IITM- How the top institute in NIRF really is.

I wanted to do my PhD and I found IITM would be best for me for my research topic. The faculty-student ratio for phd is around 1:6 which is higher than most of the institutions. Faculties are highly qualified having 2/3 post-docs (mostly from abroad). We even have some European faculties. The teaching method is tough for most of them. They expect you to be exceptionally good. You have to do coursework in the first semester and in core courses, you must secure an 8-cgpa to proceed to comprehensive viva. If you are not getting 8, you have to go through another examination. After the comprehensive viva, you can start your research. Overall, it's highly difficult and requires your heavy input.

There are a huge number of internship opportunities. Phd students usually prefer internships in popular labs over the world. This is done by several programs like semester exchange programs, and international immersion experience (IIE). I have personally been to CERN, Switzerland using IIE and the experience is great. You also get paid for your tickets, rent and living during this period. They expect you to do some good research in the popular labs and to implement it in IITM. The outcome of the projects is journal and conference papers which they prefer to publish in high-quality journals.

Students with bachelor's and master's usually opt for placement. Students pursuing phd in physics don't usually go for a placement. It's a common thing in phd everywhere. Students usually opt for post foc positions abroad. So this question is not much relevant for PhD. If you consider all other degrees, the average package is 1500-2000k/ annum where the highest goes somewhere around 10M Indian rupees. Popular companies like Google, Amazon and Microsoft recruit students regularly. 100s of companies come for recruitment and Almost 100% of students get placed for bachelors, but you can say it's 0% in a PhD as they don't even sit in an interview. My plan is to go for a post-doc position, preferably in abroad as it gives higher value to a career.(that's strange but true)

Fees get hiked almost every year, but the cost is affordable and better than other IITs, even being in the centre of a metropolitan city. In phd, you will get a stipend of 37k per month as jrf and 42k as srf (after 2 years). If you are getting pmrf, it will be get doubled. Additionally, you can take HRA of 27% if you stay outside. The fees you need to pay is around 30k per year as college fee and 60k per year for hostel fee or 10k per year as hostel fee if you are a non-hosteller, which includes medical facilities and establishment fees etc.

There are a number of fests happen but the annual cultural fest SAARANG is the huge one where they call Bollywood singers and popular overseas bands as well. There are many student activities also at this time(generally in December). Techfest is known as SAASTRA and happens at the end of January/start of Feb. Many departments have their separate fest such as biofest. The library and journal collection is excellent. You will find almost all your needs there. Classrooms are classic ones for phd students with some if the modern facility (you can expect old classrooms as it's an old IIT). There are a huge number of activities and you can literally do anything you want. A number of clubs for music, dance, musical instruments, sports, indoor sports etc. We have a gym and a swimming pool as well. Also, there are student clubs, finance clubs, film clubs etc, and all these clubs are run by students only.

For admission in PhD in any IIT, you need to clear joint CSIR -UGC NET/ GATE with a good rank(<500 say), if you are not doing your masters from an IIT with more than 8 cgpa. People having to inspire fellowship can also take admission. Then you have to go through one entrance exam conducted by the IITM physics department followed by an interview which lasts for an hour..one doing mtech/MSc in IIT can convert it to a PhD as well. Reservation does not help much as you have to go through a rigorous process of interviews, and there is no maximum/ minimum number for the student numbers in PhD.