IIT JEE

VERIFICATION OF IDENTITY AND COUNSELLING

Qualified candidates will be informed by post of their All India Ranks (AIR), and
will be called for identity verification in the order of their AIR. A candidate can
also obtain this information on the website, IVRS, or by calling the JEE office from
where he/she received the admit card, on or after May 26, 2009. Individual zones
(IITs) will fix their counselling schedule. They will display the counselling schedule
on their websites and also inform the qualified candidates by speed
post/registered post. In case a qualified candidate does not receive the
counselling letter, he/she must still appear for identity verification on any one of
the dates specified in the counselling schedule, at the institute from where he/she had
received the admit card.

The main purpose of asking the qualified candidates to appear in person for the
counselling is to verify their identity. Hence the candidates must bring their
admit cards, and various documents for verifying their identity, age, category
and mark sheet of qualifying examination, all in original with two photocopies
of each. On failing to establish the authenticity of any of the above documents,
the candidate will not be considered for admission. The candidate must also bring
a physical fitness certificate from a Registered Medical Practitioner in a format that
will be made available to him/her at an appropriate time.

After checking their identity and documents, the candidates will be asked to
submit their choice sheets of courses and institutes. The counselling brochure will
help the candidates to exercise this option judiciously. Some IIT faculty may also
be available for consultation. However, the faculty at any one IIT may not have
information about all the courses offered by all the institutes, and can only
provide whatever information is available with them.

After the qualified candidates have exercised their choices as per the counselling
schedule, seat allocation will be done centrally, at a later date on the basis of the
AIR-cum-choices exercised by the candidates. There is no provision for instant
seat allocation at the time when the candidates submit their choice-sheets.
However, the course closures will be announced, starting from the first day of
counselling of GE category candidates.

To take care of possible absentees, the number of qualified candidates is kept

more than the number of seats available in the IITs, IT-BHU, Varanasi, and ISMU,
Dhanbad. The fact that an applicant has qualified in JEE-2009 and has been called
for identity verification and counselling, does not guarantee his/her admission.
This will depend upon the applicant's All India Rank, his/her choice of
courses/institutes and the number of seats available.

A counselling brochure detailing various branches of study will be mailed

along with the counselling letter, and will also be made available on the
website.

Counselling dates for candidates of different categories, including those who

qualify for Preparatory Course are provided in the counselling schedule.
http://www.jee.iitb.ac.in/imp_dates.htm

EXTENDED MERIT LIST (EML)

Apart from the various Merit Lists [i.e., the Common Merit List (CML), the
category (SC, ST, OBC) and sub-category (PD) merit Lists, and Preparatory (for
SC, ST, and PD) Merit Lists], JEE also prepares Extended Merit Lists (EML) under
different categories, by making some relaxation in the aggregate cut-off. For JEE-
2009, the lengths of the Extended Merit Lists are six times the lengths of the
corresponding JEE Merit Lists.

The Candidates appearing in the EML are not eligible for admission into
IITs, IT-BHU, and ISMU, and will not be called for counselling of JEE-
2009.

The EML is provided to other institutions (see the Table below) for the purpose of
admission in these institutions.These Institutions have about two thousand seats
in total for various courses offered by them.

Candidates declared qualified in the EML, who are desirous of admission

to these institutions, must apply to these institutions directly for
admission. For all other details regarding the courses, application
procedure, fees, etc., the candidates are advised to contact /visit the
respective institutions/websites.

The list of institutions that will be using the EML of JEE-2009 is given below. The
list may be updated time to time.

S. Name of Institute Website Address

No
.
1. Indian Institute of http://www.iist.ac.in Indian Institute of
Space Science and Space Science and
Technology Technology
Thiruvananthapuram
- 695 022
2. Indian Institute of
Science Education
and Research
(a) Mohali http://www.iisermohali.ac.in/ IISER Mohali
MGSIPA Complex
Sector-26
CHANDIGARH-
 160019
(b) Pune http://www.iiserpune.ac.in/ IISER Pune
900 NCL Innovation
Park
Dr. Homi Bhabha
Road
PUNE-411008
(c) Kolkata http://www.iiserkol.ac.in/ IISER Kolkata
HC-VII, Sector-III
Salt Lake
KOLKATA-700106
(d) Bhopal IISER Bhopal
http://www.iiserbhopal.ac.in/ ITI (Gas Rahat)
Building, Govindpura
Bhopal - 462 023
(e) Thiruvananthapuram http://www.iisertvm.ac.in/ IISER
Thiruvananthapuram
CET Campus
Thiruvananthapuram
- 695016
3. Rajiv Gandhi http://www.rgipt.in/ Rajiv Gandhi
Institute of Institute of
Petroleum Petroleum
Technology Society Technology,
(RGIPT) Ratapur Chowk, Rae
Bareli-229001 (U.P.)

NOIDA OFFICE
ADDRESS
C/o BPCL Office, A-5
& 6, Sector-1,
Noida–201301, U.P.
4. Indian Institute of http://iims.dgshipping.com/ Indian Institute of
Maritime Studies Maritime Studies
(Merchant Navi) C/o Lal Bahadur
Shastri College of
Advanced Maritime
Studies and Research
Hay Bunder Road
MUMBAI-400033
What to do after getting through JEE
Here I attempt to answer a few frequently asked questions by people who have passed
JEE. Please note that these are purely my personal views, and based on my discussions
with several of my friends and colleagues, I can confidently say that these are not even
unofficial views of IITK.

