NATA Toppers 2020

Question: – Hi Aditya, how are you.  I am happy, Congratulations on scoring 185.5 in Nata 2020! How do you feel about this achievement?

Aditya- I am feeling blessed, Lucky. I still remember when I was in class 12th around June month, I received Pahal magazine, and I get to know about Pahal Architecture Classes and without any delay, I contacted and enrolled myself for a demo class. It’s my destiny that I found the right guidance at the right time.

Question: – Great! So, did you plan or dream of pursuing architecture? What was your dream?

Aditya- When I was in class 11th, I wanted to become an Interior Designer but after discussing with family I decided to prepare for BTECH entrance exam and spent 1 year in coaching, I must say it was a terrible mistake, and the best part is I realised pretty soon but I was juggling up between taking up Civil Engineering or Architecture. I thought being an architect is not my cup of tea and today here I am.

Question: – Why did you think architecture is difficult than B.Tech.

Aditya – I wasn’t aware of the exam preparation, I thought JEE paper 1, but in class 12 my doubts got cleared and got to know about that architecture is a different streamline, which is through JEE paper 2 i.e Nata and it’s a different world and once can do so many things. It’s a combination of interior, designing, engineering and Mathematics. Hence, I decided this is the best course. And I started preparing and happen to know about Pahal Design and Joined Preet Vihar centre, after visiting Pahal I felt this can work out well, and it turns out to be the best decision in my career.

Question:  – Absolutely! Choosing a career has never been an easy choice for anyone

Aditya- I feel confusion and eliminating options is the best way to understand what we want to do.

Question: -Great Aditya. I feel happy and thrilled after seeing your scores 185.5!

Aditya – Thanks to Anjali Ma’am she helped me a lot. She used to change her syllabus according to the situation.

Question:- You were in class 12th when you joined the coaching and had boards also. How did you manage?

Aditya- It wasn’t very difficult, especially the mathematics part it helped me to prepare for boards, as well as NATA that was a plus point. Sir, was always there for us if you need help in boards just ask me questions regarding them. So, it helped me in the boards, especially the mathematics part and aptitude part was easy. It was fun.

Question: – Being in weekend batch, Monday – Friday you had schools and tuitions and Saturday-Sunday weekend Batches preparing for NATA JEE, how did you manage?

Aditya- Smart preparation is the key, I used to complete my school work on weekdays and weekends was dedicated towards my NATA preparation, Pahal had made my life very easy with right strategies which have helped me to save time.

Question:- NATA has 2 attempts in a year and this year both the attempts were in the COVID 19 situation. What was the level of questions?

Aditya- I had already decided to appear the first time to understand the pattern and that has helped me a lot in my final attempt, hence I could perform well. I feel practice in the right direction is the key.

Question:  – That`s true, what was your approach towards the different sections?

Aditya- I planned and utilized every minute, I have equally focused on Drawing, aptitude and Mathematics.

Question: – Talking about the changes, there have been lots of changes like the cognitive skills & PTQ were included, the drawing part was excluded and the physics and chemistry part was included so how did u cope up with these changes?

Aditya- Since the Maths and aptitude part were more or likely the same, to be very honest I didn’t prepare for physics and chemistry part. I prepared for boards only and I have focused on my strength which was Maths, aptitude and drawing. Chemistry and Physics, I did not focus much but due to my school preparation, I was well versed with the basics.

Question:  – How did you score out of 125 in the creative section?

Aditya- 121

Question:  – Amazing, how did that exactly happen?

Aditya- Creative part is more about observation and in-depth knowledge, during Pahal I learned various techniques and that has helped me to nail the creative part which carries 10 marks each question. So, it is all about guidance and observation.

Question: – I agree, observation is a very important part to score high marks in the creative part.

Aditya- The precise syllabus has helped a lot especially mock test.

Question: – Great Aditya! Now coming up to the end of the session, what magical tips you would like to give to the future aspirants?

Aditya- I would say one thing that helped me in the aptitude section i.e. I made flashcards. I made flashcards 50 of the 1 side have the question and another side is the answer. I have started with 10-15 only and it had helped so I continued and I have written all the names of the Architects, Buildings and the other important historical events. This is the best technique for revision.

