LONDON: A Pakistani teenager residing in the UK has achieved an astounding feat by securing outstanding results in her GCSE exams, adding 17 more top grades to the 17 she achieved the previous year.
Mahnoor Cheema, 16, hailing from Lahore, has earned high marks, including 9s and several 8s, across a diverse range of subjects such as astronomy, further maths, Latin, and French.
Notably, a grade 9 is equivalent to above an A*, and a grade 8 is akin to falling between grades A* and A in the UK’s grading system.
With aspirations of pursuing medicine at the prestigious University of Oxford, Mahnoor possesses an IQ of 161, according to a report by The Times. Her favorite subjects are science and English literature, and she holds a special affinity for the works of Homer. She is fluent in English, Urdu, and Punjabi, while also having a competent grasp of French and German.
When not at school, Mahnoor dedicates up to five hours a day to reading. Beyond academics, she also plays the cello, swims, rides horses, and engages in chess. Her bedroom is adorned with posters of actress Emma Watson from the Harry Potter series and Nobel Prize-winning activist Malala Yousafzai.
Mahnoor’s Family Relocated to UK in 2016
Although not particularly fond of traditional classroom learning, Mahnoor is an avid learner who prefers absorbing knowledge through reading. She shared, “I’m not the type to sit in a classroom and absorb knowledge from somebody who’s giving a lecture.”
Mahnoor’s father, Usman, is a barrister, while her mother, Tayyaba, is pursuing a master’s degree in economics. The family relocated to the UK from Lahore in 2016.
Reflecting on her early days in the UK, Mahnoor admitted to feeling “isolated” upon arriving at the age of nine, as her advanced aptitude often led teachers to provide her separate math challenges due to her familiarity with the curriculum.
Her father expressed that Mahnoor’s exceptional results came as no surprise to the family, stating, “We were expecting this news if I tell you honestly — she never lets us down.” He recounted recognizing Mahnoor’s exceptional abilities when she was just 10 months old, as she was already capable of formulating complex sentences.
A vivid childhood memory for Mahnoor involves reading Harry Potter in the playground of her primary school in Pakistan at the tender age of six while her peers engaged in play.
Mahnoor and her family are set to celebrate her remarkable achievements with an extended family barbecue, joined by her younger siblings Laila, 13, and Jibran, 8.
