How PW’s Anush Scored to 99.8 Percentile in JEE Main 2026 Session 1

National Testing Agency (NTA) has officially declared the JEE Main 2026 Session 1 result on February 16, 2026. This year, many students secured high percentiles in the examination. One of the top performers from Physics Wallah (PW), Anush Papnai, secured an impressive 99.897 percentile in JEE Main 2026. He was a student of the Prayas 1.0 batch. Sharing his preparation strategy, Anush emphasized that giving regular tests is extremely important. However, he clarified that just attempting tests is not enough — proper test analysis is even more crucial.

Importance of Equal Attention to All Three Subjects

Anush Papnai highlighted that one of his biggest mistakes last year was giving less time to Chemistry while focusing more on Physics and Mathematics. He explained that all three subjects contribute equally to the final percentile, so no subject should be ignored.

While Mathematics may require more practice time, students must ensure equal attention and seriousness toward all subjects. Ignoring Chemistry with the mindset of “we will cover it later” can cost valuable marks. He stressed that especially in Inorganic Chemistry, consistent preparation is necessary rather than last-minute memorization.

Test Analysis & Following Teachers 

Another key lesson he shared was to follow teachers with complete trust. He advised students not to mix multiple sources randomly. Teachers provide material and strategies after careful planning and experience. Blindly following one structured guidance system is more effective than studying bits and pieces from different places.

He also admitted that last year he gave fewer tests and got distracted during the Advanced phase due to board exams. Additionally, insufficient focus on Chemistry affected his score.

Growth from 98.4 to 99.897 Percentile

Last year, Anush Papnai scored 98.4 percentile in JEE Main. Improving from 98 to nearly 99.9 percentile required tremendous effort and consistency. He mentioned that growth at higher percentile levels is very difficult and demands focused preparation along with managing other responsibilities.

When asked about taking a drop year despite having a good percentile and potential NIT options, he shared that his parents allowed him to make his own decision. He believes parents should give students some independence if they are mature enough to decide. However, he also admitted that taking a drop year is a tough decision because it requires maintaining full consistency for an entire year.