Techie did not blame his tier-3 engineering college after failing to crack IIT-JEE twice. And then his fate changed

Every year, thousands of students prepare for the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) with the dream of getting into an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT). While some make it, many do not, and often end up joining private engineering colleges after months or even years of preparation. A recent post on X has now resonated with many students after it highlighted how one engineering aspirant's journey challenged the common belief that success depends only on the college someone attends.

The post, shared by X user Ojas Sharma, tells the story of one of his close friends who missed out on IIT despite taking a drop year. Instead of letting that setback define him, the student made the most of the opportunities available at a tier-3 engineering college. The story has since sparked a wider discussion online about ambition, self-improvement and the role of colleges in shaping careers.

A second attempt at IIT didn't work out

Recalling their journey, Ojas wrote that both he and his friend did not perform well in JEE after Class 12. While Ojas joined a tier-3 private engineering college, his friend chose to take a drop year to prepare once again.


During that year, his friend remained focused on a clear target. "During his drop year, he would often tell me that he was aiming for IIT Delhi or any IIT for CSE."

However, things did not go according to plan. A year later, instead of joining an IIT, he enrolled in the same engineering college as Ojas. "I assume things didn't go as planned because, a year later, he joined the same college as me. Ironically, he became my junior."

He stopped looking back and started building

What happened after joining college is what left the biggest impression on Ojas.

Rather than dwelling on the disappointment, his friend became deeply involved in campus activities. He took leadership roles, built projects and actively participated in competitions. "He became the president of some amazing clubs, built incredible hardware projects, made drones, and won hackathons."

Watching this unfold completely changed Ojas' perspective on his own college experience.

"Watching his journey made me realize something important. I always blamed my college for not offering enough opportunities, but he proved me wrong. Sometimes, the limiting factor isn't the college. It's what we choose to do with the opportunities that are already there."

The post started a larger conversation

The story quickly attracted reactions from students and professionals who shared their own experiences.

One user agreed with the message but also pointed out that mentorship plays a major role. "This is fine to some extent, but guidance is the key. Who knows if your friend has good guidance. Because my tier 4 college has neither good seniors nor a good society, so there is no scope for networking and learning. That is why I started grinding on X to get recognized."

Responding to the comment, Ojas acknowledged the point, replying: "This is 100% correct."

Another user wrote: "Agree with you, I think it's just you who choose to be like this college toh saare kharab h pr phir bhi kuch log itna kr lete h"

Others shared similar thoughts. One person admitted: "True, despite joining a Tier 1 college, I wasted my BTech years." Another commented: "The tier three comeback stories are the ones worth telling"

A different user reflected on a similar realisation after graduation, writing: "I had a similar realisation after graduating. Some of the strongest engineers I know came from tier-2 and tier-3 colleges. What set them apart wasn't the college name, it was how much they built outside the classroom."

While many agreed with the overall message, the discussion also highlighted that factors like guidance, mentors and networking can influence a student's growth.