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What are the careers available after studying in iiser?
As an IISER student, you will have a variety of job opportunities available to you depending on your field of study and your interests.
Some potential career paths for IISER graduates are mentioned below:
- Research and development in academia or industry
- Teaching and education
- Science policy and administration
- Science journalism and communication
- Data analysis and data science
- Environmental science and conservation
- Biotechnology and pharmaceuticals
- Space science and technology
- Computer science and engineering
- Physics and engineering
Most IISER students opt for Ph.D. Once they complete their Ph.D., they become independent researchers or do research-based work in a company. Some prefer doing a post-doc to become a professor. Very few Ph.D. students start working after getting their degree.
Is computer science available at IISER Pune or other IISERs?
No, you can’t choose Computer Science as a major at IISER Pune or any other IISER. But you can definitely learn basic Computer Programming and techniques. You will have the opportunity to learn various languages and there are also different labs where you can do theoretical and computational work. Course work of many departments depends heavily on computational work at IISERs. But there is no option to take Computer Science as a subject.
How much marks are required to get into IISER Pune?
In general, IISER doesn’t have any specific cutoff. However, as per the trends of recent years, it has been seen that students need higher marks to get IISER Pune. You should try to secure around 115-120. IAT has 60 questions from all four subjects, i.e. Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Maths. You should try to get around 40-45 questions correct.
How would you describe the hostel life in IISER Pune?
I have a few friends from IISER Pune. Here are some of the points that they have shared from their experience.
- You can roam around the campus freely. Every building is open always.
- There are no bizarre rules regarding dress codes.
- There is no specific entry and exit time on campus.
- The rules are gender-neutral. There is no unreasonable rule regarding any gender. Although safety of the students isn’t compromised.
I attempted 31 questions in the IISER aptitude test. Can I get IISER Pune or Mohali?
It is quite unlikely that you will get IISER Pune or Mohali. Even if you got all the answers correct, it’s only half of the total marks. According to the cutoff trends of recent years, it won’t be enough. You may have a chance of getting admission if you are from some reserved category.
How much rank is necessary in IIT-JAM to get an interview call from IISc, IISER Pune and IISER Kolkata for Int-PhD in Physics?
Students who get admission for Int-PhD in Physics at institutes like IISc, IISER Pune, or IISER Kolkata score decent marks in IIT-JAM. You should have a rank under 300 if you want admission at IISc. The required cutoff for IISER Pune remains under 500. For IISER Kolkata, you will need a rank under 700.
Here is an interview experience shared by a senior researcher at IISER
Should I prefer IISER Pune over IIT Madras, Kanpur, or Kharagpur for a BS and an MS in Physics?
Yes, you can prefer IISER Pune over IITs like Madras, Kanpur, or Kharagpur. Although this choice is not that significant. If you are interested in research, your bachelor’s and master’s degree are just baby steps. The difference between IISERs and IITs is the student crowd. Since IISER is more research-oriented, you will get to meet people who are genuinely interested in research. Before choosing any of these institutes, it’s better if you talk to the current students and get to know the faculty and facilities of these institutes.
Should I opt for IIT Kanpur or IISER Pune for pursuing BS MS programme? I am interested in physics.
There are many reasons I recommend students opt for IISER Pune, especially because of the unique approach it has towards education like no other institution.
IISER Pune unlike any other Institute doesn't let you choose your major up until the 4th semester. After studying a number of courses spread across various fields during the initial 1.5 years, you get to choose your major until you have to study 5 different subjects. Now this might be a major setback for some, but trust me, it’s one of the best decisions IISER Pune has ever made. The fact that you don’t select your major initially, gives you more than enough time to explore your area of interest rather than making a hasty decision. Many times students who seem interested in Physics, go for its major and later realize that it’s not their cup of tea. You cannot truly know if you are interested in a particular field until you try your hands at it. IISER also gives you enough freedom to choose what you want to study from an ocean of courses.
IIT Kanpur and most other engineering colleges, provide education through a core curriculum that is more engineering oriented. It lacks the disciplinary element of IISER. You have to choose a major at IIT Kanpur irrespective of the fact if you are sure about your inclination or not. Whereas in IISER you can keep doing interdisciplinary courses till the end.
So basically, I am not claiming IISER is better than IIT Kanpur. All I am saying is that the approach it has adopted is new and should be considered especially by those who aren’t sure of their passion yet.
What is the difference between IISER Pune and ICT Mumbai?
Institute of Chemical Technology has received an A++ accreditation from the National Assessment and Accreditation Council as well as the Ministry of Human Resource Development. It is now an autonomous university. It has been claimed to be the 18th best institute for Engineering by NIRF rankings.
Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune is a research-intensive institute. It claims to be more efficient than IITs in providing the right direction towards research. It is one of the most premium institutes of India established by the government.
Courses:
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Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai provides courses in B.Tech, M.Tech, B.Pharm, Bachelor of Chemical Engineering, and Master of Chemical Engineering as a specialization.
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IISER, Pune provides very limited courses. Their main focus is on providing a Bachelor’s of Science degree, Integrated B.S + M.S, Integrated Ph.D. program, and an independent Ph.D. program.
Admissions:
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ICT, Mumbai provides the provision for online as well as offline admission. B.tech admissions are done on the basis of MHT CET or JEE mains score. M.Tech admissions are conducted on the basis of GATE score or other relevant scores.
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IISER only provides an online method of the application procedure for all its courses. Students are required to appear for IISER Aptitude Test or IAT which is considered more than JEE mains. Students are selected based on merit and cut-offs.
Campus:
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ICT has 3 campuses and each campus is 16 acres each. It provides a feel of the corporate world to the students and provides all facilities in their few buildings.
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IISER provides state-of-the-art research facilities with dedicated computer labs and excellent IT infrastructure. They also have e-classrooms with one of the best internet connectivities in India. They also have an online and offline library that can be accessed 24/7.
Placements:
ICT Mumbai:
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It has a placement record of 90% placements.
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Major employers include BPCL, Pidilite industries, Johnson & Johnson, TATA Power, Nerolac, etc.
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The highest package offered was 18 LPA with the average being 5 LPA.
IISER:
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It only provides placement opportunities to Masters and Doctoral degree students.
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IISER graduates usually get placed into the top engineering and research companies in India.
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They also get offers from the government to work on nationalized projects.
Thus, IISER seems to be a better institute but it is very hard to get into. ICT, on the other hand, is a premier institute and provides ample amount of placement opportunities. Finally, it all depends on the student and their area of interest.
How many marks are required in the IISER aptitude test to get into IISER Pune or IISER Mohali?
One of my friends secured 105 marks in the IISER aptitude test a few years back. He got IISER Bhopal in the first round and IISER Kolkata in the second round. IISER Kolkata was his first preference. You should expect to get IISER Kolkata with a score of above 100. However, the cutoff differs each year, depending on various factors.
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