"I had expected to be amongst the top 5 and since the scores are not out yet -- I am hoping to get a score of 440," Shitikanth told rediff.com on the telephone from his home.

The sons of doctor parents, Shitikant says he will opt for IIT-Kanpur to pursue a degree in computer science. "I have always been interested in it and feel not only is a good field but will also give me great scope for research."

Before he enters the hallowed portals of IIT-K, he will travel to Vietnam on July 17 to participate in the Physics Olympiad.

Having scored 91.4 per cent in his Class XII examination this year, Shitikanth says he followed a very flexible study schedule. After Class X, he moved to Kota in Rajasthan, a popular centre of coaching for competitive examinations, where he attended up to three-and-half hours of coaching and studied up to 6 to 7 hours on his own every day.

Giving tips from his own preparation, he followed three primary basics for his exams:

"Focus. Give every subject equal importance. Keep a basic but flexible schedule where you say that I will finish so much in so much time."

He says he mostly studied on his own but would meet for group studies when he wanted to discuss a problem.

Thrilled, he says he has been celebrating with his parents and sister, a student at the National Institute of Fashion Technology. "We are going to have a huge bash tonight," says the new star of Patna.