Meet Kolkata student who cleared JEE Advanced, got AIR 99, suddenly dropped out of IIT counselling because..

The prestigious IIT is a dream college for many students who wish to become an engineer. While some students work hard to get admission into IIT, others do get admission into one but then decide against joining it. There is one such student from Kolkata who dreamed of joining IIT for further studies. He started preparing for the IIT JEE exam after class 10 but then dropped out of IIT counselling and joined the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). 

Mohammad Sahil Akhtar, who secured AIR 99 in the All-India merit list for the JEE-Advanced 2023, dropped out of IIT counselling and decided to join the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) looking for better opportunities. 

In an interview, when Mohammad Sahil Akhtar was asked about his decision to join MIT instead of IIT, he was quoted as saying, "MIT has more research opportunities and a flexible curriculum." 

"Generally, the most sought-after route is to join an IIT in Computer Science Engineering (CSE). My parents would have suggested considering IIT Bombay," he said. 

Mohammad Sahil Akhtar, as he grew up, realised that there were other options to explore apart from IIT. He came to this actualisation after he participated in the IOAA Olympiad in Georgia.

"There was no dependency on any entrance test or a rank for admission. I appeared for the Standard Admission Test (SAT). But more than the SAT score, admission to MIT was based on the institute’s admission committee’s assessment of my application which included my overall academic records, achievements in academics as well as in extra-curricular activities, essays, and recommendation letters from my school teachers," Mohammad Sahil Akhtar said. 

For those who are unaware, Mohammad Sahil Akhtar was born and brought up in Kolkata. He completed his schooling at Delhi Public School (DPS) Ruby Park. Mohammad Sahil Akhtar is currently studying at MIT and also has a YouTube channel where he shares all his experiences through daily vlogs. 

At MIT, Mohammad Sahil Akhtar hopes to explore his curiosities in linguistics and philosophy.

READ | Meet actor who was in love with Aishwarya Rai, worked in one film together, was super flop, earned only Rs.., not Vivek