Thiruvananthapuram native Naureen Sulthana Firoz has made Kerala proud by emerging as one among the toppers in the first phase of the National Aptitude Test in Architecture (NATA) with a score of 178.
Not just in NATA, Naureen has performed well in other competitive exams as well. She secured the 54th rank in UCEED (Undergraduate Common Entrance Examination for Design), and 98.5 percentile in Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) second paper for admission to design course in the National Institute of Technology. She also bagged the 94th rank in the entrance exam of National Institute Of Fashion Technology (NIFT).
The teenager is the daughter of Thiruvananthapuram natives Dr Firoz Ahamed and Dr Soniya Firoz. She has a sister Saheem.
Naureen talks to Manorama about her preparations and securing success
What were your preparations to crack these competitive exams?
After completing my class X exam, I got interested in studying architecture. I looked up the institutes that offer architecture course and the qualification required. I also began to make preparations for NATA.
Were you preparing only for architecture entrance exams?
Yes. After finishing off school board exams, I devoted the entire time to prepare for NATA and other architecture entrance exams. I gave importance to aptitude and maths questions.
Was drawing difficult for you?
I was into sketching from a young age. But for the entrance exam, a different kind of preparation is needed. I practised using old question papers. Also went for coaching. Instead of free-hand drawing, candidates should be able to express their ideas.
What is the difference between JEE and NATA?
Both follow different patterns. JEE gives importance to maths and mental ability. These are relatively easier in NATA that focuses more on the drawing ability.
What next?
Just wrote the JEE Advanced. The results will be out soon. I can also opt for IIT Design based on the UCEED rank. But I have decided on joining for architecture course in CEPT University, Ahmedabad, based on my NATA score.