Ghaziabad youth bags AIR-8 in JEE-Advanced, wants to pursue computer science
Malay scored 324 out of a total of 360 marks. He has represented India at an olympiad on astronomy held in the U.S. last August.
Ghaziabad’s Malay Kedia, who bagged All India Rank (AIR)-8 in the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE)-Advanced 2023, was once preparing for the exam in Kota, an education hub known for its coaching institutes.
However, his experience, what he said was horrifying, in the city ensured that he never went back there even after the Covid restrictions were eased across the country.
“I reached Kota in the first week of March 2020. Not long after, the government imposed a lockdown to contain the spread of Covid-19. Living in Kota was a bad experience, especially during the lockdown. I came back to Ghaziabad when the state government started evacuating students trapped in Kota,” said Malay, adding he was able to convince his parents that he could better prepare for the JEE exams at home than in a hostel.
“I never went back to Kota even after the restrictions were lifted... Thankfully, I got good guidance from teachers who helped me study well while staying at home.”
Malay scored 324 out of a total of 360 marks. His father Bhaskar Kedia, giving him a tight hug, said it was the best thing he could’ve asked from his son on Father’s Day. In the JEE-Mains, Malay had bagged AIR-4 and said he didn’t lose even a single mark in the Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics sections.
He now wants to pursue computer science at IIT-Bombay. “It has been my dream to study computer science from IIT Mumbai. Now it will turn into a reality. The counselling is scheduled next month,” said the 17-year-old student of Seth Anandram Jaipuria School in Ghaziabad.
Talking about his strategy, he said, “Physics is my strong subject but I was weak in Chemistry. I had to work really hard to score decent marks in the subject. In Mathematics, I believe I’m moderate. So I spent more time on Chemistry and less on Physics and Mathematics.”
He added, “Self-study is important but coaching teaches time management. Regular mock test helps in completing papers on time. It’s no magic, only hard work and practice.”
“Preparing for JEE is like a marathon. One has to be determined if they really want to get into IITs,” said Malay, who wants to make a career in artificial intelligence. Malay has represented India in Georgia, a U.S. state, during an olympiad on astronomy last August.
While his father Bhaskar works at a private firm, mother Shweta is a home tutor. On Malay’s success, director-principal of Seth Anandram Jaipuria Shalini Nambiar, said, “Malay is clear about his goals. A lot of credit goes to his teachers who worked with him in his foundational years and to his parents for imbibing in him the right values.”
