In an inspiring story of grit and determination, 17-year-old J Santhosh has secured admission to IIT Madras's four-year Bachelor of Science (BS) programme in Data Science and Applications after clearing the qualifiers on his second attempt.
Santhosh lives with cerebral palsy and a 90% spinal muscular disability—a genetic condition that causes progressive muscle weakness. Despite these severe physical challenges, he became the only student in his class to pass the institute's entrance qualifiers. Because of his health constraints, he opted for a degree that allows him to complete the majority of his coursework directly from home.
His achievement is supported by the 'IIT Madras for All' initiative, an outreach program designed to make quality STEM education accessible to students from all socioeconomic backgrounds. The NGO TN Volunteers discovered the program for Santhosh, and they will cover his entire first-year tuition fees while providing hands-on assistance, including specialized AI training.
For Santhosh, whose father works as an auto-driver, this milestone proves that physical limitations cannot hold back drive and ambition.
Source: NDTV
