KOZHIKODE: There is one thing in common between KEAM 2017 first rank holder N Shafil Maheen and fifth rank holder Nandagopal M. Hailing from the city, the duo has been abstaining from social media in the quest for excellence. They consider it one of the boldest decisions they took to outshine others in the competitive exams.
Maheen and Nandagopal have also decided to rub shoulders at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru for higher studies. While Maheen bagged the fourth rank in the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Advanced, Nandagopal secured the 93rd position to get into the premier institute.
“If you prepare for JEE Advanced, then clearing other entrance exams will be easy,” said Maheen finishing the first round for counselling for IISc admission. An alumnus of Rays Public School in the city, he is the first student from the state to become one of the top five achievers in the highly competitive engineering examination touted to be the gateway to the country’s premier IITs.
“I am lucky to come first in KEAM. Another student scored higher marks in the entrance. Only when my Plus Two score was added, did I come first,” said Maheen, who is the son of K A Niyasi and Shamjitha from Tirur in Malappuram district.
Nandagopal said he was never into social media sites like Facebook. Up to Class X, he studied at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan school, Chevayur. He did his Plus Two at Maharishi International School, Sriperumbudur, Chennai. He secured the 44th rank in the Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana Scholarship and also got selected for the third stage of the Astronomy Olympiad.