IIT Bombay Student Media Body | Established 1997 | Issue 1 | 24 pages
www.insightiitb.org
FIND INSIDE I
II
by Shreeyesh pg. 1
by Mihir, Palka and Sumith pg. 2
THE FIRST WEEK CHECKLIST
FIRST DAY, FIRST SHOW
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HOW TO WIN FRIENDS AND INFLUENCE PEOPLE by Shardul and Sandeep pg. 5
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by Eeshan and Parth pg. 7
by Eeshan and Sandeep pg. 8
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VIII
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WACKY ELECTIVES
HOW TO SAVOR BOMBAY
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KAHAANI GHAR GHAR KII
HOW TO CHOOSE A GUIDE
by Sandeep, Shreya and Shreeyesh pg. 6
by Shardul and Kewal pg. 9
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HOW TO TA BETTER
by Akanksha, Mihir and Prakhar pg. 14
HOW TO CHOOSE ELECTIVES
HOW TO SPEAK IITIAN-ESE
pg. 10
pg. 13
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by Chandrapreet, Devang, Mihir, Palka and Yashika pg. 16
by Anant, Eeshan, Pratyush, Shreerang and Soovadeep pg. 18
INSTI TRADITIONS
APPING FUNDAE
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THE WHAT, HOW AND WHY OF PoRs by Shardul and Shreeyesh pg. 20
editors’ note with a readership of over 6,500. Our website regularly churns out immediate news, multiple times a week, reaching over 4,000 viewers per article. The video channel, IIT Bombay Broadcasting Channel a.k.a IITBBC, is the multimedia news arm we run in association with the Cultural Council. We now bring to you Fresh! - a guide book of sorts for PG freshers, a collection of cheat codes for IIT - for the first time ever in this institute At Insight, the two Chief Editors lead the core team - the Insight Editorial Board - comprising of senior team members each of whom, in turn, lead article teams. We welcome new members, and would love to have talented people work with us. So what do we look for in our team members? Writing skills? Nope. We look for inquisitive students who have a passion to report on things that matter to the institute populace. Look for us on Google groups, with the keyword iitbinsight, and sign up. Or just write to us at insight@iitb.ac.in with your name, contact number and gmail ID, and we’ll get back to you. And oh, look out for a new issue of the Insight print edition coming soon to your doorstep! Cheers! Mihir Kulkarni, Niranjan Thakurdesai Chief Editors, Insight
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The First Week Checklist Shreeyesh Menon
Greeted by the ceaseless downpours arriving at the main gate, you probably have formed your first impressions that we’d like to share though, that might make the transition easier.
Familiarize with ASC Check course info to know what entails what before you pick them Grading statistics: Watch out! Let this give you an idea of how chill the course is before you delve in What to bring/get ASAP An umbrella/raincoat, would be nice to have A pair of nice, all-weather shoes (That get you through the rains, and also, into some labs that you’d otherwise be denied entry into) Documents (Any photo ID - Aadhaar card, Driving License, Passport, PAN Card would come in handy, whether it be getting a new SIM card, or open a bank account) FB groups to join Join the Freshmen group ASAP to get relevant updates instantly. IITB Food Recommendations: A well-updated group that will might be of help during the initial days of coming to terms with the mess. Buy & Sell IITB: Pretty self-explanatory; A portal where Your hostel’s FB group: Your hostel would most probably have a group on FB to discuss mess, maint and more and keep you updated on the activities. Google groups to join iitbinsight: For all the news and discussions on the campus and voicing your opinion on all that’s happening. IITB Events notices: Will keep you posted on all events in the campus. Cult Club groups: It is recommended that you join these, even if you’re unsure about your interest in the genre. FourthWall: Dramatics Club Rang: Fine Arts Club Pixels: Photography Club IITBLitzkrieg: Literary Arts Vaani: Speaking Arts Club InSync: Dance Club Staccato: Western Music Club Saaz: Indian Music Club For Complaints: IIT Bombay Complaint Management System
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First Day, First Show Mihir Bhosale, Palka Puri and Sumith Fortunately, for the first time ever, Insight presents the ultimate guide to end all your first week woes. From laptops and SIM cards to umbrellas, medicines and deciphering local train travel in Mumbai, we’ve got you covered. Read on!
SIM CARDS
Getting a local phone number is the first task on the to-do list of most newcomers. Unsure of how to go about it? Here’s a comprehensive guide to address your queries. Can I keep my old number? Mobile number portability has recently been implemented by most telecom operators. This means that you can retain your existing mobile number, and get it ported to a Mumbai circle number (with the same or a different provider). What is the easiest way to get a new number? During the first week of college, temporary stalls are set up outside freshmen hostels selling SIM cards from all major service providers. Buying SIM cards from such stalls is convenient not only in terms of their proximity, but also in terms of their lenient address proof requirements. Since the issuing of student ID cards is generally not complete by the first week, most outstation students do not have any local address proofs for submission. Knowing this, the sellers allow students to submit documents with their old address or in some cases, waive mention that there have been rare instances where students discovered issues with their SIM cards and couldn’t do anything about that as the aforementioned sellers had advisable to ask the seller for his contact details and such before purchasing the SIM card, just in case it turns out to be faulty. For those willing to wait for their ID cards to be issued and looking for more reliable options, there are various shops selling SIM cards opposite the institute’s main gate, only a short walk away.
LAPTOPS
Should I get a laptop? While UG freshmen are usually advised against getting personal laptops by their mentors to ensure that they are not distracted by excessive gaming and other online activities, no such formal advice is deemed to be applicable for PG students as they are considered mature enough to not get carried away. Infact, M.tech students usually have a course load with multiple assignments, hence most students suggest that getting a laptop is a good idea. That being said, there are students who make ends meet without
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a laptop, so given the information, it is up to you to decide. For those without personal laptops, there are enough places in the institute where you get access to a computer and the internet. If you are a Ph.D student/RA, you will mostly have access to a computer 24x7 once you are associated with a professor and a lab. Additionally, students are scenario. Internet access in the insti for those without laptops: • whenever somebody with key permission is using these located in the Math and CSE departments respectively. • Nearly all departments have computer labs of their own that are open to students. Some of them are open 24x7 too! • The central library has a few computers for student use. Keep in mind that these are only meant for academic use! • All hostels have computer rooms, keys for which can be issued against a valid ID card.
Why is getting your own laptop a good idea? •
You will need to check Moodle (a web platform to handle course material) and email regularly for course material and news. • You don’t have to waste time in getting lab keys, getting printouts or waiting for library systems to get vacated to use a computer. Some things to keep in mind: • Addiction to internet is not uncommon, leading to poor grades along with a lack of social interaction with peers. • Social networks, LAN gaming and pornography can be a huge distraction and hinder productivity. What kind of a laptop should I get? All departments have standard requirements and Nothing high tech, a decent processor for running simulations and general browsing would be good enough. Having said that, it is still a good idea to talk to a senior in your department for any specific requirements before purchascense for all versions of Windows under the DreamSpark* the department. Most departments use Linux, so getting a laptop with Linux or no operating system preinstalled is tools at no charge which includes latest versions of Win-
Where can I buy a laptop? Authorized dealers of the brand of choice are suggested. It might cost a little extra, but good services and authentic products are guaranteed. There are a few located opposite the main gate. One can also visit departmental stores like Croma and Reliance Digital (located in nearby Neptune Magnet and RCity malls) Another good option for those looking to procure discounts would be reliable online retail websites. For tech enthusiasts with specific requirements who would like to assemble their own desktops, a trip to Lamington road is a must! Financial assistance for buying a laptop Don’t worry if you don’t own a laptop and are not assistance schemes open to students that can be availed to cover not only the cost of purchasing a laptop, but also help in funding tuition, mess fees and projects abroad. For instance, the Financial Aid Program provides a loan given by past students to the present students as a perpetual endowment policy. In addition, both Canara Bank and SBI, the two on-campus banks, have schemes that can help. More information about these can be found on the Financial Aid section of the Student Support page of IIT Bombay Gymkhana.
