A 16-year-old student from Cardiff, Wales, has scored an extraordinary 14 A* grades in his General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSEs) after following a strict routine that included waking up at 4 am every day to study. Ananmay Banerjee, who studies at Llanishen High School, said he was "pleasantly surprised" after receiving his results on Thursday.
GCSE is an academic qualification taken by students aged 14 to 16 in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland to mark the end of compulsory secondary education.
According to a report by Wales Online, Banerjee had already completed three A* GCSEs in maths, numeracy and English language a year early, and this year added 11 more A* grades in subjects including media studies, business studies, computer science, and digital technology. He credited his teachers for supporting him throughout, saying he often emailed them after class with questions.
Speaking to Wales Online after collecting his results, Banerjee said that the toughest part of his preparation was maintaining the early-morning routine. "I worked very hard. I woke up at 4am every day and stuck to a strict routine. I think that was the hardest I have ever worked. It was difficult. I am still very surprised," he said.
The teen's family went along with him to pick up his results. His parents Krish and Jyoti were very proud of the dedication their son showed, with emotions clearly running high, the report highlighted.
Banerjee's parents said his discipline and self-drive were central to his success. His father told Wales Online that he went to bed by 9:30 pm. The student's mother described the moment as emotional and said she was proud of the way he handled himself.
Banerjee said he had a very positive experience at the school and made the most of his teachers by asking questions. He said: "They helped me a lot. I was also a very annoying student because after classes I would send emails to all my teachers, I would follow up and ask a lot. A lot of credit goes to my teachers."
Banerjee also advised younger students to make full use of their teachers and ask questions whenever they arise. The results come on GCSE results day in Wales, when thousands of students received their grades across the country.
Upon being asked how he will celebrate his results, he said: "I did not expect to get such amazing grades that I would need to celebrate so I have not planned anything at all. I will probably go out to eat to celebrate."