Tag Archives: jeephysics

May19

The Mindset Behind IIT JEE Advanced AIR 56, IJSO Gold, and World Rank 10 in SIN: Vasu Vijay’s Extraordinary Journey

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Very few academic journeys reflect excellence across so many of the world’s most prestigious examinations and Olympiads at such a young age. From securing an extraordinary AIR 56 in IIT-JEE Advanced, to winning a Gold Medal with International Rank 8 at the International Junior Science Olympiad (IJSO) 2022 in Bogotá, Colombia, to achieving International Rank 10 along with Distinction in the prestigious Sir Isaac Newton (SIN) Exam conducted by the University of Waterloo, Vasu Vijay’s accomplishments stand as a remarkable testament to intellectual depth, discipline, and conceptual mastery.

What makes his story especially meaningful to me, however, is not merely the scale of these achievements, but the transformation behind them.

As Vasu himself shares in this testimonial, there was a time when Physics felt difficult and unintuitive to him. Over the years, through a learning approach centered around intuition, conceptual understanding, analytical thinking, and scientific imagination, he gradually developed not only mastery over the subject, but also a genuine love for it.

His words beautifully reflect a philosophy I have always believed in deeply — that true excellence in Physics does not emerge from memorizing formulas or mechanically solving thousands of problems, but from learning how to think clearly, understand concepts fundamentally, and approach challenges with calmness and intelligence.

One of the most touching parts of Vasu’s testimonial is his gratitude toward the way he was taught to approach both Physics and examinations themselves — not with fear or pressure, but with curiosity, strategy, and confidence. To know that this mindset contributed meaningfully to his Olympiad journey, his international success, and his IIT-JEE performance is profoundly fulfilling as a teacher.

Vasu’s journey is not merely a story of ranks and medals. It is a story of transformation — from confusion to clarity, from hesitation to confidence, and from learning formulas to truly understanding the beauty of Physics.

I feel immensely proud to have been part of his journey and deeply grateful for the sincerity and warmth with which he has expressed his appreciation.

Respected Devansh Sir,

I remember that at the beginning of Class 9, Physics was the subject I struggled with the most. Even the basic concepts often felt unclear to me, and I never really enjoyed studying the subject. However, the way you taught Physics completely changed how I viewed it. Your emphasis on intuition and conceptual understanding helped me develop genuine interest in the subject.

What impacted me the most was that your teaching was never limited to memorizing formulas or blindly applying methods. Instead, you always encouraged us to understand the idea behind every concept and every question. Because of this, whenever I now encounter a Physics problem, my first instinct is to understand the concept deeply before attempting to solve it. The questions discussed in class were themselves more than sufficient to develop a strong understanding, without the need to solve hundreds of questions from multiple books.

Apart from academics, your guidance regarding examination pressure and mindset also helped me immensely. I still remember your idea of treating an exam like a puzzle, where the objective is to optimize marks, calmly and intelligently. That approach proved to be extremely effective for me and positively influenced my performance in every major examination thereafter.

This way of learning and approaching Physics helped me throughout my entire Junior Science Olympiad journey, from NSEJS and INJSO to the OCSC selection camp at HBCSE, eventually culminating in a Gold Medal and an International Rank 8 in IJSO 2022 held in Bogotá, Colombia. The same approach and mindset later continued to help me in other examinations as well, including JEE Advanced, where I secured AIR 56, and the Sir Isaac Newton (SIN) Exam, where I secured an International Rank 10 along with a Distinction.

I will always remain grateful to you not just for teaching Physics so beautifully, but also for changing the way I approach learning and problem solving as a whole. Thank you for making Physics so intuitive and enjoyable for me!

Vasu Vijay

May13

“Physics Started Making Sense” — A Heartfelt IIT Bombay Student Testimonial

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Sometimes, even a few months of the right guidance can completely transform a student’s confidence and way of thinking. Palak Sanadhya joined my classes only a short time before JEE Advanced, yet her sincerity, hard work, and deep commitment toward conceptual understanding helped her secure admission to Indian Institute of Technology Bombay in Chemical Engineering.

What makes her testimonial especially meaningful to me is that it reflects the very philosophy with which I teach Physics — not as a collection of formulas to memorize, but as a subject to be visualized, understood intuitively, and appreciated deeply. I am grateful to have played a small role in her remarkable journey.

Securing admission to Chemical Engineering at Indian Institute of Technology Bombay after clearing one of the most competitive examinations in the country was a dream come true for me. And although I studied under Mr. Devansh Mittal for only around three months before JEE Advanced, the impact of his teaching during that short period was truly remarkable.

What immediately stood out to me in his classes was the way he approached Physics — not as a subject to be memorized, but as something to be deeply understood and mentally visualized. In an environment where students often focus only on speed and formulas, his teaching emphasized imagination, intuition, and conceptual clarity.

Whether it was Mechanics, Thermodynamics, Waves & Oscillations, Electrodynamics, Optics, or Modern Physics, he explained every topic with extraordinary precision and simplicity. Even concepts that had previously felt confusing became intuitive after his explanations. His ability to connect physical understanding with mathematical problem-solving made a tremendous difference in my preparation.

One of the most unique aspects of his teaching was his belief, inspired by Albert Einstein, that imagination and intuition are just as important as logic in learning Physics. Instead of encouraging rote methods, he trained us to think independently and understand the deeper meaning behind every concept. That approach not only improved my problem-solving ability, but also gave me confidence while attempting challenging JEE Advanced questions.

Beyond academics, I was deeply touched by the sincerity and honesty with which he guided his students. He genuinely cared about our progress, regularly communicated with parents, and ensured that students remained disciplined, motivated, and mentally focused during such an important phase of preparation.

Despite the limited time I spent under his mentorship, his guidance had a lasting impact on my understanding of Physics and my confidence as a student.

Mr. Devansh Mittal is far more than an excellent teacher — he is a mentor who inspires students to think deeply, learn sincerely, and believe in their own potential.

I will always remain grateful for his support and guidance during one of the most important phases of my academic journey.

— Palak Sanadhya