GETTING AROUND
With a campus the size of ours, it is not surprising that many freshmen feel overwhelmed by the many (often circular) routes to their destinations of choice. Getting lost trying to take the ‘shortest’ route to LT/PSCA, we’ve all been there! Luckily, with the development of the mobile application InstiMap (available for free on Google Play Store), finding your way around the campus is now as easy as a pie. For those skeptical about traveling in and around Mumbai - worry not. Mumbai is blessed with a very strong (and safe!) public transport network as well as opportunities to hire transport. While a rickshaw, taxi or private cab ride may be very convenient when finances are aplenty or you have people to share costs with, when it comes to an individual or a very large number of people, public transSome tips: Have a general idea of how Mumbai and some surrounding areas like Thane and Navi Mumbai are shaped, located and connected in a map. The railway lines run through the suburbs and localities and divide most of those into ‘East’ and ‘West’. For example, IITB would fall in Kanjurmarg West. • If you have a smartphone, download an app called ‘mIndicator’. It’s a concise transportation guide for Mumbai and suburban areas. • Local trains, metro trains and buses are very, very crowded during rush hour times, but usually only along one direction. • Do NOT stand at the door in trains. Not only are you under the danger of falling, you also obstruct the way of other commuters. • Fast trains do not halt at Kanjurmarg station.
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All rickshaws and taxis run by the meter unlike other cities in India. You can demand that a driver go by the meter. Some places (railway stations, for example) have ‘share rickshaws’ or ‘share taxis’ which have a much lesser per-person fare for popular routes originating from there, so ask around. Rickshaws are not allowed beyond Sion and Bandra. Only taxis run south of Sion and Bandra. For frequent local train travelers, it is a good idea to buy a smart card. It will come in handy to avoid serpentine queues at the ticket counter. Smart cards can tions. Mumbaikars are very particular about following the queue. Do not skip a queue unless you explicitly know that it is fine, as in the case above. It is usually looked down upon very gravely. If you’re confused or lost, do ask someone around. People here are very helpful!
Here are the recommended ways to get around the city in various areas.
In Insti Around and near Powai (Hiranandani, Ghatkopar W, Vikhroli, Bhandup, etc) Andheri E, Goregaon E, Malad E, Borivali, Mulund W, Bhandup W, Bandra, Vashi, Airoli Andheri W Any place not mentioned above
Walking
Cycling
Rickshaw
Taxi
Bus
Local
Metro
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SHOPPING 101
When it comes to shopping, be it for items of daily necessity like toiletries or for occasional splurges on electronic goods, for example, there are a multitude of possible options. For the uninitiated, DMart (nearest outlets are in Hiranan-
the way there for the sole purpose of buying a tube of toothpaste? Tsk tsk. Wondering which is the best place to buy something from? Look no further, here’s all the help you need.
Hostel Shops/ Canteens
YP gate/ Opposite main gate
Galleria (Hiranandani)
DMart (Hiranandani/ Kanjurmarg)
Additional comments/ suggestions
Mattresses, buckets, mugs, brooms etc
Temporary shops in the institute*
Toiletries like toothbrush, soap, shampoo, etc.
DMart recommended if buying in bulk
Ready-to-eat snack items like chips and biscuits
DMart recommended if buying in bulk
Fresh fruits / vegetables Medicines
24*7 pharmacy in front of DMart, HN
Notebooks and pens
Sports goods
Sports outlets that offer discounted prices are set up in the campus regularly
Electronics (chargers, earphones, speakers, etc.) Laptop repair service Umbrellas and raincoats Cycles (both new and second hand ones)
Repair done at shops beside H8 and YP gate.
Misc (opticians, shoe repairs, etc.) *Temporary shops are set up outside freshmen hostels during the first week, with institute sanctioned standardized prices applicable.
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HOW TO WIN FRIENDS AND INFLUENCE PEOPLE Shardul Vaidya and Sandeep Upadhyay
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Honour thy Google groups and thy Facebook pages
Talk to thy seniors
Which brings us to our second point: Most events’ publicity happens online. So it’s vital that you don’t miss out on this very accessible form of communication.Our advice? Join Google groups. All of them. Enjoy dancing? Like the InSync page. Love literary arts? Join the Literati Google group. Want to stay up to date with everything happening in Insti? BOOKMARK THE INSIGHT PAGE!
There is a fair bit of apprehension in any newcomer’s mind, be it UG or PG, when it comes to approaching seniors for advice. Without sounding too preachy, we assure you that IIT Bombay has one of the most open campuses when it comes to interaction among students. So don’t hesitate to ask that wingie for help, be it for finding research literature, or slightly lesser respectable literature. ;)
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Thou shalt read flexes
He who liketh, he who searcheth From roller skating to RC planes, the Insti has it all. You just need to get up and use the resources mentioned above to find those activities that interest you.
Rule number one of insti - every event is preceded by a flashy poster and a lifesize flex. Make sure the hostel noticeboard is your most watched space, feed, of course.
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Thou shalt manage
Thou shalt attend the freshie events
One may complain about the jampacked academic schedule and use it as an excuse for the lack of participation. But remember, time management is the key to survival here. So, learn to manage your extracurriculars and academics without one.
Take part in as many freshie events as you can. Who knows? Maybe you have a knack of being good at something but you have no idea. Go ahead and find out in the freshie events. Also, these events provide the incentive to interact with the UG junta and trust us, there is a lot that the UGs can learn from you ,and vice versa.
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KAHAANI GHAR GHAR KII
Sandeep Upadhyay, Shreya Sridhar and Shreeyesh Sreekumar Every year, the institute admits about 500 Redepartments, which also includes some who are married at the time of joining the institute or marry in the duration of their Ph.D program. Unfortunately, due to the surge in the intake, the institute has not been able to keep up with the housing needed for the married research scholars. In this scenario, finding housing outside the campus is the one obvious solution. But with a small stipend of Rs. 25k and an additional house rent allowance of 30% of the stipend, finding housing in Mumbai can be an arduous task. The focus of the article is to give the married research campus. The information presented is based on an institutewide survey conducted (with a total of 61 replies from married PhD scholars living around the campus) by Insight to gather information and opinions from married research scholars who have found themselves in your position before. The survey also details the level of amenities, as rated by those who have lived there. From the survey results, we can say with certainty that the majority of our married research scholars live in Chandivali, Chaitanya Nagar and Kanjurmarg.
Chandivali
Chandivali is an estimated 15-20 minute drive from the campus. Surrounded by the hillocks in Powai and Powai Lake, the locality has a calm environment and is a good residential hub. At a glance: • Proximity to the institute • Most people surveyed (50%) reported house rents in the range of 20-30k. • An overwhelming majority of people (62.5%) rate it to be very safe and secure, with just around 12% believing that the residential areas are not safe. • Less than 15% of the people surveyed reported poor water facilities. • Typical security deposit is in the range Rs. 75k-1 lakh. • The satisfaction levels with regards to house maintenance suggest that only about 1 in 4 people think that the houses are well-maintained • Most of the respondents live in apartment complexes.
Chaitanya Nagar (Opposite IIT main Gate)
Chaitanya Nagar is seemingly the most preferred locality to reside in, with more than a quarter of the respondents living there. Relatively low rents and proximity to the institute make it an obvious choice for. At a glance: • Very close to the institute • Municipal maintenance not up-to-the-mark • Large variability in house rents, with 7-10k and 20-30k being most common rates. • A large majority of the residents seem satisfied with the water facilities. • Safety is an issue, with only about 30% of the people
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being satisfied with the safety standards. A significant fraction of respondents live in chawls (buildings with separate tenements) Variable security deposits ranging from 25k to 1lac
Kanjurmarg
Kanjurmarg is yet another locality which is preferred by married research scholars. It is located near the Kanjurmarg station of the suburban railway and within the five kilometer radius of the institute. The connectivity is good, as one can easily find rickshaws and buses to the institute. At a glance: • Majority of respondents pay a security deposit between 75k and 1 lakh. • Rent usually falling in the range of 15-20k. • Vast expanses of greenery in the near vicinity • A safe secure location for housing, with a huge majority of residents reporting it to be “extremely safe” • Water supply does seem to be an issue, with most people finding the supply to be “bad” to “average”. Other localities: Hiranandani The rents and security deposits are high* The locality is safe with good living conditions Within 5km of the institute Andheri The rents and security deposits are moderate to high* The living conditions commensurate with the rent paid Airoli The rents and security deposits are moderate* Living and safety conditions are reported to be good Mulund The rents and security deposits are moderate to high* Living and safety conditions are good *Rents around 15k are termed moderate. Rents above 20k are termed high. Some more suggested localities: Raheja Vihar, Vidyavihar, Bhandup, Ghatkopar, Thane
Conclusion:
The institute has been trying to make room and accommodate the demand for housing facilities for married research scholars, but as of now, the gap between the demand and supply seems to be widening by the day. The QIP building, which earlier used to house female PG students, is now being vacated for married scholars, but that’s not expected to bridge the gap. In the recent PG Open House, accommodation within the campus has been promised by the Dean SA. For the short term though, the deficit is clear and the only solution seems to be on-rent and paying-guest accommodations available in and near Powai.
