Looking through the hits on my blog from Search, I noticed a few based on "how to study like an IITian". Frankly speaking -- I'm sure there are a lot of misconceptions floating around out there about how IITians study (further spread by the infamous 5 pointers) -- so in the interests of improving the level of information on the internet and in public interest, allow me to elaborate.
The Golden Rule, The First Commandment and the Code by which every IITian must live by is never do anything before the last minute. If the presentation is due at 13.00, completing it before 12.30 is blasphemy and before 12.00 means that the concerned IITian has been abducted by aliens and replaced by a doppleganger. Lab reports -- even those involving 30 pages of writing, 10 pages of calculations and 20 graphs each with atleast 50 points (all of which must be drawn exclusively by hand) must never be started before the night before it is due. You get my drift, I assume.
Those who actually buy books are an endangered species -- fast dying out. Books are arranged by jugaad, through seniors, not returning books to the insti library, from the hostel library, photocopies, not buying at all. And so on.
Class Notes are an alien concept conceived by the same alien dopplegangers I mentioned earlier. And are photocopied and distributed throughout. Repeatedly.
Reading room is a euphemism for something else involving socializing, ornithology, etc. Ex(hibition) Hall is often mentioned with an extra s appended on the right word. The only way to actually accomplish anything is to sit facing the wall, with a pair of headphones. And maybe blinkers.
Another phenomenon often observed is that group study is extremely popular. I always doubt the efficacy of this method, though people I know are extremely successful in following this method. Including my room-mate and batch-mates. I have failed miserably in earning marks through group study.
And of course -- time devoted to study. If we did devote as much time to studies as the 5(!?) pointers did, we would've been 9 pointers. Without the (excessive) blessings of the Gods and daily devotion periods. Self study is something you fit in between extra-currics, video games, sleep (4 hours or so) and classes. If you do.
Hope that helps. Yours as always.
--Me.
How to study like an IITian
Life at IIT can be directly compared with one long, never ending race composed of many mini-targets to be achieved along the way. The loads of exams merely act as speedbumps -- cover them properly and you just might get ahead; or, you can trip and fall behind.
The UGLY: Life just before exams. Minors / majors are around the corner; preparation levels are generally at an all time low. Professors are doing their level best to complete their syllabus -- while simultaneously threatening us with extra classes. All the extra-curricular activities you tend to be involved in? Well, this is the time to do all that last minute, time-consuming work which just suddenly seems to pop up.
You can clearly tell the mental health and preparation levels of people around by their greetings. People who nod, and perhaps even manage a small smile -- well, they're going to ace the exams (having completed preparations 10 times already) [This breed is almost extinct; whenever you believe that the last one has died [passed] out, another pops up]. Most of us will manage a non-committal grunt -- we've covered some stuff, but still have that assignment to do and that chapter to revise, etc. etc. Those who don't (or rather, can't) notice you -- pity them, for they are doing their best to avoid slaughter.
The BAD: IIT during exams. The only redeeming point during the exams is the night messing where you tend to get decent food from the mess (I agree, that's an oxymoron if there ever was one, but it's true). Secondly, you can finally concentrate on a single subject at a time, without worrying about those before and after.
Student behaviour during this period has already been extensively cataloged by me in an earlier post which also has supporting illustrations.
The GOOD: IIT after exams. The difference between IIT before and after exams can be basically summed up by comparing a graveyard (with a hint of zombies) to a playground. People more or less tend to go crazy during this pleasant purgatory -- after the exams and before the results. Very few institute rules remain unbroken; very few methods of relaxation are not indulged in.
This period lasts for a very short time, as most professors seem to love to ger their hands off papers as fast as possible. They quickly check everything, note the marks in their various lists and hand us our heads on paper platters.
Afterwards, it's almost time for the next set of exams. And, not unlike Stephen King's The Dark Tower, everything starts again.
IITD tGtB&tU 1: Life during, before and after exams
First off -- I'm guilty too -- not very - but still, guilty enough.
What am I talking about? The applications we are all sending these days to get that dream foreign intern. Have a look here: http://www.phdcomics.com/proceedings/viewtopic.php?t=7671&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0 .
A few key highlights from the 8 page long conversation:
Once to twice per week I get an application for an internship from an undergraduate student at the Indian Institute of Technology in Mumbai. I used to reply to them politely, then caustically, then I wrote to the bloody university asking them to pass something round the students telling them to stop, now I just delete them.Put simply...
(1) IIT in Mumbai is a much more highly rated university than mine so why on earth would they want to come here?
(2) We don't offer internships anyway
(3) Why would a student want to do an engineering internship in another university, surely they should be looking at engineering companies.
(4) The blighters never bother to actually read my personal webpage and tailor what they write to my actual research work anyway.
