3 failed NEET attempts, no JEE rank. IIT-Madras student now works as Data Scientist in Pune

Some journeys don’t follow the straight, well-paved road — they wind through unexpected turns, detours, and even a few dead ends before leading to something extraordinary. Sanjay B’s story is one of those. From facing repeated rejections in NEET and missing out on JEE, to having no computer science background at all, the odds seemed stacked against him. But instead of giving up, he built a new path — one that’s now landed him a full-time role as an Associate Data Scientist at Syngenta in Pune.

A few years ago, Sanjay couldn’t secure a government seat through NEET. “Not because I failed,” he clarified in his LinkedIn post, “but because my score didn’t meet the cutoff.” While the disappointment was real, it became the turning point of his life. He chose to pivot, enrolling in the IIT Madras BS in Data Science and Applications — an online degree.

His educational qualifications
Sanjay’s academic journey is as diverse as it is impressive. He has earned an Associate of Science and a Bachelor of Science in Health Science, showcasing his early interest in the healthcare field. Determined to expand his expertise beyond a single discipline, he went on to pursue a Master’s degree in Financial Engineering, blending analytical skills with financial problem-solving. Not stopping there, he is currently enrolled in the prestigious Bachelor of Science in Data Science and Applications programme at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (IIT-Madras), a course known for its rigorous curriculum and industry relevance.

Alongside these formal qualifications, Sanjay committed himself to mastering technical skills that would open doors to the tech industry. He immersed himself in learning Python, Java, SQL, Data Structures, and Machine Learning, building a strong foundation in programming and analytics that would ultimately fuel his career transition into data science.

According to India Today, he began working at 18, taking on roles in the banking and financial sector, from telesales to leading teams and smashing credit card sales targets. Currently, he is working as a Data Scientist in Pune.