With an incredible 100% in three subjects, Abu Dhabi-based Sidharth Puthiyedathu scored 99.4 per cent in CBSE Grade 12 exams.
The Indian education board announced results on Friday and UAE students scored exceptional marks.
Sidharth, a student at Abu Dhabi Indian School, got 100 each in mathematics, physics and computer science while dropped just two marks in English and one in chemistry to make it a grand score of 497 out of 500.
His parents Suresh Narayanan and Malini, and elder sister Anjali are ecstatic, and so is school principal Neeraj Bhargava. However, Sidharth was not in the UAE to celebrate the victory as he is taking part in the International Mathematical Olympiad camp in the Indian city of Mumbai.
“We were not expecting CBSE results to be declared today. His sister checked the results. We are yet to speak to him. We can’t contact him during this one-month selection camp. After the camp, he will fly to Kochi,” Suresh told Khaleej Times over the phone from Kerala where the family is on a short break coinciding with the Olympiad camp.
Malini noted that Sidharth has been always topping school exams and got 98.6 per cent in Grade 10.
“But I haven’t seen much dedication in other subjects like he has for mathematics, which he is crazy about, and has always scored a 100. And then the Olympiad. For the last three years, he has been receiving awards at Indian National Mathematical Olympiad (INMO), which is conducted by the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education. In the JEE Mains, he cracked 99.35 per cent. For five years, he has been the ‘Shastra Prathibha’ in the contest held by Science India Forum UAE. Also, he is a school champion in chess and participated in CBSE cluster games.”
Malini said that Sidharth prefers self-study, advanced learning and has finished Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) courses in mathematics and physics.
“When he was in Grade 9, with Covid-19 pandemic restrictions and remote learning, he found enough spare time and took up MIT training courses. In the past years, he has completed all the courses. With such advanced learning, he found studies of Grade 11 and 12 easier,” the proud mother said.
Sidharth has got himself admission to the University of Oxford but the family is yet to take a decision.
“He is a self-driven student. He used to study all concepts deeply. He also used to guide his friends. He has got admission to Oxford University, but we are yet to take a final decision. He will be appearing for JEE advanced. He will be pursuing a course related to maths,” said Suresh, who works at Engineers India Limited in Abu Dhabi.
Malini pointed out that the school has been a pillar of support from kindergarten years.
“The school placed him in the ‘Gifted and Talented’ category. His teachers have been very supportive.”
School principal Bhargava said that he was expecting a centum from Sidharth.
“This is a great achievement for the school and the student. We were actually expecting 100 per cent from him. He is among our ‘Gifted and Talented’ students,” he said about the categorisation of students with exceptional abilities and skills. “He has been topping throughout. He is a very bright child,” Bhargava added.
© Khaleej Times
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