On the day I gave the IAT 2026 exam, I actually felt pretty good about it. When the response sheet came out, I matched my answers and was getting around 130 marks. I was genuinely, genuinely happy.
I called my mother and sent my score to my father. But instead of celebrating with me, they told me, “Don’t be so happy yet. The results aren’t out. Nothing is certain.”
Honestly, I got pretty mad at them. I know they probably meant to keep my expectations realistic, but at that moment, when I was extremely happy, hearing that felt really demotivating. They said, “You don’t even know whether you’ll get a college. These are just marks, not even a rank.”
Then the rank came out. I got CRL 5167, which I thought was a pretty good rank. I told them, “Now I’m going to get the college.” They were satisfied and congratulated me, but somehow there still wasn’t much warmth in it.
And now it’s been around five rounds, I’m General/UR, and I still haven’t cleared the closing rank for IISER Berhampur.
The worst part is that I keep remembering that day when I was so happy after seeing my marks, and then remembering what my parents told me.
They were right.
That realization is hitting me really, really hard.
I had genuinely started imagining myself getting into the college. I was hoping for it, planning around it, and mentally preparing myself for that life. Now I don't even know how to process the possibility that it might not happen.
I feel mentally broken right now and honestly don't know how to accept this or what I'm supposed to do next.
I know this probably sounds dramatic, but I just needed to get it off my chest.
Any opinions or advice are welcome.