JEE (advanced) State topper has a flair for Chemistry

Bengaluru students make a mark in all-India examination

Ameet S Deshpande, who is probably the State topper in the JEE (advanced) this year, has decided to pursue the oft-taken path of studying either electrical engineering or computer science from one of the top two IITs, despite his mastery over Chemistry.

This comes close on the heels of an IIT-Kharagpur topper rejecting a lucrative offer from Microsoft to pursue research at his institute recently.

A student of FIITJEE, Bengaluru, Ameet secured an All India Rank of 122 that is claimed by his institute to be the highest national rank secured by a student in the State. He is among the four students to be selected to represent the country at the International Chemistry Olympiad to be held in Azerbaijan in July.

“I am still deciding between taking up computer science in IIT Madras or electrical engineering in IIT Bombay. I will be taking up Chemistry as a minor subject. Later on, I could take it up again at the postgraduate level,” he said. Ameet has also got a seat at the prestigious Indian Institute of Science (IISc).

Ameet was selected for the Olympiad from among 30,000 students in the country who wrote the National Standard Examination (NSE) in Chemistry. Of them, 500 students were selected in the first round and further shortlisted to 37 students, who went to Mumbai for an orientation camp. The final four ultimately emerged from this camp.

When asked if he would attend the Olympiad now that he would be busy with the procedure of admissions to the IITs, he said, “I will miss a few classes. However, I will make up for them by putting in extra hours,” he said.

Other City students also performed very well in the exam. Devansh Sharma, a student of Deeksha Network, secured All India rank of 248 in the exam and plans to join either IIT Bombay or IIT Delhi, based on the courses offered.

“I want to pursue computer science. But in case I cannot, I will go with electronics or mechanical,” he said.

Sharat Gokarn and Arindam Bhattacharya, both from FIITJEE, secured national ranks of 274 and 307. Advaith Sridhar from BASE secured a national rank of 330.