IIT JEE entrance exam is one of the most challenging exams, not only in India but globally. Hundreds of thousands of students from across India attempt the IIT JEE every year, hoping to secure a seat at an IIT. To achieve this, one must clear the JEE Main and Advanced exams, which qualify for admission to IITs. The preparation for this examination involves immense hard work and dedication. However, only a few thousand of the brightest minds manage to clear this rigorous exam. In this article, we will talk about one such boy who not only cleared the exams but also secured a remarkable rank.
Chitraang Murdia, received admission to IIT Bombay after he accomplished the amazing accomplishment of cracking the IIT-JEE exam 2014 with an AIR 1. Murdia scored 334 out of 360 marks in the IIT JEE Advanced 2014 Exam, the most tough entrance exam. But after a year at the institute, he made a bold decision to quit and pursue his love of physics. Many people were taken aback by his decision, including his friends and family who had anticipated that he would pursue a career in engineering and work for some of the biggest IT companies in the world.
Murdia's decision to leave IIT Bombay after a year at the institute puzzled many, but he clarified his reasons in a post on Humans of Bombay. "Everybody was shocked by this decision, including my friends. People used to say that I was too young to make such significant decisions and that I would miss out on a high-paying engineering career at IIT," he wrote.
Chitraang Murdia completed his PhD at the University of California, Berkeley in 2023 after earning his degree in Physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 2018, according to his LinkedIn page. Currently, he works as a postdoctoral researcher at Pennsylvania University.
Murdia believes his decision to leave IIT and pursue his true interest will inspire other students. "I have seen many students who excel in physics and maths but feel compelled to pursue courses like computer science and electrical engineering. My journey aims to encourage those who wish to follow their passion for pure sciences but feel restricted by family expectations or financial concerns," he explained.