Meet Raksha Gopal, CBSE Class 12 board exam topper, who wants to pursue Political Science at Delhi University

Raksha Gopal, a 17-year-old girl from Noida, has topped the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Class XII board examination after scoring 99.6 percent. Gopal, who studied Humanities at the Amity International School in Noida’s Sector 44, scored full marks in three subjects — English, Political Science and Economics; she got 99 in Psychology and History.

Raksha Gopal scores 99.6% in #CBSEclassXII , is all India topper pic.twitter.com/77XtVXRWct

— ANI (@ANI) May 28, 2017

She now wants to study Political Science at Delhi University with an emphasis on Economics as well, reported Hindustan Times. She does not have a college preference and is waiting for the first cut-off list. Raksha’s father Gopal Srinivasan is the chief finance officer with the Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation and her mother Rajni is a homemaker. “We are stunned by our daughter’s performance. Raksha was always a talented student but scoring 99.6 percent is a remarkable feat,” Srinivasan said. In an interview she gave to CNN-News18, she said that she expected to do well but did not think she would top. She praised the Humanities stream, and felt it had a lot of opportunities. She considers it at par with Science and Commerce. When asked about her message to those who had not performed well, she said that they shouldn’t be sad. “It is all a part of life and they should stay calm, as their hard work has not been wasted,” she said.

#CBSEResults2017 - CBSE topper Raksha Gopal speaks to News18 pic.twitter.com/iDAyGnPSJe

— News18 (@CNNnews18) May 28, 2017

Raksha is not just a book worm, said The Times of India. She is also a pianist who has completed grade V in electronic keyboard from the Trinity College, London. She is also learning French these days. When asked about her performance, she gave all the credit to her parents’ support and the guidance of her teachers. As she smiled amid the flashes of the media cameras, it’s a message from her mother Rajni which she likes the most. “Don’t get carried away with the limelight. Stay focused on the future,” said the 17-year old’s mother.