I get a few, fairly regularly, and my area is Physics. They ask for a summer internship (generally about 3 months) and they always begin "Dear Respected Sir". They include an attachment that purports to be their CV, but I have never opened one because I fear a virus. I delete them without replying.
Nice reading? Let's move on to advice to IIT Guwahati from an alumnus:
Dear current ______ students,
In past few weeks I was struck by a string of emails that motivated me to write back to you. If you are someone who is applying for internships/ research positions/ MS in various schools or companies (in India or abroad) , then hang on and listen to some important stuff that I have to say. I think, this will really help you in being more succesful in your search for whatever you are looking for, and will also help in maintaining reputation of the school that you are graduating from:
First some unarguable facts:
1) All of us have a stake in maintaining reputation of the Department of _________.If due to any reason, reputation of our school/program goes down, it means less opportunities for all of us (alumnis and current students combined).
2) When we send out "mails" the response rate is only 10-20%.
Each one of us have mastered the "Art" (you know what I mean). All of us come to IIT, learn from our seniors about how they got that cool internship in Europe or that coveted GA/TA/RA position in a US univ. Obedient and smart people we are, we formulate our own mails, "customized and tailormade for our situations", and the competition then is who sends out the most sucks in a night. Correct? The news is that every prof I know personally, knows about this process. Because guess what, this is the same prof who received a barrage of such emails every previous year. And over time, they too have gotten smarter, and a lot of them now ignore such emails. Ever wondered, why only 10-20% people reply to your "mails"? This is the reason why.3) Should we stop sending these mails out? Short answer is Yes. Well then how do I get those cool internships and GA/TA/RA positions? Start sending out real and genuine emails.
As the saying goes: "Practise what you Preach (and vice versa)". I too am guilty of the same. Maybe because no one told me the correct way. We were the second batch of the program, and there was just no precedance before us. No alumni ever told us that when ordinary people receive a standard IIT "Suck" they are left speechless, astonished and dumbfounded (Okay, maybe not all three together, but one at a time). But having grown wiser over all these years I feel that its my duty to tell the current students that the standard method of sending "sucks" is so 1990's. We are now in 2008. The rats (read profs) have learnt to skip our mousetraps (read sucks). We need a better designed mousetrap (do they still teach such stuff in DO* Wink.
So lets do a critical analysis of some sentences from standard sucks that I received (I won't tell who sent that to me. Ever. And it is not even my remotest intention to embarrass anyone. So don't get disheartened if I used your email. You can still count me as a friend.)
-----------------------------------Dear Sir,
I am a Pre-final Year undergraduate student (3rd year) pursuing Bachelor of ****** in ****** Department at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Guwahati - one of the premier institutes of technology in India and among the most prestigious undergraduate schools in the world.
.
.
I have a fervid desire to do my summer internship under your able guidance during the period May-July,2008.
.
.
I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere interest in pursuing my summer internship during the period May - July 2008, under your esteemed guidance. It would be a rewarding experience for me to expand my knowledge boundary under a person of your stature.
.
.
Sir, I am writing this mail in order to explore the possibility of doing a summer project/internship in your company during May-July 2008. I am inclined to do a summer internship in the field of "Human Computer Interaction, Usability Engineering, Interface Design" to acquire the skills and knowledge necessary for a future career as a professional. I am a highly motivated and hard-working student and am willing to take on any available project that would be relevant to my area of study.
.
.
I have been a hard working student right from my schooling days and I assure you the best effort from my side.I have an inherent curiosity which drives me to the fathom of the subject and has thereby helped me to develop a strong conceptual foundation.
.
.
I would be extremely fortunate to get an opportunity to work in a distinguished company as your's and gain practical knowledge in the field of design which will help me shaping my future.
.
.
Please give some time to evaluate my chances of getting an opportunity to do a project under your company as this would really play a significant role for shaping my future.---------------------------------
Dude and Dudettes, I'm embarrassed. I am not God. And I definitely don't have a "stature" of Abhraham Lincoln (if that's what you meant). I am sure you are a hard working person, but so is everyone else. And I absolutely do not care about your "fervid desires". And most of all, I don't have a "distinguished company" nor do I have any role whatsoever in defining "your future". You future entirely depends on you and you alone. When you send out an email, that is what defines your future. No-one I know in industry will give a call back to someone who sent such an email. Now when I think about my own history, maybe that's why I myself could never get an internship in Europe. You need to learn from your senior's experiences.
A professor from my grad school told me last year (and this is a fact too btw). He said "I think I am fed up with students from your undergrad college. They seem to have these illusions that by sending out such emails they will suddenly get a windfall of assistantship. It just don't happen that way. And what is it with everyone sending similar sounding emails? Do they have essay classes in India where they are taught to write in a specific way?"
Friends, this is killing the reputation of our school and reducing the chances of your future success. You and you alone can get this back on track. The season of sending out "sucks" is coming rapidly. This time (just for a change), write a simple, concise, short email.
