He completed his Schooling from Barmer, After 12 th went to Kota for preparations of JEE, could not get the required ranking for IIT. Joined MBM Engineering College, Jodhpur in 2015 and completed BE in Production and Industrial Engineering in 2019 with a modest GPA 6.82. Attempted GATE, 3 times in a row, in his first 2 attempts could not get the college of his choice, he did not loose his heart. He again worked hard, worked on the weak areas, appeared for the GATE-2021 and when the results were out, he was on cloud-9 as defying all odds, he secured an all India 4 th rank in Production and Industrial Engineering. The protagonist of this edition of MBM Story is Er. Rohit Soni, an alumnus of 2019.

In an exclusive tete-a tete with Maitrey Sharma, Er. Rohit Soni spoke about his ambitions, future plans, academic achievements, college life etc.

Question : How did you decide that you’d rather be preparing for higher education than the placements?

Ans : I was confident enough that if I try hard, I would get a job. But I realized that GATE will give me more opportunities including research and studying abroad in my concerned branch. I discussed with teachers and various experts and finally decided to prepare for GATE. Students should choose carefully, according to their interest whether they are interested in getting a job or they want to dive deep in subject.

Question : When did you start preparing for GATE and according to you what’s the ideal time?

Ans : I started preparing at the end of 2nd year, but I would recommend students that if they are clear about preparing for GATE, they should start preparing from the beginning of 2nd year itself, as it is becoming more competitive these days.

Question : How much time should a student devote for studies of GATE preparation ?

Ans: . If one starts early, and then approximate 3-4 hours of daily self-study will work, if the students are going to college and coaching for GATE. Otherwise 10-11 hours of study is recommended to get a decent rank.

Question : What was your motivation for such spectacular results?

Ans: I was totally convinced that I would settle only for best. This was my third attempt, I was getting NIT in my last attempt but I believed that I deserve something big so I tried again with more focus and determination.

Question : Many juniors are looking up to you for inspiration now. What is your advice to them?

Ans : My advice to all the GATE aspirants is very simple “Never Give Up” . With regular studies and perseverance one can easily crack this prestigious exams. I got poor marks in mock tests when the exams were very close, but I kept myself motivated and never allowed negativity to creep into my mind. I studied hard and worked on the week areas and the final result is in front of you.Give a lot of practice papers and mock tests; it will make you familiar with the exam. Stay positive and keep the company of   like-minded people. There is nothing which cannot be achieved with hard work, determination and discipline.

Question : What is your future plan now?

Ans: My interest is in Machine learning and Operation research so I have taken admission in Industrial Engineering and Operation Research branch in IIT, Mumbai. It will be a right platform for me to achieve my dreams. If I get a chance to do Phd from top universities like MIT, Harvard , UC Berkeley then I would like to continue my studies. I see my job profile as a data scientist or Machine Learning Engineer.

Question : According to you, what’s the best thing about MBM ?

Ans : College life for any student is one of the golden periods of his life. For me also, It was a nice 4 year life at MBM. This college has got great legacy, alumni from this prestigious institute are holding positions of eminent repute in many Government and Private Organizations across the globe and that is the motivational factor for us. Seniors are very supportive and guide and mentor us. Teachers are also ready to help us all the time. This college makes you self-dependent person and we learn so many things which shape our career and life. The burden of academics here was quite less and for that reason I could able to devote my time for GATE preparations.

Question: What should students keep in mind while preparing for you, according to you?

Ans : I want to say that GATE is more about conceptual knowledge than facts. Practice, persistence and patience are the keys to success in GATE. Without giving practice tests and analyzing previous year questions, you will not be able to apply your knowledge during the exam. One should start giving time-bound mock tests before a month from the exam, so that they align their body according to the exam.

Question: Where did you get your initial education from and how would you describe yourself as a school student?

Ans : I completed my 10 th from KV school in 2012 with 8.6 CGPA then took PCM subject and completed my 12th in 2014 with 75.6%.  After completing 12th I went to Kota to prepare for IIT for 1 year but I did not get selected in IIT but got selected in MBM engineering college in 2015 with Production and Industrial Engineering branch. I completed my graduation in 2019 with 6.82 CGPA .I was an average student in my school life. In my 11th, 12th in school, Physics and Mathematics were my all-time favorites subjects. I was also head in Ramanujan club (Maths club).

Question: Tell us about your family and their reaction to such extraordinary results? (about your siblings as well, if any)

Ans : I was born on 14 th January 1996 in Barmer. My Father is a senior nursing staff in Government hospital and mother is a home maker. We are three brothers, elder brother is an Electrical Engineer, while younger one is currently studying MBBS in Europe. There has been learning environment in my house as my grandfather was a Principal in Government School and was used to teach me mathematics in my school days. He motivated me to go for the higher studies to build up the knowledge. As far reaction to my GATE result is concerned, it was proud moment for my parents and family. Everyone was happy and it was celebration time for our family and friends. My friends came to my house with Cake and sweets and we had a gala time. I got congratulatory phone calls from my faculty, seniors and friends. The next day I saw my photograph in newspaper and that was memorable moment for me.

Question : What is your favourite hobby in your free time?

Ans: In my free time, I love playing Carrom, also reading academic journals and playing video games are my hobbies.

Question: What would you say is the one thing that makes you who you are?

Ans: One thing that makes me who I am today is only perseverance (continuous efforts for achieving a goal).

It is such an inspirational journey of Er. Rohit Soni. We wish all his dream comes true and he achieve all the success in his career and life. Team MBM Stories wishes him all the best.

This Interview was conducted by Maitreyi Sharma, a 3rd year student at MBM Engineering College in Electronics & Computer branch. Likes to describe herself as a passionately curious individual and knowledge oriented. Her hobbies include swimming, Singing and listening  to Ted Talks.