How to choose a GuiDe Eeshan Malhotra and Parth Shrimali Choosing a guide and a topic for your thesis is one of the biggest decisions you’d make in your IIT life. If you’re an M.Tech student, it’s going to define your entire second year at IIT, and if you’re pursuing a Ph.D, it’s practically your entire stay at IIT. It’s important to realise that a student-guide relationship is symbiotic, and relies heavily on cooperation between the two. So, young padawan, follow closely, and you’ll soon be well on your path to be a Jedi. The first step is to familiarize yourself with how the process of allocating guides works. Each department follows their own procedure, and it’s important to be aware of yours. In some departments, guides are chosen in order of CPI at the time of reckoning. In others, professors personally meet students and evaluate their merit (A common metric used is performance in relevant courses). Your seniors and allotted companions in the department are a good source of information about how this process works in your specific department. You can also approach your faculty advisor to find this out beforehand. Once you are acquainted with the procedure, it’s time to do your homework. The aim is to ready a shortlist of areas of work that interest you, under professors who would probably be willing to take you on as a researcher. First, browse the homepages of faculty members from your department to identify their research interests. A link for these pages can usually be found on your department homepage. Next, when you have a broad list ready, try to set up a meeting with the professors themselves (best done by email) to discuss their research interests in detail. You can frankly tell professors that you are trying to understand their field of work to narrow down your options. Lastly, it is recommended that you also talk to students who have been working under these professors to discuss their experiences. Faculty members are generally open about providing this information and even encourage it, since it helps everyone involved if the decision is made in a more informed manner. Now that you have a short list of pro-
fessors you want to work under, it’s time to convince them that you are indeed a good candidate for a researcher. As a basic prerequisite, take up courses that relate directly or indirectly to the field you want to work in. If you are as yet unsure of which field you want to work in, or simply have varied interests in research, do take up more courses in the early semesters, even though that advice may sound counterintuitive. Of course, you are advised to gauge your capability and not take more courses than you can handle. If you end up in such a situation, and realise this a little too late in the semester, consider dropping a course. Consult your faculty advisor if you want more advice on managing course load. Courses can also be audited if your aim is to explore the area, without too much additional burden. Auditing a course will typically have fewer requirements to complete the course, and will not contribute to your CPI. Discuss the possibility of audits or sitthrough with the course instructors before choosing this. A majority of departments have a requirement of seminar or project for M.Tech students in their second semesters. This serves as a sample research project to test the waters, and get your feet wet in the research area of your choice. So, by the end of the first semester, make sure to have completed the bulk of the above tasks. Aim to work on a seminar under a guide you wish to take up your thesis under. This works as an induction process for both parties you get a feel of what it’s like to work under a professor, and the professor can easily gauge your aptitude for vthe subject. As a bonus, while working on your seminar, you also come into contact with other researchers working on similar projects, which allows you to get a better understanding of what the field is about. In the end, it’s critical to work on your thesis with a professor you are comfortable with and whose working style resonates with yours. The bottom line is to experiment early, and make an informed decision. May the force be with you.
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So you’ve secured admission in your college of choice, and now want to milk your courses for all they are worth. Most departments have a few compulsory courses, but also have an ample number of elective courses where you can decide which courses to take. Usually, you’ll have a requirement to complete some credits in your department, but you can also use elective courses to explore other departments you’re interested in. Choosing electives can be a tricky task, as there is a variety of variables that factor in. In this article, we try to break down these variables and provide an algorithm for choosing suitable electives.
Course Information
HOW
To help you in the process of finding an elective of interest, you definitely want some information about the course content. The ASC website, and sometimes even your department website, has course content readily available. BEWARE: The course content may not be up to date. So, the verify the accuracy of the contents from the course instructor or seniors. Faculty members are usually very forthcoming about this information and very approachable. Some departments maintain their own database which have more accurate details. A few like the Electrical Engineering Department have even collected student feedback in detail (EE students, ask your peers and seniors about the course reviews page!)
Interest
Exploring courses
This sounds trite, but one of the most important criteria is to choose electives as per your interest. This, how-
es, and have prerequisites. So you need to plan ahead, and check out courses you may want to take in the following semesters as well. Of course, the critical question becomes figuring out which courses will interest you. Here the department website and ASC website (asc.iitb.ac.in) come in very handy. More about this in the Course information section.
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CHOOSE Relevance to Thesis
If you have decided a specific subfield you want to pursue your thesis project in, it’s important to start taking courses which build up to it right from the first semester. This is important for two reasons the first, obviously, is that you want to pick up on as much general information as you can on the field before starting your independent research. The second is to be eligible to take up seminars or projects in the field. A number of professors require students to have completed a few courses in the field before taking students up for these ‘mini’ theses. A seminar can be supremely important in either confirming your liking for a field, or as early warning in case you are not meant to pursue the specific field.
Feedback
This one is last for a reason, but important nonetheless. Knowing how a course was graded the last time it tistics are available freely on the ASC website.
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Course Dropping
If you realise a little later that a course is not meant for you, there is still a potential opportunity to punch out. Courses can be dropped till the midsemester exams, withcalendar for exact dates). While this creates a great opportunity to sample courses, it is highly recommended to have registered for only as many credits as you can reasonably handle in a semester. Feel free to discuss this with seniors or your faculty advisor.
Audit and Sit-Through Courses
Auditing a course can be a handy way of acquiring some knowledge about a particular field, without as much pressure to perform as taking a course up as a
ELECTIVES
Sometimes, courses look great on paper, but aren’t all they are made out to be. Sometimes, it’s even the reverse. Taking feedback from seniors who have done the course you’re planning to take up can give you insights into things like course contents, how much fun the course is, and what, if anything, to watch out for.
Grading Statistics
The registration adjustment window is open well into the first week of instruction. So it is not uncommon for students to register for a lot of courses to try them out in the first week, and to deregister before the window closes. This way, you can attend a couple of lectures of courses you are planning to take, but are unsure about. Make full use of the window, but be sure to check the registration adjustment deadline in the academic calendar before trying this out!
Eeshan Malhotra and Sandeep Upadhyay full-fledged elective. An audit course allows students to attend lectures, interact with the faculty, and get feedback, with much fewer requirements to attain a passing grade. Note that an audit course will not contribute to your CPI. Do talk to the course instructor for additional requirements and conditions on awarding of an Audit grade (AU). If even auditing a course seems too formal, and what you’d cial requirements and no grades awarded. You may or may not be able to get feedback on assignments and exams, depending on the professor.
Interdisciplinary Courses
If interdisciplinary work is your cup of tea or a ca-
you, courses can be taken up in other departments as institute electives. Like any other course, these may have prerequisites. Consulting the course instructors is advisable.
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Sometimes, all you want from a course is for it to be fun. Check out the article on some wacky electives in this very newsletter for some handpicked delightful options! Happy picking!
WACKY ELECTIVES Shardul Vaidya and Kewal Bhat
So now that you know what an elective is, your next question is which one to choose. This is NOT the article to answer that question. Or maybe it is. You decide. IITB has about 40 departments/centres and interdisciplinary programs giving rise to courses across a wide gamut of subjects. So if you thought you were stuck with Microelectronics for another 2 years, think again, because we show you some of the most hatke courses you can elect.
1. NT 401: Introduction to Nanotechnology The name makes the course content pretty obvious, but the empty classrooms belie the popularity of this course. NT 401 has consistently seen some of the highest number of registrations for an elective. Taught by the venerable Prof. Aiyar of the Centre for Research in Nanotechnology & Science, the course has a very positive reputation. With a lax attendance policy and technology will continue to interest insti for quite a few years to come. :P 2. ET 801:) Introduction to Educational TechnologY Here, quite literally, they teach you to teach! It is an exclusive elective course in which the student learns about what learning actually is. For all the teaching enthu junta out there, the course also gives an insight into usage of open education resources and intelligent tutoring methodologies, which undeniably are essential in this tech-savvy world of the 21st century! 3. AN 601: Animation principles and History This course will uncover all the techniques that went behind designing the cartoons you love. It’ll try to teach the basic principles that translate sequential images into believable animations, and various tips and tricks to better express motion and emotion. It then takes you on a quick trip through animation history, covering both Indian and international techniques. 4. HS 848:) Sankhya Metaphysics in Classical Indian Philosophy For all junta who are interested in ancient Indian philosophies. With the mathematical derivatives of rise of yoga and Ayurveda w.r.t time being positive, it can easily be said that this course has tremendous value. Ultimately, it is important to remember that, “Gyanam Paramam Dhyeyam.”
