2015 toppers 

ICSE

Nirmalya Chaudhuri
Score: 98.2% (English + best four)
Marksheet: Computer application 100, mathematics 99, science 98, history-geography-civics 97, English 97, Bengali 95
School: Sri Aurobindo Institute of Education
Stays in: DL Block
Preparation: I drew up a routine and prepared accordingly. I did not have any tutors and therefore saved a lot of time. Whatever help I needed, I got from my parents. My father Basab Chaudhuri teaches chemistry in Calcutta University while my mother Mousumi too has graduated in chemistry. My school is a three-minute walk away. So I had enough time to study at home. I had got 96.8 per cent in the selection test so I was confident of doing better in the Board exam. I did not study more than seven-eight hours during the study leave and took breaks in between. 
Future plans: I want to continue in the same school and make do without tutors. I want to follow in my sister’s footsteps and become a doctor. She is now interning at RG Kar Medical College. The other option is to study science in the general stream.
Hobbies: I love reading short stories, especially those by Anton Chekov and Leo Tolstoy. I have read the Harry Potter series. I also write poetry in English. My contributions are being published in the school magazine since Class III. My favourite theme is nature and I like William Wordsworth’s poetry. 

Gargi Santra
Score: 97.8 %
Marksheet: Mathematics 100, science 99, history-civics-geography 97, environmental application 98, English 95, Bengali 96
School: Salt Lake School
Stays in: Bichitra Abasan, BC Block
Preparation: I was ready by the time the selection test took place so the study leave was all about revisions. I used to wake up around 7am and studied for about seven hours a day. On the nights before the exams, I tended to study more — till midnight.  
Future plans: I am planning to take up science as job options would be better. Though English is my favourite subject, I don’t mind biology and mathematics. 
Tips for juniors: Do not get tense and don’t let tuitions take up all your time. Nothing works better than study by oneself. 
Hobbies: I love watching TV — especially cookery shows and sports. As for books, my favourite characters are Byomkesh Bakshi and Feluda. I am not into social networking at all. Sadly, because our housing complex is for government officers with transferable jobs the friends I grew up with have all left. So I don’t have neighbourhood friends any more.

Mehali Nandi
Score: 97.6%
Marksheet: Mathematics 100, physical education 100, history-geography-civics 98, science 98, Bengali 95, English 92
School: Salt Lake School
Stays in: Shyamali Abasan, EA Block
Preparation: I had tutors only for English and geography. My father Gourhari Nandi is a science teacher at Kendriya Vidyalaya 1 so he taught me those subjects at home. My grandfather Sahadeb taught me math. I studied for about seven-eight hours. Now for IIT entrance exams, I have taken admission in a professional coaching centre. 
Future plans: The ICSE syllabus is good but for Plus II I prefer the CBSE syllabus. So I have shifted to Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. Father wanted me to study in his school but my friends are going to Bhavans. That decided my choice.
Hobbies: I love drawing. I was a student of Rang O Tuli in Vidyasagar Abasan for eight years. The walls of our house are full of my oil paintings and water colours. My favourite painters are Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. 

Asmita Sanyal
Score: 97%
Marksheet: Computer application 100, mathematics 97, science 97, history-civics-geography 96, English 95, Bengali 95
School: Salt Lake School
Stays in: AK Block
Preparation: I used to wake up by 7am to put in a couple of hours of study before leaving for school which started at 10am. I had tutors in physics, chemistry, biology, English and computer application. So I went for tuitions after school and studied for some time again by myself at night. Towards the end, I stopped going to school unless there were practical classes. I dropped tuitions too sometimes. 
Future plans:  I want to continue in the same school. My mother had suggested that I shift to CBSE as that board’s pattern of questions is perceived to be closer to that of the Joint Entrance Examinations.  Many of my friends are making the shift. But I refused. I have a great bonding with my school.
Hobbies: I love story books. In fact, I have -10 power in my glasses because I would read stories using the mobile phone torch even after the light was switched off in my room. When the pressure got too much during exams, I read Sunil Ganguly’s Kakababu adventures. He is mind-blowing. In English, I love J.K. Rowling, Ruskin Bond and Roald Dahl. I save the money I get as gifts during my birthdays and buy books. I am not on social network and do not use the computer in my free time except to download songs. My favourite composer is A.R. Rahman. I was so lucky to have attended his concert in Salt Lake stadium in 2013. I love cricket too and watched every India match even while our finals were on.

Swarnava Sadhukhan
Score: 97%
Marksheet: Computer science 99, mathematics 98, science 98, history-geography-civics 96, English 94, Bengali 92
School: Sri Aurobindo Institute of Education
Stays in: Telengabagan, Ultadanga
Preparation: I went to the same tutor thrice a week for physics, chemistry and mathematics. My cousin who stays with us as part of a joint family is a computer engineer and helped me out with problems in computer science. And I also had tutors for English and  Bengali. I studied for six to seven hours daily. In the study leave that went up to 12-13 hours. Just before the exam, I was studying for 14-15 hours daily.
Future plans: I am studying in the same school. I want to be a computer engineer like my cousin. 
Hobbies: I am a cricket fanatic. Despite the exams, I did not let go of any of the India matches during the World Cup. I can do sums while following a cricket match on TV. My original dream was to become a playback singer. That was till Class II-III when I was performing in school and in the locality and winning laurels. Then on my family’s insistence, I started focusing on studies more. The results improved and my dream changed. But even now I am a bigger fan of Arijit Singh than I am of Virat Kohli. 