Official view of JEE, to put it simply, is that all IITs are equal, all programs are equal,
and all students are equal. That is quite absurd in my opinion, but the guys who manage
admissions, have to project an image of being unbiased.

So what do you do. First, you got to delve deep into your heart, and see if you have any
innate preference for any program. (And by the way, in my humble opinion, you should
follow your heart and not your mind in these matters.)

But if you are an average JEE qualifier who has spent the last two years in a coaching
center in Kota, Delhi, Hyderabad, or Kanpur, and who didn't have time to develop and
explore one's own interests, the result of this exercise is likely to be one of the two
possibilities:

• I don't know enough about any program. (You are being honest.)

Well, if you want to follow the official words of wisdom, do the following. Since
all programs and all IITs are equal, and you do not have any specific interest, the
best way to choose is to draw lots. Write down codes for each program on a
separate piece of paper. Put all such small pieces in a box. Take one slip out at a
time, and write down the code in that slip on your preference sheet.

• I love computers. My first toy as a baby was a computer. I am great at playing

computer games, and this would make me a perfect computer scientist.

Well, as I said, follow your heart. Fill up all CS and IT related programs as your
first few options. If you get Computer Science, spend the next 4 to 5 years
competing with other folks who too got a computer as their first toy. And when
you manage to stay afloat and get a degree, you will find it easier to quietly dump
computer science as a career, and move on to management, finance, and other
such careers. Anything, but computers.

For good or for bad, JEE qualifiers do not trust our official wisdom. They do not want to
decide their careers by a draw of lots. So they ask us all sorts of questions. In most cases,
they know the answers, and we don't. But we pretend to provide answers, and they
pretend to listen to those answers (which is good, one should respect one's potential
teachers).

So here are some Frequently Asked Questions and their unofficial answers. (And
another disclaimer: I know more about IIT Kanpur than any other IIT. I did my BTech in
CSE from here, and now I am teaching here for more than a decade. I love this place.
Also, I have been on faculty of IIT Bombay for a semester. So don't expect me to be fair
and impartial.)

1. Should I be selecting an IIT or a Program.

2. I have decided the Program. Which IIT should I chose.
3. I have decided the IIT. Which Program should I chose.
4. Should I prefer a Dual-degree program or a BTech program.
5. If Dual-degree programs are so good, why is it that many people are not opting for it.
6. Which IIT has the most liberal branch change rules.
7. Which IIT is best for MBA entrance preparation.
8. How are programs on Mathematics and Computing.
9. How are programs on Engineering Physics.
10. For Bio-related courses, is it necessary to have done Biology in the 12th class.
11. I am interested in Electronics. IIT Kanpur offers only a program in Electrical but not in Electronics. Why.
12. I have got a 500+ rank in JEE. I want to study Computing in one of the original five IITs. Should I go for
programs on Maths and Computing.
13. I have got a 1000+ rank in JEE. Should I study Computer Science in BHU or opt for some discipline in
an IIT.
14. I have got a 1500+ rank in JEE, and can get my preferred discipline in IIT Roorkee. Is IIT Roorkee as
good as original five IITs.
15. I have got a 2000+ rank in JEE, and can get my preferred discipline in IIT Guwahati. Is it safe to study
in Guwahati?
16. I have got a 2500+ rank in JEE. Can I get admission in one of the six new IITs. Are they going to be as
good.
17. I have got a 3000+ rank in JEE. Should I go for an MSc program in an IIT or a BTech program in
another institution.
18. I have got a 3500+ rank in JEE. I can get my preferred discipline in IT-BHU. I heard that it will become
an IIT soon. Will I get a degree from IIT Varanasi, if I join IT BHU.
19. I have got a 4000+ rank in JEE in my first attempt. Should I go for a second chance next year.
20. I have got a 4500+ rank in JEE. Should I study abroad. I have an offer from NTU, Singapore.
21. I have got a 5000+ rank in JEE. What discipline should I chose in ISM Dhanbad.
22. I have got a 5500+ rank in JEE. But I have a much better rank in AIEEE. Can you suggest a few good
colleges.
23. I have got a 6000+ rank in JEE. Should I go for JEE Counseling. Can I get admission to any institute.
Will I get my money back if I am not offered admission.
24. I have got a 6500+ rank in JEE. Why do IITs declare so many candidates as successful when the total
number of seats available is less.
25. I have got a 7000+ rank in JEE. What are the colleges that admit students based on JEE rank, but are
not part of JEE Counseling.
26. I am convinced about IIT Guwahati. But my parents are not agreeing to let me go so far. What do I do.
27. If I want to get additional information about a specific program, whom do I contact.
28. Can we contact you for more information

1. Should I be selecting an IIT or a Program.

Depends mostly on whether your inner voice has an opinion on this. If you are
passionate about a particular career (because, for example, your role model in
family or neighbourhood is in that career), then give the program a higher
 preference over an IIT. If you are not passionate about any program, then perhaps
selecting an IIT is alright.

Most programs in most IITs are good. I am already deviating from the official
line. But frankly, I don't see how a four year undergraduate program in one IIT be
run as effectively by a core faculty of five as is run in another IIT by a core
faculty of ten or more. A much larger faculty does not mean a much better
program, but a faculty size in single digits should ring an alarm bell.

