JEE Advanced Topper Who Left IIT Bombay for MIT: Chitraang Murdia's Journey of Choosing Passion Over Interest
Joint Entrance Exam - Advanced 2026 ( JEE Advanced )
Registration - 6 Apr '26 - 2 May '26
Chitraang Murdia, who got AIR 1 in JEE Advanced exam, made a tough decision to leave BTech Computer Science course at IIT Bombay. Read about his journey below.
JEE Advanced Topper Who Left IIT Bombay for MIT: Chitraang Murdia's Journey of Choosing Passion Over Interest
Chitraang Murdia was JEE Advanced topper in the year 2014 with All India Rank of 1. He took admission to Bachelor of Technology in computer science course at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay. Despite his success in this field, Chitraang realised that while he was interested in computer science, his true passion lay in physics and the pure sciences. In an interview with shiksha.com back in 2014, he shared insights about his journey preparing for the JEE Advanced exam and the tough choice he made to leave IIT Bombay to pursue what he loved.
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- Chitraang Murdia's JEE Preparation Tips
- What Happened After Joining IIT B and Why Did He Quit?
- What is IIT JEE Topper Chitraang Murdia Doing Now?
- Who is a Postdoctoral Researcher?
Chitraang Murdia's JEE Preparation Tips
Chitrang has shared that:
- He took coaching classes at Allen in Kota.
- He signed up for weekend programs also.
- He traced his progress after each test.
- He used to study 15 hours a day.
- He achieved 335 out of 360 in JEE Mains and 334 out of 360 in JEE Advanced.
For those preparing for the JEE Advanced exam, he offered some valuable advice:
Work hard, focus, avoid distractions, and consider joining a coaching institute if you can.
Also Read: How to Prepare for JEE Advanced After JEE Mains
What Happened After Joining IIT B and Why Did He Quit?
In a 2014 interview with Shiksha.com, Chitraang Murdia shared that he felt IIT did not match his expectations in the long run. He was not sure about the research facilities at the IITs at the UG level.
Chitrang was confused about his decision to leave IIT after 1 year. He discussed with many people about his situation and desires.
Finally, after many thoughts he applied for a transfer to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and successfully got in. By transferring instead of starting fresh, he ensured that his year at IIT Bombay was still valuable and not wasted.
What is IIT JEE Topper Chitraang Murdia Doing Now?
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Murdia shared his passion for research during a 2014 interview with shiksha.com. He is now working as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Pennsylvania. Before this role, he obtained his PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, after earning his Bachelor's degree in Physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Who is a Postdoctoral Researcher?
A postdoctoral fellow, also called a postdoc, is someone who conducts research after completing their PhD, which is the highest level of academic study. This phase of research can be supported by a paid position or a grant that provides financial assistance. Postdocs usually work under the guidance of an experienced researcher known as a principal investigator.
In India, colleges like the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) also offer postdoctoral positions with stipends ranging from INR 65,000 to INR 80,000, along with additional benefits.
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The age limit to apply for JEE Advanced 2026 is:
- Candidate should be born on or after October 1, 2001.
- Age relaxation of five years is given to SC, ST and PwD candidates.
No. Candidates can only apply for the JEE Advanced exam online on the official website - jeeadv.ac.in. There is no offline for available to apply for the exam. All steps of the application process is online.
Candidates can check the JEE Advanced eligibility on the official website - jeeadv.ac.in and also on the official JEE Advanced information brochure released every year.
The minimum marks in JEE Mains to qualify for JEE Advanced change year after year. NTA published the JEE Main marks needed to pass for JEE Advanced with the JEE Main session two result. Check below the previous year minimum marks in JEE Mains to qualify for JEE Advanced:
| Category | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| General | 93.1023262 | 93.2362181 | 90.7788642 |
| OBC-NCL | 80.3830119 | 79.6757881 | 73.6114227 |
| SC | 79.4313582 | 60.0923182 | 51.9776027 |
| ST | 61.1526933 | 46.6975840 | 37.2348772 |
| GEN-EWS | 47.9026465 | 81.3266412 | 75.6229025 |
| Gen-PwD | 0.0079349 | 0.0018700 | 0.0013527 |
YES. Both the papers of JEE Advanced exam is compulsory for the candidates.
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 2 weeks ago
JEE Advanced registration fee for IIT Kanpur BTech varies by category and nationality. Indian female, SC, ST, and PwD candidates need to pay INR 1600, while other Indian candidates pay INR 3200. Fees for OCI/PIO and foreign nationals depend on exam centre location and country category.
J
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 weeks ago
JEE (Advanced) exam is the qualifying test for admission to IIT Kanpur BTech. This will be held on Sunday, May 17, and only candidates who clear this exam are eligible for the JoSAA counselling process.
J
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 weeks ago
No, candidates can not raise objections in JEE Adv result. The facility to raise objection is provided only in the answer key. It is clearly mentioned in the IIT JEE advanced 2026 information brochure that any request to re-evaluate in result will not be entertained under any circumstances.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 weeks ago
The number of questions in each subjects are generally not same, but the total number of questions mostly ranges from 17 to 18 across all three subjects in both Paper 1 and 2. The number of questions will also be different for each type (MCQ, Matching, Single/Multi correct) within the subjects in pa
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 weeks ago
No, same questions never get repeated in IIT JEE exam. However, questions with similar concepts can find places in the exam. The question paper of JEE Advanced is prepared considering the syllabus and exam pattern.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 4 weeks ago
You will not be eligible for admission as preparatory ranks are not considered under round 1. Since you have already qualified to appear for JEE (Advanced), all you need to do is meet the second criterion and apply for round 2, which will be only conducted if seats from round 1 remain vacant.
J
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 4 weeks ago
Yes, you can still get admission in Round 2 if you meet eligibility criteria to appear in JEE (Advanced) and have a valid JEE (Mains) rank. Also, you must have scored 60% or above in class 12th. For SC/ST/PwD category students, 55% or above is required.
J
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 4 weeks ago
No, candidates need not pay any fees to participate in JEE Adv counselling. However, once the seat is allotted, candidates will need to pay approximately INR 35,000 (less for reserved category) as a seat acceptance fee and around INR 20,000 as partial admission fees. Both these payments are adjusted
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 4 weeks ago
To participate in JEE Advanced counselling, candidates must keep the following documents ready.
- JoSAA Seat Allotment Letter
- Admit card of JEE Advanced 2026
- Proof of Date of Birth Class 12/HSC/Birth Certificate/Any other certificate as proof of date of birth
- Photo ID card
- Class 12/SSC/Equivalent exam Mark
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
No, candidates have to carry the printout of their JEE Advanced admit card downloaded from the website to appear in the exam. Soft copies will not be accepted.
S
Contributor-Level 10
The minimum marks required in JEE Mains to qualify for JEE Advanced 2026 will be announced with the JEE Main 2026 final result after session 2 exams. Last year's minimum marks in JEE Mains to qualify for JEE Advanced were:
2025:
2024:
2023:
Candidates aiming for admission to the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) need to meet these cutoff marks in JEE Mains to be eligible for JEE Advanced 2026.