And if I talk about the drawing while writing exams one should practice 20-30 drawings on which you can be confident also drawing can help to score high marks so that one should not miss at all.

Question: -What I feel when the students start the preparation, they tend to give more attention to Maths & aptitude rather than drawing!

Aditya – Well the right strategy is to focus on Drawing part, the mathematics and aptitude are doable if you sincerely practice regularly, but the scoring section is drawing. NATA exam was a very different this time the mathematical part was the same, the syllabus was the same. I would advise don’t give too much pressure on PCM. PCM is a very small part in the NATA as it just has 22.5 marks, and If you do the 10 questions in it that’s good enough, But the practice is required in drawing section.

Question: – So Aditya! Among all the three subjects, which subject is more stressed upon in PCM?

Aditya- Ma`am I would say Maths because in physics and chemistry there are many conceptual based questions which you have already practiced in your board’s examination. We should practice for Maths as it would help you in JEE also because that is something which both of them have common and in terms of physics and chemistry just try not to forget what you have studied for boards. The level of the PCM is really easy there is no need of solving last year question papers like BTECH exam papers and all that. So, just stick with Maths and stick with physics and chemistry of board syllabus.

Question: – What about the main chapters that come in the exam which students should practice and stress more in the initial stages compared to other topics?

Aditya- That should calculus, differential equations,  differentiation, differential integrals etc all those chapters are related, so if you have the grip over the calculus so you must be able to solve all the other 4-5 chapters. Just focus on calculus, that should ensure you 3-4 questions in JEE and if you can do coordinate geometry that I was not able to as that’s one of the most important chapters of JEE exam paper exam. Calculus and coordinate geometry will cover almost 50 – 60% of the entire syllabus. Mostly focus on these parts and if you have enough time and understanding of these chapters then focus on Binomials etc. And also focus on that mathematical reasoning and probability, and calculus should ensure to at least 4-5 questions in Jee.

Question: – What about NATA?

Aditya- NATA has mixed no of questions Actually, I want to be honest I never put attention to NATA because I thought that I have studied for mathematics and JEE so I will be able to handle Nata questions also. Regarding physics and chemistry, Stick with the NCERT BOOKS that should help, along with coaching guidance.  For PCM go for your tuitions & school material that’s enough and talking about the mathematical reasoning of NATA it’s really easy.

Question: – What about the Drawing sections in JEE and NATA both?

Aditya- In JEE, 2D and 3D questions are there in which you need to see references. I would suggest that get your drawings checked by your teachers. What I used to do If I made drawing, I go and get them checked by Anjali ma`am that if you are the examiner how much marks will you give it for the drawing so this is one of the most important parts. Just want say stick with your drawing teachers, their bits of advice is golden to you even YouTube cannot give you one to one interactive session.  If you are preparing for drawing then practice at least 2-3 drawings per week they will be more than enough. And make sure you are improving like if you are making 2 point perspective for the second time then it should look more realistic than before. I want to share my experience that in the starting my drawing was like a “cartoon” but gradually I improved it by practicing and teachers helped me a lot in this and regarding the 2D and 3D composition just have the better understanding of the theory and interact with your teachers. Pradosh sir used to say that practicing just 3-4 drawings per week are more than enough.

Question: – One has to examine themselves?

Aditya- Yes, Ask the teachers, Use your skills to improve and determine the level of drawing to just see you are improving. Like if I made a drawing and I am making it every day, so there will a lot of difference in the drawing I made on the first day and the 15th day, that’s the trick you acquire. You can’t magically learn a trick on how to shade or sketch a human but you have to practice it, you will improve on it.

Great Aditya! It was great talking to you. These are the amazing tricks which you have shared with all the future aspirants who want to get into the architecture and I m really glad that I am talking to you after so long!. And thank you so much Aditya and congratulations for such a great score again. And hope you bloom in your career and best of luck for your future.

Aditya- Thank you so much, ma`am. It’s the guidance from Pahal that helped me and I just cannot forget this entire journey. The teachers were very cooperative and not so strict, always available over the calls and even on WhatsApp also and thanks to Kanica ma`am who always guided and motivated us.

Thank you so much for joining us and hope to see you soon again

All the best for future endeavors!