So your first home work after qualifying JEE. Go to the website of each IIT. Visit
the websites of the departments that you are considering, and find the faculty
strength. If it is less than 10 for a program, then try to get more information. (Like
it may be a new program, and faculty is being hired now.) If in doubt, drop the
priority of this particular IIT-program pair. If a program has been around for at
least a couple of years, and the faculty strength is still in single digits, I wouldn't
go anywhere near that program, how so ever good it may appear in theory.

2. I have decided the Program. Which IIT should I chose.

I would chose IIT Bombay, and here is my reason for it. IIT Bombay had
introduced a very flexible system last year (2007). They have made it easier to get
a BTech, so if you decide sometime during your stay there that you will be going
for an MBA or a non-technical career, you can take it a bit easy and get a BTech
degree, instead of a BTech (Hons.) degree. They allow you to have a minor in
another discipline too, along with your BTech in one discipline. I consider such a
flexibility as extremely important, since during the next 4-5 years, your interests
will change, and you will have better information to take decisions on your career.

But this need not be the only reason to chose an IIT. In fact, choosing an IIT for
non-academic reasons is perfectly fine. For example, some of you may select an
IIT because it is closer to home (and you want to be able to meet family every
weekend). Some of you may select an IIT because you want to go far off from
your home so that your parents can't visit you frequently, and certainly not
without a warning. Both are valid ways of selecting an IIT.

Also, there is a trade-off between living in a metro (and enjoying whatever metros
offer) and being exposed to a very cosmopolitan environment. Metro IITs
(Bombay, Delhi, Madras) are slowly becoming regional IITs. There are so many
selections from their respective zones that most persons studying there would
come from their own respective zones. But non-metro IITs have fewer selections
in their resepctive zones, hence they attract students from all over the country. As
a result you find more cosmopolitan environment in IITs in smaller cities, and
more regional environment in IITs in bigger cities. This may be a reason to chose
IIT Kanpur over other IITs.
 IIT Kharagpur has an exciting dual-degree program, where you get a BTech and
an MBA in five years. Of course, the selection for MBA is not now. Right now,
you just choose BTech program, and if you perform well in their aptitude test,
group discussion and personal interview, you might be given admission to this
dual-degree program at the end of 1st year. If you are thinking of doing an MBA
anyway, and you are confident of doing well in their admission process, this
program may be a reason to prefer Kharagpur over other IITs.

3. I have decided the IIT. Which Program should I chose.

A more direct question that I get asked every year is what are the job prospects of
various programs. And it is a sad question to answer, because it reflects complete
lack of self-confidence even amongst people who have qualified in one of the
toughest exams in the world. If they won't have jobs, then who else will.

If you look at those students who are in the top 75 percent of their class, there is
no problems at all in terms of finding a good job. Most graduates in the lowest 25
percent will also find jobs, but there could be cases, where one does not get a job
in one's dream company, or does not get a salary in 7 digits, or one could not
manage a job through the campus placement, but had to apply on one's own. But,
really placement is hardly an issue in IITs. And if you didn't get a satisfactory first
job, that it not the end of the world. Perform well in whatever you got, and then
you switch to something more to your liking.

Frankly speaking, there can only be two reasons to prefer one program over the
other: One, your own personal inclination and aptitude. If you knew that then
obviously there is no problem in ranking the programs. The second reason is
placement. But if placement is close to 100 percent for all programs, then what
does one do.

And on top of that, most IITians end up doing things completely different from
what they studied at IIT anyway. So why worry about placement of a particular
program. This year's favorite all over the country were jobs in financial analytics,
paying handsome salaries. And they just hired smart people from all the
departments. The second most popular career path seems to be doing an MBA.
Again, there is no distinction between various programs. In fact, if you are a smart
cookie, and you chose a program which all other smarter cookies will avoid, then
you can have an easy life in IIT, spend more time on extra-curricular, developing
your personality and soft skills, prepare for CAT, and have a better chance at
capturing financial analytics jobs or getting admission to IIMs.

Since placement is no different, and one does not have special personal preference
for a particular program, the only ranking that makes sense for most people is
based on last years' closing rank. But what this means is that a new and exciting
program will be missed by a large number of bright students. Do pay a close
attention to programs that have been started in the last couple of years, or are
 being started this year. Most people will go by last years' closing ranks, and you
may have an easy time getting admission into that program, even if you do not
have a rank in 3 digits or less.

Since most people end up using last years' closing rank as a guide to fill up their
preferences this year, it puts a lot of pressure on others who may actually have a
personal preference for something else. The old illogic continues. For example,
why don't people select Civil Engineering. Many people still believe that the only
job that a civil engineer can have is that of supervising in hot summer afternoon
the road construction work in the hinterland. Nothing could be farther from truth.
While one should not demean the job of constructing a highway, there are so
many exciting things happening in civil engineering, but people continue to join
civil only if they don't get any other engineering program. They are disinclined
towards civil engineering from day one, and they fail to notice the excitement in
it.

4. Should I prefer a Dual-degree program or a BTech program.

Well the answer depends on whether you are talking about the two programs in
the same department, or different departments. Let us take the two possibilities
seperately.

If you are comparing Dual and BTech in the same department, say Dual (CSE)
versus BTech (CSE), then the answer is very simple. Go for BTech. I think the
dual-degree programs are fantastic, but the way IIT Kanpur policies have been
designed, it is much easier to change one's program from BTech to Dual, and it is
much more difficult to change the program from Dual to BTech. So why should
one decide on Dual now. Take up BTech program now, and if you get excited
about the Dual degree program after you join IIT, you can move to Dual-degree at
that time. (Rules of IIT Kanpur permit a change of program from BTech to Dual-
degree till the beginning of 7th semester.)

