Jaipur: In times where academic rivalry often mars friendship, six friends studying at a coaching centre in Rajasthan’s Kota district have proven the critics wrong as they made it to the top 20 in the JEE-Main examination, the results for which were announced recently.

Parth Laturia (AIR-3), Bhaskar Gupta (AIR-7), Navneel Singhal (AIR-11), Lay Jain (AIR-13), Karan Agarwalla (AIR-16) and Yash Gupta (AIR-19) met for the first time at the coaching institute two years ago.

The boys, hailing from different parts of the country, were surprised to find out that all of them were prompt in their replies in class and also secured similar marks.

What continued was a saga of friendship and support.

“We are like a family and the support system of each other. In times of stress, we make sure that we are there for each other,” Bhaskar said.

Bhaskar, known as the ‘math wizkid’ among his peers, said the group always motivated each other.

Friend group of six cracks examination of JEE-Main 2018:

“The fact that we stay away from our families and dear ones makes us susceptible to pressure and depression. Friends always come to the rescue in such situations,” he said.

Rubbishing any kind of competition among them, Navneel said the group always discussed threadbare the study material with each other.

“We apply the formula of ‘when in doubt, discuss it’. We always make it a point to clear our concepts with our teachers and also discuss the same with each other. Besides, it is always an asset to have brilliant friends who can teach you a thing or two,” he said.

Lay Jain and Yash Gupta, whose families are based in Kota, used to stay back for the rest of the group.

The six were also united in shunning the social media as the examination date neared.

Lay and Yash are currently in Vietnam to participate in the Asian Physics Olympiad, while the other four are back to the study table to repeat their feat in the JEE -Advanced, which is scheduled for May 20.