Alappuzha boy's journey from Grade 9 to KEAM first rank

Alappuzha native P. Devanand secured the first rank in the Kerala Engineering Architecture and Medical (KEAM) entrance test 2024. Engineering was the natural choice for P. Devanand, who had been fond of mathematics since childhood. He prepared for the JEE Mains, qualified for it, and appeared for KEAM 2024 without giving it much thought. This first rank was unexpected. Devanand said he was expecting a rank in the top ten.

Getting into IIT was his dream, and thus he focused on clearing the JEE Mains. He bagged the 682nd rank in JEE and has gained admission to IIT Kharagpur, where he plans to continue his studies.

He joined the foundation course for engineering entrance from the 9th standard onwards. He has been nurturing the firm idea of becoming an engineer since then.

“My strategy is to learn by doing. If I see study as a burden, I will get bored. So I do not follow a strict timetable. However, I made sure that I had an understanding of the lessons covered each day. The easiest was maths. I find chemistry difficult, so I reserve more time for that. I was able to achieve this rank by studying the entire textbook thoroughly. My teachers also provided great support. I used to make small notes initially, but then I stopped. On days when I have good energy, I study as much as possible. My strength is my family, which always supports me. They do not pressure me in any way,” Devanand said.

Devanand’s father, Padmakumar, is an officer at the Economics and Statistics Department, and his mother is a high school teacher. His brother is studying in the 9th standard.