What I am suggesting above may not hold for other IITs. Another view I have on
dual-degree program is that it is little too early to decide what your specialization
should be in the MTech program. Hence I personally prefer only those dual-
degree programs where MTech is in a broad discipline (allowing you to choose
your specialisation in the fourth year typically), and not like those dual-degree
programs where you have to decide now a narrow area of specialization, for
which you know even less at this time.

Now coming to the more interesting question. I have a JEE rank of 200. I want to
follow last years' closing ranks for choosing major departments, and hence I
prefer CSE over EE. But I am not likely to get admission in BTech (CSE). Should
I prefer Dual (CSE) or BTech (EE).
You could replace EE and CSE with any two departments, and the answer will be
same. It depends on how strongly you prefer one department over the other (CSE
over EE in this example). And to test how strongly you prefer one department
over the other, I will ask a theoretical question. Be honest in answering it.

Your BTech (EE) program will finish in May 2012. Suppose I were to offer you
admission in BTech (CSE) on the condition that your program will be delayed by
three months, and you will actually graduate in August 2012. Would you then
prefer BTech (CSE) or would you still prefer BTech (EE).

Basically, if you prefer EE in this hypothetical scenario, then it is clear that your
preference for CSE is very minor, and you are not willing to pay even a small cost
of three extra months to undertake a CSE program. Then you should prefer BTech
(EE) over Dual (CSE).

But if you preferred CSE in this hypothetical situation, then we can continue this
game a bit further. Now, I further suggest that you invest 9 more months in the
discipline for which you have indicated a reasonably strong preference. In these
nine months, we will most probably give you about one lakh rupees in cash, we
will give you a degree that normally takes two years to complete, and a degree
that opens a lot more doors for you in industry. At least in CSE, several
multinationals have setup advanced R&D labs in India, and they hire MTechs and
PhDs only, giving a very good work environment as well as an excellent financial
package. I am sure there are such labs in other disciplines as well.

To me the decision is a no-brainer (though your mileage may vary). The future
certainly belongs to more specialisation, and having an MTech degree will be an
asset for everyone. Spending a few extra months now in the same environment
where you have spent four years is the easiest way to get an MTech degree.
(Talking about CSE at IITK, for getting a BTech degree, you will need to do 40
courses and a project. For Dual-degree the requirement is only 42 courses and a
thesis. So it is really very small incremental work that gives you an additional
degree.)

The financial assistance in the final year is based on your good performance in the
first four years, and is based on current Institute assistantship rates. These may be
enhanced in the next four years. You could also be working on sponsored projects
for your thesis, and get much higher assistanship. (For example, some MTech
students working with me have received Rs. 15,000 per month.)

And, if you are one of those who always want to look at placement figures before
taking a decision, well, the third batch of dual-degree students in IIT Kanpur
graduated this year. And the salary package offered to them was better than the
corresponding package offered to the BTech students in the same branch, by the
same company. So you do get compensation for that one extra year (besides, as I
said, opening more doors in research labs, and other such places, where BTechs
 are not even considered). And future growth is likely to be faster for people with
two degrees from IITs.

5. If Dual-degree programs are so good, why is it that many people are not
opting for it.

Nothing is perfact in life, and there are shortcomings with Dual-degree programs
as well. But more importantly it does not fit into the career plans of many
students.

First, many students think that they might like to get a US degree after IIT. (This
used to be the only ticket to US a decade or more ago. Most people who go to US
today, go with business visa, but still old thinking die hard.) And the easiest US
degree to get is a Masters degree. People feel shy of joining another master's
degree after completing one.

I can only say to such students that the number of people going to US for MS
degree is reducing rapidly as other avenues to go abroad have opened, and also
opportunities within India have become enormous. So the chances are that you
won't find yourself in a situation where you would have to do another Master's
degree after a Master's degree from IITs.

Second, if the student has already decided that one is not going to be in the area of
undergraduate discipline. For example, one may be interested in MBA after
BTech. Then spending an extra year is wasteful.

My response is that unless you are absolutely sure of your career plans, a few
extra months in an IIT are not going to hurt you too much, and in all likelihood it
will help your career significantly.

One piece of advice. IIT Kanpur implements Dual-degree program in a very

unique (and may I add, strange) way. The student gets two different roll numbers,
they get two different CPIs, they are governed by two separate set of rules
depending on whether they have done enough UG courses or not. It is all very
confusing, and problematic, particularly if you happen to perform not so well. I
believe that other IITs have a more streamlined implementation of dual-degree
programs. So you may weigh this too while deciding on the dual-degree program.

6. Which IIT has the most liberal branch change rules.

Frankly, I do not know all the nuances of the branch change rules of all IITs. Also,
there are some traditions, which are not codified as rules. My information is
primarily from the JEE brochure. You could read yourself, but anyway, let me
summarize. (But before I do that, a statutory warning. Do not count on branch
change. In any IIT, it is given to very few students, and you must assume that
everyone else in the IIT will be at least as smart as you are.)
Many IITs allow top one percent students to choose their branch without any
restrictions. IIT Kanpur does not have such a rule, but traditionally it has allowed
anyone with a CPI of 10.0 to choose their branch. (And the number of students
with a CPI of 10.0 at the end of 2nd semester is more than one percent of the
batch.)

