We take a closer look at an entrance test preparatory centre that seeks to help students achieve their goals

Ascentria-PACE was established with the aim of operating a highly professional academy providing students with superlative training for rigorous entrance exams at reasonable rates.

Currently focused on the Indian curriculum, Ascentria holds the enviable record of a 100 per cent success rate in NEET in 2017, 2018 and 2019; 70 per cent success rate in JEE Mains; and 30 per cent in JEE Advanced. Students who attend Ascentria classes have consistently achieved exemplary results in the Indian board examinations, with the average mark exceeding 91 per cent in mathematics and 90 per cent in science across all board exams. The majority of students also achieve a perfect 800 in the subject SATs.

However, these statistics mask the real success stories, which are the students and their incredible journeys. While Ascentria currently has an exclusive collaboration with GEMS Modern Academy for conducting the two-year JEE and NEET courses, the academy has also welcomed students from different schools across Dubai. Read on to know more about some of these inspiring students.

Mohammed Yaseen Harris

2014-16 Our Own High School, Al Warqa’a, studying Computer Science, IIIT Hyderabad

Yaseen was Ascentria’s first student. He joined the academy to train for NEET, the  medical entrance examination. Towards the end of Grade 11, teachers noticed that he was retreating into a shell, and he eventually admitted that his heart was not in medicine, and that engineering sciences held a far greater interest for him. He felt pulled in two directions as he was good at both streams and had always believed that he would follow in his parents’ footsteps. After discussing the situation with his parents, who were extremely supportive, Ascentria focussed on completing the Grade 11 mathematics syllabus and set regular challenges for him to sharpen his skills. Yaseen delighted everyone by not only qualifying for JEE Main, but also JEE Advanced.

Rahul Baid

2015-17 GEMS Modern Academy, studying Computer Science, National University of Singapore

Rahul joined GEMS Modern Academy’s Ascentria in-school programme for JEE. He was hardworking and completed assignments on time. Teachers were impressed by his innate intelligence. However, towards the end of Grade 12, his focus shifted entirely towards the upcoming board examinations, resulting in him missing out on the rigorous training for the JEE entrance exams. Following the board exams, he felt demotivated and was reluctant to take the JEE exam, so after much counselling by the Ascentria team, he eventually qualified for the JEE Main and also JEE Advanced. Rahul delighted everyone by achieving second place overall in the UAE’s Grade 12 ISC Board exams, losing out on the top rank by just one mark.

N. Hariharan

2017-18 The Millennium School Dubai, studying MBBS,Thanjavur Medical College

Hariharan joined Ascentria to attend the one-year Grade 12 programme for NEET. Although he was a regular student, he was shy and not very social. After considerable counselling, he opened up about his goals and apprehensions and was able to work actively towards achieving them. Hariharan impressed everyone when he was declared the school topper in the Grade 12 CBSE Board results and also cleared NEET. He is currently enrolled in the MBBS programme at Thanjavur Medical College.

Small wonder

If you talk to eight-year-old Atharva, the maturity of his conversation is surprising.

For the last two years, Atharvaa Pradhan, a student of GEMS Modern Academy, has been pursuing robotics and coding. His association with Logix Engine began when they commenced operations in 2017. “Logix Engine has been the best thing that could have happened to Atharvaa,” says his mother, Medha. “We realised he was interested in ‘creating’ when he would spend hours playing with his Lego bricks, building structures when he was only five years old.”

Atharva has a natural acumen for building. The Early Robotics Programme developed his interest in mechanisms and honed his critical thinking. He took on the challenges presented in class and gradually learned the skills to work with developing optimal programmes to complete tasks. He has been an active participant in the FLL, coding competitions as well as innovation-driven events.

I am intrigued by what technology can accomplish. I’d like to create my own AI platform for the hospitality industry.

Atharvaa Pradhan

Today, while his friends play video games, Atharvaa is busy designing his own games. “It’s so much more fun when people can play the games you design,” he says. Already, Atharvaa has created several games, from Flappy Bird to Space Invaders.