- A student shared their grief over not securing admission to IIT Madras despite years of effort
- The student clarified their IIT dream was self-driven, not influenced by others or social media
- They studied intensively during their drop year but felt the result still hurt deeply
The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) are widely considered the premier institutions for engineering and technology in India. Every year, thousands of aspiring engineers grind through the entrance exams to secure seats in a few of the top engineering colleges. With the competition extremely high, a significant number of students are left empty-handed, as highlighted by an aspirant in a viral social media post, where they lamented about missing out on a dream of a lifetime.
In a Reddit post titled "Today (29-6-2026), I cried after so many years," the student shared a heartfelt note about coming to terms with not securing admission to IIT Madras, despite years of preparation.
"I realised how much this exam/college meant to me when I shed tears quite literally in front of this gate. Man, I've failed in the first ever thing I wanted with my whole heart," the student wrote.
Highlighting that the dream was their own and not 'infused' by someone else, not achieving it had really hurt them.
"IIT dream was not infused in me by anyone else or social media. It started when I asked my father what's inside this gate when I was around 7th or 8th std. It was all my own dreams and own expectations," the student said.
"I was bit distracted in 11th, but I literally did whatever I could do in 12th and studied for almost 10 hours to 12 hours daily during my drop year. But I now realised, it doesn't matter."
The student said they had secured a seat in one of the top NITs, but the success was not enough to bring a smile on their face.
"Today I happened to go by the side of IITM, and stopped there staring at the main gate. Every part of my prep & exam flashed in my memory. Man, this is hard to explain," they said.
"So, It's officially the end of my first ever dream with a result I never wanted. I guess it's life."
Check The Viral Post Here:
Today (29-6-2026), I cried after so many years.
by u/Educational-Grab7830 in JEE
Social Media Reactions
As the post gained traction, a section of social media users empathised with the individual while others advised that not getting into IIT was not the end of the world.
"I feel you, I know what exactly you're feeling. Life goes on. All the best for the future. Have faith and everything will work out," said one user while another added: "I had a similar experience. I was dreaming of IITs in my JEE days but unfortunately i couldn't make it."
A third commented: "Honestly bro, this not that deep, you will get over it gradually (btw I was a dropper too who ended up joining a top NIT lol). You should be excited for the college life that lies ahead of you."
A fourth said: "I was in a similar position, spent my four years of B.Tech always hating my current college and always thinking I should be somewhere else. Trust me, this attitude is going to hurt you a lot as you won't be able to look beyond it. As someone who has been through this, my only advice is to mourn the loss for a bit but then focus on building your skills and studying your subjects properly."
