18-year-old Vijay Makwana, a son of a farmer, cracked the Joint Entrance Advanced Exam and is now seeking admission into the premier Indian Institute of Technology, as per an Indian Express report. Makwana secured an all India rank of 1,849 in the scheduled caste category in JEE advanced.

Makwana who hails from Ahmedabad enjoys playing cricket also draws inspiration from the struggle and success of former Indian cricketer MS Dhoni.  “His patience and ability to perform in tough times inspired me. When I scored badly in class 12 exams and JEE Main, I did not lose patience. I worked hard to crack JEE Advanced,” Makwana said.

Vijay scored 65 % in his Class 12 exam in Gujarat Secondary Education Board, he also secured a 94,382 rank in the JEE Mains. 

Makwana however, wasn’t satisfied with his performance in the state board exam and JEE Mains.

Vijay who is a cricket enthusiast, said: “I could not balance between board exams and entrance test preparation therefore, my performance dipped in the Main.”  

Makwana, however, managed to secure an all India rank of 1,849 in the scheduled caste category in JEE advanced and now has ambitions to pursue computer or mechanical engineering from IIT-Kharagpur or Roorkee, as per Indian Express Report.

Makwana said, “I want to pursue masters but after completing my BTech I will look for a job to support my family.”

Makwana’s father is a small-town farmer at Navi Akhol in Ahmedabad. His family’s annual income is less than Rs 50,000 and the family struggles hard to make both ends meet.

“It was not easy for my father to fund the education of three children, However, they knew the only way to break the poverty cycle is through education. They worked hard to fulfil my dream for admission into IIT,” added 18-year-old Makwana.

The family knows that the only way to escape the vicious cycle of poverty is through education.

Vijay’s education has been funded by Ahmedabad based organisation Visamo Kids Foundation since his pre-nursery days.

“Regular study and following classes of coaching institute helped me. The course materials and online mock tests helped me to crack the entrance exam,” said the 18-year-old Ahmedabad resident.

Makwana’s elder brother has completed his MTech degree from Indus University, Ahmedabad, under a government scholarship programme.

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Vijay also aspires to contribute to his village by supporting underprivileged children like him.

The 18-year-old says, “Once I start earning, I will financially support bright students from my village. I will also guide engineering aspirants on admission into the top educational institutes.”