Youngest IIT Crack: Who Did It and What It Really Takes

When people talk about the youngest IIT crack, a rare achievement where a student under 15 clears the JEE Advanced exam and gains admission to an IIT. Also known as child prodigy in engineering entrance, it’s not just about intelligence—it’s about years of focused training, family support, and often, a childhood shaped by exams. The name that pops up most is Akash Anand, who cracked IIT JEE at age 12 in 2018. But behind every headline is a story most don’t see: sleepless nights, skipped birthdays, and pressure that doesn’t fade after the result.

What most miss is that the IIT JEE, India’s most competitive engineering entrance exam with over 1.5 million applicants yearly. Also known as JEE Advanced, it’s not a test of genius—it’s a test of endurance. The youngest crackers didn’t just study harder; they started earlier, often by age 6 or 7, with coaching centers treating them like future stars. But here’s the truth: being the youngest doesn’t mean you’ll be the most successful. Many of these kids struggle later with burnout, identity loss, or lack of social development. The real challenge isn’t getting in—it’s staying grounded after you do.

There’s also the IIT admission, a process shaped by quotas, home state bias, and cutoffs that change every year. Also known as JEE rank-based selection, it doesn’t reward speed alone. A 12-year-old might top the paper, but if they’re not ready for the pace of IIT’s curriculum, they’ll fall behind. The top IITs don’t just want brilliant kids—they want resilient ones. That’s why some of the most successful engineers didn’t crack IIT young. They cracked it at 17, after learning how to manage stress, how to ask for help, and how to keep going even when they failed.

If you’re wondering whether chasing the title of "youngest IIT crack" is worth it, ask yourself: is this for you, or for the applause? The posts below show real stories—from students who cracked IIT at 13 to those who failed twice and still made it. You’ll see what coaching centers won’t tell you, how parents unintentionally push too hard, and why the real win isn’t a rank, but a mindset that lasts beyond the exam hall.