-----------------Believe it or not, small emails will firstly ensure that your email is read. Secondly, It will leave the reader with the feeling that he received an email from an actual human being (and not a robot). Thirdly, it will leave a door open to ping back with minimum effort, if someone did not respond back. Address people by their name, not "Sir".
Think in this way. It is fair for you to think of your emails as something that is very important to you. Because your career is at stake. So you tend to fill up the email with details about your projects, past internships, profs with whom you have worked for. But for a second stop and think from the perspective of the reader. They don't care about any of the stuff you will write (unless of course you won a Nobel Prize). Your email is just another one in their busy inbox. Stand out by writing short email, and easy to read crisp resumes and portfolio websites. And as always, ask your alumni or seniors if you have any questions. Don't address your professor as Sir. We have not yet gotten that "Order of the British Empire".
Hope some of these things will make sense to you.
Good luck with your search.
Just going through the full thread would be best. Have a look. See our (alright - it's focussed more on IIT B, but they can replace B by D anyday) excellent reputation.
And just stop and think before clicking send. I know I will.
P.S. Also have a look here for another perspective.
Guys at IIT D – be careful about apps!
The excerpt says it all:
The premier Indian Institutes of Technology have done it once again by claiming a clear lead over all other engineering institutions in the country, occasionally swapping places between themselves.
Top ranker IIT Delhi (IIT-D) exchanged places with last year’s topper IIT Kanpur (IIT-K) and this year’s fifth ranker IIT Chennai (IIT-C) traded places with last year’s fifth ranker IIT Kharagpur (IIT-KH) that has moved up to the fourth slot. [...]
this year’s top ranker IIT-D has taken the lead in innovation.
More ‘open electives’ and the flexibility to move between them means students can practically design their own course. “You could be a mechanical student who, in addition to your core electives, acquires a parallel specialisation in electrical. You could spread it thin over a number of areas or perhaps acquire micro-specialisation in a single area,” says IIT-D Director, Prof Surendra Prasad.
Two M.Tech programmes—molecular science and technology and atmospheric sciences—are being planned to fill critical manpower gaps in relevant industries. A school of biological sciences is also in the process of being set up. [...]
The top ranker also recorded a 30-35 per cent increase in its research budget, up from last year’s Rs 45 crore to Rs 78 crore which will help it double its intake of Ph.D students every five years. The faculty too rakes in close to Rs 100 crore in consultancy and research projects.
“Students in their first year itself are asked to design something new, which might not be great research or a spectacular invention but it gets them into the act of creativity,” says Prasad.
They are consciously guided towards taking up grand challenges. Although there always is a fuss over cutting edge research, innovations that empower the common man are not neglected either.
See the full report here.
[ Source: India Today. Pointed there by: Lagnajeet Das. ]
Pride.
I have completed my first year of college. And yet, the what I think of first - whenever someone/something reminds me of the fact - is that there are still three more years to go. The fact that this is just the beginning and not the end is what I invariably think of whenever I am reminded of the fact.
First, a review: Life has changed since IIT. I too, have changed a lot- both physically and mentally. Leaner, toughened a bit; I have been exposed to some new aspects of life now. For one thing, I now really understand the price of one minute of time: every moment is important, every second can be utilised.
For almost 5 years now, everything I have done has been focussed on now: goals to meet, homework to complete, things to do. For once, I can relax, and look into both the past and the future. Perhaps even stop and smell the flowers - without getting run over by the traffic that is life.
Now, 'tis the time to relax and make merry. But I must take care, lest I relax to the extent that I become unable to cope up with my next semester.
Looking forward to the rest of my life. Lots to learn, lots to do.
This is just the beginning.
One year old. Three more to go.
For all of those of you who read my blog and don't know, I am an IITian. (If you don't know, you have flagrantly disobeyed my orders and not read Read this first!. But then, people will be people- never doing what is right for them.)
The purpose of re-informing (I'm not sure if this is a word) you all is that apart from being one, I come in daily contact with people who spend hours studying, working, running and rarely sleeping. Also people who rarely study, but have fun all the time but again, rarely sleep.
This is perhaps the first attempt by an IITian to analyze the frustration of- and strange activities indulged in by- IITians during exam time. Something like a bee looking at a bee-hive to find out why bees make honey.
It is during the exams that we mutate into, er, something else. (Notice my careful avoidance of the word someone.) Majors, minors all affect our brains in extraordinary ways, modifying eating, sleeping, behavioural patterns. Always extremely tense - psyched - we live through 2-3 weeks of torture. And our response is frightening. (And if documented properly- will provide lots of new patients for all mental institutions.)
IITians are a strange breed. Specially me.
It starts 1-2 weeks before the exams. The Reading Room and Examination Hall - areas generally considered useful for other activities (known to all college students) are havens for serious study. Cutting down already minimal hours of sleep, caffeine becomes a common component of the bloodstream, and sleeping in class becomes even more common than normal.
