in the final semester of his BSc in Agriculture from Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya. Initially, he had not planned to pursue IIT JAM or move towards the IIT/IISc route.

He explained:

“Currently, Sir, I am in my final semester from Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, BSc Agriculture. This is a four-year course. The last two semesters are mainly for practical examinations.”

His original plan was to continue in agriculture, particularly in areas such as agricultural genetics, plant breeding and pathology. However, the success of his seniors encouraged him to consider a different career direction.

“I had not thought about IIT or IISc, and I had not thought about JAM either. I thought I would do something in agriculture, such as agricultural genetics, breeding genetics, plant breeding or pathology, and then look at JRF.”

The change in direction happened during his third year when he saw seniors from his university achieve strong results.

“When I came to my third year, our seniors achieved very good results. We saw that this was also possible, and that we could switch our career direction a little.”

After this, Shashwata began preparing for IIT JAM. However, he had only around six to seven months for preparation while simultaneously managing his college responsibilities.

How Shashwata Prepared for IIT JAM Biotechnology

Shashwata’s preparation was based on understanding the examination pattern, focusing on important concepts, practising PYQs and maintaining consistency.

He highlighted the importance of studying the paper before beginning serious preparation.

“For IIT JAM, I would suggest that everyone should study the paper properly once. See which part is giving good questions and what the question pattern is. After that, you should move towards preparation. We managed it in the same way.”

For him, Previous Year Questions (PYQs) were an important part of preparation. He also recommended understanding the difficulty level and identifying the topics that repeatedly matter in the examination.

His approach was not to study everything randomly but to understand how different subjects and topics connect with one another.

Shashwata’s Strategy for Mathematics in IIT JAM

Mathematics can be a challenging section for students from biological backgrounds. Shashwata, however, suggested that students should first understand the level and pattern of questions instead of becoming unnecessarily worried about Mathematics.

He said:

“I did not take too much tension for Mathematics because first, it is very important to see the question pattern of any exam, especially IIT JAM.”

He focused on basic areas such as matrices, determinants, limits, derivatives and integration. According to him, students do not necessarily need to approach these topics at an extremely advanced level.

“I would suggest PYQs, and along with that, the basic concepts that we learn in Classes 11 and 12, such as matrices, determinants, integration, derivatives and limits, should be done properly once.”

He also recommended that students who had Mathematics only until Class 10 should not assume that they cannot handle the section.

“Whether you kept Mathematics till Class 10 or not, you can learn it again if you give it some time.”

Shashwata’s Daily Study Strategy

Managing preparation alongside college was one of the biggest challenges for Shashwata. His college schedule included classes, presentations and practical sessions, leaving limited time for IIT JAM preparation.

Instead of following an extremely long daily study schedule, he focused on consistency.

“Every day, I tried to watch one or two videos, and along with that, I would do revision and PYQs throughout.”

He suggested that even two to three focused hours per day can be useful when the time is utilised properly.

“If you are giving even two to three hours a day and doing it properly, it will be good enough.”

He also stressed that students should avoid long gaps in preparation.

“There were times when I also missed studying for two days and then there was a three- or four-day break. If that happens towards the end, it will create a problem. So, try to do one or two videos every day.”

How Physics Wallah Supported Shashwata’s IIT JAM Preparation

Physics Wallah played an important role in helping Shashwata prepare for an examination that was not directly aligned with his BSc Agriculture curriculum. He had already been connected with PW for several years and had used its learning resources earlier as well.

He explained how PW’s free videos initially helped him recognise the similarity between certain topics and his academic background.

“When Physics Wallah started the free videos in 2023, we watched one or two videos on the YouTube platform. We could see a lot of similarity with our syllabus in two or three subjects. That is when we thought we could go in this direction.”

For Shashwata, video-based learning was particularly useful because he had limited time and could not depend entirely on books.

“For me, videos did a very big job. If the videos were not there, I probably could not have done so well just by studying books.”

He also explained why dedicated lectures helped him identify what deserved greater attention.

“In videos, you actually understand which part is important and which part you should emphasise more.”

The systematic nature of the batch also helped him maintain consistency.

“If you take a batch, the meaning is that you attend the daily classes consistently and study them. The batch helps you build consistency and makes things a little easier by bringing discipline.”

He also appreciated the basic-to-advanced teaching approach used by PW faculty.

“I really like that the teachers, whether it is Devashish Sir or PW’s RV Sir and the two ma’am, teach everything from basics to advanced.”

Shashwata’s Group Study Approach

Shashwata was not preparing alone. He and three friends studied together and regularly discussed topics with each other.

“We used to discuss things with each other. In our group discussion, everyone would know some topic well while someone else would not know it as well. We would consult each other.”

He believes having supportive friends can make preparation less monotonous, especially for college students.

“I would definitely say that having good friends is very important.”

His friends also achieved strong IIT JAM ranks, making their collective preparation a major part of their journey.

Advice for Students Preparing for IIT JAM

Shashwata believes students should start preparation early rather than waiting until the final months of graduation.

“I would suggest that when you are going into graduation, start from the second year. That would be better.”

He also advised students to understand the IIT JAM paper pattern, PYQs, question types and marking system before beginning their preparation.

“Understanding the paper pattern and the colleges properly is very important. I think studying these things once before giving the exam is mandatory.”

Mock tests were another important part of his strategy.

“Mock tests were also very important because if you give mocks, you will gradually understand the same paper pattern.”

He further encouraged students to attempt different examinations rather than being afraid of them.

“Give all the exams because the exams help build your preparation and your journey in the right way.”

Shashwata Chatterjee’s IIT JAM 2026 AIR 8 success story shows that a different undergraduate background does not necessarily limit a student’s options. Despite pursuing BSc in Agriculture and managing a demanding college schedule, he prepared systematically through lectures, revision, PYQs, mock tests, and group discussions. 

His experience also highlights the importance of understanding the examination pattern before beginning preparation. With consistent effort and the right learning resources, students can confidently work towards their desired academic goals.