‘Tis that time of the year when aspirants need to give their best to make it into an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT). Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Advanced 2023 is almost here and so is the conundrum of selecting the right IIT for students who qualify this tough exam. Choosing can be a tricky task, considering the number of choices available, couple this with the fact that less than one-fifth of the students who write JEE Advanced get a seat in an IIT. It is important to make sure one considers all the relevant aspects.
Rank of the institute
Experts say it is better to apply to the five old IITs, namely Bombay, Madras, Delhi, Kharagpur and Kanpur. Not only are these institutes at the top of the NIRF (National Institutional Ranking Framework) ranking list, but they also guarantee good exposure and network building.
However, if one is unable to secure a position in these five IITs, MN Rao, a JEE coach with extensive experience, suggests students opt for the IITs within the next 10 ranks. Suresh M, Managing Partner, Scholar Spectra Educational Coaching Institute, Puducherry, advises students to look into both national and international rankings to assess the standing of each IIT.
In an obvious conclusion, experts suggest students choose a top-ranked NIT, instead of opting for a lower-ranked or newly established IIT, with good reason.
The JEE rank
Prathap Haridoss, Dean of Academic Courses at IIT Madras, says, "We see that students take the opening and closing ranks for the branches very seriously. Ranks should be a deciding factor, but not the only factor." He mentioned that students often don't apply to a course fearing they wouldn't get in on the basis of the previous year's cut-offs, a practice that needs to be avoided.
"A student's career will not be based on the opening and closing ranks. They would be coming to college for learning and growth. So my advice would be not to stress over the ranks, and students should analyse what they are really interested in, both academically and otherwise," he adds.
A worthy branch
Nitin Vijay, an alumnus of IIT-BHU and Founder/CEO of Motion Education, a leading coaching institute at Kota, Rajasthan, opines that choosing a good course is the most important factor.
He explains with an example: If a student is eligible for a Civil course at IIT Bombay and an Electrical course at IIT Delhi, since the Electrical branch has far more opportunities when compared with the Civil branch, it is wiser to choose that, though IIT Bombay is better than IIT Delhi. "Hence, opting for a course can open up far more lucrative opportunities than college," he says.
Anupam Gupta, Assistant Professor, Department of Physics, IIT Hyderabad, agrees. He states that it is better to choose an emerging branch like Computer Science (CS) at a National Institute of Technology (NIT) than forcing oneself to opt for traditional courses like Mechanical Engineering at a top IIT. "For traditional courses, IIT Bombay and Madras are popular, while for courses like CS, IIT Delhi is much sought after," he adds.
However, "It is better to opt for a seat in a second-tier branch in an old IIT than a first-tier branch in a new IIT," opines Pranav Jeevan, a PhD scholar at IIT Bombay and an alumnus of IIT Kanpur. He also advises students against compromising on their branch of choice.
"Even if one is unable to land a chosen branch, many IITs provide the flexibility of choosing a minor subject in the third year. Students can opt for a minor in their chosen branch and can pursue a job in that field after the completion of their course," the scholar adds, suggesting aspirants research well on the minor option before applying.
Academic environment
Experts mention that academics at the IITs, especially the top IITs, are more or less the same. However, they state that the perks like having the option of choosing electives, course-related co-curricular activities and financial aids can be deciding factors when choosing an IIT. “Evaluate the fee structure and the availability of scholarships or financial aid options. It's essential to consider the financial implications of studying at each IIT and ensure it aligns with your budget and resources," says Suresh.
Non-academic environment
Since academics are similar in the IITs, experts lay more emphasis on the non-academic aspects. "At IITs, there are arts, drama, dance clubs and various other clubs, through which students can explore their interests. Based on what they would like to pursue, aspirants can look up these clubs and choose which IIT they would want to go to," Pranav suggests.
Traversing cities
Nitin suggests students research a little on which city they would like to stay in, as they would be away from home for four or more years. "It will be very crucial in shaping their personality and at the same time, help them acquire and hone new skill sets.”
Though it is a personal choice, Pranav suggests students opt for IITs which are not located close to where they stay. "This will give them a chance to meet new people and communities." Haridoss adds that this is the time of students' lives when they can explore. "My suggestion is to make the best use of this time. We have seen that after a month on the campuses, the students like their stay and homesickness goes away."
The experts also state that opting for IITs located in metropolitans has an added edge, as they have a good industry presence as compared to other IITs.
What about placement?
Nitin says that analysis of the placement opportunity of a particular course at a particular institute is crucial. "Students should review the placement trend of the past three to four years to get a clear picture of the average pay package one could get with the minimum and most basic Curriculum Vitae (CV)," he says.
Research opportunities
Though the experts agree that research is not a factor that a BTech student needs to consider initially, Haridoss mentions that students tend to incline towards research during their time at the IITs. "They also have projects to finish in their final years, during which, they need to work in the labs," he adds.
Thus, research to an extent, is important when choosing an IIT, if a student is research-oriented or wishes to work abroad. The experts suggest students check what the faculty of various IITs are doing. "Each faculty has their own special interests and they work on different projects," Pranav says. “Strong faculty members and research facilities can greatly enhance the learning experience and provide valuable exposure to cutting-edge research,” Suresh adds.
Sharing his own experience, Akash Ramineni, a second-year BTech student from IIT Indore, narrates that he was recently associated with a project on sewage treatment at IIT Guwahati and had participated in a conference held there. He says that this provided him with more exposure to the field of Environmental Engineering.
Reaching out for guidance
Even with these criteria in mind, choosing the right college may still prove to be difficult and overwhelming for many. Hence, the experts suggest reaching out to others for help.
Vishal Singh, an alumnus of IIT Kharagpur, says that students might have incomplete knowledge about the branches offered at IITs and hence, can take guidance from seniors, teachers or social media groups to learn more. Suresh advises students to consider visiting the campuses and interacting with current students. He adds, “One must research the alumni network of each IIT. Alumni can provide valuable guidance, mentorship, and networking opportunities, which can be beneficial for future career prospects.”
