How is IIT BHU??

Departments:
IIT BHU has a bunch of different departments you can choose from, such as Ceramic, Chemical, Civil, Computer Science, Electrical, Electronics, Mechanical, Mining, Pharmaceutical Engineering, and others.

Identity Card:
Once you start, you'll get a temporary ID card in a few days, and you can apply for a permanent one online.

Classrooms:
The classrooms here are spacious and come with projectors, screens, and speakers. They're perfect for learning and can seat about 150 to 200 students.

Hostels:
There are plenty of hostels with lots of food options. You can pick any mess you like and switch at the end of the month if you want. Some of the hostels include Aryabhatta I & II, S.N. Bose, Dr. C.V. Raman, Dhanrajgiri, Dr. S. Ramanujan, GSMC, New Girls Hostel, and many more.

Gymkhana:
IIT BHU focuses on developing well-rounded individuals, not just engineers. The Gymkhana organizes three main festivals: Technex (Tech & Management), Kashiyatra (Cultural), and Spardha (Sports).

Wi-Fi:
The whole campus has fast Wi-Fi, which is super handy.

Library:
The library is made up of the Shreenivas Deshpande Library and five departmental ones. They are open from 8 AM to 1 AM, except on public holidays. After you sign up, you get access to several cool resources like LSDiscovery for smart searches, PressReader for newspapers and magazines, Ouriginal for plagiarism detection, SciFinder for research, Turnitin for checking assignments, Grammarly Premium for writing help, and IEEE Xplore.

SAC (Student Activity Centre):
This place has loads of facilities like badminton and squash courts, a gym, taekwondo and boxing rings, chess, carrom, and yoga spaces.

Fests & Councils:
Each department hosts its own festival, like Codefest for Computer Engineering and Aayam for Electronics. There are also councils for cultural, media, sports, and social activities.

Supercomputing Centre:
This facility was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February 2019 as part of the National Supercomputing Mission.

Just sharing my thoughts as a student here.

Infrastructure: 3.5 / 5.0

The academic buildings are pretty basic. Most lecture rooms are old-school with blackboards and chalk, which is alright. Even though projectors are available, not many professors use them. The sound quality isn't great, so students at the back struggle to hear well, and without air conditioning, it's tough to sit through classes during the hot summer days.

Hostels here are spacious and surrounded by beautiful green gardens. You might even spot peacocks in some hostel gardens early in the morning. This natural setting is something you won't find in a lot of other places. The rooms are small but decent enough, although bathrooms and toilets often aren't clean, except in a few hostels. The lack of Western-style toilets can be a big issue, especially for students from cities or those with disabilities. The common rooms are large with just one TV and a couple of table tennis tables for some reason.

A major headache is the lack of proper LAN in hostels. At the start of the year, setting up LAN cables from the warden's office to the rooms is a pain, especially with the fight over the limited LAN ports. The internet speed is painfully slow, sometimes as low as 1 kbps, despite attempts to fix it.

Faculty & Research: 2.0 / 5.0

Oh, the faculty! Most professors are just average or even below that, with only a few exceptions. Compared to other IITs, the teaching quality here is pretty low. Many professors come across as arrogant and don't focus on providing good education, assuming students are irresponsible.

Grading can be a mystery, with rumors of random grading or handwriting and long answers being the key to good marks. Inconsistency in grades is a common complaint.

Research output is not impressive either. Many faculty members are busy with administrative work, leaving little focus on research, and what research there is often doesn't get much international recognition. The facilities aren't cutting-edge, so it's not the best place for research.

Facilities: 3.5 / 5.0

Here's a breakdown:

• a. Library: Finding the books you need can be a challenge due to the library's disorganized system. Books are often in the wrong sections, and popular course books are scarce, disappearing quickly after a semester starts. There's a separate section for SC/ST students, who can borrow more books than general students, which seems puzzling.
• b. Internet: Some might say BHU has some of the best LAN infrastructure in India, but students usually disagree. The Computer Center provides the internet, accessed through proxies. Some proxies block social media and certain content based on keywords, so students use software to bypass these restrictions, leading to network congestion and frequent errors even on simple searches. The internet in academic buildings, though, is fast and reliable.
• c. Office Hours: Unlike other institutes with 24/7 lab access, here, you'll find...

I’ve been at IIT-BHU for two years now, and here’s my take on it.

To sum it up:

Unique Features:

• IIT-BHU is part of a 1350-acre campus, making it one of the most diverse IIT environments.
• The campus entrance, known as Lanka Gate, is a popular spot.
• Students here benefit from a wide range of interdisciplinary courses due to its university setting.
• The campus is home to the New Vishwanath Temple, a beloved landmark for students.
• Visitors, both local and international, frequently tour the university.
• From the third year, students are allowed to bring vehicles onto campus.
• IIT-BHU pioneered an innovative induction program to help new students adjust after their intense JEE preparations.
• It’s also the only IIT with a Satvik Mess, serving pure vegetarian meals without onions and garlic.
• The campus has a dedicated social service council, which is unique among IITs.
• Located in Varanasi, students experience the city's famous Ghats and temples.
• While many students choose the older IITs over IIT-BHU, some courses here offer a superior curriculum and better average salaries.

Pros:

• The average salary package is around 13 lpa, supported by a strong alumni network.
• There’s a vibrant and competitive coding scene.

Cons:

• Many hostels are quite old and cramped.
• While some students find this unpleasant, others embrace it as part of living in historic buildings.
• The infrastructure could use some improvements.

Feel free to explore our campus and delve deeper if you’re curious.

History:

IIT-BHU started as Banaras Engineering College in 1919, part of the renowned Banaras Hindu University established in 1916 by Mahamana Pt. Madan Mohan Malaviya. It became IT-BHU in 1968 by merging BENCO, MINMET, and TECHNO. After a proposal in 1972, it finally became IIT-BHU in 2012. I’m mentioning this to highlight its long history—hence, the older buildings.

Location:

IIT-BHU is set in Varanasi, considered one of the world’s oldest living cities. It sits at the crossroads of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

City Life:

Varanasi is known for its narrow lanes, bustling roads, and crowded areas. It’s famous for the Ghats, with mesmerizing post-sunset and sunrise aartis, and for its traditional street food. There are also a few malls, though they lack major cinema chains like INOX or PVR.

Campus:

Sharing space with Banaras Hindu University, which is Asia’s largest residential campus, IIT-BHU is surrounded by lush greenery and features Indo-Gothic architecture.

Nearby Day Trips:

• Sarnath
• Lakhaniya Dari Waterfalls
• Rajdari Waterfalls
• Gaya-Bodh Gaya
• Allahabad are great nearby spots for a quick visit.

Councils and Fests:

The campus has five councils: Science and Technology, Film and Media, Cultural, Sports, and Social Service. It hosts four major events: Technex (tech fest), Kashi Yatra (cultural fest), Spardha (sports fest), and FMC Weekend.

Support and Opportunities:

There are four main cells: Training & Placement, Student Alumni Interaction, E-Cell, and International Relations Office. A recently formed student-faculty body offers support in wellness, academics, career planning, skill development, and international exchanges.

When I had to choose between IIT-BHU CSE IDD, BITS Pilani CSE B.Tech, and IIIT-H CSE B.Tech, I picked IIT-BHU CSE IDD. I haven’t regretted it, though everyone’s priorities are different.