‘I prepared by watching YouTube videos’: IIT Madras student on JEE journey and pre-placement offer | Life in an IIT | Education News

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‘I cleared JEE without any formal coaching’

Unlike many aspirants, I did not join a formal coaching institute for JEE preparation. My preparation was almost entirely through YouTube lectures and self-study. I followed online lectures covering the full syllabus and practised extensively from books. The biggest challenge during preparation was solitude. Since I was not enrolled in coaching, I did not know many others preparing for the exam, and there was no dedicated mentor for doubt-solving. There were times when clearing doubts became difficult, but I managed to stay consistent throughout the process.

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When it came to choosing branches during JoSAA counselling, I was interested only in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science because of the innovation and opportunities in those fields. I initially joined Electrical Engineering at IIT Madras and later moved to the Department of Computer Science and Engineering through a branch change. I am currently in my fourth year at IIT Madras.

Finding a place at IIT Madras

Coming to IIT in November 2022 was also my first experience of living independently. Although I was still in Chennai and could visit home a few times every month, hostel life was a completely new experience. One thing that made the transition easier was the inclusivity on campus. Since I follow Jain dietary restrictions and avoid onion, garlic, and potato, among other things, I was relieved to find that IIT Madras had a separate pure vegetarian mess with a dedicated Jain food section.

I adapted quickly largely because I involved myself in campus activities from the very beginning. In my first semester itself, I joined multiple clubs and teams, which helped me meet people and build friendships. Some of my closest friends today are people I met in the Jain mess and through campus activities. IIT Madras offers countless opportunities for students to interact through clubs, freshers’ sessions, and engagement events, which makes adjusting to hostel life easier.

Academically, one of the most enriching aspects of IIT has been interacting with professors. Many professors here are highly respected in their fields, yet remain approachable and deeply invested in students’ learning beyond attendance or examinations. During my time as co-curricular affairs secretary, I worked closely with faculty members such as Murugaiyan Amirthalingam and Sathyanarayana N Gummadi for institute events, including Shaastra, Institute Open House, and Inter IIT preparations. I was also fortunate to have Aishwarya Thiruvengadam as my faculty advisor, who was extremely supportive not just academically but personally as well.

Clubs, leadership, and life beyond academics

Over the years, I became part of several technical and entrepreneurial initiatives on campus. I worked with the Shaastra team, the techfest of IIT Madras, for four years. I was also associated with the AI, Math, and Programming Club, worked as an associate manager in Startup Services, and joined Avishkar Hyperloop as an embedded systems engineer. In my final year, I became the co-curricular affairs secretary of the institute. Managing academics alongside co-curriculars was challenging at times, but IIT’s academic structure is accommodating enough to allow students to explore diverse interests.

My experience at IIT has transformed me significantly as a person. I have become far more extroverted and confident in my abilities. The campus environment constantly pushes you to learn from people around you because you are surrounded by some of the brightest minds. It has also helped me develop leadership skills, especially while serving as a student secretary. At the same time, being around such talented people has kept me humble and grounded.

One of the most important lessons IIT taught me is that one should never assume they know enough. Every person around you has something valuable to contribute to your life. I learnt not to be afraid of making mistakes or asking questions, no matter how simple they may seem. IIT also taught me to seize opportunities and build meaningful networks.

My daily routine is fairly flexible. There are days when I wake up just minutes before class or occasionally skip one after sleeping late. Evenings are usually spent balancing academics, club work, and skill development activities such as coding. Free time is mostly spent with friends in canteens or hostel rooms, where we play games like Catan and Poker, gossip, and simply unwind together. I also play badminton and chess casually, and recently started swimming.

Opportunities, internships, and future plans

Apart from academics and campus activities, IIT also opened doors to opportunities that would have otherwise been difficult to access. Through my role as student secretary, I got the opportunity to host a fireside chat with S Jaishankar and represent IIT Madras at the Inter IIT Tech Meet in IIT Patna. I was also selected for the NXT Fellowship programme, where I interacted with people working in global policy and leadership spaces.

Professionally, I interned at NK Securities Research, a high-frequency trading firm. The internship gave me practical exposure to the concepts I had studied over the years and helped me understand how the corporate world functions. It also strengthened my interest in the field of high-frequency trading, where I now have a pre-placement offer.

As I near the completion of my BTech programme, I see myself continuing in the high-frequency trading sector while simultaneously exploring entrepreneurial ideas and side projects. At present, I am not actively planning for higher studies, but if I choose that path in the future, I would like to pursue an MBA from an IIM or an MTech/MS from a globally reputed university.