5. HS 807:) Phenomenology and
Existentialism Phew! Pronouncing the name of the course itself is a daunting task. Literally speaking, phenomenology involves trying to understand the essence of a phenomenon by examining the views of people who have experienced that phenomenon. It’s like studying the phenomenon of being the US president, by apprehending the experiences of Mr. Obama. Isn’t it awe-inspiring? 6. TD 654:) Rural Environmental Services Planning and Design This course is taken by the Centre for Technology Alternatives for Rural Areas (CTARA) as part of the Unnat Bharat Program of the Govt of India. Under the program, IITB has adopted 27 villages across Maharashtra to help develop their infrastructure and resources. The course involves a lot of field work and is experimental in nature with assessment completely based on project submission based on field visits. Also, decent grading. 7. HS 702:) Law, Governance, Rights and Development Democracy is the art and science of running the circus from the monkey cage, and junta is part of this spectacle. In their future endeavors, all insti junta necessarily must have the knowledge of law of the land along with their basic rights, and one is terribly mistaken if one thinks that the course is just for the Arvind Kejriwals and Manohar Parrikars in here. Quite literally, this course with its teachings on rights and governance as well as debates on current developments, will ensure that you no longer remain an “aam aadmi!”
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Hello there! New to Mumbai? Think you need a guide to help you go exploring this winter? We might just have the perfect solution for you! Here is a list of some of the most beloved hangout spots around the campus. Whether it be the perfect place to eat or a spot that promises a daylong adventure with wing-mates - this guide has crowd-sourced the most epic locations worth paying a visit to.
HOW TO SAVOR Sigri
Matunga-Dadar-Parel Zone
already huge fans of this place and quite rightly so. They claim to serve Greek food but well who can tell, though whatever they serve is a must-have. One slight problem - the price tag. Sardar Pav Bhaji The name has it all. Pav Bhaji place open till 2am. Just find its location and GO. Enough said. Ram Ashray Authentic South Indian food. The place is always busy. Always. We’ve given you a lot of places that open till late, this one is open as early as 5. Do not miss the coffee. Madras Cafe If South Indian food is what you crave and you are not that packed with cash, just grab all the change you can and head on down here. Dosa is their speciality. Order one even if you’re full and you will not regret it. Mysore Cafe To rival Madras Cafe, there is Mysore Cafe. Similar in Even huge foodies find it hard to distinguish between the two, but you’ve got to decide which is better for yourself. Blue Frog For the best music in town. Get a taste of the Mumbai rock scene. Always check what’s playing before visiting. Filling up before leaving is advisable. Hard Rock Cafe The second best place for music in town. Marginally cheaper than Blue Frog though their setup is marginally better. Smaash Everything you wanted in Gaming zone is here including a special surprise from IIT Bombay students which is something we’ll let you explore by yourself.
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SoBo (South Bombay)
Delhi Durbar Mughlai food experts. You just can’t miss the Biryani. Please note; be sure to make reservations. There’s a chance that you’ll be waiting for a good 40 minutes if you don’t. Relish A perfect date place. Calm, quiet and beautiful. The must-order list includes garlic bread and at least one fondue. Narayan Dosa People might tell you to keep a few medicines handy, all false claims. This place serves the best street dosa you’ll find in Mumbai. Bademiya Open night and day. This place redefines wraps (especially chicken wraps). Perfect for night out food down in South Mumbai. Leopold Cafe No matter which city they hail from, everyone has heard about this iconic tourist attraction in South Bombay. Though expensive, they serve the absolute best pasta. Also note, if you want to go up to their exclusive first floor lounge you should be accompanied by a female ‘friend.’ NCPA Iconic, historic and amazing are just a few adjectives for this place, This place should be reserved for one of those days when something legendary is going to happen here.
Juhu Parle Andheri
Candies 3 outlets in the Bandra Juhu area alone, this place can serve club sandwiches one night and switch to Sushi on another. Do check out their ‘Angry Birds’ based cupcakes. Red Box Cafe Good Music, good food and a great ambience. When your friends from other cities are visiting and want a lounge to chill, this is the place to be. Irish Pub When you need a place with loud pumping music with and ambience is pretty good too be warned - this place is on the costlier side. Road House Bluez The name should be enough to pull you there. Anyhow, if you’re free on a Thursday or a Sunday, just go there and sing your heart out in this small cozy place. Food and other things are decently priced, making it a place worth going to. Global Fusion / Barbeque Nation then starve yourself for a day and just GO! BBQ Nation Global Fusion has one of the best spreads you’ll find in Bombay. Prithvi Theater If you ever feel the need to embrace something intellectual, Prithvi Theater will give you what you seek and more. Worli Sea Face If you haven’t checked this place out yet, you’re missing out on something really good. The best time to do so would be the Mumbai half-marathon but in case you can’t go for that, there are a lot of places from where you can appreciate this creation. IMAX There are two of these now in Mumbai. TWO!! The IMAX experience is unbelievable and watching a movie like ‘Jurassic World’ there earns you serious street cred in
Goregaon-Malad and further up
Water Kingdom You were told about this place by your aunts/uncles back home. If you’ve not been there yet, it is strongly recommended that you go soon. Mini Kashmir Chilling place. For the minor out-of Bombay experience. Its free and has boat rides but you’ll be probably be going here to chill with someone special.
Bhandup-Mulund-Thane and further up
Rasna Cheap and cheesy. Unbelievable quality, quantity and expectedly cheap prices. Brilliant place for wing treats and when you’re bored of the usual Dominos/Pizza Hut. Tip Top Plaza food to sandwiches. Reaching this place will require you to change a couple of autos but it’s worth it if you have to treat more than 20 people. place is worth a visit if variety in this cuisine is what you’re looking for. At par with ‘Apna Dhaba’ if you’re looking for dinner at 2am, though, it’s expensive. 5 Spice The quantity they serve is unparalleled across Bombay. You will be full but be sure to save some space for desserts (plural is intentional). Be sure to order a Mission Impossible and a Death By Chocolate - you shall not regret it. Cinepolis The opening of this place now combines the best of R City and Huma for all IITians. While you may all know about the place, what you might not know is their brilliant loyalty program. Ask about it at the ticket counter the next time you visit.
