Meet UAE IB toppers: Dubai, Abu Dhabi students who scored a perfect 45

Dubai: Students following the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum from institutions such as GEMS Education and Innoventures Education are among the few worldwide to achieve a perfect score of 45 points – a rare accomplishment attained by less than 0.1 per cent of Diploma Programme (DP) candidates globally.

Three students from GEMS Education – two from GEMS Modern Academy and one from GEMS American Academy – have achieved perfect scores, and head to elite universities in the US.
Satvik Gupta is set to pursue electrical and computer engineering at Carnegie Mellon University.

“My experience in the DP has been extremely enriching. This programme has equipped me with a wide range of skills, including, but not limited to, research, time management, and discipline. Most importantly, the past two years have helped me handle stress much better, which used to be a challenge for me. As I go on to study at Carnegie Mellon, I hope to enhance the skills I learned in the DP and apply them towards meaningful projects and experiences.”

Aanya Khandelwal, who studied under the flexible Rahhal learning model while taking on four higher level subjects, will head to New York to study human rights and international law.

“The IB experience was both challenging and fascinating. It helped me grow and push boundaries both intellectually and in terms of balance. Moving forward, I’ll be studying in New York City with my eyes set on law school,” she said.

They were joined by Tanay Jagannathan, also from GEMS Modern Academy, who scored an impressive 44 points.  Tanay, who is joining Columbia University to study computer science, said the true value of the IB lay beyond grades.

“Numbers and grades fail to describe the value of my experience in the IB. Every step of the process from class assignments to the Extended Essay and examinations provided a unique set of learning opportunities. I underwent immense personal and academic growth through the IB’s blend of research, critical thinking and social responsibility alongside academics. I feel confident and ready for the challenges ahead.”

At GEMS American Academy, Abu Dhabi, Yashbrata Ghosh achieved a perfect score of 45. Heading to either Imperial College London or Monash University in Italy to study medicine, Ghosh said: “It’s quite surreal – I didn’t expect this score. I was hoping for a 39, because that was my conditional offer, so I feel very lucky and privileged to get such a great score. To be honest, it’s been all the support of my teachers and everyone involved who has helped me along the way. And I want to say thank you to all of them, because they’ve done so much for me – including my parents; I wouldn’t be here without them.”

Among this year’s top scorers at Innoventures Education are Alia Abdelhamid and Melis Yilmaz from Dubai International Academy – Emirates Hills (DIA EH), both of whom secured the highest possible score of 45 points. At Dubai International Academy – Al Barsha, Kanishka Kesharwani emerged as the top scorer with an impressive 44 points.

Alia credited her success to the "incredible support" from her school throughout her IB journey.

“The commitment of my teachers and the broader school community created an environment where I could truly thrive. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished together.”

Melis, overjoyed with her perfect score, described her IB experience as “truly transformative.”
“The demanding academic environment, combined with unwavering support, has fostered both intellectual and personal growth. The strong sense of community and the constant encouragement to think critically and embrace a global perspective have equipped me for the future in ways I could never have imagined.”

Kanishka described seeing the near-perfect score of 44 as “surreal.”

“Gut-wrenching mocks and loads of all-nighters with endless fits of laughter and cries to put in my best effort for my exams,” she said about the exam preparations.
“Deeply grateful for the person DIAB has made me, and for the support my family and friends have given me over the last couple of years.”