UP student who failed JEE Advanced by 2 marks becomes a scientist at ISRO

Sanket Kumar from Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut, who narrowly missed qualifying for JEE Advanced in 2021, has now been appointed as a Scientist/Engineer (Grade SC) at the ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC) in Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu.

Sanket took a break and studied without coaching, relying on YouTube lectures and previous years’ questions. His efforts paid off in 2022 when he cleared JEE Main and JEE Advanced, securing admission to the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), Thiruvananthapuram, to study aerospace engineering.

Sanket’s journey to ISRO was far from straightforward. After falling short of the JEE Advanced cut-off by just two marks, he was faced with a tough decision. Although many advised him not to take a break, he decided to continue with his goal.

Instead of enrolling in a coaching institute, he relied on self-study, online lectures available on YouTube and practicing previous years’ exam papers. His efforts paid off the following year when he cleared JEE Main and JEE Advanced and got a place in the Aerospace Engineering program at the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) in Thiruvananthapuram.

Choose an unconventional academic path

During his studies at IIST, Sanket opted for vibration and acoustics, a subject chosen by few of his peers. While most students focused on areas such as propulsion and aerodynamics, he became the only member of his batch to specialize in that field.

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His academic performance also opened up international opportunities. It was selected by the Japanese company Shinra Inc. for an advanced engineering research project and spent three months working on the assignment.

After securing a CGPA of 8.2, he was called for an interview at ISRO, eventually paving his way to his dream goal.

Sanket will begin his career at the ISRO Propulsion Complex in Mahendragiri, the facility responsible for conducting final tests of rocket systems before launching missions.

Reflecting on his success, the Modipuram resident said his family’s encouragement played a key role in helping him overcome challenges and stay focused on his ambitions.

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“The credit for my success goes to my family. They have always supported me. When I took a year off, people said many things, but my family stood by me. My brother gave me strong financial support,” Sanketa was quoted as saying by NDTV.

He also revealed that he kept his talk with ISRO a secret from his parents and hoped to surprise them if he succeeded.

“I didn’t even tell my parents when I went for the interview. I thought I would surprise them if I got selected,” he said.

A family celebrates a dream come true

Sanket’s selection brought immense joy to his family. His mother Sunita Singh, father Gulshan Kumar and brother Harshit Kumar said they were proud of his achievement and encouraged other parents to believe in their children.

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“We are very happy. It was a dream for us and our son has fulfilled it. Parents should trust and support their children. They will write their own success stories,” the family told NDTV.

The school remembers a focused student

Sanket completed his Class 12 education in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics (PCM) from Dewan Public School in 2021. Former Principal Aseem Dubey remembered him as a dedicated and disciplined student who was always clear about his aspirations.

“He always said that he wanted to achieve something in life. He was serious about his career and focused on his studies. When I heard about his selection, I was proud that my student had achieved such heights,” said Dubey.