insight 11
Fresh men Newsletter
Map Outline by : Jaikishan Patel
Insight
Tip N Top Thane
Mini Kashmir Aarey Colony
180
Layout Design : Narendra Parmar
FREE Zaffran
Mulund
500
5 Spice Sakinaka
Water Kingdom Malad
250
800 / Head
Cinepolis Mulund
80 - 150
Red Box Cafe Juhu
400 Sigri Global Grill
Dadar/Powai
400
Prithvi Theater Juhu
150-300
LINK
BAND
WORLI SEA RA-
Kurla
Andheri
I
WO A RLI , MUMB
Blue frog pub
Phoenix Market City
Road House Bluez 700
Parel
As per wish
Worli sea face Global Fusion Andheri
Candies
Mysore Cafe
Matunga
Madras Cafe
Matunga
100
300
200
500
Juhu/Bandra
300
Irish Pub
Matunga
Costly
Worli
FREE
Sardar Pavbhaji
Ram Ashray
Juhu
Hard Rock Cafe
500
Matunga
Parel/Andheri
80
500 / Head
Smaash
Parel
Narayan Dosa Grant Road
1000 / Head
100
Bade Miya CST
200
NCPA
Nariman Point
Variable Relish
Nariman Point
300
SoBo (South Bombay)
Colaba
400
Leopold Colaba
200
6
This is a schematic map not to scale
12 Insight
FO
AI
Matunga-Dadar-Parel Zone Delhi Durbar
R T, M U M
B
Juhu-Parle Andheri Zone Goregaon-Malad and further up Bhandup-Mulund-Thane and further up
MUMBAI SUBURBAN MAP
How to Speak IITian-ese - A highly productive morpheme put arbit - /ar-bit/ - adj. – short for arbitrary. Something you say when you can’t think of anything else to say. Eg. bandi - /bun-dee/ noun – A girl. A rare species in IITB. chamkaa - /chum-kaa/ - verb - to explain. E.g. Typical convo : “Chamkaana!” “Blah blah.Chamka?” “Chamka.” coordie - /cor-dee/ - noun - Coordinator. Person who is incharge of an event. crack - /crakk/ - non, verb – also craxxx (when the number of x’s exceed 8, pronounced as /craks-ks-ks-ks-ks-ks/) - a big-time achievement DAC - /dack/ - noun - Disciplinary Action Committee. The worst thing that can ever happen to you - especially if you break the rules. dadda - /dud-AA/ - noun - Dual Degree students (also, daddi) (See also: matka) daya - /the-YA also the-YAAAAAA/ - adj. – a substitute for any term/action with a negative/positive connotation you might/might not want to use. Eg.“Kya daya aadmi hai!”, “Kya daya kar raha hai!”, “Dayaaaaaaaa!” delta - /del-taa/ - noun/adj./adv. - Little. Like infinitesimal, but greater. Eg. “Delta help chahiye”, “Delta namak de” despo - /day-spo/ - adj. - short for desperate. Applies to a typical IITian (especially males). One could be a despo for money, food or bandi (See bandi) ditch - /d-ich/ - excl. – Drop the old plan (and start working on a new one!) DoSA - /dosa/ - noun Everything under the sun comes under his discretion. enthu - /enthu/ - verb - Enthusiastic. Eg “Kaun hai enthu” “Kisi enthu punter ko jugaado” (See jugaad) fart - /fART/ - noun, verb, adj. excl. – One word which we are unable to define, simply because of the fact that it has is the topic for a PhD thesis). We stop at giving you the most common way it is used – “Kya fart hai!” farra - /fu’r-rah/ - noun. – FR. A grade you totally, desperately, insanely want to avoid fight - /fite/ - verb, also noun - To try very hard for something. Eg “Bahut fight hai” “Fight maar. Give up mat maar.” funda(e) - /fund-aa OR fund-ay/ - noun - Tricks of the trade. generaal - /jen-eh-r’aal formerly zen-eh-r’aal/ - Nothing in particular. Eg: “-What’s up?” “-Generaal” god - /gawd/ - adj. - as in Tu God hai (meaning, you are awesome, or you are The One). Also, Godmaxxx and Godgiri. - used as in Gandhigiri, Dadagiri. Also, applies to RG-giri, Godgiri (see RG, see God) give-up - /givaap/ - verb - give-up maarna – To finally let go of all hope gyaan - /gyaan/ - noun -
seniors. infi - /in-fee/ - adjective - Short for infinite. An overused prefix, e.g. infidayamax. (See infinite, daya, -max) infinite - /in-fie-nite/ - noun – Any number greater than two. IITian counting - zero, one, two, infinite. Also, infi. insti - /in-stee/ - noun – The Institute. Yes, this one. jugaad - /ju-gaar/ - verb/noun (in general) get something. Eg. “Kuch jugaad lagate hain” junta - /jun-taa/ - noun - More than one person. liby - /lie-bee/ - noun – The Library. A source of knowledge, wisdom and cool air. lukkha - /look-kha/ - verb – To do some time-pass that takes you somewhere. Anywhere. On second thoughts, even nowhere. Especially Nowhere! macha - /much-AA/ - excla. number of x’s (as in “MACHAXX!”, “MACHAXXXX!”, “MACHAXXXXXXXXX!”) – to infinitely crack something (See infinite. See crack) matka - /mutt-kaa/ - noun - M.Tech student (also, matki) or for any generaal PG (see Generaal). Not to be confused with dadda or daddi (See dadda) - also, maxx or maxxxx, superlative degree of anything mug - /mug/ - verb – (1) study (2) pretend to study nbd - /nu’- bud/ - noun - Nervous Break Down. Tension, orgie - /org-ee/ - noun - Organiser. Freshie who runs errands for a coordie. (See coordie) pain - /payn/ - noun - Something that makes you give-up poltu - /pole-too/ - adj. – Someone who practices politics – in every sense. Also, polt. RG -/ar-jee/ - noun - Short for ‘One who tries to improve his grades, taking unjust advantage of ‘Relative Grading’ SAC - /sack/ - noun - Student Activity Center opposite Hostel 1. scope – /sko-p/ - excl. - No chance in hell! senior - /seen-yer/ - noun - One who is always right. sophie - /so-fee/ - noun - Sophomore or Second Year student. Sorry rahega- jury still out on it being a verb or noun, it means something will not get done. Used stand alone or in conjunction with “nahihopayega” perate for food. Shack - /shack/ - noun place to hangout between classes, also famous for its panini and iced Tea. tumtum - /tum-tum/ - Little CNG buses that ply in the insti to take you places valfi - /val-fee/ - noun - Valedictory Function. A time in April when the beans are spilled on each and everyone passing out. YP - /why-pee/ - noun - Nothing to do with calls of nature. It’s short for the Y-Point gate. Your one-stop solution for stationery, books, bicycles, hair-cuts, and vada-pavs.
insight 13
How to TA better Akanksha Manghrani, Mihir Kulkarni, Prakhar Gupta with inputs from Chinmay Kulkarni, Debapratim Ghosh and Raaz Dwivedi
Apart from lectures, courses at IIT Bombay have tutorial sessions as learning platforms where students work on their problem-solving skills, based on the concepts covered in the class. These sessions are not presided over by the professor himself, but by Teaching Assistants (TAs), who are either postgraduate students from that department or the undergraduates who have done exceptionally well in the course. Many departments have PG freshers as TAs for UG courses from the first week itself, and it’s certainly not a responsibility to be taken lightly. Putting ourselves in your shoes, we thus bring to you the beginner’s guide to be a good TA.
What does a TA do?
The role of a TA in a theory course is largely at the discretion of the instructor. In some cases, instructors have invited TAs to play a more vital role than the usual grading/ tutorial/revision classes, etc., though the number of such cases has been quite low. Owing to this and the fact that new entrants to the M.Tech./Ph.D. programme are not familiar with the TA system (which is limited usually to the IITs), TAs may view their weekly duties as essentially filling-up of a job timesheet which enables them to receive their monthly stipend/scholarship from the institute. This results in an increasing socio-academic gap between the students and the TAs. Do not do this - it’s much better for everyone concerned if you view your TAship as a learning experience. A large section of Ph.D. students consider their future in academia, and they should thus take their TAship very seriously, almost like a job training for future.
Picking Courses
As much as possible, courses will be allotted to you keeping in mind the preferences you fill. However, due to the higher demand of TAs for certain courses, the authorities are sometimes forced to overlook these preferences and allot in a manner such that the required number of TAs are available for these courses. However, the importance of picking the right courses cannot be underestimated. It is advisable to take up courses you have some passion about as it keeps you motivated . Overcoming obstacles such as communication gaps, presentation skills, etc. becomes easier in such a case. Ideally, your determination to pass on your knowledge will infuse enthusiasm in students and you’re likelier to go the extra mile of your own volition - a win-win situation. On the other hand, if you take up seemingly “easy” courses you are not really interested in, you may end up from you.
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Getting to grips
There is a chance that the course you are allotted may not fall into your area of expertise, and postgraduate studies do not give you an opportunity to learn from a wide spectrum of fields. Thus, you can easily use this as an opportunity to learn new subjects and evaluate yourself from your performance in the tutorial sessions. Try to optimally use the mandated 6 hours allotted to your TA duties weekly. Go through the lectures to get an idea of the teaching methodology of the professor, and try solving tutorial problems. If you get stuck somewhere, do not hesitate to ask your fellow TAs who are well-versed in the course content to help you out. We advise you to plan your entire tutorial session in your head, and decide which problems are conceptually important, require discussion and should be solved in the class. Encourage your students to ask doubts. Even if you don’t know the answer, evading the question rarely helps. It’s better to tell the student that you will look up, discuss and get back to them - in the case of which it’s best to make sure you do get back to them. Consider yourself as a mediator between the professor and the student community. Students can sometimes tend to perceive professors as being “rigid “ in context of their thinking procedure. However, a TA can and should be more approachable, accessible and friendly, since being a TA gives you the advantage of the ability to understand and bond with both the professor and the students. If your duty requires you to set question papers for the course, you should make sure that you are conceptually sound with the content. Try figuring out what the student is expected to know by the end of each module. Design questions that judge basics as well as applicative aspects of concepts. Also, you could solve the questions before finalizing the paper, as you might have included problems that seem simple but boil down to lengthy calculations, which is not what you’d want to test. Remember that many concerned and hard-working students will use your question paper and their approach towards it as a criterion to measure their abilities and skills. Also some of your students might be introverted lems with the courses and still will not talk about them. Go around in the class and try striking a chord with them. Make your students believe that mistakes are the proof of answering doubts that seem stupid to you. Skipping questions by declaring them ‘stupid’ kills curiosity in the students, and gives some students a sense of low self-esteem.
