Born on May 7, 2008, Maroof and Masroor Ahmed Khan secure 99.99 percentile and create a national; parents’ sacrifice and disciplined preparation play a key role in success
NEW DELHI — Identical twin brothers from Bhubaneswar in Odisha have drawn national attention after scoring the same marks in the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main 2026 Session 1.
Maroof Ahmed Khan and Masroor Ahmed Khan, born on May 7, 2008, scored 285 out of 300 in the BE and B.Tech paper conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA). Both secured an identical percentile of 99.9984543 in an examination taken by more than 1.3 lakh students.
The results were announced on Monday, and the twins’ rare achievement quickly became a subject of discussion among students and teachers.
The two brothers have shared more than just identical looks. From early childhood, they studied together, attended the same schools and prepared side by side for competitive exams.
Currently, both are appearing for their Class XII examinations at a private higher secondary school in Kota, Rajasthan. They have been living in Kota for focused preparation and are now working towards the JEE Advanced examination scheduled for May.
Their immediate goal is to secure admission to the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay.
Masroor Ahmed Khan said their preparation in Kota played a major role in their performance.
“I have been in Kota since Class 10. For the last three years, I have been practising coaching material under the guidance of teachers. I always felt motivated by my surroundings, and that helped me score good marks in JEE Main. My brother and I studied together. Our study time was the same, and we learnt a lot from each other,” he said.
Maroof Ahmed Khan echoed similar thoughts.
“From the beginning, we studied together and cleared our doubts together. If the results were not as expected, we encouraged each other. This created healthy competition between us and improved our performance,” he said.
Looking ahead, Maroof added that he also dreams of serving the country.
“Now I aim to get admission through JEE. I want to become an IAS officer,” he said.
Behind the twins’ remarkable performance stands the quiet sacrifice of their mother, Dr Zeenat Begum.
Dr Begum, an ophthalmologist, resigned from her government post at the Odisha Power Transmission Corporation Limited Hospital to support her sons’ preparation. She moved to Kota and stayed there with them for three consecutive years.
Their father, Dr Mansoor Ahmed Khan, is a physician and heads the medical department at IIT Bhubaneswar. While he continued his professional responsibilities in Bhubaneswar, their mother took full charge of the boys’ daily routine in Kota.
She managed their study schedule, health, food and emotional well-being during the intense preparation period.
Both brothers have openly acknowledged her role in their success.
Dr Mansoor Ahmed Khan expressed great pride in his sons’ achievement.
“I am very happy to see both my children achieving this success in their first attempt. Since childhood, they have been each other’s strength. They have helped overcome each other’s shortcomings and moved towards success together,” he said.
He added, “The real support behind this success is their mother. She took the big decision of quitting her job for the future of the children. While I was working at IIT Bhubaneswar, she stayed in Kota and dedicated herself fully to their journey. She took care of everything from their study schedule to their health. This success reflects her huge sacrifice.’
With JEE Main Session 1 results declared, the twins are not slowing down. They are now concentrating on JEE Advanced, which is the gateway to the prestigious IITs.
Teachers in Kota said disciplined routine, consistency and family support often make a difference in highly competitive exams.
For Maroof and Masroor Ahmed Khan, their identical score is more than a statistical coincidence. It reflects years of shared effort, mutual encouragement and the steady support of their parents.
As they prepare for the next stage, their story stands as an example of hard work, family sacrifice and the strength of a shared dream.
