A college where Research matters

Positive: The location of the college is really good, it's in the centre of the city so every facility is within 5 kms of the campus. Negative: We don't get much free time, as compared to IITs, IIIT has more Assignments.

The course curriculum is different from IITs in the first year, we do not study all the subjects but only those related to our course, unlike IITs where 1st year has a common syllabus for all students. Though there are some Computer courses which Electrical students also have to study, and vice versa. A two-semester system is followed. Earlier there used to be two Mid-Sem exams followed by an End-Sem exam per semester, but now it is Quiz-1, Mid-Sem, Quiz-2, followed by End-Sem. Quiz-1/2 are papers of 45 minutes for each subject while Mid/End-Sem is 90 minutes. Additionally, there are Lab Exams during Mid, Qz2, and End Sem

IIIT-H has a good record in terms of Placement and Job opportunities, and many of the students even get PPO's (pre-placement offers) after they go for internships. The college doesn't provide internships before the third year, and I am still a first year student.

The most important and most hyped event of the college is Felicity - the annual techno-cultural fest of IIIT-H, which happens in February. Also, there is Felicity Buzz, which is like mini-Felicity but only for Freshers (UG-1 and PG-1) which happens in the first semester. Besides there is a Cult Night, an annual Carnival, and Music events like Unplugged, Euphonic and Meltdown.

The fee structure of IIIT-H is expensive as compared to IITs, NITs and other government colleges, rather it is comparable to that of good private colleges like BITS Pilani. Including hostel, mess, and everything, it comes out to be around ?2 Lakhs per semester.

Scholarship is awarded to those students whose family income is below ?8 LPA, which is funded by the alumni on a pay-it-forward basis. There is a branch of SBI in IIIT which provides guaranteed student loans to IIIT students upto ?20L without security.

Most if the labs are well equipped with the required technology but there are a few labs where some old equipments are not replaced which do not work properly. For sports, the college has a football ground, cricket ground, basketball court, and there are multiple volleyball nets and pingpong tables. Sports meet is held annually in November.

Opting for Hostel and Mess is compulsory in IIIT-H, even for local students. There are four hostels, three boys hostels - Bakul, Kadamb, and Palash, and one girls' hostel - Parijat. UG-1 to UG-3 students stay in Bakul Nivas, which has good infrastructure, the rooms are spacious and there are three common areas at every floor with table and chairs. There is also a lift in Bakul which is not there in Parijat and Palash Nivas. Water facility is not upto the mark in most of the hostels.

There is a well-organized Alumni Association, which connects the Alumni students to the current students, faculty and things going on in campus. We can contact them through the Alumni Cell and they are very helpful for guidance regarding placements. Most of the senior students are kind to the juniors and are always ready to help/guide us. There is an organisation called The Apex which is made up of UG-3/4 students to help Freshers adjust to the college in their initial days.

There are multiple modes of admission in IIIT-H. I got in through the KVPY/Olymiad mode. I first registered on the admission portal and filled up the form with my KVPY scorecard attached. The best 100 scores were called for an interview, and I was amongst them. I came for the interview and got selected in CND, which is one of the dual-degree courses.

The faculty of the college is highly qualified and highly experienced. All of the professors are of Research background and most of them are still a part of some research or the other, and many act as research advisors to the students who want to take up research after third year.