He Asked ‘Why’ As A Child, Now He Has All The Answers: JEE Topper Shreyas Mishra’s Story

Long before he became one of India's brightest young minds, Shreyas Mishra was simply a boy full of questions. As a Class V student, he saw the world differently. Bridges, trains, monuments, and machines were not just structures of steel and stone-they were mysteries waiting to be solved.

Why is a bridge shaped the way it is? Why are trains designed differently? Why hasn't the Ashokan iron pillar rusted? These questions stayed with him, quietly shaping his future.

Today, just over 17 years old, Shreyas has transformed that childhood curiosity into an extraordinary accomplishment. He is among the 12 candidates across the country-and the only one from Delhi-to secure a perfect score of 100 in JEE Main 2026 Session 1, one of India's toughest engineering entrance examinations. The achievement becomes even more remarkable when viewed against the scale of the exam, which saw over 13 lakh candidates appear.

For Shreyas, however, the journey was never about chasing perfection alone. It was about discipline, consistency, and a love for learning that began early.

"I prepared for the exam since 2019, when I wasin Class VI, and I used to put in 12-14 hours of study every day for it. Apart from that, whenever I get time, I pursue cricket and music," the student of Kulachi Hansraj Model School in Ashok Vihar told The Times of India.

Shreyas, who has his roots in Odisha, comes from a family that deeply values education. His father, Sumant Mishra, located to Delhi nearly 24 years ago in search of better opportunities and now works as a cybersecurity consultant. His mother serves as an associate professor in the computer science department at a private university. The family currently lives in Noida Extension.

Recognising his son's potential early on, Sumant Mishra encouraged Shreyas to participate in speed mathematics and Abacus competitions, which helped sharpen his numerical abilities and boost his confidence.

"He won 2nd prize in the Western UP Abacus Championship. He had an interest in mathematics, and that interest gradually grew to this level," Mishra said. Despite his strong foundation, Shreyas himself describes his achievement as something he never fully expected.

"While I began preparation early on, it was only two years ago that I shifted to a PG in Punjabi Bagh, away from my parents who stay in Greater Noida, to start a full-fledged aspirant's journey. My fascination with maths pulled me towards JEE. While I aimed to get into the country's top institutes, topping the exam was completely unexpected," Hindustan Times quoted Mishra, who lives at a paying guest facility and is preparing to appear for his board exams, as saying.

His preparation strategy evolved over time. Rather than following a rigid routine, he focused on making the most of each day.

"My schedule wasn't fixed in terms of hours. Some days it used to be five to six hours, whereas on other days it stretched to 10 or 11. I tried to dedicate as much time as I could, but I still feel I wasted a lot of time," Mishra said.

As the exam approached, his focus sharpened further.

"The last one-and-a-half months were spent giving numerous mocks, doing in-depth analysis, and getting doubts cleared in classes and discussions among peers," he said.
But the journey was not just about long hours and relentless preparation. Shreyas understood the importance of balance. To avoid burnout, he made sure to step away from his books when needed.

"From the start, I used to take time out to avoid burnout. Listening to classical music, playing cricket, and spending quality time with friends remained a priority to avoid stress," Mishra said.

He also consciously stayed away from social media, preferring meaningful, real-world interactions with friends. Behind his success stood a family that shared the emotional weight of his journey. Even when he moved away from home to focus on preparation, his parents ensured he never felt alone.

"When it comes to competitive exams, it's not just the aspirant who prepares; the entire family is involved," said Sumant Mishra, a cybersecurity consultant.

"My wife and I made it a point to have meaningful conversations with him every day over the phone. We ensured he never felt isolated. We continued to celebrate birthdays and anniversaries, and enjoyed festivals together - everything in a balanced and controlled manner."

In many ways, Shreyas Mishra's story is not just about topping an exam. It is about the power of curiosity, the value of discipline, and the quiet strength of family support.

From a boy who wondered why bridges stood the way they did to a young man standing at the threshold of India's finest engineering institutes, his journey is a reminder that great achievements often begin with a simple question: why.