IISER life

There was an aptitude test called the IISER aptitude test (IAT exam). The eligibility to write this exam was that we should either have passed 12th grade that year or the previous year, not more than that. We should not have scored less than 80% during the COVID years. In previous years, there was a cut-off percentage for each board. There were other ways to get admission. One is through JEE Advance channel and the other is through the kvpy channel. The reservation was applied for different categories and the cut-off of the aptitude test was different for different categories. The admission is done each year by different IISERs, there are overall 7 IISERs in India.

This course allows us to do 5 years of integrated BS MS. We only have to choose our major subject after two years of the foundation course. IISER allows us to do research-based education. All the faculties teaching us are top-grade faculties who have a minimum requirement of a Ph.D. and postdoc. They are each researching their respective topics. There are many professors and each has a group of Ph.D. candidates who are our TAs(Teaching Assistants) taking tutorials for us. We have mid-semester and end-semester exams along with assignments, group projects, labs, and lab exams.

We have the opportunity to do internships under professors as well as most apply for internships outside the campus in institutes like IITs, IISc, NITs, IISERs, etc. at least once in these 5 years. Those who do internships in companies are low. Some also do internships abroad. Each professor has their labs doing different research which gives us a lot of options in our branch. They also give a letter of recommendation if we want to do it outside.

SC and ST students receive tuition fee waivers. Almost 30% of students receive inspire scholarships. Others apply for other central government scholarships. I have received post matric scholarship but that doesn't cover much. There is no tuition fee waiver on an income basis, which is a big downfall. There is not much option for BSMS students to do the jobs on campus or outside. Our classes, tutorials, and labs take up most of our time. But you can do online jobs with flexible timings.

There is an annual fest in IISER Thiruvananthapuram called Ishya taking place in April. Other than that we celebrate almost all of our national festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali, Onam, etc., and also Halloween and certain others. We have air-conditioned classrooms, labs, and libraries along with wi-fi almost everywhere on the campus including hostels. We have a well-equipped library and the college promotes sports and other cultural activities like dance, singing, literature, etc. and we have clubs for these along with physics, maths, chemistry, bio, and coding clubs. Some clubs have websites while all have Instagram pages. IISERs have inter-IISER sports meets (IISM) and cultural meets(IICM).

We have 2 per-room hostels. Hostels are well equipped and have good facilities. They are affordable only 3000 for 3 months or so. The mess fee is separate which is nearly 3800 per month. Food is okay. They serve chicken twice a week and eggs almost 3 times a week. There is an option for both veg and non veg on those days. All the hostels are inside the campus itself. We do not have attached bathrooms but have two common washrooms on each floor which are cleaned daily by cleaners. Rooms have two pairs of tables and chairs, build cupboards, and two beds. We also have a balcony which is shared by two rooms