Lab Courses
TAs play a highly significant role here because they do not function as an assistant to the professor in a
lab session, but more like a doppelgänger, only more functional. As a lab TA, you can start the session with a brief explanation of the concepts involved in the experiment. Try making this interactive by asking questions. You could tell the students what exactly to look for in the experiment and how it validates theoretical concepts learnt in class. To accomplish this, you could try performing the experiment before the lab session and also roughly perform associated calculations, for resolving any issues that could come up with the students during the actual session.
Evoking Interest in students
A classic method of involving everyone in the tutorial discussions and evoking interest is assigning initial minutes of the tutorial to a recap of the concepts covered in the class. This gives students who have not solved the tutorial beforehand a fair amount of background knowledge to think about problems and understand the solutions you provide. While solving a problem, ask for students’ participation at some stage of the solution. You can call them to write a few steps on the board. Let the class solve some trivial problems, and while they are doing it, go around inspecting their books, giving insights wherever they are stuck and complimenting them wherever you see some new and creative solutions coming up. To cater to every stratum of students, you can encourage them to meet you in non-tutorial hours. During those informal sessions, you can recommend reading material to them, based on their interest and grasping power, and also assess their progress.
Working Together
integrated unit. Have meets, discuss solutions and let the combined output of all your minds be delivered to your students. Take full advantage of one person’s excellence in some topics and thus optimize coverage of course content. You might request your instructor to assign a few experienced students as head TAs who coordinate between the rest of the TAs, handling things like extra sessions and problems, and substitute TAs if the appointed ones are busy. This is something that’s been implemented with a good deal of success in the undergraduate MA courses.
Inputs from past popular TAs
Most PG students who are admitted to the insti have never been a TA before. We talked to Debapratim Ghosh, an M.Tech./PhD dual degree student who’s been a successful TA for the Electronic Devices lab and the Analog Circuits course and lab, Raaz Dwivedi, a 2014 graduate of the institute who was a popular TA for the undergraduate maths core courses during his stay in the institute and Chinmay Kulkarni, an M.Tech. student, who was a TA for CS101 in the last two semesters with quite a positive response from his students. Here is what they have got to say:
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Encourage hard work among students. Try to identify students who are particularly hard-working, weak or bright, and keep them informed about their progress throughout the semester. Use online platforms like Piazza, Moodle and Faceinformation. Also, make sure that you are never late in responding to students’ queries. In order to bridge the communication gap between you and the students, try to be friendly with them. Whenever you see them outside the class, look to engage them in informal non-academic conversation. Make sure that your presentation and communication skills are always as good as you can get them to be. Speak a lot during the sessions and sound confident. However, don’t hesitate if you don’t know something . Forward questions you can’t satisfactorily answer to another TA or the instructor. Remember, it’s your duty to ensure that every doubt is resolved to the best extent possible.
TAship at IIT Bombay is what you make of it. It’s an opportunity to learn academic and non-academic, hard enrich the experience for both you and your students. But don’t forget to have fun in the process.
insight 15
Insti traditions
Chandrapreet Singh, Devang Thakkar, Mihir Bhosale, Palka Puri, Yashika Kapoor
As expected from any renowned college, especially one with such a profound legacy, IIT Bombay has its own set of ‘traditions’. These range from completely mundane things like purposely annoying your colleagues during (and out of) exams to events unique to the institute (AKA insti) like PAF, which demand and obtain the full devotion and enthusiasm of the participants. Here’s a look at some such things which you will encounter throughout your stay here.
Lingo
Like most residential colleges, IIT Bombay too has a distinct culture of its own. An inescapable part of that culture is the slang or ‘lingo’ used by the residents, with a distinct Bambaiya flavour. These, in addition to some unprintables, are a staple part of every IITBian’s vocabulary. A word to the wise - regardless of how much you try to resist this ‘IITBfication’ of your language, you will soon find yourself embracing and enthusiastically using the lingo (“Really? Infimaxxx dayaa yaar!”). Most of the lingo used has a very interesting story or explanation to go with it, its meaning in ‘insti’ for instance, ‘scope’. A word with very subtle connotadoing or no way. “Have you finished your assignment “Scope yaar!” Nahi chamka? Here’s an easier example ‘crack’ (or as it is more commonly used, ‘craxxx’). This word, whatever its connotations be in the ‘real world’, has a very positive meaning in IITB. Use of this term by an IITBian implies that the person is referring to somebody’s excellent performance or stroke of good fortune e.g. “I cracked the exam” or in true IITB style, “Crack maar diyaa, boss!”
Department Trip
This is the trip with your department mates where you find yourself enjoying the breathtaking beauty of the hill stations or beaches near Mumbai. The fun you’ll be having can’t be explained by anyone else but you. Usually the department trips are organcompletely by your department, and are organised in every semester - so don’t worry if you miss one if you are ill. It’s advised to remain in good health during 16 insight
that time so as not to miss them, otherwise you’ll find yourself feeling jealous of the friends who went for one.
Cultural festivals
While the institute has ample opportunities to immerse oneself in the type of cultural activities one likes, these reach their most energetic moments during the various annual genre-specific cultural festivals that happen across the year. While not all genres have their festivals, the ones that do are on a pretty large scale. Photography and Fine Arts have Kaladarshan with its massive exhibition and road-painting, dance has AIDS (it stands for Annual Insync Dance Show), dramatics has Ann Prod, while music has Surlarge as well, and these are great ways to showcase your talent.
Inter-IIT Sports Tournament
Having been blessed with a 500+ acre campus and a huge ground with ample sporting facilities has IITs and are probably the most significant avenue of competition that insti students aim to participate and excel in. The 50th edition of the tournament was hosted last year by our very own Institute!
PAF
Performing Arts Festival is, as it says, a gala of the performing arts: theatre, music and dance. All this is also accompanied by extensive creative and fine arts work when it comes to making the stage and the props (known fondly as ‘prod’), and it happens on a very large scale. All the hostels are distributed into four groups, and each of these strive and compete to present four shows over a week in March. The performances are judged on all of the above criteria, and each spectacular performance ends in a not-so-spectacular breaking of the prod work.
Treats
For the uninitiated, ‘treats’ are an essential part of the campus culture at IITB. From late night frankie treats at H1 canteen to fancier ones in Chili’s, from birthday or intern treats to council treats; irrespective of reasons and budgets, treats form a major chunk of an IITian’s social interactions, both with
Valfis
peers and seniors. For example, the months of December and April see numerous treats by ecstatic, recently placed seniors and ‘senti’ graduating ones respectively. April is also the month of the most extravagant of treats, the so called ‘handing over treats’. Whenever a new set of members for a student council or body is elected, institute traditions dictate that they must give a handing over treat to the previous members (the ‘baap’ council, so to speak). With unimaginably high budgets varying from council to council, these ‘typically IITB’ treats are something everybody should experience atleast once.