All IITs have a lower limit of strength in a branch, and the number of students in
that particular branch cannot go below that level. IIT Bombay says 85 percent of
existing strength. IIT Delhi, IIT Roorkee and IIT Guwahati have set the limit at 90
percent of existing strength. IIT Kanpur has set the limit at 60 percent of the
sanctioned strength. So, IITs at Delhi, Roorkee, and Guwahati allow very few
people to get out of an unpopular branch, while IIT Bombay allows a few more.
IIT Kanpur allows lots of people to get out of any branch, except a few
exceptionally unpopular branches. (Traditionally, Chemistry has had problems
with lower limits, and some students despite good performance have been denied
change of program.)

All IITs put an upper limit on the batch size after the branch change. IIT Bombay,
IIT Delhi, and IIT Kanpur set the upper limit as the sanctioned strength. So you
can get into that branch only if there is a vacancy. IITs at Kharagpur and Roorkee
allow the batch size to go up by 10 percent of existing strength. IIT Guwahati
allows extra seats upto 10 percent of sanctioned strength. Now, normally, the most
popular courses do not have any vacancies. So it will be impossible to get
Computer Science in Kanpur and Bombay by way of branch change (unless you
are one of the top few), while at other IITs they always create at least a few seats
for branch change.

One thing you may note in these rules is that every IIT either controls exit from a
branch or controls entry into a branch. IITs which are liberal in entry into a branch
(by allowing student strength to go up beyond the existing or even sanctioned
strength) are strict in terms of how many students can get out of a particular
branch. Overall, you may not find any significant difference in the number of
students getting branch changes in different IITs.

IIT Kharagpur and IIT Madras don't seem to allow branch change for dual-degree
students.

Many IITs have a special provision for allowing BTech students to join the dual-
degree program in the same department till later part of their program. IIT
Bombay allows a BTech student to migrate to Dual-degree till 4th semester, and
in some exceptional cases, even later. IIT Kanpur allows a BTech student to
migrate to Dual-degree till the middle of 7th semester.

Another point to note is that some IITs allow a general category student to change
to another branch where the vacancy is due to non-availability of a suitable
reserved category student, while other IITs will not do so. And this will make a
 significant difference in terms of number of students who can get a change in their
branch. (And I have no idea which IIT does what.) IIT Kanpur used to permit
changes for a general category student to fill up a reserved seat after one year.
Now, it has become more strict, and this year, will not allow such changes. So the
number of branch changes are likely to reduce.

IIT Kanpur is unique in the sense that it allows branch changes even after 3rd and
4th semester (only those vacancies which somehow could not be filled after 2nd
semester, so this does not help you get very popular programs, since they were
full after 2nd semester anyway).

7. Which IIT is best for CAT preparation.

Sorry, we do not provide coaching for CAT or any other MBA entrance test. There
is private coaching available in every city and town. At IIT Kanpur, there are
coaching centers just outside its boundary wall, and I am sure the same is true for
other IITs as well.

If you are sure that you will like to go for MBA after your under-graduate
program, select the program with the largest closing rank. Statistically speaking, it
is likely to be least competitive. Since you are not interested in any program, and
only want to be associated with IIT brand, chose a program with least number of
years (4-years) and a program where very few top rankers are likely to be present.

8. How are programs on Mathematics and Computing.

In many IITs, there are programs on Mathematics and Computing. Please note
that in all cases that I know of (but please check individual website), the program
is offered by the Department of Mathematics and not the Department of Computer
Science. It means that the major component of the program will be Mathematics,
and the Computing component will be significantly less than what a pure
Computer Science program would offer. But if you are very keen on anything
related to computers, and you can't get the full-fledged program on Computer
Science, then these programs are the next best things in life. You, of course can
get into software industry, though you will find it difficult to get a job in research
labs of IT companies. Also, these programs are getting popular wih financial
firms. You know your mathematics, you hone your analytical skills, and you know
the basics of Computer Science. These are enough to earn a 7-digit salary.

And while they may be poor cousins of Computer Science programs within the
IIT system, I would tend to favor them over a CS program outside IIT system,
even for those who are sure that they really want to be in Computing as a career.
First, in some IITs, a few courses in the program may even be taught by Computer
Science faculty. Please check their website, or ask a faculty member in the
Mathematics department. Second, most IITs give you opportunities to do elective
courses from outside the department, and hence you may be able to do a few
 courses from Computer Science Department (other than those which are
compulsory in the curriculum).

Also, if you are serious about a career in computing, then you should be planning
to do an MTech later on, irrespective of whether you do a CS degree from a non-
IIT, or a Maths and Computing degree from an IIT. And both will stand an equal
chance for admission to most MTech programs. And of course, as I have
repeatedly said here, don't forget the value of Brand IIT. (I am a totally biased
person, strongly in favor of IIT system. Take everything I say with a pinch of
salt.)

And, if you have something inherently against a five-year degree, or if you have
something against an MSc degree, you can consider IIT Guwahati's offering,
which is a BTech program in Mathematics and Computing, and is a regular 4-year
program.

9. How are programs on Engineering Physics.

The programs on Engineering Physics differ significantly from one IIT to another.
These programs invariably include several Physics courses, but what
differentiates them from MSc (Physics) courses are the courses from other
disciplines. Some IIT may have substantial amount of Electronics in the
curriculum, while another one may have material science, and yet another one
may have courses from a diverse set of disciplines.

So, please read the JEE brochure, or visit the website for more details before
deciding which program matches your interests.

