‘Why the people you meet matter more than the courses you take’ | Life in an IIT

For me, the journey toward theJoint Entrance Examination (JEE)did not begin with coaching classes or study schedules – it began with a visit to a campus that quietly changed the way I imagined my future.

My elder sister was studying Aerospace Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, and I remember visiting the campus once to see her.

Walking through the hostels and seeing the atmosphere of the institute made something click.

If I were going to study engineering, I would want to study at an IIT.

Coming from a family with an engineering background, the idea of pursuing engineering was never too far away.

Still, when it came time for me to choose between science and commerce after Class 10, I remember being quite confused.

It felt like a decision that would quietly shape everything that came after.

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My father helped simplify it for me.

He told me that choosing science would keep more doors open in the future – whether it was pursuing a PhD, taking up a job, or even switching into fields like management later on.

That perspective stayed with me, and eventually the choice became clearer.

Once I had chosen science, preparing for JEE felt like the next natural step, especially with my sister having gone through the same journey before me.

From that point on, the goal was clear.

In many ways, the way I grew up also shaped how I approached things later in life.

I studied in multiple schools from nursery to Class 12.

My father’s job involved frequent transfers, which meant we moved cities roughly every two years.

Over the years, I lived in places like Sonipat, Kochi, Gurgaon,Ahmedabad, Vadodara,Mumbai, andChandigarh.

Most of my schooling happened atDelhiPublic School in Vadodara and later at Ryan International School in Mumbai’s Kandivali.

Growing up meant changing schools every few years – new classrooms, new languages, and the awkward process of starting over again each time.

At the time, it sometimes felt unsettling, but looking back, it gave me a deeper understanding of people and places.

It also taught me how differently communities think, communicate, and live.

While in school, I was never someone who limited myself to academics.

I was always drawn to everything happening beyond the classroom – sports, cultural activities, and any opportunity that allowed me to participate, explore, and engage with people.

At home, my father works as the CEO of the ASCENT Foundation, while my mother is a yoga therapist.

Their support played a big role during the years when I began preparing for JEE.

My JEE preparation really began after Class 10.

But just as things were getting started, theCOVID-19pandemic struck and everything suddenly shifted.

At that time, my father was working in Mumbai, and my sister was studying there, while my mother and I were still in Vadodara.

Until 2018, our entire family had been based in Vadodara.

When my father moved to Mumbai for work, my school suggested that it would be better for me to stay back until I completed my Class 10 board examinations.

So, my mother and I remained in Vadodara for a while.

I had always been someone who enjoyed the routine of going to school and coaching classes, being around people, and learning in that environment.

Overnight, all of that moved online.

Like many students during the pandemic, adjusting to studying entirely through a screen wasn’t easy.

When I chose the integrated program with my coaching institute, it also meant that I would eventually have to move to Mumbai.

After Class 11, in the middle of the pandemic, I finally made that move.

By then, I had settled into a routine.

Classes usually ran from around 8 in the morning until about 2 in the afternoon, sometimes even until 5.

After that, I would take some time off – talking to my parents, playing a sport, or reading.

Later in the evening, I would spend a few hours revising and studying on my own.

Throughout that phase, the biggest support came from my family.

When the time came for JEE Main and JEE Advanced, there was never any pressure to chase ranks or outcomes.

Instead, they gave me the space and confidence to simply focus on doing my best.

In the end, I secured a rank of 14,459 in JEE Main and 11,452 in JEE Advanced.

From the beginning, I was clear about one thing – I wasn’t chasing a particular branch or department.

What I really wanted was to be part of the IIT ecosystem.

So when it came time to fill in my JoSAA preferences, I kept it simple.

I filled in all the branches and ordered them based on the IITs I wanted to go to.

When the final round of seat allocation came out, and I was allotted Biological Sciences atIIT Madras, I was initially a little skeptical.

I hadn’t studied biology in Classes 11 and 12, so naturally I wondered whether I would be able to cope with the coursework.

But after speaking to a few seniors and acquaintances at IIT Madras, I realised it wasn’t unusual for students to enter the programme without a strong background in biology.

