Meet Satyam Kumar, Farmer’s Son Who Cracked IIT-JEE At Age 12, Earned PhD At 24 | Education and Career News
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Success Story: After completing graduation from IIT Kanpur’s five-year dual-degree BTech-MTech programme, Satyam Kumar moved to the US to pursue PhD at the University of Texas.
Satyam Kumar hails from Bakhorapur village in Buxar district, Bihar. (Image: News18 Hindi/LinkedIn)
At an age when most children are preparing for Classes 9 and 10, Satyam Kumar from Bihar was already preparing for the IIT-JEE, one of India’s toughest entrance exams. He was only 12 when he cleared the exam. A year later, he appeared for it again and secured an All India Rank (AIR) of 670.
Satyam’s journey did not stop with becoming one of the youngest students to enter an IIT. He studied electrical engineering at IIT Kanpur, worked on robotics and research projects, and later moved to the US for higher studies. He went on to earn a PhD and build a career in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning.
Satyam Kumar belonged to a farmer family
Satyam Kumar was born on July 20, 1999, and came from Bakhorapur village in Buxar district, Bihar. He grew up in a farming family and showed strong academic abilities from a young age.
According to reports, a family friend suggested that his father send him to Kota for IIT-JEE preparation. This became the start of his unusual academic journey.
Satyam first appeared for the IIT entrance exam in 2011 but could not clear it. He tried again and cleared the exam at the age of 12. However, he went on to appear for the IIT-JEE once more at 13 and secured an AIR of 670 in 2012. His achievement brought attention to him as one of the youngest students to gain admission to an IIT.
From IIT Kanpur to robotics research
Satyam joined IIT Kanpur’s five-year dual-degree BTech-MTech programme. Apart from his regular studies, he took an active interest in research, robotics and intelligent systems. He worked on projects linked to IIT Kanpur’s Intelligent Systems and Sleep Laboratory and its Robotics Club, reported News18 Hindi.
One of his projects with fellow students involved developing a robot that could work both on land and in water. In 2014, his team secured third place in a robotics competition.
His research interests also took him outside India. In 2016, he received a Charpak Scholarship for a research internship in France. In 2017, he received a Teaching Assistant Fellowship from the Government of India. He completed his studies at IIT Kanpur in 2018.
Completed PhD in the US
In 2019, Satyam moved to the US to continue his research. He pursued a PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Texas.
His doctoral research focused on machine learning and brain-computer interfaces, combining two rapidly developing areas of technology. He completed his PhD at the age of 24.
After completing his doctorate, he also worked as a trainee engineer at Apple. As per his LinkedIn profile, he currently works at Texas Instruments as a Machine Learning Systems Research Engineer.
Satyam’s journey from a farming family in a village in Bihar to coaching in Kota, research labs at IIT Kanpur and a PhD in the US, shows how his academic interests continued to grow well beyond his early success in the IIT entrance exam.
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August 27, 2026, 11:38 IST
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