“MY mother always said that as a girl it is very important to be independent and I believe that to be true. It motivates me to study and do better,” said Himisha Jain, probable second topper with a score of 94.8 per cent in Arts Maharashtra State Board HSC (Class 12) examination conducted by Maharashtra State Board of Secondary & Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE). The results were declared on Thursday.

She scored 100 in Sanskrit, 94 in English, 82 in Sociology, 99 in Philosophy, 98 in Psychology, 96 in Economics. She is a student of Hislop College and is an active participant in debate and elocution competitions. She also takes keen interest in writing poetry. While talking to The Hitavada she said, “It is difficult for me to study for more than 3 hours. So I managed my study time around it and my mother was always there to push me to study harder.” She highly recommends customizing study plans to fit learning styles. It should be an important part of the ‘scoring well in boards’ journey. “I deactivated my social media accounts but engaged in intellectually stimulating games. It helped me relax and take the edge off,” added Jain.

She believes that relaxing is just as important and should be prioritize in the study plan. She aspires to be a psychologist and a professor like her mother. Her mother Varsha Jain is a professor of Sanskrit. She wishes to pursue psychology at St Xavier’s College, Mumbai. She credits her success to her parents Varsha and Anurag Jain and her teachers.