RG
Speak of the devil and the devil is here! RG is a term coined by Satan himself. You might have already seen an example in the movie 3 Idiots: the part when they talk about Chatur and what he does the night before exams. RG stands for Relative Grading - the idea that your grades are decided by how many others score more than you. To make your line appear larger, you can either increase its length or shorten the other the second one is the RG approach. You may be greeted by a friend at 5 in the morning for help in solving a hard problem, and while you are solving the problem for them, they’d be busy
Once you enter insti, you would undergo the process of stalking the timelines of your fellow mates and seniors, and certainly one of the seniors would have a display picture of their valfi session. You might also witness the popular valfi theme photos strewn across Facebook. To bring into context, Valedictory Functions, popularly known as Valfis in IIT Bombay, are conducted for the graduating students (conducted in the fourth year for Dual Degree students), where they are the maharaja/maharani (on a stage) and gather their praja (your friends) in their respective hostels (yes, there are actual thrones involved). Each group of students usually embarks upon a theme and everyone in that group appears in their valfi picture and dresses for the valfi as per that. Valfis happen across a span of a couple of weeks just before the Spring semester’s endsem week. aamras are served to everyone present. They are night. You are staged on a huge throne and then all your friends describe their version of your journey in the insti. In the process, some bogus and some genuine incidents of your time in insti are displayed or read out. Also, be prepared to hear some gibberish which is anyone. Valfis are inclined to let the graduating students travel back in their journey of the institute on the day which is reputedly their own, and this is supported by visuals and hand-written notes brought about by their friends and fiends. It is an illustration of not just you but the people you had spent time with, including your friends, roommates, mentors, professors, seniors and guides. Memories aren’t the only things flowing and being shared. Remember to get the recording of your valfi and keep it safe as it’s unlikely that you’d remember what transpired. If you receive mails and invitations for a valfi, don’t get agonised by the terms like ‘public humiliation’ and ‘open field view’. Go and have a sight of it, because soon you will be the one mounting the throne.
your room in the middle of your study session and exclaim, ”Yaar ye video dekha hai kya. GOD hai!”. Before you realize, you have watched all the suggested videos as well. Or you may find yourself locked in the bathroom by some RG person in your wing, or you’ll be forced to watch films like Gunda (please do). The methods are many and we hope you too create some yourselves too! insight 17
APPING FUNDAE
Anant Kekre, Eeshan Malhotra, Pratyush Nalla, Soovadeep Bakshi and Shreerang Javadekar Apping , as students here call it, is the process of ap- ulty whose work interests you. Read up on their research plying for and securing an internship for research exposure. groups, the kind of work they do and their recent publicaMany students from IIT Bombay apply to other universities tions. Look for faculty who generally have students from for an internship during the summer period, predominant- IITs as part of their research groups. ly abroad, to work on some ongoing research project at the Making a comprehensive spreadsheet (sample givforeign university or to further carry out their own research en below), and updating it regularly, can go a long way in work under the guidance of professors abroad. For many, helping you keep things organized. This can include the apping is a process requiring heavy investment of time and names of universities you have decided to apply to, the professors’ names along with their interests in brief, and out correctly. However, with a systematic approach and the status of your email application – sent/ response rehonest introspection, one can significantly increase their ceived (positive/neutral), and further course of action. chances of securing a good university internship, while While shortlisting universities and faculty, it is imalso heavily streamlining and simplifying the process. portant to have some background in the subject or field you are applying to get a project in. Although not a necHow to begin? Undergraduate students do not have any kinds essary criterion, it certainly puts you in a position of adof restrictions on stipulating topics for their research in- vantage. Having worked on a project with a professor in ternships. PGs, on the other hand, have to ensure that the the institute can not only give you incredible insight into projects they shall work on are in line with their PG level the field, it can also help you secure a recommendation research motif. Acceptance of taking up such an internship or word of appreciation that will certainly provide a major from your Guide/Faculty Advisor at IIT Bombay is manda- boost to your chances. tory. Even if the project is not analogous to your subject, When should I start? one should be able to convince their guide that whatever The timeframe for applying to foreign universities exposure obtained in this period shall succour them on is pretty spread out. One can secure a foreign internship getting back. Although the entire apping process purports to attracting quite a few struggles on yourself, if done suc- procure. The best time for sending out your applications cessfully, it can translate into a very good research opportunity especially for PGs and a paid summer in an abroad would not have any record to exhibit their academic percountry! formance in IIT Bombay by that period, backing up your Start by identifying universities in your area(s) of application with your till date academic achievements interest. Although you might belong to a given depart- (Former Degree information and performance) shall make ment, your past project experience can serve to widen it plausible. The months from December onwards should the areas you can potentially apply for. Once identified, be utilized to the fullest extent possible, with a lot of time you can scour the web for universities which are listed as available during the vacations. leaders in your area of interest. QS World Rankings, Times How to write the ideal Cover Letter? Higher Education World University Rankings and WeboThe cover letter forms an important part of the metrics are some of the few places you can look up. Since entire application procedure, something which can make every ranking agency employs its own methodology for alor break your opportunity. A well-written and well-formatlotting the ranks, it’s best to rely on them only as a rough ted cover letter helps in creating a good first impression as indicator of the relative reputations of these universities. many-a-times professors do not even bother to go through For instance, many European universities do not your mail entirely. Hence, it is vital that one has knowledge feature in the top hundred in the world, but can easily about the nuances involved while writing the same. Some match, or even surpass their American counterparts in pointers for the same are as follows: some areas of research. 1. The cover letter should reflect the student’s genuine Wikipedia can also help provide an almost exhausinterest in the professor’s work. Reading the latter’s tive list of universities in a given region/country. Most of recent publications related to your field of interest is these agencies also have a subject-wise ranking system a good idea in this regard. Besides making you aware which can help you in stipulating suitable universities as of their work in more detail, it can also help you ideate per your fields of interest. Visit the department/research on how that work can be taken ahead by employing area and faculty homepages of each institute. Don’t forget your skills and past experience. This connect is very to check out the summer projects or particular internship important, and serves to show the professor that you programs which you might be eligible for. Once the uniare serious. However, write about the professor’s reversities have been decided, enter their names (possibly search work only if you have read about it thoroughly. in the order of their rankings) into the sheet. Shortlist fac-
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This is also where a project in the same area of interest might come in handy. Add your project details briefly, and try to focus on their relevance to the professor’s if they are extremely relevant, however, you must be prepared – for you might be interviewed on Skype re2. Mention your CPI if you have a good Department Rank (Again, some of you may not have a CPI/DR by the September-December period,but your performance at your former academic institution or relevant projects will surely be approved of); also add impressive scholastic achievements. Otherwise, you might have to rely on your projects only. Mention of extra-curricular activities, being irrelevant to the matter at hand, should be avoided. 3. Most email accounts you will be sending mails to will reject the ones carrying attachments, therefore, create your own homepage on the IITB server. IIT Bombay’s academic team has now come up with their indigenous homepage generator, which can be very useful here. Append inline in the cover letter the most important points in your resume, and do mention any reputed universities/companies you might have interned with. 4. Avoid mentioning the need for funding in the initial mail. It can be reserved for once a positive reply is received. 5. The subject of the mail has to be thought out very carefully, since many professors have filters on specific keywords due to numerous applications flooding their inbox. 6. Lastly, DO NOT SPAM. IITs are notorious for spamming foreign university professors. Take care not to mail professors from the same department in an institute, since this could harm your reputation and that of the institute. Carefully going through the professors’ research details and publications can help you pinpoint 7.
higher chances of being taken seriously.
noring while sending mails to numerous professors in bulk. Ensure that every mail has been addressed to the right professor and university every time you send a mail. Avoid sending Professor X a mail with the beginning “Dear Professor Y,”. It is advisable to double check every email before sending, as such mistakes shall otherwise cut down your chances heavily despite the professor having an opening. Usage of pleasant language is recommended. It is incumbent that your cover letter displays intent in your application.
Other Important Pointers:
1. Apply for a passport as soon as possible, if you don’t have one. It usually takes a lot of time and involves a lot of red tape and bureaucratic hassle. 2. Carefully plan out the time for sending out your emails – both in terms of time of the year and time of the day. Generally, September through March is the period will likely be forgotten by Monday morning. You want to be the first to get noticed so think time-zone-wise.
Mails received by the professor in the wee hours of the morning, on weekdays, will likely find themselves high up in the inbox, and this visibility might just increase your chances. Boomerang in GMail can also be used to schedule your mails to the ideal-time for universities in 3. Most professors are very liberal about financial situation. If they are satisfied with the work, they will most likely pay you a bonus. In general, even if the professor agrees to a partial funding, one should go ahead with it. Directly asking for more money at the onset itself, can be detrimental. Once fixed, writing a polite mail regarding accommodation et al should be okay. Asking for more money is not a very good idea; rather, ask for travel tickets or accommodation in dorms at the university, since the main expenditure is the cost of living there and the flight charges. 4. Your best resources are those who have done this before you and those you can speak with face to face. Speak with final year students, who’re heading for higher studies. 5. It would be a good idea to register with the PT cell for view (Internships via PT Cell open for 1st year M.Sc. students and Mathematics graduate students). Do not apply separately to such institutes, since it can harm both your and IIT Bombay’s reputation.
