How to Become IAT 2026 Topper: Every year SciAstra helps thousands of students prepare for the IISER Aptitude Test (IAT) and the National Entrance Screening Test (NEST). Many of these students crack these exams and secure top ranks.
One of the SciAstra students, Adarsh V, cracked the IAT and secured All India Rank 1 (AIR 1). To help other aspirants prepare for the exam, we interviewed him to learn the best preparation tips that can work for them as well. Based on the information obtained, we have provided the IAT 2026 preparation tips from the topper.
How to Become IAT 2026 Topper: Preparation Tips from the Topper (AIR 1)
SciAstra’s student Adarsh V is a great inspiration for all students who want to score high in the IAT, having achieved All India Rank 1. He also performed well in JEE Main, NEET, the ISI Admission Test, and the CMI Entrance Exam.
The preparation tips he used can be highly beneficial for IAT 2026 and are mentioned below.
Take IAT mock tests
According to Adarsh, the best way to boost IAT 2026 preparation is to take mock tests. Taking mock tests provides candidates the following benefits:
Mock tests let candidates gauge how prepared they are for the exam, helping them avoid illusions about their preparation level.
Many questions from IAT mock tests are conceptually repeated in the real exam. Therefore, candidates must take IAT mock tests to practise questions and identify the concepts from which questions are frequently asked.
Mock tests are extremely helpful in understanding the overall structure of the IAT question paper, including the types and number of questions asked, and in improving efficiency and accuracy.
Adarsh suggests that candidates take mock tests to identify their mistakes so they can revisit and strengthen those topics.
He took SciAstra’s IAT Mock Tests, which helped him become the exam topper.
Take Advantage of your JEE and NEET Preparation
Most IAT candidates also take JEE Main and NEET. According to Adarsh, those two exams are tougher than the IAT. Therefore, candidates who prepare for them can use that preparation to boost their IAT performance.
The questions in JEE Main’s Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics sections are heavily calculation-based. To solve them, candidates first need to understand the relevant concepts, so they develop a strong conceptual understanding. That conceptual grounding helps them solve IAT questions.
How to prepare for the IAT?
As per our topper, there are specific preparation tips that helped him score well. These tips can help you too and are listed below:
Never skip mock tests. They help you identify your strengths and weaknesses and adjust your preparation strategy accordingly.
Do not be afraid of making mistakes; make mistakes in mock tests to find the topics you need to work on. Learn from your mistakes.
Finish revision as soon as possible. This will give you plenty of time to solve IAT PYQs and take more mock tests.
Make a timetable
Many students ask the same question: how do I manage time to study for the IAT and make a timetable? There is no perfect answer, because the best study schedule varies for each student depending on when they feel most energetic and motivated.
Adarsh suggests not rigidly following a fixed timetable. Study during the time you feel most motivated and energetic, but study every day.
Take a break of half a day or a full day if you feel demotivated or exhausted.
Demotivation is a feeling that many students experience while preparing for entrance exams. Thus, it is a real challenge that must be dealt with using a practical approach.
For this, students should take a break of one day or half a day. This will help reset your emotions. By the next day you wake up, you will forget the negative emotions that made you feel demotivated.
In addition, Adarsh tells students to stop using social media for 1–2 years if they want to focus on preparation. If this is not possible, he recommends avoiding short-form content such as Instagram reels. These types of content adversely affect students’ focus.
How many hours should you study?
Overstudying does not always produce results. It may cause burnout in students. Because of this, many of them ask what the ideal duration to study for an entrance exam is. The same question candidates ask while preparing for IAT.
According to IAT topper Adarsh, the ideal study time is the time in which you can understand the concept you are studying.
Once you understand a concept, solve questions on it. Revise the topics or the concepts behind the questions in which you make mistakes.
Prioritise revision
For all IAT aspirants, revision should be a priority. As soon as they complete a revision cycle, they can take mock tests and solve practice books and PYQs.
How to revise?
To revise chapters or topics, first study them until you understand all the relevant concepts.
After this, solve related questions, such as NCERT exercise questions or questions from other good books available for IAT preparation.
Thereafter, revisit and understand the concepts behind the questions in which you made mistakes.
Conclusion
A strong IAT rank is not achieved through unstructured preparation. It requires effective ways to achieve the goal of becoming the topper. The IAT topper, Adarsh V (AIR 1), highlights that mock tests, concept clarity, revision, and learning from mistakes are the key pillars of success in the exam and help a candidate to become the exam topper.
Candidates should focus on understanding concepts rather than merely increasing study hours, use mock tests to identify weak areas, and avoid distractions that hamper productivity. With a disciplined approach, smart preparation, and the right guidance, any aspirant can significantly improve their performance and move closer to securing a top rank in IAT 2026.
