Is IIT Hyderabad good or bad??

When I first arrived at the ODF Medak campus, where IIT Hyderabad is located, I wasn't thrilled about the setting. The hostel rooms were in old barracks that had been fixed up. However, I didn't let any of this dampen my excitement to begin my journey here because I was determined to advance in my career.

Choosing IIT Hyderabad over other newer IITs was an easy decision after hearing great feedback about their education, research opportunities, and job prospects. My goal was to advance my career, and I was ready to deal with some challenges if it meant being in a place that could support my growth.

I was not let down by my choice. The teaching quality, support from professors, and the wide range of classes (like Psychology, Entrepreneurship, and Photojournalism) prepared me intellectually for future challenges. In my first year, I was able to get a research assistantship due to a project I had worked on in Psychology, analyzing how authors of research papers collaborate.

Being a relatively new institution, IIT Hyderabad offers lots of chances for students to take initiative and be creative. Organizing our festival, Elan, and interacting with classmates, whether positively or negatively, helped me develop emotionally. Even years later, I still talk about my Elan experience during job interviews to demonstrate my skills.

I owe a big part of my success today to my time at IIT Hyderabad. Like anything worthwhile, success there also came with its challenges. When I was there, the placement cell and administration seemed slow, but I understand they were just getting started, as I was only in the second graduating batch. If you can't handle organizational politics, stereotypes, subpar mess food (common in many Indian colleges), or the distance from Hyderabad, and you're not ready to push through these issues, then IIT Hyderabad might not be for you.

However, if you're focused on becoming a successful professional and are ready to overcome any obstacles, IIT Hyderabad is one of the best places in India to achieve that. The experience there definitely fosters both professional and personal growth.

IIT Hyderabad is one of the fastest-growing IITs in India, located in a major industrial hub. The curriculum is quite flexible, offering innovative ideas like Fractal Academics and fractional credit courses in areas such as Photojournalism and Filmmaking, along with industry expert-led classes. It also features unique interdisciplinary fields like Engineering Science and the option to minor in entrepreneurship. Being situated in a big city with plenty of research facilities and multinational companies gives it an advantage over IITs and NITs in smaller towns. Overall, IITH is definitely among the top choices for newer IITs.

Here's the real deal about IIT Hyderabad that you won't find in the typical reviews. Sure, people rave about things like the fractal system, but there's another side that only those of us studying here know about. It's frustrating, and I just have to share it. Don't get me wrong, I love my college, but this is a reality check.

First off, it's located over two hours away from the city, near a small village called Kandi. Honestly, it feels more like IIT Kandi than IIT Hyderabad. When we first arrived, the campus was a huge shock. I've never seen a more basic setup. Everything, from the rooms to the cafeteria, was in sheds. There was a tiny stationary shop and even a small barber shop, all in sheds. The hostels were just a collection of new shacks. But the worst part was the institute building, which looked like it could be a primary school. It was a shabby two-story structure with the main lecture hall on the roof. Yep, on the roof. Ironically, it was the nicest room. We understood it was a new IIT with temporary facilities, but there are limits. The computer labs had broken chairs and non-working ACs, and the lab roof was falling apart with tiles missing. It was like, come on, this is an IIT, right? Shouldn't there be some standards? Oh, and there was also a small cafeteria in the institute.

Speaking of the cafeteria, it opened from 10 am to 2.30 pm and again from 6 pm to 11.30 pm. They didn't sell glass bottle drinks, so if you wanted a cold drink, it cost 30 bucks. Sometimes they'd have Frooti or Appy if they were feeling generous, but never Lays. Instead, they sold the weirdest chips. I could go on, but you get the picture.

Student interaction is another story. Apparently, if a senior is caught talking to a fresher, it's a big deal, and DAC (more on that later) is involved. Our wardens think we should only eat, study, and sleep. Student activities? Not a chance. There's a mentorship program called Sunshine, where two seniors help freshers with settling in and study issues. It's actually a good initiative. Not everyone can be a mentor; there's a screening process, interviews, and training by professionals. So, mentors are trained and not just any senior. But wardens interfere with mentor meetings, fests, and club activities, accusing us of ragging, even when everything is approved by the director.

Then there's the DAC or Disciplinary Action Committee. Remember the one from 3 Idiots? Here, it's a whole different story. If you send an email about any student issue, you're threatened with a DAC by the wardens and fined by the Student Gymkhana. The Gymkhana, by the way, doesn't stand up for us. Once elections are over, they turn into the wardens' puppets, forgetting they're supposed to represent students. One big issue is that many students are from the south. While it's not bad and can be a good thing, it does lead to some challenges in unity.