Koushiki Dasgupta Chaudhuri – AIR 1
Koushiki Dasgupta Chaudhuri, a student of St. Xavier’s Institution, Panihati topped the 2018 ISC Board examinations by scoring 99.5%. This All India Topper scored a perfect 100 in Physics, Chemistry and Biology, a 99 in Mathematics and a 98 in English. She hails from a small town called Sodepur, near Kolkata(West Bengal). St. Xavier’s Institution, Panihati is a CISCE affiliated English-medium school that started in 1967. From humble beginnings it has flourished into a huge institute with extraordinary results in the ICSE and ISC Board examinations every year. Having studied in this school from Lower Nursery to class 12, Koushiki considers it a second home. Her school had an immense role in shaping her to be the individual she is today and she owes a huge part of her success to them.
ISC Topper Koushiki Dasgupta Chaudhuri
Koushiki is a normal small-town girl with dreams in her eyes and hope in her mind. She is passionate about science and research and hopes to work in the domain of Artificial Intelligence or Machine Learning some day. Apart from excelling in the board examinations, this KVPY scholar also cleared JEE Advanced with a rank of 2624 and WBJEE with a rank of 210. She also cleared some other competitive examinations like BITSAT, JEE Mains and NEET(medical). She is currently studying Mathematics and Computing in the prestigious IIT Kharagpur. Her talents are many and varied. Other than her academics, she is passionate about creative writing, singing and reading fiction. A true all-rounder, she has been learning Hindusthani classical music(vocals) since childhood and also runs a blog. In school, she was a Governor of the Local Self Government, which is a disciplinary committee run by the students under teachers’ supervision. She has also actively participated in exhibitions and wrote skits and dramas. In this interview with Priya Sarin, this exceptionally talented girl will offer you some really effective and useful tips to ace your upcoming exams! Let’s see how she did it and learn a thing or two from this young winner.
What role did your school teachers and parents play in your preparation for the examinations?
>> Success is the cumulative effect of a lot of factors. As social beings, we need a strong network of people around us to thrive. I have been blessed to be surrounded by people who have always supported me and given me a patient hearing, no matter what. I am immensely grateful to my school teachers for the efforts they put into clarifying my concepts whenever I needed it, providing me extra doubt sessions and teaching me the nitty-gritties required for cracking the ISC Board examinations. More than anything else, I am grateful to them for always being available, be it for a 9 am doubt session or a pep talk when I was feeling down. Likewise,my parents never pressurized me to study or do anything else, for that matter. They trusted me enough and I worked hard in order to respect that trust. They are the main architects of my success.
What is your favourite subject? And why do you like it?
>> My favourite subject in school was Physical Chemistry because I am very interested in figuring out the physical aspects of the phenomenon that occurs around us or within us. I am an aspiring coder and have always been very interested in Computer Science, which is my favourite subject right now.
Other than that, I have always loved Literature classes, be it English or Bengali because I appreciate the beauty of words and stories.
Noting down my mistakes in a spare copy and reviewing them before exams was also a technique I found very useful.
Can you share a few study techniques and tips that you followed?
>> Each person is unique, what worked for me might not work for someone else. I used to study the text very thoroughly, line-by-line, which I feel is a very important part of clarifying concepts. I am not someone who made a lot of notes, however I used to write down whatever concepts I was finding difficult on a rough copy and derive things by myself. I have a habit of reading out loud because I am an auditory and visual learner. Noting down my mistakes in a spare copy and reviewing them before exams was also a technique I found very useful.
Different students have different learning styles. What is yours? How do you ensure that you study efficiently and effectively?
>> Unlike most people, I am neither a late sleeper nor an early riser. I believe ample amount of sleep and a healthy lifestyle is the most important thing. To make my study hours more effective, I ensured that I had ample time for my other extra-curricular activities so that my concentration would never drift during studying. I strictly believe in quality over quantity and also the fact that your emotions and feelings matter a lot. If you are not feeling like studying, you can sit down for 8 hours with a book and still not manage to retain anything. I studied when I felt like it and pursued other activities when I didn’t.
Most students forget what they have studied in just a few days. Any tips for improving the memory and ensuring better recall and control?
>> There are different kinds of learners- auditory, visual, tactile etc. If you are an auditory learner like me, you will remember stuff better when you read stuff aloud. A tactile learner may prefer writing down stuff. So figure out what suits you best and go with it. But always remember that learning involves reading, writing, speaking, listening and doing.
The more we know, the more we realize how little we know. The only tip to remain inquisitive is to realize that you know nothing in the greater scheme of things.
Albert Einstein famously said that his curiosity is his real talent. As kids, humans are naturally curious and that is how we pick up skills like walking and talking. But sadly as we grow old, we lose this skill. But an all-rounder like you can surely share some tips on how to remain curious and keep learning new things?
>> The more we know, the more we realize how little we know. The only tip to remain inquisitive is to realize that you know nothing in the greater scheme of things. In this vast universe, you are smaller than the ant you crush with your feet. It is your duty to keep improving yourself irrespective of age, position or education.
Paying attention in classroom is one of the most important things a student can do to excel in exams. How do you take active part in your learning process and make the most of your teachers’ teachings?
>> I take an active part in the classroom by asking questions to my teachers, clarifying doubts, discussing various sub-topics with my classmates.
Snacking while studying is unavoidable. What are your favourite snacks to eat while studying that are healthy and satiate your hunger without making you feel lethargic?
>> My favourite study-time snacks comprise seasonal fruits, nuts, flavoured milk and biscuits.
Don’t hole yourself up with your anxiety. Take some time out to do stuff that makes you happy.
As a thinking being, all of us suffer from emotional clutter. And while the physical clutter is easier to get rid of, dealing with emotional clutter can be challenging. Any tips for the same?
>> The best way to get rid of emotional clutter is to talk to anyone who listens. It might be your best friend, your parents or a trusted teacher. Share stuff. Don’t hole yourself up with your anxiety. Take some time out to do stuff that makes you happy. Personally, I found music, praying and taking walks on my terrace as huge stress-busters. Also realize the fact that everything in life is transient and ‘this too shall pass’. This may sound like a very philosophical idea but trust me, it’s the best way to be happy. Life is a great adventure, just go with the flow.
It was only when I stopped seeking success that success found me.
A little stress is a good motivator and acts as a driving force, but a lot of stress is harmful and hampers our performance. How do you ensure that stress does not negatively affect you?
>> I have found that whenever I stop thinking and planning for the next moment, I am happy and stress-free. I too was negatively affected by stress many times. I used to have panic attacks before examinations. But finally I realized that what is bound to happen will happen. Also, failure or success, both are equally important for a person. I am a spiritual person and I believe that whatever happens, happens ultimately for our own good.
It was only when I stopped seeking success that success found me.
Don’t think too much. Just do your job at the present moment.
Some students focus on short-term goals and some focus on long-term goals. But achievers usually have their short-term goals aligned with their long-term goals. Any tips for other students on the same?
>> This may sound very clichéd right now, but I am a firm believer in destiny and believe that whatever was meant to be, will be. Don’t think too much. Just do your job at the present moment. Nothing else is in your hand. Your carefully constructed plan of 8 years might be destroyed in a single second. Strange are the ways of this universe.
Most students fail to understand the difference between being busy (just doing something) and being productive (doing something important). How do you ensure that you are productive?
>> I ensure that I am being productive by analyzying what I am doing and figuring out how it helps me. Prioritizing and efficient time management also helps.
~ Priya Sarin
priya[at]thestudentsdigest.com
Loading ...