Life in an IIT | ‘Study, participate in events and live your hostel life,’ IIT BHU Btech student suggests

Siliguri boy Ricktho Sarkar says IIT BHU has opened up new avenues for him and helped gain a wider perspective to things.

Life in an IIT: Ricktho Sarkar of IIT BHU

Sarkar initially wanted to pursue research at IISc Bangalore (Graphics by Angshuman Maity)

5 min readNew DelhiSep 25, 2023 09:22 AM IST First published on: Sep 24, 2023 at 10:00 AM IST

—Ricktho Sarkar

In school itself, I decided to pursue a career in research. I n Class 11, I went for the Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana exam (a government-funded scholarship that aims to encourage students to take up research). Everyone at the competition suggested that preparing for IIT may help me get through KVPY. So I started preparing for the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE).

But, life had other plans. I couldn’t clear KVPY. However, I cracked JEE Main and Advanced and got admission in Ceramic Engineering at IIT BHU. I was getting IIT Palakkad and IIT Indore with my rank but I chose IIT BHU as it is over 100 years old and has a strong alumni network.

Exploring Machine Learning

Initially, I thought I would pursue engineering for undergraduate studies and then shift to research. However, with time, I have gained interest in machine learning which is one of the reasons I worked hard to switch my branch to electrical engineering. At present, I am in my second year.

Machine learning helps to make predictions on the basis of pre-existing data. I specifically like the functioning of face recognition, ChatGPT and autonomous vehicles. I plan to work in the field of machine learning or research or build something of my own. I haven’t created anything yet but tried making something from scratch which has already been built.

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I went to Kota to prepare for JEE but I was there only for six months due to the pandemic. Offline coaching was better as the life there was more disciplined. Also, I feel Kota prepares you for hostel life.

How life has changed since coming to IIT BHU

Life has changed in multiple ways, from being a shy and introverted kid, I am now more social and confident. I have gained a wider perspective, learned about more opportunities and explored new things.

Now, I am also thinking about becoming an entrepreneur and building something of my own. Earlier, I used to think I would graduate and secure a high-paying job or work in the research field but after coming here, I got introduced to newer and exciting avenues.

College, hostels and more at IIT BHU

My day here begins around 7 am as we have classes from 8 am. The classes are held till lunch which is around 12. Afternoon classes begin at 2 pm and conclude by 6:30 pm. Once lectures are over, we have the time for ourselves. We can utilise it by either self-studying, going to the library, indulging in extracurricular activities, attending club meetings, or hanging out with friends. Dinner begins at 8 pm and after that I generally speak to my family and then do coding for some time.

Ricktho with friends

When I came here to the IIT-BHU hostel, I was surprised to see the rooms that were too small to accommodate three students. Initially, I found difficulty in adjusting to the surroundings but slowly I got used to the campus life. As time passed, my roommates and I became friends and now the size of the room doesn’t bother me. The process of going to classes and coming back which was excruciating seemed fun.

The best part about hostel life is that you never feel alone. Living with friends is so much different and fun at the same time.

Explore and participate

Clubs and societies are an important part of IIT life. I am a member of the Club of Programmers (COPS), Team Averera and the organising team of Model United Nations (MUN). In my first year, I explored almost all the clubs and got to know about many things — like how to start in a lot of domains. College helps us to focus on multiple things instead of just one.

I also participated in the inter-fresher dance competition and represented the electrical engineering department in my first year. I also participated in various competitions held at Technex, our technical fest and attended Kashi Yatra, our cultural fest.

Kashi Yatra is a three-day fest and there are a lot of fun competitions, stalls and so much more. During the last two days, there was a DJ night and famous artists came and performed. I want to participate in Technex again this year.

My life at IIT has been all about learning, exploring and gaining new perspectives. It has been exciting and helped me discover a different side of my personality altogether.