BTech Life at NIT Durgapur

As a student of Electronics and Communications, we were taught subjects from both Computer Science and Electrical. So we could apply for IT as well as core electronics or electrical jobs or choose any field of higher studies we wanted to (CS, ECE, EE, MBA, etc). This greatly encouraged my decision to choose this course. Hence, our curriculum helps us for varied field of jobs as well as exams like GATE or other government examinations. Although, I was completely IT focussed and so it was a bit hectic for me to manage my CGPA along with my IT job preparations. Also, I was preparing for GATE in CSE. So, if there was some option to have subjects of our choice it would be better. We had two semesters yearly, which consisted of 3exams each semester, the marks division of which was 15/25/60. We also had practical exams and vivas. Usually 60 marks exams happened in April and November and rest two exams accordingly happened before that with a 1month gap in between each. Difficulty was normal.

Many top companies like Microsoft, Amazon, Samsung, John Deere, Adobe, Qualcomm, etc came for internships for Sde, Analyst and core roles. I got internship at Microsoft along with 14 others including cs, ece and electrical departments. We were given 1.25lakh per month and 1lakh for relocation. We were taken as interns working under the company projects. Out of 15 of us, 11 people including me got PPOs but sadly, 2 of the students couldn't avail it as they got placed in other companies before PPO announcement and our college does not allow us to choose and we have to take the first offer itself.

Internship offers are available from the end of 2nd year (4th sem) and placement session opens at the end of 3rd year (6th sem). Many companies visited like Microsoft, JPMC, PWC, John Deere, Deloitte, etc. Recession took place for the 2024 batch so not much students could be placed this year. 70% of the ECE students were placed and the average package was around 15lpa. Highest package was 51lpa in our department by Microsoft for SDE role. I was one of the fortunate ones in our department to get placed in Microsoft and would be joining in the coming months.

Normally the tuition fee ranges around 72k per semester. But some scholarship was offered by college based on annual family income. For below 1lakh annual income, we had to pay 12k and for 1lakh to 5lakh people we had to pay 32k and for above 5lakhs there was no fee exemption. Although we could apply for government scholarships that is same for all colleges. Mess fee per semester ranged upto 17k and was refunded in case of student was not in campus based on valid medical or academic proof. There was no other charges except 1-time hostel payments which was below 10k. I worked on a research project under one of my professors in 2nd year and got a stipend of 5k for 2months. Also after 2nd year, I got an internship at Microsoft from my college placement cell.

Many annual fests like Aarohan, Recstacy, Recrave, Vistaar, Verve, E-summit, Quizzitch Cup, Virasat, Chemkriti, Evolvere happen throughout the year. Most of these fall in the even semester between Jan and March. There are many clubs in our college where students are actively involved. There is an extensive library with books from all departments and years. The library also has books for competitive exams and job preparations as well. The classrooms have projectors, black boards, and white boards and all the necessary items. Classrooms (in the New Academic Building) even has ACs. There are football, basketball and tennis courts in our campus and also a gym in the students activity center. There are the inter nit sports events and various sports events within our college also. As mentioned earlier there are 19 student clubs and 6 student bodies in our college. Some of them are IEEE, ISTE, SAE, etc. These student clubs actively help students through various events and sessions.

Basic facilities like bed, fan, lights, cupboard, table, chair is provided in the hostel rooms which are 3-sharing for B.Tech students. The food is average. For Non veg, we get 4times chicken, 3times fish and the rest of the times it's either some preparation of egg or some complete veg dishes(usually 2-3times a week). For veg people they had paneer, karela, rajma etc as alternatives. In breakfast we got egg or banana, cornflakes, bread, paratha, poha, etc. We had to register in hostel every semester by showing the mess fee payment receipt. Room assignment was changed yearly and we could choose our roommates if we wanted to. Mess fee was 17000 per semester. We had to pay 1-time deposits of hostel caution money of 5000 which was refunded at the end of Btech and 1200 for hostel establishment charge. Our college is a residential college so we are bound to stay in the college hostel and are not allowed to stay outside college campus if not for valid medical reasons.

Admission for Indian candidates is based on JEE Mains and for foreign candidates there is exam called DASA. I took JEE Mains exams and being a obc category students got a general rank around 20k something. We had to apply in the JOSAA portal and set the preference order of colleges and subjects there. I also got benefit of female quota and state quota to get a seat in this college. JEE Mains happens twice a year in January and April and after that JOSAA counselling takes place in June and July. Session starts from August. JEE Mains is a national level exam where 10lakhs students participate. I had to pay 75k to JOSAA out of which 2k was for JOSAA counselling and rest was balanced out with the college fees. There was some additional amount of 35k or so for the CSAB round(additional round to continue counselling) which I didn't take. Any extra money was refunded or discounted with the next semester fees. I think more awareness should be there abount jee and JOSAA counselling.

Faculty members were all phd holders and were quite knowledgeable. In our department there were like 20 faculty members. They were very helpful and actively solved our doubts in curriculum. They encouraged us to pursue higher studies and do research. Some even took us under them for research projects some of which were funded by companies like TCS. Classes were regular and we could interact with teachers after class too or through mail or talk with them in the faculty rooms in our departments.