The Study Approach That Helped Rishabh Siddharth Bounce Back in IOQM Preparation With PW

Preparing for a competitive exam at a young age comes with its own challenges. For Rishabh Siddharth, the journey towards the Indian Olympiad Qualifier in Mathematics (IOQM) began early, with a clear goal of eventually reaching the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO).

Rishab chose an unconventional academic path to create more time for his preparation. He skipped Class 9 and opted for an open-schooling route, allowing him to focus more on mathematics and olympiad preparation. However, his first IOQM attempt did not go as planned. He scored 21 marks against a cutoff of 22.

Instead of letting the setback stop him, Rishab identified the real issue behind his performance: he had the required knowledge but struggled with nervousness and question selection during the exam.

His experience with PW preparation, regular tests, and a focused peer environment then helped him approach his preparation differently.

Rishabh Siddharth Started His Preparation With a Clear Goal

Rishab began preparing for mathematics olympiads at an early age. Since he wanted to dedicate more time to his preparation, he chose open schooling.

When asked why he selected this route, Rishab explained:

“Sir time acche se mil jata hai ghar pe sir har tarah ki preparation karne ke liye.”

The additional flexibility allowed him to devote more time to mathematics without following a conventional school schedule.

Rishab also had a clear long-term goal. Rather than preparing for every competitive examination, he wanted to focus on mathematics and eventually pursue his interest in institutions such as ISI.

His focused approach meant that he was willing to make deliberate academic choices based on where he wanted his preparation to lead.

Rishabh Siddharth Turned a One-Mark IOQM Setback Into a Learning Experience

Rishab's first IOQM attempt became an important turning point in his preparation. He scored 21 marks, while the cutoff in his region was 22.

Being just one mark short was disappointing, especially because Rishab felt he had the ability to solve more questions during the examination.

He recalled:

“Sir sirf 21 tha.”

When asked how he felt after missing the cutoff by one mark, Rishab explained:

“Bahut bura laga tha kyunki us samay na meri matlab efficiency zyada thi. Main chhe saat question bana sakta tha aur wo main nahi bana paya.”

The result made him look beyond the score and examine what had actually gone wrong. His preparation was not necessarily the main problem. Instead, the pressure of the examination affected his decision-making.

Rishab identified nervousness and weak question selection as the main issues. He knew the concepts but did not always select the right questions to attempt.

This became an important lesson for his next phase of preparation: knowing the solution is not enough; knowing which question to attempt and when to move on also matters.

Rishabh Siddharth Learned to Treat Question Selection as a Skill

The experience of missing the cutoff helped Rishab understand that exam performance depends on more than preparation alone.

He explained:

“Padhai mein kami nahi thi. Shayad main wahan pe nervous ho gaya aur question selection mera weak ho gaya tha. Kyunki question selection ki ability hoti hai. To ability agar weak ho jati hai to knowledge to poora hai but galat question mein jaake haath daal diya to phas jayenge.”

This realisation changed the way he looked at competitive exams. A student may have enough knowledge to solve a problem, but spending too much time on the wrong question can affect the performance of the entire paper.

For Rishab, the setback therefore became an opportunity to work on his exam temperament and decision-making, rather than simply studying more concepts.

Rishabh Siddharth Used Regular Tests to Improve His Exam Preparation

As Rishab continued his preparation, regular tests became an important part of his routine. The testing environment gave him repeated opportunities to practise under exam-like conditions.

His performance also showed clear ups and downs. He shared that his highest score in the tests was 70 marks, while his lowest was 12 marks.

“Sir 70 marks.”

When asked about his lowest score, he said:

“12 marks.”

The difference between the two scores highlights how much variation can occur during long-term competitive exam preparation. However, the low score did not define his preparation.

After missing a test due to health issues, Rishab returned with a score of 51 in the following test he attempted.

The experience reinforced an important point: one test score does not necessarily represent a student’s overall preparation. Previous practice and conceptual understanding continue to play a role in how quickly a student can recover from a difficult performance.

PW Environment Helped Rishab Stay Focused

Rishab also found value in the learning environment around him. According to him, students preparing alongside each other were focused and could discuss difficult questions together.

He explained:

“Sir bahut accha laga. Yahan pe saare jo students hain wo kaafi focused hain aur ek doosre ke matlab focus mein kya hota hai na ek tough question aa jata hai to do log teen log baith jaate hote hain to wo question aasani se solve karte hain.”

For Rishab, the benefit was not limited to sitting in a particular place. Being surrounded by students with similar goals created an environment where difficult problems could be discussed and approached together.

He also highlighted the value of structure and teacher interaction:

“But yahan pe kya hai na ki bahut structured routine hai. Uske wajah se teachers se aap ek tarah se meet mein hain to bahut fayda.”

The combination of regular interaction, preparation and a focused peer group gave Rishab an environment where he could continue working on his preparation with greater consistency.

Rishabh Siddharth Focused on Building Experience Through Tests

Looking back at his previous IOQM attempt, Rishab recognised that regular testing could have helped him develop better exam temperament earlier.

When asked whether taking regular tests earlier would have helped him, he agreed:

“Zaroor milta.”

The purpose of regular tests was not only to measure marks. For Rishab, they also provided experience with selecting questions, managing time and handling the pressure of solving problems within a limited period.

This was particularly relevant after his first IOQM attempt, where he had enough knowledge but struggled with decision-making during the paper.

With repeated testing, he could identify these gaps before the actual examination instead of discovering them during the exam itself.

Rishabh Siddharth Continued Preparing for His Long-Term Mathematics Goal

Despite the setback in his earlier attempt, Rishab did not abandon his larger goal. His focus remained on mathematics olympiad preparation and progressing towards higher stages of the competition.

His journey also reflects how early specialisation can require patience. Since he started young, every stage of preparation allowed him to gain experience.

Rather than treating the one-mark miss as the end of his journey, Rishab used it to understand what needed to change.

His focus was not simply on increasing the number of hours spent studying. It was on becoming better at solving problems, selecting questions and performing under pressure.

Rishabh Siddharth IOQM Journey Shows the Value of Learning From Setbacks

Rishabh Siddharth’s preparation journey is a reminder that a setback in a competitive examination does not always point to a lack of knowledge.

His 21-mark IOQM score against a 22-mark cutoff showed him how small differences in exam execution can affect the final result. Instead of giving up, he identified nervousness and question selection as areas that needed attention.

With PW tests, teacher interaction and a focused learning environment, he continued building his preparation and gaining valuable exam experience.

For young aspirants preparing for olympiads, Rishab’s journey offers a practical lesson: strong preparation should be supported by regular testing, thoughtful question selection and the ability to learn from difficult performances. A missed cutoff can become useful experience when students use it to understand their weaknesses and prepare differently next time.