How Riya Kumari Built Her IPM Foundation with PW’s YouTube Resources

Riya Kumari’s journey to IIM Bodh Gaya IPM 2026-31 reflects the value of building a strong foundation instead of waiting until the final months to prepare. She started working on IPMAT-related basics from Class 11, gradually developing her skills across verbal ability, logical reasoning, and quantitative aptitude.

Her preparation involved newspaper reading, vocabulary building, reading comprehension, grammar notes, basic LRDI concepts and calculation practice. As her preparation progressed, she also used sectional tests and eventually attempted around 50 mocks, including free online mocks.

Along the way, Riya faced difficult days, particularly when she understood concepts but struggled with certain questions. Instead of letting these setbacks interrupt her preparation, she took short breaks, returned to difficult questions later, and continued with her studies.

Riya Kumari Started Building Her IPM Foundation in Class 11

Riya’s approach was to begin preparation early so that IPMAT preparation would not become an additional burden alongside Class 12 boards. She focused first on fundamentals and planned to gradually move towards sectional tests and full-length mocks.

For verbal ability and reading comprehension, she emphasised newspaper reading, vocabulary and regular RC practice. She also worked on grammar and maintained separate notes for the rules she was learning.

“So firstly I would suggest ki newspaper start karne chahiye and har ek paragraph mein kya context hai? Kya kehna chahta hai? Kya topic hai wo sab samajh mein aana chahiye dheere-dheere and vocab building pehle se hi start karna chahiye.”

For LRDI, she focused on understanding basic concepts first, while quantitative preparation included calculation-based fundamentals such as percentages and direct fractions.

Riya believed that starting these areas in Class 11 gave her enough time to build skills gradually. She also recommended beginning sectional tests early so that students could understand the kind of questions asked before moving towards complete mocks.

“Toh maine bhi 11 se start kiya tha. I started with VARC grammar section saare rules maine likhe the obviously aapke YouTube videos se and then uska toh ek notebook alag se banega.”

This early foundation allowed her to approach Class 12 without having to handle her board preparation and IPMAT fundamentals entirely at the same time.

Riya Kumari Learned to Handle Difficult Questions Without Losing Momentum

As her preparation progressed, Riya also experienced days when her performance did not match her understanding of the concepts. Questions, particularly in Quant, could become difficult even after she had completed the relevant lectures.

Instead of treating these moments as a reason to panic, she developed a way to step away briefly and return with a fresher mind.

“Specially mera jo ye low days tha wo quants ke saath hi tha jaise maine lectures kiye sab concepts theek the but kuch-kuch questions mein dikkat hoti hai. Toh us moment pe humein panic nahi karna chahiye obviously humne start kiya hai thodi dikkat aati hai toh we should take a break.”

Her break was not about endlessly scrolling through social media. She preferred taking a short walk so that she could return to preparation with a clearer mind.

When she encountered a question she could not solve, she also avoided immediately looking at the solution. Instead, she tried it independently a few times and returned to it later if needed.

“Agar humein nahi ban raha toh solution I would not suggest ki dekho pehle do-teen baar try karo. Apne se dekho, then method apne aata hai and eventually apne se questions banne lagte hain.”

This approach helped Riya prevent individual difficult questions from affecting the momentum of her overall preparation.

PW’s YouTube Resources Supported Riya Kumari’s Foundation Building

As Riya worked on her fundamentals, she also used the available learning resources to strengthen specific areas. Her preparation included maintaining grammar notes based on YouTube videos from the platform, which became part of her early foundation-building process.

“Toh maine bhi 11 se start kiya tha. I started with VARC grammar section saare rules maine likhe the obviously aapke YouTube videos se and then uska toh ek notebook alag se banega.”

Rather than treating preparation as something to complete in a short period, Riya focused on gradually building her understanding. She combined these resources with newspaper reading, RC practice, vocabulary building, and basic concepts across the other sections.

Her strategy was particularly focused on starting these activities early, when she had more time available. This allowed her to gradually move from foundational work to sectional practice and eventually full-length mocks.

Riya Kumari Used Sectional Tests and 50 Mocks to Build Exam Readiness

With her foundation in place, Riya increasingly relied on practice to understand her preparation level. She attempted numerous sectional tests and eventually completed around 50 mocks, including free online mocks.

“Is poore preparation mein sectionals toh maine bahut diye the. And then phir 50 mocks ho gaye the mere total mila ke. And then phir haan toh aise hi maine bahut saare diye the. Aur phir main online wagairah jo free mocks hai and then wo sab toh maine diye the.”

The volume of practice also helped her become more familiar with the pressure of taking exams. However, her first exam still came with a high level of anxiety, showing that even extensive practice does not necessarily remove every moment of nervousness.

“Haan bas wo Indore jo pehla exam tha usmein mera anxiety level bahut high tha kyunki wo mera pehla exam tha and Rohtak ka scene was like mera ek ek marks se chhoot gaya tha.”

Despite these experiences, her preparation ultimately led to her conversion of IIM Bodh Gaya IPM 2026-31. Riya’s experience highlights how early foundation-building, repeated practice and the ability to recover from difficult preparation days can work together over the course of an entrance-exam journey.

Riya Kumari Converted IIM Bodh Gaya and Looked Ahead to CAT

Riya’s preparation ultimately resulted in her conversion of IIM Bodh Gaya IPM 2026-31. During the discussion, she also spoke about the other opportunities she had considered and her next academic direction.

“Toh mera I guess Bodh Gaya toh ho gaya, Jammu bhi ho jaata but ... I will focus on CAT from MBA wala only.”

With her IPM conversion secured, Riya shared that she plans to focus on CAT for her future MBA preparation with MBA Wallah. This gives her preparation journey a clear next step beyond the IPM conversion.

Her experience also reflects how repeated practice can build confidence over time. From starting with grammar, reading and basic concepts in Class 11 to attempting around 50 mocks, Riya gradually moved towards exam-level preparation.

Riya Kumari’s IPM Preparation Shows the Value of Starting Early

Riya’s journey to IIM Bodh Gaya IPM 2026-31 was shaped by early preparation, consistent practice, and the ability to recover from difficult days. Starting in Class 11 gave her time to work on fundamentals before moving towards sectional tests and full-length mocks.

Her experience also shows that preparation does not always progress smoothly. Difficult questions and low days are part of the process, but taking a short break, returning with a fresh mind, and continuing the preparation can prevent one setback from affecting the larger journey.

With her IIM Bodh Gaya conversion secured and her next goal focused on CAT preparation with MBA Wallah, Riya’s story offers aspirants a practical example of how a long-term preparation strategy can gradually turn into an exam-ready approach.