Homeschooled Hyd twins ace nation's toughest exams NEET, JEE
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Hyderabad: In an extraordinary academic feat, Hyderabad-based twins Bani Brata and Bidisha Majee have cracked India's two toughest entrance exams — JEE Advanced and NEET — in the same year, and with outstanding ranks.
Bani Brata secured an all-India rank of 77 in the JEE Advanced, while Bidisha got 95 rank in NEET. Their next milestones are as ambitious as their results—Bani Brata aims to study computer science at IIT Delhi, while Bidisha has her eyes set on AIIMS-Delhi.
What makes their story even more remarkable is that neither ever attended a traditional school. Their mother, Pranati, quit her teaching job to homeschool them from an early age.
"She gave up her career so we could learn at our own pace and explore our interests," said Bidisha.
Their father, Swarup Kumar, a scientist with DRDO, said: "We found most schools too focused on rote learning. We wanted our children to grow with depth, not just grades." The siblings were enrolled in a dummy school till Class 10 and later joined Narayana Educational Institute for JEE and NEET coaching.
The Majee twins' success isn't just a tale of brilliance, but one of quiet dedication, a non-traditional path, and a family's unwavering belief in self-directed learning.
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While both were academically strong, their interests diverged over time—Bani Brata gravitated towards computers, programming, and technology, while Bidisha felt drawn to biology and the medical sciences.
A gold medallist at the International Junior Science Olympiad (IJSO) in Bogota, Colombia, Bani Brata said: "I always knew I wanted to pursue computer science. Physics and mathematics came easy to me, but chemistry needed more effort.
I'm excited to begin my journey at IIT."
Bidisha, meanwhile, is equally thrilled at the prospect of joining AIIMS. "We've been each other's support through every mock test and late-night revision. From sharing a study desk to achieving national ranks — it's been surreal. Now, we just want to make our parents proud," she said.
The 17-year-old siblings were raised in Hyderabad, where their family has been living for the past two decades. The family hails from West Bengal.
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