He once earned Rs 300 a day as a coolie, cracked GATE with AIR 809 and got Rs 15 LPA PSU offers: How Ramthulla Shaik transformed his journey through education
For Ramthulla Shaik, the journey from a lower-middle-class family in Andhra Pradesh to the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru and now the National University of Singapore (NUS) has reportedly been shaped by one thing: the determination to change his family’s circumstances through education.A recent social media post highlighting his journey described a period when he worked as a coolie, earning around Rs 300 a day. Years later, after completing his BTech, working at Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and preparing alongside his job, he cleared GATE Electrical Engineering 2024 with an All India Rank of 809.He went on to complete an MTech in Electrical Engineering from IISc Bengaluru with a CGPA of 8.9/10, received offers from public sector companies including Coal India Limited and NTPC, and has now begun his PhD journey at the National University of Singapore, according to information shared on his LinkedIn profile.
From BTech in Andhra Pradesh to a job at TCS
Ramthulla completed his BTech in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Sree Venkateswara College of Engineering in 2021, graduating with an 8.9/10 academic score, according to his LinkedIn profile.His educational journey had begun much earlier in Andhra Pradesh, where he studied Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry at Sasikanth Reddy Junior College and completed his schooling at a Zilla Parishad High School.After engineering, he joined Tata Consultancy Services as a System Engineer in February 2022. His role involved working on Oracle applications, implementation and support.But a corporate job did not end his academic ambitions.
GATE AIR 809, 8.9 CGPA at IISc and NUS PhD: Ramthulla Shaik’s inspiring journey. (Photo: LinkedIn)
Alongside his professional responsibilities, Ramthulla continued preparing for the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE), one of India’s most competitive examinations for postgraduate engineering admissions and several technical recruitment opportunities.
Working while preparing for GATE
His efforts paid off when he secured AIR 809 in GATE Electrical Engineering 2024.The rank opened the door to the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, where he joined the MTech programme in Electrical Engineering.According to his LinkedIn profile, he pursued his interests in areas including Analog Integrated Circuit Design and Power Electronics, while also taking up academic responsibilities on campus.He worked as a Teaching Assistant in the Department of Electrical Engineering and was involved with the Power Electronics Laboratory, Control Systems Design course and SMPC Lab. He also served as a Placement Coordinator at IISc.He completed his MTech in June 2026 with a CGPA of 8.9/10, according to his profile.
PSU offers, but a different decision
A social media post about Ramthulla’s journey claimed that he received offers of around Rs 15 LPA from public sector undertakings, including Coal India Limited and NTPC, after his GATE performance.However, he reportedly chose a different path.Instead of entering a PSU job, he decided to continue with research.In August 2026, he joined the National University of Singapore as a PhD scholar in Power Electronics, according to his LinkedIn profile.
From earning Rs 300 a day to a PhD at NUS
The story shared on social media about Ramthulla’s early struggles also describes difficult circumstances at home and the challenges his family reportedly faced.Those personal details have not been independently verified by TOI Education. What can be traced through his professional profile, however, is an academic and career journey that moved from a BTech degree in Andhra Pradesh to TCS, GATE, IISc Bengaluru and now NUS.For engineering students preparing for GATE while working full-time, his journey offers a particularly relevant lesson.A first job does not have to define the final destination.Ramthulla worked in the corporate sector, continued his studies, prepared for a competitive examination, entered one of India’s leading research institutions and then chose research over the job offers reportedly available to him.From Rs 300 a day as a coolie to AIR 809 in GATE, an 8.9 CGPA at IISc and a PhD at NUS, his journey shows how education can become a route to opportunities that may once have seemed far beyond reach.Disclaimer: This article is based on publicly available information, including Ramthulla Shaik’s LinkedIn profile and social media posts about his journey. Personal background details, salary figures and claims regarding job offers have not been independently verified by TOI Education.
