Chasing Dreams: My Time at IIT Guwahati

Each IIT offers a range of branches. As I mentioned earlier, the college and branch we get are determined by our JEE Advanced rank and category. While we can express our preferences for college and branch, the final decision rests with JOSAA. I chose Mechanical Engineering for its practical relevance. The curriculum's inclusion of labs and projects equips us for real-world applications. In many courses, there are typically two quiz exams (each with 15% weightage), one mid-semester exam (with 30% weightage), and a final end-of-semester exam (with 40% weightage).

IIT Guwahati offers diverse internship opportunities in roles like software development and product management, with companies like Google, Microsoft, and Amazon providing stipends up to 15-16 lakhs. Interns work on projects that contribute to their practical skills and industry exposure, boosting their employability. These internships enhance resumes and competitiveness during placements. Additionally, research internships under professors offer valuable experience in academic settings.

At IIT Guwahati, campus placements begin in the fourth year, with internships available from the third year. Top companies like Google, JP Morgan Chase, Microsoft, and others visit the campus. The highest package for a CSE student was 2.4 crore, while for Mechanical, it's around 60 lakh with an average of 20 lakh. The overall placement rate for 2022-23 was 78.04%, with 246 companies participating. After graduation, I aim to secure a software developer role in a reputed company.

The course fee is around 2 lakh per year, with additional charges for hostel, mess, and other expenses, totaling approximately 2.5 lakh. Generally, the tuition fees remain unchanged each year. The institute offers numerous scholarships, including full tuition fee waivers for financially disadvantaged students with family incomes below 1 lakh, who only pay for hostel and mess fees. Those with family incomes below 5 lakh pay only 33% of tuition fees, along with hostel and mess charges. As my family income is less than 5 lakh per year, my fees amount to approximately 1.2 lakh annually. Merit-based scholarships are also available. Campus employment opportunities include roles like teaching or lab assistants, and internships under professors, providing financial support to students.

I had a lively campus life at IIT Guwahati, thanks to events like Alcheringa (cultural fest in February), Techniche (tech fest in September), and Spirit (annual Sports Festival), which brought excitement and unity among students. The library at IIT Guwahati ( Lakshminath Bezbaroa Central Library ) had a vast collection of books, journals, and encyclopedias, offering great resources for students. The classrooms were modern and had air conditioning and projectors, enhancing the learning environment. Our sports facilities at IIT Guwahati were excellent, including grounds for football, cricket, and athletics, along with a central gym.

I stayed in one of the boys' hostels at IIT Guwahati, which offered various amenities like water coolers, a TV room, music room, gym, and a reading room/library. In the first and second years, students shared rooms, while third and fourth years had single rooms with basic furniture like beds, tables, and cupboards. Each hostel had its own mess serving quality meals, with special dinners on Wednesdays and Sundays. The hostel also had a canteen, juice center, and stationary shop. Registration for hostel accommodation was automatic during admission, ensuring affordability and convenience for students. hostel rent is around 9200 per year and mess fees is around 36000 per year .

The admission process to IIT involves clearing JEE Main followed by JEE Advanced. The application form can be found on the NTA website with details about fees and application dates. As an OBC candidate with a rank around 9200 in JEE Advanced, I benefited from reservation. JEE Main is held twice a year, with the best score considered for JEE Advanced qualification, which is held once a year. After clearing JEE Advanced, candidates fill their counseling preferences through JOSAA. According to student rank and category they get college . The improvement areas could include more transparency in the counseling process and clearer communication regarding eligibility criteria and reservation benefits.