"Meet IIT-JEE Topper: AIR 1 in JEE Advanced, 350/360 in JEE Main"

The Inspirational Journey of Pranav Goyal: From JEE Advanced 2018 Topper to Quantitative Trader

The Joint Entrance Examination (JEE), conducted twice a year, is one of the most challenging and competitive exams in India. Every year, thousands of aspirants from across the country participate in this exam with hopes of securing a seat in the nation's premier engineering institutions. Among those who stood out, one name that shines brightly is Pranav Goyal, who topped the JEE Advanced 2018 with an impressive score of 337 out of 360, marking a staggering 99.9993 percentile.

Pranav, hailing from Chandigarh, had already demonstrated remarkable academic brilliance before making his mark in the JEE Advanced exam. As the son of pharmaceutical business owners, Pranav attended Bhavan Vidyalaya in Panchkula, where he had an exceptional academic track record. He earned a perfect 10 CGPA in Class 10 and went on to top the CBSE Class 12 non-medical stream in the Tricity region (Chandigarh, Panchkula, Mohali). His hard work paid off when he achieved an All India Rank (AIR) 4 in the JEE Main 2018.

In addition to his academic success, Pranav’s early recognition included clearing the final stage of the National Talent Search Examination (NTSE) in 2016, earning a prestigious scholarship from the National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT). His stellar performance continued with a near-perfect score of 350 out of 360 in JEE Mains, securing AIR 4.

Following his outstanding achievements, Pranav enrolled in IIT Bombay, where he pursued a B.Tech in Computer Science. At IIT, he continued to excel and was awarded the Institute Academic Award in 2020 for his outstanding academic performance during his second year.

Pranav’s journey did not stop with academics alone. He gained valuable work experience through internships, starting as a Data Analyst Intern at Vedantu in mid-2019. Later, he interned as an Application Developer at Albia Biocare, a pharmaceutical company in Chandigarh, further honing his technical skills. In 2020, Pranav worked as a Research Intern at the Technical University of Braunschweig, where he delved into advanced research and data analysis.

His passion for the financial markets led him to Jane Street, where he began his career as a Trading Intern in 2021. During this time, he sharpened his skills in quantitative trading, market analysis, and risk management. Pranav’s exceptional work in these areas helped him land a full-time role at Jane Street in Hong Kong SAR in July 2022, where he currently works as a Quantitative Trader. Specializing in high-frequency trading, market-making, and quantitative strategies, Pranav continues to make waves in the world of finance.

Reflecting on his professional journey, Pranav shares on his LinkedIn profile: “I am a Quantitative Trader at Jane Street where I work on developing and testing a variety of trading ideas in a variety of derivative exchanges around the world. I graduated from IIT Bombay with a Bachelors (Honors) in Computer Science in 2022. I try to explore as much as possible of high-frequency, low-frequency, and even long-term trades across multiple markets.”

From his early academic brilliance to his success in the competitive world of quantitative trading, Pranav Goyal’s story is a testament to hard work, perseverance, and the pursuit of excellence.