18 February,2026 04:13 PM IST | Jalgaon | mid-day online correspondent
JEE-Main Session-2 and JEE-Advanced exams are yet to take place. Representational image
Atharva Avinash Chauhan, a student from Maharashtra's Jalgaon, has secured an impressive 99.78 percentile in the Joint Entrance Exam (JEE)-Main 2026 (Session 1) examination, breaking a 10-year record at his coaching centre and registering one of the best results in the entire Khandesh region.
Speaking to ANI, an elated Atharva credited his parents, teachers, and friends for his achievement, while emphasising the importance of honesty and regularity in exam preparation.
"I am very happy today. Seeing such good marks from me, my parents, teachers, and friends are all happy... I used to be in class from 7 am to 7 pm, attending lectures and studying both... I credit my success to my teachers, friends, and parents... Honesty and regularity are essential in exam preparation," Atharva said.
His father, Avinash Chauhan, expressed confidence in his son's abilities, citing his consistent academic performance over the years.
"I'm very happy today. I was fully confident that he'd score so many marks... His scores in school have always been good. In class 10th, he also scored 97 per cent and came first in the district... He was always a topper in studies," Avinash said.
He added that while Atharva maintained a disciplined study routine, he also took short breaks to refresh himself.
"Whenever he came home from coaching, he would play games on his mobile for 15-20 minutes or look at his laptop for a little while. But it was limited to that much, and after that, he would sit down to study on his own," Avinash noted.
Atharva's coaching teacher, Savita Vani, highlighted that he broke the 10-year-old record at her centre, calling it a golden moment.
"I am very happy that Atharva has broken the 10-year record at my coaching centre. He got 99.78 percentile in the January shift of JEE Mains... He has achieved such a good result in the entire Khandesh region. That is a golden moment for me," Vani said.
Speaking to reporters, she also praised Atharva's passion and focus, expressing confidence in his performance in upcoming exams.
"He possessed the qualities necessary for a good result... Atharva has passion, and he will perform equally well in the upcoming exams," she added.
Atharva's success has brought pride not only to his family but also to the Jalgaon district and the wider Khandesh region. With JEE-Main Session-2 and JEE-Advanced still ahead, Atharva is now preparing to maintain his momentum and secure a seat at one of India's premier engineering institutions.
(With ANI inputs)
