Life in an IIT | From getting fellowship to pursuing MTech in IIT Bombay, this student from Maharashtra shares his journey

I completed my BTech in Mechanical Engineering from the Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Technological University in 2018. After graduation, I did not have a job. During my BTech, I did a two-month internship at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) in Trombay. There, I learned about GATE, ESE, BARC, DRDO, and ISRO. I decided to prepare for the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) exam in Mechanical Engineering.

My first attempt at GATE did not go well, but in GATE 2020, I scored decently. However, due to Covid-19, MTech programmes went online, which I did not want to pursue.

Fortunately, the GATE score validity was extended to three years, which gave me some relief. I decided to earn some money to strengthen my financial situation. Initially, I struggled to get job calls, but eventually, I got an interview for a Graduate Engineer Trainee (GET) position at a private company at Roha MIDC, which I cleared.

However, the job involved continuous shift rotations, which did not suit me. Despite my family’s advice to keep the job and prepare for exams simultaneously, I resigned after working for more than a year. I also passed the written test for the BARC Technical Officer C position but did not clear the interview.

Admission to IIT Bombay

In 2022, as the Covid-19 conditions improved, I applied for master’s programmes at the older IITs, some top NITs, and BITS. My main goal was to get into IIT Bombay for MTech. Initially, I did not get any seats in the first seven Common Offer Acceptance Portal or COAP rounds.

I got a call from CTARA at IIT Bombay for an assignment and from the Energy Science department for a written test, which I cleared.

In the 8th COAP round, I received an offer from IIT Madras in Ocean Technology but rejected it because I was focused on IIT Bombay. Many friends told me I was unlikely to get IIT Bombay since it was already the eighth round. The 9th round passed without any offers, which was very frustrating. In the 10th round, I got an offer from IIT Guwahati in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, but I rejected that too.

Meanwhile, I also cleared two rounds of interviews with CTARA at IIT Bombay.

I received offers from NIT Trichy and BITS Pilani but I was waiting for IIT Bombay. In the spot round, I got IIT Hyderabad in Machine Design, paid the fees, and prepared to join. Then, in July 2022, I got an offer email from CTARA at IIT Bombay offering me admission under TAP for MTech.

After accepting the offer, I also received an ANSYS fellowship for MTech at IIT Bombay and joined the 2022-2024 batch. It was a great relief for me as now my fooding and lodging was taken care of.

Life at IIT Bombay

Initially, in my first semester, I felt a sense of relief and accomplishment for getting into an IIT. However, it took some time to settle into the campus life. Students from all over the country were there, and I spent the first 2-3 months relaxing and exploring the campus.

I took on various responsibilities on campus, becoming the Maintenance Counsellor of Hostel 17, an interview coordinator under the placement office, and the operation and management coordinator for the TUM-SEED-IITB student initiative. These roles helped me connect with many people and expand my network.

The first semester was intense, with seven courses, which was a lot to handle. In my department, we had field visits every Saturday and Sunday to rural areas to understand ground-level problems. I found these visits very exciting.

Through the Student Alumni Relations Cell (SARC) at IIT Bombay, I got a mentor for my MTech journey, Dr Duriya, a Senior Manager at MathWorks Inc. in the USA. I used to have discussions with her for guidance, especially before the placement days.

Field stay: An unique experience

A unique aspect of our department is the field stay, where we spend about nine weeks in a small village in India based on our guide’s connections. The goal is to understand the villagers’ problems, analyze them, and, if possible, find solutions. I was assigned to the one village in Kolhapur.

During this period, I had the opportunity to interact with the District Magistrate of Kolhapur, which was a great experience. I also engaged with officials from the Tehsildar office, Talathi office, and Gram panchayat office. Initially, it was challenging because the villagers were wary of us, as we were new to their community. However, over time, we built trust with them.

We identified various problems in the village and developed an Automated Stakeholder Mapping System for the Gram panchayat. This field stay was a unique and valuable opportunity to spend nine weeks in a rural village, learning and contributing in a meaningful way.

Resume preparation and placements in third semester

The third semester had a lighter course load, giving us more time to prepare for placements. This semester was particularly stressful for me, as one of my main goals for joining IIT Bombay was to secure a good placement. My friend Akash Srivastava and I prepared rigorously for the placement season together.

During this time, I often felt demotivated, but I kept pushing forward. I created three different resumes to suit various job applications. Here are some key things I learned during the placement preparation:

1. You need to have contacts with students from other IITs

2. Strong connections with students from other departments within the same IIT are essential

3. Stay alert and regularly check the placement blog until you secure a job

4. Keep revising whatever you are preparing

5. Luck also plays a role in the placement journey

6.Participate in as many mock interviews as possible with seniors, friends

Throughout the third semester, I had to balance placement preparation, my MTech project work, and two courses.

I applied for over 70 Job Application Forms (JAFs) and took written tests for almost 30 companies, but qualified for only a few. I cleared the written tests for companies like Air India, General Mills, etc.

I had also applied for a management trainee role at Tata AIA for which I cleared all the rounds and now I am placed there.

During my last semester, I made sure to enjoy every moment. With only my MTech project work and some Teaching Assistant (TA) responsibilities, I had more time for myself. I often visited Parbhani for my project work, interacting with various stakeholders and gaining valuable insights.

I dedicated time to self-exploration. I went on night cycling adventures covering around 75km through the streets of Mumbai. I also started running at the Gymkhana ground and took up swimming lessons at the IIT Bombay swimming pool. Additionally, I explored different places in Mumbai, making the most of my time before completing my MTech journey at IIT Bombay.