10. For Bio-related courses, is it necessary to have done Biology in the 12th class.

To the best of my knowledge, there is no requirement of passing Biology in the

12th class for courses on Bio-technology, Bio-chemistry, Bio-sciences, Bio-
medical, and so on. I did not see any such requirement mentioned in the JEE
Brochure.

11. I am interested in Electronics. IIT Kanpur offers only a program in

Electrical but not in Electronics. Why.

IIT Kanpur does not believe in proliferation of degrees. As a result it offers

minimum number of distinct programs (except IIT Delhi, and the new IITs). So,
while the name of the program remains BTech (Electrical), it offers electives in all
sub-disciplines - be it communications, micro-electronics, power, and so on. It has
an extremely flexible curriculum in Electrical Engineering, which allows you to
take courses in stream of your choice.
12. I have got a 500+ rank in JEE. I want to study Computing in one of the
original five IITs. Should I go for programs on Maths and Computing.

As I have discussed above, these are good programs. However, please do check
the specific details of each program from respective IITs. The content on
Computing vary from one program to another. Whether the Computing courses
are being taught by Maths faculty or Computer Science faculty is important. And
the flexibility in taking electives from Computer Science department is also
important. In IIT Kanpur, only the first course on programming, and the course on
Data Structures is taught by CS faculty, and generally, it is very difficult for a
Maths and Computing student to do courses in the CSE department.

13. I have got a 1000+ rank in JEE. Should I study Computer Science in BHU or
opt for some discipline in an IIT.

If you have strong preference/aptitude/inclination towards a any particular

discipline, and you are getting admission into a good quality college for that
discipline, then go for it. But if your preference for the discipline is not very
strong, stay within the IIT system.

As I have said above, everyone in an IIT will get a job, and most persons would
not be in their discipline soon after their graduation. So in a sense the discipline
does not matter. What IITs give you is not just learning in a particular discipline,
but train you for life-long learning. The kind of learning environment you will
find in IITs is difficult to replicate elsewhere, including BHU.

You will progress in your career primarily based on your capabilities, but you will
require help from others at times. IITs have a HUGE brand equity, and anywhere
you go, doors will open for you on the basis of this brand-equity. There is a very
concious program running in US (and to a smaller extent in India), called Pan-IIT
movement, to promote IIT as a common brand of all IITs. And the old boys'
network of IITs is very strong, and has a lot of attachment for other fellow
IITians. These things help a lot in career.

Of course, my guess is that the new IITs will cause a dilution in the name brand of
IIT as a whole, and my prediction is that in future, individual IITs will have their
own branding. So peoople will no longer be impressed by the statement, "I have a
degree from an IIT." They will want to know, which IIT. (It is like NITs. They
have not been successful in building a brand NIT, because there is far too much
difference in the quality of various NITs. So, a few NITs have been successful in
projecting themselves as centers of excellence, but there is no common perception
of all NITs being good.)

14. I have got a 1500+ rank in JEE, and can get a good branch in IIT Roorkee. Is
IIT Roorkee as good as original five IITs.
 Obviously, IIT Roorkee, by its very name, is an IIT. And thanks to the Pan-IIT
movement, the brand equity of IIT Roorkee is going to be equally good in the
years to come. Some would argue that the brand equity of University of Roorkee
was comparable to that of IITs, and currently a re-branding exercise is going on,
and in the interim their brand value has taken a hit. (I should be teaching
management students. What am I doing in Computer Science.)

They do have some weak spots. In Computer Science, for example, I would
definitely rank IIIT Hyderabad higher than IIT Roorkee. In general, look at the
website. Do they have enough faculty members in that discipline. IIT Roorkee has
its strengths. And the original five IITs have their weaknesses.

15. I have got a 2000+ rank in JEE, and can get a good branch in IIT Guwahati.
Is it safe to study in Guwahati? Why do many people not prefer IIT
Guwahati.

To the best of my knowledge, it is absolutely safe to be in IIT Guwahati. Yes, it

does have an image problem. There was a time when the geography knowledge of
many a students in North India was such any person from south of Vindhyas was
a Madrasi. I don't come across such species any more. But a lot of geography-
challenged parents cannot differentiate between Guwahati and the rest of Assam.
Even an occasional law and order problem in Assam is immediately linked to
Guwahati in their mind. Please don't worry. It is a beautiful campus, right next to
the mighty Brahmaputra. You will enjoy your stay there.

The problem with Guwahati is really its connectivity. The number of trains from
Guwahati to the rest of the country is rather small, and you need reservations
much in advance. Of course, thanks to Lalu, you can get seats in a hurry under
Tatkal quota, if you are willing to pay a higher price. And, thanks to Capt.
Gopinath, a common man can fly to/from Guwahati. As the air connectivity is
improving over the years, you would notice that the closing ranks in Guwahati are
also improving every year.

Of course, they do have less faculty in some disciplines than what they would
like. But as I said elsewhere, look at their website to get exact data, and then make
up your mind. In terms of infrastructure, I don't think they are anyway less
endowed than others. It is cheap to build infrastructure.

