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 )
Exam On - 17 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.
Explore colleges based on JEE Advanced
Want better recommendations?
There is a 90% more chance of getting best college recommendations by sharing preferences.
- Chat with our counselor
- Get your personalised list of colleges & exams matching your preferences
- 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?
Explore more B.Tech exams with upcoming dates
24 Dec '25
21 Dec '25 - 26 Dec '25
8 Dec '25 - 31 Dec '25
1 Jan '26
6 Jan '26
31 Dec '25 - 7 Jan '26
1 Jan '26 - 8 Jan '26
10 Jan '26
22 Dec '25 - 26 Dec '25
15 Oct '25 - 10 Jan '26
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.
Video Recommendation: Top Engineering Colleges Apart from NITs and IITs
Read More:
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.
Yes. Candidates who have appeared for JEE Advanced in 2025 and it was there firts attempt, can also attempt JEE Advanced in 2026. However, if JEE Advanced 2025 was your second attempt, then you cannot attempt JEE Advanced in 2026.
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 |
Currently - Assistant Manager, Content
Role - News and Feature Writer, Content Editor
Expertise - Engineering Education and Counselling
Mamona Majumder specialises in news and feature writing, and content editing. W
Read Full BioNews & Updates
Explore Other Exams
Jan '26 | JEE Main 2026 City Intimation ... |
7 Jan '26 - 8 Jan '26 | JEE Main 2026 photo verificati... |
3 Nov '25 - 16 Apr '26 | SRMJEEE 2026 Registration (Pha... |
3 Nov '25 - 4 Jun '26 | SRMJEEE 2026 Registration (Pha... |
Feb '26 | COMEDK application form 2026 |
May '26 | COMEDK exam date 2026 |
1 Oct '25 - 15 Mar '26 | MET 2026 application form - Ph... |
Mar '26 | MET 2026 application form - Ph... |
15 Dec '25 - 16 Mar '26 | BITSAT 2026 application form -... |
Mar '26 | BITSAT 2026 Form Correction - ... |
Feb '26 | TS EAMCET 2026 notification |
Mar '26 | TS EAMCET 2026 application for... |
Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 6 days ago
Overall, 50-55% seats are reserved in IITs. The break-up of reservation is - 27% for OBC-NCL, 15% for SC, 7.5% for ST, 10% for Gen-EWS and 5% horizontal reservation for PwD candidates.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 6 days ago
Physics is the most difficult of all three subjects asked in the JEE Advanced exam. Many students also finds Maths as the toughest. It largely depends upon the understanding of candidates and how well the students are equipped with basic knowledge of any subject.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 6 days ago
It is mandatory to appear in both papers of JEE Advanced exam. The total marks are calculated by adding the sum of scores in both papers.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
JEE Advanced question paper will be available online on the website jeeadv.ac.in. IIT Roorkee will release both paper 1 and 2 on the same day or the next day of exam.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
JEE Advanced question paper 2026 will be released by IIT Roorke after the exam. The question paper is usually released on the same day or the next day of the exam. Candidates will be provided the download link ofthe paper on this page once released.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
Candidates should ideally try to solve at least 3 previous year JEE question papers per week. However, candidates can also increase the frequency of this to 5 to 6 papers per week, one month before the exam.
M
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 2 months ago
Well, becoming a rocket scientist is a long-term commitment, and it depends on your education path and goals It takes almost 5 to 6 years with a bachelor's and 8 to 12 years if you want to study higher. Here below is how long it usually takes:
- Bachelor's degree: You have to study aeronautical enginee
Beginner-Level 5
Answered 2 months ago
Who work on the rocket-propelled vehicles, they apply the principles of Mathematics, Physics, and Material Science to solve challenges related to these vehicles. Rocket Scientists are involved in the process of design and development of the vehicles such as small drones, satellites, and commercial a
L
Beginner-Level 2
Answered 2 months ago
Yes, this field is considered hard. It is complex and demands high precision. There can be extreme consequences for minor errors. The overall field is extremely challenging as it requires to apply the basic scientific principles to design and develop rockets. It requires sophisticated engineering wi
P
Beginner-Level 2
Answered 2 months ago
The following are the qualification which can help you to become a rocket scientist:
· Bachelor's Degree such as B.Tech/B.E can take up to four years to complete.
· You can do a two years Master's Degree M.Tech/M.E./M.S. after graduation.
· For advanced level study in this field, you
C
Beginner-Level 2
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.