It’s a proud moment for IIT Roorkee as its student has clinched a big success. Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee student Diksha Saklani emerged as the national topper in the GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering) Examination’s Chemistry Paper. The final year student of M.Sc Chemistry at IIT Roorkee clinched All India Rank No. 1 in Chemistry Paper in her maiden attempt. Interestingly, Diksha never went to any coaching classes or tuitions and all she relied on was her self-belief, hard work and a planned schedule. The illustrative student now aspires to become a scientist.
Speaking about her efforts, Diksha said that since she comes from a local place, initially she felt inferior to the other students. But later she decided to prove herself and her abilities. While talking about her strategy for preparation, she said that first, she tried to identify topics in she was weak and work on them. “I first looked for the topics where I was not confident and tried to get command on the concept underneath, especially in organic chemistry,” Diksha said. She also told that she used to solve the previous year papers side-by-side periodically to monitor her progress. “I took help from all sources available: teachers, friends and the Internet,” she said.
While giving advice to other students who wish to appear for the exam next time, Diksha said they should place emphasis on strengthening their basics instead of learning tricks and shortcuts. Referring to aptitude section, she said that aptitude is something that is a part of every examination, be it a written exam or an interview. According to her, aptitude is an important field of life that needs to be mastered. She said that it indicates the sharpness of the mind and is something which must not be neglected.
The topper says that she never felt her preparation as a burden because she looked for coordination between class lectures and preparation. But she is never satisfied with her performance. She wants to learn more and further refine her concepts. Apart from studies, she loves singing and writing.
Speaking about her success, her Professor Dr KR Justin Thomas, Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry, IIT Roorkee, said that it is always encouraging to see students hailing from rural area excel in science education despite the steady decline for interest in science studies and careers. Prof Thomas hailed Diksha as an illustrative student who overcame the negative vibrations by hard work and perseverance. “She is working in my research group for her M.Sc. project,” the professor said.