16. I have got a 2500+ rank in JEE. Can I get admission in one of the six new
IITs. Are they going to be as good.

It is difficult to predict what the closing ranks will be in the new IITs. However, if
you don't get into new IITs then it means that some of the programs in the existing
IITs will have closed much later.
 Will they be as good. As I said elsewhere, building infrastructure is cheap. So
there is no reason for not having as good facilities. Initially the new IITs will be
mentored by existing IITs. IIT Hyderabad will be mentored by IIT Madras. IIT
Patna will be mentored by IIT Guwahati. IIT Rajasthan will be mentored by IIT
Kanpur. IIT Punjab will be mentored by IIT Delhi. IIT Bhubaneshwar will be
mentored by IIT Kharagpur. And finally, IIT Gujarat will be mentored by IIT
Bombay. Out of these, classes for IIT Gujarat, IIT Hyderabad, and IIT Patna will
be held in temporary locations in the same city where IIT is eventually going to
come. The other three IITs will be hosted by their respective mentors, that is the
classes will be held on the existing campuses.

In three IITs which will have classes on existing campuses, at least there will be a
campus life, and all the facilities. The teaching may not be done by faculty of
existing IITs, but I am sure there will be some quality control.

But IIT education is not about quality of instruction and facilities alone. It is
essentially about being a part of the brand. The new IITs will take at least a
decade, if not more, to build that brand. So studying in new IITs will be less
advantageous to you in the early part of the career, but eventually you will catch
up. So I am ambivalent about whether you should join new IITs or not.

By the way, the hosting of one IIT by another will put some load on the existing
resources. I don't know how IITs at Delhi/Kanpur/Kharagpur will handle this
without affecting quality for their own students. Everyone and everything will be
stretched a lot in the next couple of years.

For my views on the process of setting up new IITs, you may go through this
another article of mine.

17. I have got a 3000+ rank in JEE. Should I go for an MSc program in an IIT or
a BTech program in another institution.

Once again, I will re-iterate my bias. A degree from an existing IIT is likely to be
more valuable than a degree from another institution, particularly when you do
not have any innate preference for what you want to study and where. (If you had
that desire, you wouldn't be reading this page.) Most people will take up careers
in areas different from what they studied in IITs, including those high rankers who
get their first option. And, of course, there are enough good jobs and career
options in the area of your expertise after MSc degrees as well.

But before you put down MSc on the choice sheet, please do visit the website of
the department, and look at the faculty pages. Are their enough faculty members.
Do you feel inspired by their achievements. If you don't find a webpage, drop that
program. They are not interested in you. You shouldn't be interested in them.
18. I have got a 3500+ rank in JEE. I can get my preferred discipline in IT-BHU.
I heard that it will become an IIT soon. Will I get a degree from IIT
Varanasi, if I join IT BHU.

This is a question that has been on everyone's mind for many years. One keep
seeing conflicting reports in the media. Some reports that it will be an "IIT" in the
sense that the name will change to "IIT Varanasi" or something like that. Some
reports, on the other hand, say that it will become autonomous (currently BHU
controls many decisions of IT, as IT is a constituent of BHU), and it will have
administrative structure similar to IITs, and that it will have funding similar to
IITs, but it will not be given the name of "IIT".

What will happen in future, only God and Ministry of HRD know. There is no
doubt that the IIT name will help the institute and its alumni. If you study in IT-
BHU in the hope of name change, and it does not happen, you would have lost the
opportunity to study in another IIT, may be a discipline less preferred by you. On
the other hand, if you chose another IIT, and IT-BHU does get a name change,
you would be cursing yourself for not chosing "IIT Varanasi."

My suggestion is that unless the discipline is strongly preferred, stay within the
existing IIT system. But do what you think is right. Don't blame me for your
decisions later on.

19. I have got a 4000+ rank in JEE in my first attempt. Should I go for a second
chance next year, or should I join whatever I am getting this year.

It is a very personal decision, based on your own confidence level. (Aren't all
decisions personal.) I am, by and large, a risk averse person, and I believe that
success in JEE (and similarly other admission tests) requires that God be with you
on that day. A slight headache, and a couple of questions wrong can set you back
by a large number of ranks. Given that chance plays a significant role in JEE
selection, I wouldn't advice anyone to take that chance again, if you can find
anything remotely of your interest in an IIT. (And remember, if you join an IIT,
you are not allowed to give JEE again.)

There are some science programs that based on last year's closing ranks and
increased seats are likely to close after 4000 this year. Then there is Design
program in IIT Guwahati, which is very good. You should study the counselling
brochure carefully to find out the likelihood of getting a branch by looking at the
last year's closing ranks, and considering that there is an increase of more than 15
percent seats. Please note that last year's closing ranks are just guidelines, and in
some cases, the closing ranks can vary substantially from one year to the other.

On the other hand, if you are getting nothing in IIT, then trying for an improved
rank makes some sense. If you were ranked 5000 in JEE, the chances are that with
one year of exclusive preparing for the engineering admission tests, you will get a
 decent rank in at least one of the many such tests, and you won't be worse off next
year, and you might just have better luck next time.

20. I have got a 4500+ rank in JEE. Should I study abroad. I have an offer from
NTU, Singapore.

If you have decided that your passion lies in Computer Science, then you have to
look at your options and decide the best place to do Computer Science. How does
it matter whether that place is in India or abroad. (Of course, you should be able
to afford it.)

On the other hand, if this was a trick question (like the kind we ask in JEE), and
you really intended to ask me to compare Computer Science in a foreign
university with an unpopular discipline at an IIT, then it is complicated. IITs'
brand value (and that helps in career, as I have said before) is much higher than
most academic institutes in Asia for under-graduate studies. And the other is the
cost issue. Can you afford to study abroad, and even if you can, is it worth that
much investment. On the other hand, the advantages of studying abroad are that
you are getting international exposure at an early age, which has some value.
Also, you are getting to study that you prefer. These are the positives and
negatives. Now you decide for yourself which factors you are going to give more
weight.

