My Best two years at IIT Bombay

The Course Curriculum: Two semesters of rigorous course work followed by one year of Project work. The course work was interactive & Intensive, with frequent class tests before the semester examination. Professors teaching the class were highly qualified and trained in imparting professional courses. The course had offered options to select Microwave Engineering or Electron Devices as an area of specialization. Had opted for Microwave Engineering as the telecom scene in India was growing. The campus placement was not in vogue during the late 60. However, I was able to get 2-3 job offers within 2 months of my leaving IIT-B. Besides, there was an option to enroll in a Ph.D. program. Apart from the high standard academics, I had learned a lot by participating in sports, cultural events, and raising funds to improve the facilities in the common room of Hostel 1.

We were to find jobs on our own and the process of internships had not begun. However, during my second year of the project, a lot of my work was done at TIFR and BARC where I had used their laboratory facilities.

Field Hockey Tournament: Was a player in the team. Volleyball tournament: had played in one team. Cultural event at the end of the semester: Arranged the participants from Bollywood (Singers mainly). Holi & Diwali were celebrated in grand style resulting in social interaction with professors and their families.

I am writing about the 1967-69 period. The monthly fee used to be INR 37.50 for the course and 27.50 for a hostel or a total of INR 60 per month. ALL PG students used to get a monthly scholarship of INR 250. The amount of scholarship covered tuition fees, hostel fees, mess expenses, and other miscellaneous expenses like movies and travel. Grand Old days!

250 per month. All selected for the PG course were provided this amount. The eligibility criterion was to get admitted to the PG course.

The gender ratio: 90% male. We had students from all sections of society and all of us gelled together as one big family. Our Hostel had 4 wings: We used to have inter wing sports competitions once every month: Badminton, Volleyball, TT, etc. There used to be no ragging but freshers cultural night used to be celebrated as a grand function in the auditorium. There were very few Muslims and Sikhs but all were treated equally by everyone. It was a great harmonious living together and the best two years of my educational journey.

We were accommodated in Hostel 1, which was and maybe still the best hostel. We were given a single room with common bathrooms. The rooms provided Cot to sleep, a study table, cupboard. The hostel mess was serving good food, starting with bed tea in the morning. The hostel had a playground for volleyball and badminton. The Hostel rent was INR 27.50 per month and the food 100-125 INR per month.

Alumni are doing great work for the institute in terms of the Mentoring program, fundraising, and general networking.

After graduation from Jabalpur University, I had two options: 1) to try and get selected to BARC Graduate training engineer (first choice) or 2) Get admitted to a Postgraduate course in Electrical Engineering at IIT B. IIT had the process of entrance examination followed by an interview. Unfortunately, the date and timing of both the BARC interview and IIT test were on the same day same time. Went to BARC as it was the first choice. After the BARC interview visited IIT but the entrance tests and interviews were already completed. Contacted the head of the electrical engineering department (Late Prof C Balakrishnan), who was kind enough to give the test and called me on the following day for an interview. Got selected and joined the program on schedule in July 1967.

The department of Electrical Engineering was headed by Late Professor C. Balakrishnan and there were other senior professors and lecturers. The faculty was top class. The average age of professors was >55 years but the lecturers were 30 years ago. A lot of informal discussions were possible with the faculty.