Campus Life: My First Year at IIT Delhi

By Anagh Prasad

Beginning of Realisation of the Dream

Hi, I am Anagh Prasad, currently pursuing Computer Science at IIT Delhi. And before I begin, let me explain what you might think is a fancy title. The Indian Institute of Technology at Hauz Khas, New Delhi has consistently been on the top of rating charts for Indian colleges for quite a while now and we all know those who get into it have always nurtured this dream.

Now that the dream has been realised, what you must be wondering is whether it’s really as good as I thought, is it also a “high-pressure” zone like my coaching, what is campus life like, how many holidays will I get to meet my family and stuff like that. This article is to satisfy your curiosity before you actually set sail into the sea with other equally enthralled fuchhas (“official” term for freshers; you will come across many such slangs!).

The Institute Campus

First things first, as the institute is going to be both your home and Karmabhumi for the

next 4-5 years (hopefully not more) , there is certainly no harm in knowing the campus well right away. The campus is spread over a sprawling 320 acres in the heart of South Delhi. Posh localities like Hauz Khas, Vasant Kunj and Safdarjung enclave surround the college. High end shopping places and theatres like Select Citywalk, Promenade, Priya , Hauz Khas Village are proximal and well accessible with local autos and buses. The nearest Metro station is Hauz Khas ( yellow line ) that is directly linked to NDLS , Chandni Chowk , DU north campus and Connaught place. Also, JNU is a stone’s throw away from IIT. AIIMS and some DU south campus colleges like Gargi, Kamala Nehru etc. are close to the campus.

The campus is mainly divided into three zones: the Academic area, the Girls’ hostel and faculty residence area and the Boys’ hostel area. There is one main building (official : MS) in the academic area that is linked to all the blocks and lecture theatres. A new MS is also on the verge of completion of construction. The CSE people have got a fully AC Bharti School for themselves but now as the Khosla building is ready, CS department is hoped to shift there. And not to forget, Textile, being the oldest department, boasts of an entire building devoted to textile engineering.

There are 13 hostels in total ( 11 boys’ + 2 girls’ , yeah the gender ratio is actually like that). No one is allowed to change her/his hostel throughout her/his stay at IIT and thus everyone eventually develops an emotional attachment to the hostel she/he lives in. Also each hostel is proud of its legacy and culture of extra-currics . As you shall discover, hostel-mates become your best friends and family away from home.

Hostels:

This is a topic many of you might be very worried about. You must have heard from seniors that IIT rooms are like prison holes and all that. Well, to be honest, your rooms are not going to be very comfortable. Unless you are lucky enough to have been allotted Udaigiri or Girnar hostel, you have to deal with cobwebs and ‘microscopic’ room size. The mess food is almost completely edible. But these things won’t matter much once you get along and believe me in a matter of months, you would start loving your room. Also remember that the best way to enjoy your hostel life is to take part in as many activities as you can with your friends.

Clubs/Activities:

Cultural Activities:

The Board for Recreational and Cultural Activities(BRCA) is an amalgam of all the cultural clubs of IITD including Debating, Quizzing, Literary, Dance, Drama and Fine Arts. All these activities are carried out very enthusiastically at IITD and BRCA is definitely doing its role to keep it  so. Also, it is the BRCA that organizes Rendezvous, the annual cultural festival. Rendezvous is the largest college festival of north India with thousands of students coming from numerous colleges in  and around Delhi for the extravaganza. And honestly, rendezvous does live up to all the hype that surrounds it! BRCA events have a rich  history of inter-hostel competition but since 2013-14, all events have become non-competitive. Nevertheless the enthusiasm is still there.

There is a separate Board for Student Publications, BSP that prints regular magazines and newsletters. BSP also organizes Literati, a literary fest, in September.

Sports:

The Board of Sports Affairs, BSA is the apex sports body at IITD. As you shall see, sports is taken very seriously in the campus and also there is a  conducive environment for the same. There are separate hockey, cricket and football fields. Also there are courts for basketball, squash , lawn tennis and badminton. Almost every hostel has got Table Tennis tables, badminton and basketball courts and a gym. The ultimate achievement for any sportsperson at IIT is to get selected for Inter-

IIT tournament (held every December) and win medals for IIT Delhi there.

BSW:

BSW, i.e. the Board of Students Welfare, is a board of elected students that have the responsibility of representing students before the administration and  put forward students’ needs. Also BSW assigns a mentor( a 3rd yearite) to each student. She/he is to guide you in academic as well as non-academic matters  throughout the first year. BSW organizes a fun festival, Esperanza in September. Also there is zero tolerance towards ragging at IITD and you can directly approach your mentor for help.

But don’t worry about ragging, that era is over now. In fact most of the seniors shall be very friendly and helpful.

Academics:

I won’t dig deep into this field as it is the most vital component of IIT life and it is advisable to have correct, concise information about it from official sources.

But as some of my juniors have requested me, here is a very brief description of first year academics:

The course was reformed in 2013 to make it more holistic and now everyone studies the same courses regardless of her/his department.

You would study Physics( EM waves, quantum mechanics, practical), Chemistry( organic, inorganic as well as physical), Maths (Calculus, linear algebra), Electrical engineering, engineering drawing, product  design, programming introduction, applied mechanics as well as language and social skills. If you wish to apply for department change, better buckle yourselves up for some serious work as cut-off CGPA(grade point ) goes extremely high specially for Computer Science stream.

Overall, the courses are interesting and won’t put a heavy burden. But you will have to study hard during minors(mid-semesters) and majors ( end-semesters ) if you miss lectures!

Places to hang out:

In Campus:

• Cafeteria: Cafeteria is right in front of the MS. The food here is cheap and makes for a good quick meal. It’s a nice place for having on hot samosas.
• Café Coffee Day: CCD is adjacent to the iconic Wind T (it’s an area under the MS architecturally designed to facilitate air flow through it). Wind T is the hub of activities,  always abuzz with club groups, friend circles and couples. Also the CCD at Wind T has a nice ambience.
• Night Messes: Majority of IIT-Dians are nocturnal creatures. And night messes at various hostels are there to cater to the students till 3 or maybe 4 in the morning. While Jwalamukhi is famed for nice Chinese, Satpura offers authentic roti-sabzi and Udaigiri boasts of the best Maggi at IIT.
• Students’ Activity Centre(SAC): As the name suggests, SAC is the centre for a plethora of activities like indoor sports and gym as well as BRCA events. A new swimming pool is being constructed at SAC.

Outside Campus:

• SDA Market: Just opposite the Main Gate, SDA is the favorite hangout place for IIT - Dians. Good cafes and snacks outlets surely help to serve the taste buds.
• Ber Sarai: Ber Sarai is the nearest place to go for buying books for both IIT and JNU students. Its chaat and momo stalls are very popular.
• Hauz Khas Village: Hauz Khas Village has a beautiful lake and historical architecture. HKV boasts of the some of the finest cafes and clubs of Delhi. Perhaps the best place for a romantic date.
• Connought Place: It’s a favorite destination for foodies and shopaholics all over Delhi.
• PVR Priya: Munch on a McDonald’s burger and watch a nice movie at this Saket theatre.

No one can claim to mention all the interesting places Delhi has to offer. There are just so many of them. Happy exploring!

See you at IIT Delhi!