Let me also add that compared to the best institutions in the world, IITs' quality of
education is suspect. Our graduates do well because we take the best, and a small
amount of value addition can turn them into gold. But if you consider the value
addition that many good US universities provide to an average student, no Indian
college can come anywhere close. You study in IIT because they provide the best
education in India (and to a large extent in Asia), and they have the best brand
name, but purely in terms of quality of education, lots of universities in US will
be better. For almost a decade, we had kept open a channel of admission for NRIs
through SAT scores. None of our illustrious alumni settled in USA thought about
sending their sons and daughters to IITs. (I did my MS and PhD from University
of Maryland, College Park. Quality of under-graduate education there was
certainly better than at IITs.)

21. I have got a 5000+ rank in JEE. What discipline should I chose in ISM
Dhanbad.

I don't suggets what to do and what not do. That should be your personal decision.
If you think you only want a degree from a good enough place to pursue a non-
technical career, and degree is only a line in the resume, then you need not join
ISM Dhanbad. If you are getting something in IIT system, just fill those choices.

But if you are genuinely interested in Mining related programs, then ISM is a
good place to study. And remember that mining is getting hot these days, so there
 is really no shortage of good jobs in mining. I wouldn't be able to suggest which
of the programs have better job prospects in the current times, and I certainly can't
predict what will happen 4 years from now.

22. I have got a 5500+ rank in JEE. But I have a much better rank in AIEEE.
Can you name a few good colleges, in case I don't get admission to any
program in an IIT.

Please read my article on how to choose a college.

23. I have got a 6000+ rank in JEE. Should I go for JEE Counseling. Can I get
admission to any institute. Will I get my money back if I am not offered
admission.

Last year, the last closing rank was 6196 for Architecture at IIT Roorkee. This
time, considering the OBC reservations, and the opening of new IITs, the last
closing rank should be after 7000.

There is no harm in going for counseling and filling up all the choices you are
interested in. One never knows how the preferences of candidates may change
this year, and what will be the impact of new programs and the reservation. You
should not regret later, if the closing rank is after your JEE rank.

And yes, if you are not awarded admission to any of the programs that you fill up
in your choice sheet, then your money will be refunded (after deducting a small
counseling fee).

24. I have got a 6500+ rank in JEE. Why do IITs declare so many candidates as
successful when the total number of seats available is less.

There are many candidates who prefer to join other colleges if they can't get a
discipline of their choice through JEE. Because of this, JEE declares many more
candidates successful than the number of seats. The total number of successful
candidates is about 1.15 times the total number of seats available (including
reserved seats). It means that depending on how many candidates chose to not
take admission through JEE, some of the successful candidates may not be offered
admission to any program.

25. I have got a 7000+ rank in JEE. What are the colleges that admit students
based on JEE rank, but are not part of JEE Counseling.

There are 8 institutes that JEE website lists which use JEE rank for admission. To
facilitate admission to these institutions, JEE also declares an extended merit list.
That is, it declares ranks for students beyond the 1.15 times the seats number.
Those who appear in extended merit list are not called for JEE Counseling, but
 can apply for admission to these 8 institutions. (Those who are selected in JEE
main merit list are obviously eligible for admission to these institutions.)

These institutions include five Indian Institutes of Science, Education and

Research (IISERs) at Mohali, Pune, Kolkata, Bhopal, and Thiruvananthapuram,
respectively. The other three are: Indian Institute of Space Science and
Technology (IIST) at Thiruvananthapuram, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum
Technology (RGIPT) at Rai Bareli (UP), and Indian Institute of Maritime Studies
(Merchan Navy). The IIMS actually consists of three different programs at three
different locations. Check their website for more details.

26. I am convinced about IIT Guwahati. But my parents are not agreeing to let
me go so far. What do I do.

Argue with them. Convince them. Put them in touch with some faculty member in
IIT Guwahati. Tell them that for your job, you might have to go abroad, even
farther than Guwahati, and for people in North India, Guwahati may not be farther
than Chennai.

27. If I want to get additional information about a specific program, whom do I

contact.

Certainly, not me. I know somethings about Computer Science and IT. I have
some general knowledge about various other fields, but no detailed knowledge. If
you want to know what do they teach in that program, or which companies came
last year to hire, I would not know any of that stuff.

Please visit the website of the department who is offering that program. Find out
email addresses of some faculty members or even students. Send your query to
one or two persons only. DO NOT SPAM.

28. Can we contact you for more information

I will be glad to answer your further questions, if time permits. But I do not wish
to discuss JEE Counselling on phone. Please do not call me. Please contact me
only on email. You can send me email at: dheeraj[AT]iitk.ac.in.
(Remove [AT] and replace it by @.)

Even on email, I will not be able to answer all the queries. I get far too many
emails, and I prefer to respond to those emails, which are easily readable, and
where the question is very clear, and not something that I have already answered
in this page. Please don't ask me what can be available at what rank. Please first
the JEE Counseling Brochure for 2008, which you should be getting this week.
Also, there are websites on the Internet where people have put up the closing
ranks of last year. My guess at how closing ranks will change this year will be as
good as yours.
 Further, please note the following:

o Emails with SMS like language are not readable.

o Emails with all capital letters are not readable. (It amounts to shouting.)
o Use of Roman script for Hindi words is discouraged.
o Use proper puntuation marks, and capitalize the first letter of every
sentence.

Best wishes.