Maybe this strategy will work for you -- a Class XII topper tells you what he did to meet with success in his examinations.

Topper Akhilesh Narayan, from DAV Gopalapuram Boys Senior Secondary School, Chennai, scored 98 percent in his Class XII Board examinations. We got him to spill the beans on his strategy for exams, how he busted stress, what inspired him and lots more to help you get ahead in your own exams this year.

Strategy for success

• I would study for two to three hours at a stretch, watch TV for ten to fifteen minutes, come back, and study again. The small breaks were important for me.
• I prefer studying in the morning because it's easier to grasp things when you feel fresh.
• I would not suggest group studies as a method of preparation for exams.

Tarzan talk

School is actually like a cage because you're stuck there for six hours! You will sit down and then be forced to study... which is actually very helpful!

All my teachers have helped me a lot in preparing and achieving what I've achieved. My chemistry teacher is the one who influenced me the most.

Stress busters

I have lots of hobbies like listening to music, playing video games, writing, and playing football and cricket, which help me de-stress. But the best stress-buster: sleep!

Mere paas... maa hai!

My mom is the principal of a CBSE school, and both my parents were very supportive. I would come back home at 9.30 pm and they would to wait for me to have dinner. I would tell my brother if I felt stressed and he would always calm me down.

Poornima, Akhilesh's mother reveals a surprising turn of events: 'A day before his Math exam, we were in shock because he said that he is tired of studying and closed all his books and went off to sleep. The most important thing a parent should bear in mind is that there's no point in pushing children.'

The moment of truth

I didn't expect such high marks. Honestly, it felt more like a dream. My scores were as follows:

Engineering Drawing: 100
Mathematics: 99
Physics: 99
Chemistry: 99
English: 91

Need for speed!

I want to become an automobile designer and design the world's fastest car. At the moment, a car which does not require much petrol would be more ideal.

My mantra for success

If you know something, you know it; if you don't know something, you don't know it. Try to learn what you don't know. So work hard and best of luck!

Topperlearning.com is a comprehensive education service, which uses the visual and interactive nature of the internet medium to deconstruct textbook concepts for students, and these study modules supplement school education for Class IX, X, XI, XII students.