ISC

Sayantee Dutta
Score: 98.75%
Marksheet: Mathematics 100, computer science 100, physics 99, English 96, chemistry 92
School: Salt Lake School
Stays in: Teghoria
Preparation: I studied for eight hours daily round the year. I would wake up at 6am and study till it was time to go to school, starting at 10.30am, about half an hour away. After school gave over at 4.30pm, I went for tuitions lasting till 8pm. Back home, I’d study till midnight. During the holidays, the duration went up to 10 hours. I didn’t do too well in the selection test — about 80 per cent. During the holidays, I studied for 10 hours or so per day. The way to approach the final exams is to study text books well, attend classes and solve papers. Only tuitions will not help.
Future plans: I want to study computer engineering in IIT or National Institute of Technology (NIT). If I do not get through, then I will take admission in Vellore Institute of Technology.
Hobbies: I like singing and trained till Class X at home in Rabindrasangeet. I am learning kathak and have resumed training at Bidhan Sishu Udyan after the exams.

Arghya Mazumdar
Score: 98.25%
Marksheet: Computer science 99, mathematics 97, English 97, physics 97, chemistry 90
School: Salt lake School
Stays in: BC Block
Preparation: I had a tutor in each subject. I used to study for the Board exams for two or three hours per day. The rest of my time went in preparing for competitive exams. I used to sit for the FIITJEE mock tests often in the weekends. I put in extra effort during the study leave to prepare for the Board exams. 
Future plans: I am banking on the JEE Mains result to get me into a good NIT to study B.Tech in any of the core engineering subjects. I am also hopeful of getting admission into a good Delhi college.
Hobbies: Football is my passion. I was the goalkeeper in the school team. My idol was Edwin van der Sar of Manchester United. At home, I am an East Bengal supporter who had to witness Mohun Bagan winning the I-League. I also watch English comedy serials on TV. I have watched all the seasons of Friends, Seinfield and How I Met Your Mother. I am hooked to Game of Thrones right now. 

Siddhartha Chatterjee
Score: 98.25%
Marksheet: Mathematics 100, computer science 100, English 97, physics 96, chemistry 95
School: Salt Lake School
Stays in: BB Block
Preparation: I studied for three-four hours by myself even when school was on, staying up late till 2.30am. I had tutors in all subjects which took up two hours every day. My favourite subject is mathematics.
Future plans: Rank permitting, I want to study computer engineering in any of the NITs. 
Hobbies: The computer is my biggest source of entertainment, which lets me watch movies and play games. I love action movies. The Transformers series ranks among my favourites. I also watched Avengers: Age of Ultron recently. I usually play computer games solo and my favourites are Call of Duty and Assassin’s Creed. I also play chess and since Class VI I was a part of the chess club in school which has shut down now. 

CBSE CLASS XII

Priyanka Pal
Score: 98%. Stood second from eastern India.
Marksheet: Chemistry 99, physics 98, mathematics 98, Bengali 98, computer science 97, English 95
School: Hariyana Vidya Mandir
Stays in: Asansol. Attends school from maternal grandparents’ place in Green Park, Lake Town.
Preparation: I studied in Assembly of God Church School in Asansol till Class X and had scored 97 per cent in ICSE. So it was a change of school, town and board for me. But despite being a small town girl, had no trouble fitting in. Of course, riding overcrowded buses to school was tiring but now I think it was a great experience. In ISC, one has to work harder for the languages. In CBSE, the focus is more on science. The key to my success I would say is regularity since Class IX. Any break results in a loss of focus. I read the text books thoroughly and practised questions from the guide books. My average study time was 10-12 hours in the study leave which sometimes went up to 14-15 hours. 
Future plans: Though my WBJEE rank is 455, I want to study at NIT. If my rank is good, I should get admission to one of the NITs in south India. Otherwise, there is the one in Durgapur. I want to be a computer science engineer. 
Hobbies: I love films, especially those starring Shah Rukh Khan, and all good English movies. I watched PK between exams. I also read a lot of Dan Brown, Agatha Christie, Jeffrey Archer, Sidney Sheldon, Ashapurna Devi, Satyajit Ray and Sunil Ganguly. Right now, I am completing Subarnalata. For two years, I could not read story books. So I have a lot to catch up on.

Arpan Kundu
Score: 97.4%
Marksheet: Computer science 99, Bengali 98, mathematics 97, physics 97, chemistry 96, English 82
School: Hariyana Vidya Mandir
Stays in: CG Block
Preparation: I would solve 10 to 20 mathematics problems every day besides studying all other subjects. I went to an institute for physics, chemistry and mathematics, studying each subject in a three-hour class once a week. I also had tutors coming at home for computer and mathematics.
Future plans: I’d prefer to study in the south. My elder sister is already doing MBA in Kozhikode. I am banking on the JEE Mains result to get into one of the NITs. My preferred subject is computer science but it would all depend on my rank. I haven’t done too well in WBJEE with a rank of 2,220.
Hobbies: I spend time mostly on WhatsApp and Facebook. Sometimes I watch cricket and English films on TV and the news if nothing more interesting is on. I watched the film Piku recently. 

Harshit Garg
Score: 97.4%
Marksheet: Economics 100, accountancy 99, physical education 98, business studies 95, mathematics 95, English 95
School: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan
Stays in: Kankurgachhi
Preparation: I had just one tutor for math. The rest I managed myself. For me, the Board exam was the most important and I studied with that aim. I did not have any fixed hours of study but I made sure I completed what I set out to do on the day before going to sleep. I am studying in this school since Class VIII. Earlier I was in South Point but I wanted to shift to CBSE from the West Bengal Board.
Future plans: I want to study B.Com (Hons) and have applied in Delhi University. If I do not get through to any college there, I want to study in St. Xaviers. The other option is CA in ICAI. 
Hobbies: I play the guitar. I used to play once in the school band.

Does any other Board examinee staying in Salt Lake or New Town deserve to be on this list?
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