I also spent some time reading about the field and discovered that biotechnology is among the fastest-growing areas of research and innovation today.

At that point, the decision felt clearer.

I joined IIT Madras in 2022.

Although I had visitedChennaiearlier on vacation, moving there for college felt very different.

It was the first time I would be living completely on my own.

One of the first things that struck me when I arrived was the campus itself.

After growing up in the concrete landscape of Mumbai, IIT Madras almost felt like an actual jungle, with greenery everywhere.

Seeing deer casually walking around the campus during the first few weeks was something I definitely wasn’t used to.

The first week was spent mostly exploring – late-night cycle rides through tree-lined roads, jamming sessions at the NAC, wandering into different departments just out of curiosity, and checking out the sports facilities.

Adjusting to campus life happened quite naturally, though a few things surprised me in the beginning.

One of the biggest surprises was that I was allotted a single room in my hostel – something very few freshers get.

While it was nice to have my own space, I did feel like I missed out on the classic first-year roommate experience.

Before coming to Chennai, many friends and relatives had warned me that I would end up eating idlis and dosas every day.

But the mess food turned out to be a pleasant surprise.

There were multiple options to choose from, and it honestly wasn’t as bad as people make it out to be.

Whenever the mess menu didn’t excite us, there were always campus outlets and food trucks to fall back on.

Meeting people from across the country made the transition easier.

Hostel corridors were always buzzing with conversations, and within a few weeks, the campus started feeling much more like home.

When I first came to IIT Madras, I wanted to explore as much as I could.

One of the first things I signed up for was NSO basketball.

I had played regularly during school but had to stop during Classes 11 and 12 because of JEE preparation, so getting back on the court was something I was really looking forward to.

I also performed as a guitarist during Freshie Night, which turned out to be a fun way to begin my time on campus.

In my first year, I volunteered for both Saarang and Shaastra, which gave me a glimpse into how large student-run events function and allowed me to work closely with seniors.

Eventually, I became part of the Entrepreneurship Cell, and that turned out to be a defining part of my institute life.

What started as a role as an associate manager turned into a four-year journey with the team, eventually serving as the executive head.

In many ways, my time at IIT Madras has been shaped by the positions of responsibility I have held.

Academics were always present, of course, but I approached them more on a need-to-study basis.

While I never sidelined them, a large part of my time and energy went into working with these clubs and teams.

Being at IIT Madras has definitely changed me as a person.

After spending nearly two years of the pandemic in lockdown, I had lost some confidence in my people skills.

Being on campus again – interacting with batchmates, working in teams, and having everyday conversations – gradually helped me open up again.

Another thing that stood out to me was the senior-junior culture at IIT Madras.

Seniors are always approachable and willing to guide you, whether it is about academics, clubs, or career choices.

Over time, you realise that the network you build – friends, seniors, and mentors – is one of the most valuable things you gain here.

Over the course of my time at IIT Madras, I have had the opportunity to do multiple internships across different industries.

I worked as a business development intern at Epigamia, an investment analyst intern at Inflection Point Ventures, and later as a product management intern at FlexiLoans and M2P Fintech.

Recently, I also secured an on-campus internship at Appian Corporation as a product management intern.

Each of these experiences exposed me to a different side of business – from working with founders in early-stage startups to understanding how product decisions are made inside fintech companies.

They have helped me gain a clearer sense of what my future career path might look like.

After IIT Madras, I plan to pursue a career in consulting or product management.

Through the internships I have done over the past few years, I have had the chance to explore these fields closely and understand the kind of work they involve.

A few years down the line, I would also like to venture into building something of my own – possibly a startup in the consumer space.

The exposure to entrepreneurship and working with different teams during my time at IIT Madras has definitely played a role in shaping that aspiration.

Looking back, I realise that IIT is less about what you study and more about the people you end up working with.

Student-run organisations here function almost like small startups – fast-paced, chaotic, and incredibly rewarding.

And often, the confidence you gain here comes simply from trying things you had never imagined doing before.

Mridusmita Deka covers education and has worked with the Careers360 previously.

She is an alumnus of Gauhati University and Dibrugarh University....

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