Self-taught PU student aims higher after IIT rank

Bengaluru: N Sanketh Raj, a determined student from SSEA Government PU College in Gauribidanur, Chikkaballapur district, nearly became a poster child for the Department of School Education and Literacy after cracking the JEE (Advanced) with an impressive rank.

Sanketh secured AIR 1,084 in the Scheduled Caste category, making him eligible for a seat in Metallurgical and Materials Science at IIT Kharagpur. But with a clear goal in mind—Computer Science—he’s chosen to forgo the offer and reattempt JEE next year.

What makes Sanketh’s story remarkable is his complete reliance on self-study. “Whenever I struggled to grasp a topic, I turned to YouTube. I also joined the department’s CET online classes from my second PU,” he shared. His college also provided him with additional study materials.

Sanketh’s routine was intense and disciplined. “Classes ended at 3 PM, and I’d be home by 4. From 4:30 PM till midnight, I immersed myself in studies. I genuinely enjoy science, and that passion kept me going,” he explained.

Born to government school teachers, Sanketh completed his Class 10 at St Ann’s School in Gauribidanur. Despite the odds, he has chosen not to settle. “My current rank won’t fetch me a CS seat at any IIT. So I’ll take a year off and try again, sticking to self-preparation,” he stated with quiet resolve.

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