Meet Gagan, A Daily Wager Who Cracked IIT Despite All Odds

In a YouTube video, Gagan, a small-town boy from Atrauli, Aligarh, managed to crack IIT despite his humble background. During an interaction with Alakh Pandey, Founder and CEO of Physics Wallah (PW), he revealed that his ultimate goal was to get into IIT, one of the premier institutes in the country. For preparation, he took a year off to devote himself entirely to his studies, and it paid off. He achieved an impressive AIR 5286 in JEE Advanced 2024.

Raised in a family of six, Gagan's father worked as a godown keeper at a gas agency. Gagan and his elder brother worked alongside their father to support him, lifting gas cylinders for a daily wage of Rs 350. Despite the heavy burden of these responsibilities, Gagan remained focused on his dream of getting into IIT.

Watch the video here:

He shared that education was not a priority in his community, and many children younger than him had to work to support their families. Earning Rs 350 each day by lifting 250 cylinders, Gagan and his brother had been doing this since a young age. He mentioned that despite these hardships, he never gave up.

Gagan recalled working tirelessly during the day and pursuing online studies at night through his mobile phone. Through relentless effort and determination, he secured admission into IIT BHU in Electrical and Communication Engineering.

Gagan embarked on his academic journey with Physics Wallah's online classes, steadily improving his marks throughout high school. Through hard work and determination, he qualified twice for JEE Mains, but his ultimate goal was to crack JEE Advanced and secure a spot in an IIT.

Mr Pandey offered Gagan a scholarship worth Rs 4 lakhs. Additionally, recognising the determination of both Gagan and his elder brother, he extended employment opportunities at Physics Wallah.