First few steps
Start by taking relevant courses and building up a profile in the field of your interest. Maintaining a good academic record is vital. Your academic performance is the first shortlisting criterion for most foreign interns. Most professors select students only on the basis of their resumes while few go a step ahead for Skype interviews. So, it is principal to have a good resume reflecting your academic achievements and technical skills. A good CPI (8.5+) and department rank (Top 5) will help boost your profile amongst other applicants. It is advisable to format a good resume and getting it verified from relevant seniors. Design a good homepage on the IITB Homepage Generator site where you can upload your resume before appending it to your cover letter. Take up project work in your research field at IITB. Writing about such projects in your resume will enhance your chances. Depending on your work you might even get lucky enough to get a recommendation the professor here which works wonders while applying to foreign universities. If you are fortunate enough, upon asking, he/she may even recommend you to one of her contacts at other universities and you will end up avoiding all this hassle! Keep an eye out for scholarships’ deadlines like Charpak, DAAD, S.N. Bose etc. which help you in getting subsidized accommodation and give you a stipend during your stay abroad. Your application to these scholarships is only accepted if you have a valid invitation letter. Hence, it is prudent to plan accordingly. Talk to seniors for advice on apping. They are indeed the best source of knowledge for all your questions in the process. Take their advice on how to prepare for Skype interviews if that is needed for your intern.
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The what, how, and why of Positions of Responsibility (PoRs) Shardul Vaidya and Shreeyesh Menon Why? Positions of Responsibility or PoRs, as they are referred to, informally, are positions in the student administrative bodies that a person can take up. IITB has a culture of giving students a big stake in the administration of the institute, and encourages student participation in the process. PoRs are a also great gateway to meeting new people across various areas. For example, conveners have to handle events that cater to a large target audience. This inculcates managerial experience in public relations, a knowledge of the workings of institute bodies and a general sense of awareness of the environment around you apart from study in core curriculum.
Institute Secretary International Relations (1 post): Responsible for the welfare of foreign exchange students and helps them through their stay on the campus. Also coordinates with the students of IITB going for exchange programmes to other colleges to ensure their well-being. Institute System Administrators (3 posts): Responsible for maintaining the entire institute’s system network in coordination with the hostel SysAds and the Computer Centre. Matters concerning LANs, hostel networks and WiFi are addressed by the system admins. [Selection: 2 are selected by elections in closed electorate; 1 is nominated by the CC-Head]
“PoRs are actually not for the institute’s benefit, they are for your personal benefit. Each and every day you will meet number of people whom you have to convince, work with and chart out plans for events. Such things build a sense of maturity in decision-making. If you think you can manage things well, then come forward and let the institute benefit from it, as will you with the experience you’ll gain.” Atanu Sarkar (PG Cultural Nominee, 2014-15)
PG Academic Council
How to take up a PoR? Most clubs and institute bodies usually send out forms for applications for PoRs under them on student notices, Google Groups as well as on Facebook. If you’re already a part of a club/Institute Body, talk to the respective manager/ secretary about when the forms will be released. The se-
M.Tech (1 post each): Responsible for all matters pertaining to the PG student community, the IRAA acts as a representative of the community in the Post Graduate Programme Committee(PGPC). Overall Coordinators, Institute Student Companionship Programme(ISCP) and Institute Research Scholar Companionship Programme (1 Post each): Responsible for forming the team of student companions who assist the smooth transition of new entrants into life in the institute. Also responsible for the orientation programme and interactive sessions held for the new entrants at the department and institute level. One can also apply to be a student companion under the same eligibility criterion.
standard interview process.
Eligibility
PhD Students: 3 semesters, Masters Students: 1 semester
Selection process:
Institute Elections are held for the following posts GSAA PG, GSHA, GSSA, GS Cult, Mood Indigo OCs, Techfest OC, ECell OC, SARC OC, STAB OC All other posts are nominated for, and selection is usually based on interviews. For cultural secretaries, there are elections within a closed electorate comprising nominees from each hostel.
A Short Guide to PoRs The student representative for all things concerned with hostel infrastructure. Everything from maintenance to security Council, headed by the GSHA.
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The core representative of PG students in the Senate. The GSAA is responsible for the conduct of activities of the PG Acad Council and co-ordinates it to carry out its activities. He/she also puts forward proposals for the welfare of PG students before the Senate.
PhD, 1 M.Tech from each deptt): Acts as the representative of the department and coordinates with the GSAA at the department level. Web & Design Nominee (1 post): Maintains the website
Cultural Council Cultural Secretary (1 post, each genre) Cult Club conveners (No. of posts depends on council) Cultural Admin Nominee (1 post) Cultural Events Nominee (1 post) Design Nominee (1 post) Web Nominee (1 post) PG Nominee (1 post)
Student Technical Activities Body (STAB) Overall Coordinator (1 post) STAB Managers(One for each club) STAB Club Conveners
Sports Council Sports secretaries (1 post, each sport) PG Nominee (1 post) Web Nominee (1 post) Girls Nominee (1 post)
Council PoRs
General Secretary (GS Cult, GS Sports) / Overall Coordinator(STAB OC) The principal student representative for all activities (under the relevant Institute Council) in the institute. Heads the Council, comprising of secretaries of various genres, and is also responsible for maintaining infrastructure. in coordination with genre-wise secretaries. Cultural Admin Nominee (1 post): Oversees the admin requirements (including equipment procurement, venue bookings etc.) of the events of the cultural council. Cultural Events Nominee (1 post): Coordinates with the cultural council for the execution of major events. Design Nominee (1 post) : Responsible for the publicity of events of all cultural genres, along with promoting a culture of design in the institute Genre Secretaries/Managers (1 post, each genre) : Responsible for all activities of the particular genre and for coordinating with the Council for their activities. PG Nominee (1 post): Responsible for managing logistics of PG events and promoting activity among PG students. Web Nominee/ Web and Design Nominee (1 post): MainGirls Nominee (1 post) : Responsible for promoting sports activities among girls. Convener : Responsible for on-ground execution of events and planning of the calendar of activities with the secretary/manager.
Independent Bodies (IBs)
cember. Overall Coordinators(2 posts) Mood Indigo Core Group Members(22 posts) Mood Indigo Coordinators Techfest : Popularly known as the largest college technical festival in Asia. The 3-day event sees a wide range of technical exhibitions, events and sessions by pioneers in technology. Takes place in December-January. Overall Coordinator(1 posts) Techfest Manager(22 posts) Techfest Coordinators E-Cell: The entrepreneurship cell, or E-Cell is a body that promotes entrepreneurship by conducting activities that encourage business innovation among students. Overall Coordinator(1 post) E-Cell Managers(22 posts) E-Cell Coordinators Abhyuday : The social festival of IITB. This began in 2013 and has seen a huge participation from social and humanitarian groups coming together for sessions on social entrepreneurship and issues facing the country. Overall Coordinator (1 post) Abhyuday Managers Overall Coordinator, TechGSR (1 post)
IB PoRs
Overall Coordinator: Responsible for overseeing the workings of the body thoughout the year. This includes deciding the vision and long-term plans of the body and the managers/core group members. Manager/Core Group Member: Head specific departments of the IB and form the core team responsible for planning and executing events of the body. Drive the core plans of the department for that year, and heads a two-tier team that handles the events. Co-ordinator: Works under the Manager/Core-group member and performs planning and on-ground execution of events. Insight: The forum for all discussions pertaining to IITB, keeping you informed of all that’s happening around the campus. Chief Editor (2 posts): The head of the Insight Editorial Board. Responsible for the print and web content that goes out, and also the dissemination of information to the students pertaining to the life in the institute. Editorial Board Member: Responsible for ideation of the content that goes out on the web and in print. Also responsible for heading articles and supervising content, along with panelists. Panelist : Works on the articles and is responsible for artiwith the Ed Board Members.
Mood Indigo : Famously called the largest college cultural festival in Asia, Mood Indigo, or MI, as it’s popularly known, is a 4 day festival that takes place during the month of De-
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M THE TEA
AAKANKSHA PANELIST
ABHILASH EDITOR
ANANT PANELIST
CHAITANYA DESIGNER
CHANDRAPREET PANELIST
DEVANG EDITOR
EESHAN EDITOR
KEWAL PANELIST
MIHIR EDITOR
MIHIR CHIEF EDITOR
NIRANJAN CHIEF EDITOR
PALKA EDITOR
PARTH EDITOR
PRAKHAR PANELIST
PRANAV PANELIST
PRATYUSH PANELIST
PRITISH EDITOR
RAJAT DESIGNER
SANDEEP EDITOR
SHARDUL EDITOR
SHREERANG EDITOR
SHREEYESH EDITOR
SHREYA EDITOR
SOMESH DESIGNER
SOOVADEEP PANELIST
SUMITH PANELIST
VAIBHAV DESIGNER
YASHIKA PANELIST
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