Everyone lives in a complete state of tension, heightened senses, and extreme exhaustion. Certain people enjoy quizzing others on their level of preparation -- and narrowly escape death by a blunt instrument (generally a very thick book; a desk in some rare cases).
The real inner students/geeks/nerds/madmen are revealed late at night -- when there are still hundreds of pages to be read, two hours to learn them in (with assorted, interesting, unsolved questions) and the poor chap who has to wade through the book is half dead already (having gone through thousands of pages of dull, highly involved and extremely boring material.) The icing on the cake: his partner doesn't care and is sleeping soundly. In rare, and extremely unfortunate cases- the man's partner finished all that stuff the week before and has already revised it twice and is sleeping soundly in the same room.
The unfortunate guy then has only a few options: go to sleep and leave it all on the gods -- or rely on the (non-existent) mercy of the professors; carry out a hurried brain transplant on the resident genius (a risky procedure: there are very few qualified brain surgeons in engineering colleges who can work on such short notice using only a pocket knife); study like mad while cursing his past self for not studying (generally not done) or leak the paper.
So now you have a general idea of the cause of the effect.
And now for the effect itself: sitting staring blankly at a mountain of books- not moving to eat/drink/etc.; not bathing/eating/changing clothes/sleeping/breathing (occasionally leads to zombification); discussing efficient ways of breaking just the right amount of bones to skip the exams; fighting / mock-fighting / murdering; even stealing (I believe some students get a touch of kleptomania under stress); finding ways to leak the papers while drawing up extensively detailed plans to achieve the same; locking others in their rooms; taking strange photographs using the ubiquitous cell phone cameras; prophesying killer/simple/average papers/cataclysms/the end of the world/questions that will come in the papers; wearing strange clothes and parading around. In general, weird behaviour. (To be precise: more weird than is normal in college.)
As the exams arrive, we progress from the outer circles of Dante's Hell to the inner ones (where the interesting -- and highly painful -- stuff really starts). Going bald by tearing our own hair out, we arrive to give papers, write some scribbles and gratefully -- if not gracefully -- depart (from the examination hall -- not the world).
Returning, we let off steam in highly imaginative --and unimaginative-- ways: TT, carrom, basketball, various sports, sleeping, simply chatting, orkutting, facebooking... you know the drill. (If you don't, you better learn it from someone.)
And then we return to studies. Again.
And then; the final exam has passed. IIT turns from a morgue to one big party. Everyone cools down in his/its own way. Which is generally even weirder than behaviour displayed during the exams. And which I consider unprintable. Atleast for now. Perhaps I will speak (metaphorically) of it in detail later. 
And then we receive our results. Which is even more frustrating. Especially for those poor guys who studied hard- but got useless grades. Case in point: me.
Anyone who has come in contact with IITians during this period must realize that this is not the standard behaviour of the IITian in question and must be ignored. It will probably not be repeated during his lifetime outside of IIT. To quote Matchbox 20:
Unwell, Matchbox 20
All day
Staring at the ceiling
Making friends with shadows on my wall
All night
Hearing voices telling me
That I should get some sleep
Because tomorrow might be good for something
Hold on
I'm feeling like I'm headed for a
Breakdown
I don't know why
I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell
I know, right now you can't tell
But stay awhile and maybe then you'll see
A different side of me
I'm not crazy, I'm just a little impaired
I know, right now you don't care
But soon enough you're gonna think of me
And how I used to be
Me
Talking to myself in public
Dodging glances on the train
I know
I know they've all been talking 'bout me
I can hear them whisper
And it makes me think there must be something wrong
With me
Out of all the hours thinking
Somehow
I've lost my mind
I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell
I know, right now you can't tell
But stay awhile and maybe then you'll see
A different side of me
I'm not crazy, I'm just a little impaired
I know right now you don't care
But soon enough you're gonna think of me
And how I used to be
I been talking in my sleep
Pretty soon they'll come to get me
Yeah, they're taking me away
I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell
I know, right now you can't tell
But stay awhile and maybe then you'll see
A different side of me
I'm not crazy I'm just a little impaired
I know, right now you don't care
But soon enough you're gonna think of me
And how I used to be
Hey, how I used to be
How I used to be, yeah
Well I'm just a little unwell
How I used to be
How I used to be
Disclaimer
I have written from 1 semester's experience at Vindhyachal hostel, IIT Delhi, ED floor. The generalization doesn't apply to everyone in my floor, let alone all IITs or even the full Vindy hostel. I am not a qualified psychologist. Please do not send us to mental institutions based solely on this report. The photographs have not been doctored in any way and represent students caught doing what they generally do. (They may have occasionally posed for the camera too, though.)
P.S. I'm not crazy. Most probably.
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