Quora answer: How hard did you work to get into IITs?

• Average 8 to 10 hours of studies a day
• Peak 14 hours a day
• Minimum 0 hours a day
• No family functions during JEE preparation
• No movies (not interested anyway)
• No hangouts with friends (had 2 to 3 friends only)
• Questions/study material solved:
• FIITJEE 2 year classroom program material
• FIITJEE RSM
• FIITJEE Pinnacle material
• FIITJEE GMP
• FIITJEE RTPF
• FIITJEE AITS
• FIITJEE review workbooks
• Lots and lots of JEE books (What are the best books that can be referred to, for JEE Mains and Advanced for preparation in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics ?). I solved parts of (relevant chapters) each of the book that I have mentioned in the linked answer.
• Resonance Rank Booster
• Resonance Rank Refiner
• Local coaching material of a Kanpur based coaching
• The only thing that I did different was that I focused on studies
• How to clear backlogs? Simple. Do not keep backlogs.

Note that this is not too much. This is "just enough" that one needs to do to get a top 50 rank in JEE if one is not going to Kota for JEE preparation.

Was it all worth it?

Yeah, my All India rank of 33 never hurt me. Studying at IIT Bombay never hurt me. I enjoyed studying. I enjoyed college life. I became an independent person at the end of college. My parents are proud of me. So, it was all worth it.

Link to answer