Kathmandu: We enjoy stories of success, but we generally overlook immense effort and dedication behind every success. Amongst such dedicated ones are the top students — their hard work and smart learning techniques have made them outstanding achievers. Some such students share how they have excelled in their studies, and scored the highest marks.

Toppers’ tales

“One can’t be Binod Chaudhary and Anuradha Koirala overnight,” opined Trishna Acharya, gold medallist in MA (Journalism) 2016 from Tribhuvan University (TU). She scored 71.14 per cent in her MA.

And to continue remaining on the peak, he even changed his faculty in his Master’s level. “When I did MEd I came third (70.50 per cent), and I was disappointed. Then I joined MA in Nepali Literature and topped this time, scoring 71.50 percent,” he revealed.

Nineteen-year-old Amit Kumar Shah, on the other hand, has just started to enjoy success. He scored the highest marks in the English Language in Nepal (A Grade with 80 per cent) in Cambridge International AS Level exams held in June, 2016.

Sharing his studying tricks, Shah revealed that he took help from answers written by other A Level toppers; read news, reference books, and essays written by different English writers; and learnt the techniques of criticism of a text, during his AS Level.

An avid novel reader, who usually finishes reading two novels a week, Shah revealed, “I focused on topics and understood the context while studying rather than opting for rote learning. And I think it helped me to get a goodscore.”

Roles of parents and teachers

Parents and teachers play a vital role to shape future of their children/students. And how do the parents/teachers of the top students help them excel in their studies?

Laxmi Subedi is happy that her son Sujit Gautam topped in English Language in Nepal in A Level (November, 2016). He scored 85 per cent.

“My son is good in studies, however we didn’t know he was that good,” shared the proud mother, whose son stayed in the hostel while pursuing A Level.

Like every other parent, she would “nag my son to study” even when he came home for holidays.

Does the teaching method adopted by teachers also affect in students’ performance?

Surendra Raj Joshi, Coordinator of A Level Programme at Kathmandu University High School opined, “It depends upon the students — in A Level, the teaching method of all teachers is almost same. The students’ success depends on whether they are critical and creative, or not.”

Comparing Plus-Two and A Level, he shared, “Students focus on rote learning in Plus-Two. Also, students can easily copy answers from text book because questions are made that way.”

However, reality should be different. “Students should take the concept from teachers’ lectures and books and reflect their understanding through their writing — and A Level encourages students to do so.”

Prabhat Chhetri, A Level Coordinator at Little Angels’ School, Hattiban revealed that they use five skills of Cambridge —engaged, innovative, confident, responsible, and creative — to teach students.

So, what is the difference between toppers and other students?

Chhetri, who has 26 years’ teaching experience, replied, “The toppers are the ones who are self learners, and write the answers to the point.”