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I have been searching for the eligibility criteria to become British citizen for people who went through Exceptional Talent route.

I came to the UK in 2016 on Tier 2 Visa to work as a researcher. However, after a year, and due to my work, I was endorsed by British Academy and received Exceptional Talent status. This helped me to receive ILR just after 3 years thanks to a rule that was imtroduced in January 2019. I am now thinking to apply for British citizenship as it is almost a year after receiving my ILR but I am confused by mixed information that is out there about eligibility criteria.

I will finish a year after receiving ILR in the end of February 2019 but by then I have only finished my 4th year of continuous residency in the UK. Many websites talk about 5 years of residency in addition to the one year after receiving ILR as the two main criteria, so I was wondering if any one has practical information about eligibility conditions for people who have gone through the exceptional talent route and thus didn't need to wait 5 years to get ILR?

I have been searching for the eligibility criteria to become British citizen for people who went through Exceptional Talent route.

Your immigration route is completely irrelevant to the British Citizenship under Nationality Laws application.

I came to the UK in 2016 on Tier 2 Visa to work as a researcher. However, after a year, and due to my work, I was endorsed by British Academy and received Exceptional Talent status. This helped me to receive ILR just after 3 years thanks to a rule that was imtroduced in January 2019. I am now thinking to apply for British citizenship as it is almost a year after receiving my ILR but I am confused by mixed information that is out there about eligibility criteria.

You need 1 full year on ILR (unless married to a British citizen) AND you need 5 years residence immediately preceding date of application. Your visa route and accelerated ILR process is completely irrelevant.

I will finish a year after receiving ILR in the end of February 2019 but by then I have only finished my 4th year of continuous residency in the UK. Many websites talk about 5 years of residency in addition to the one year after receiving ILR as the two main criteria, so I was wondering if any one has practical information about eligibility conditions for people who have gone through the exceptional talent route and thus didn't need to wait 5 years to get ILR?

You must have 5 years residence which must INCLUDE one full year on ILR (unless married to a British citizen). You exceptional talent route is not relevant to British citizenship and there is no 'special treatment' for anyone either based on their immigration route.

Immigration laws and nationality laws are separate and distinct and may not necessarily have harmonious requirements, though the latter may impose requirements of having met the former.

In your case, you can apply for naturalisation when the later of the two requirements is met, as you are required to have been physically present in the UK at the start of the five year period (this is a mandatory requirement that the Home Office has no discretion to disregard). You can apply on or after the fifth anniversary of your arrival in the UK.