In may last blog “Foreign student’s bracket increased by 10% in IITs”, I talked about increased number of seats for foreign students in IITs which is a good news for foreign applicants. Now it’s time for Indian students to buck up and get ready to grab the upcoming opportunity.

By now, you must have understood from the title itself that country’s leading engineering institution is gearing up to produce even more number of engineering graduates for which they have increased 528 seats. This new update will come into effect from 2017.

The 5% increase in seats will take the total to 11,100 seats in 2017 as compared to 10,572 in 2016. This will further assist in IITs plan to take the tally to 14,000 seats by 2020 across all B.Tech programs.

The numbers though may vary from institute to institute as some of them do not have sufficient infrastructure to support increased number of entrants. But the scenario will change in coming, as IITs would want to achieve their target of one lakh students including M.Tech and PhD as well most possibly by 2020.

Well, such updates are always welcomed from the students but this time we thought of knowing the reaction of experts on this new update and here is what they have to say:

“Distribution of seats in various branches will be a key factor. It is beneficial if seats are increased in branches that are high in demand these days such as Computer Science but if it is increased in any such branch in which students do not opt intentionally then its waste.”

                                                                                                    …Harsh Patodia (Maths Expert, askIITians, IIT-Roorkee)

“Considering the fact that all the IITs do not have sufficient resources to accommodate increased number of students thus seat distribution will be crucial across different IITs.”

                                                                                                …Bhavya Agarwal (Chemistry Expert, askIITians, IIT-Delhi)

“It is a really good decision considering the increase in number of applicants every year. The seat to applicant ratio was quite less so far which will eventually get better with this new decision of theirs.”

                                                                                         …Santosh Verma Datla (Physics Expert, askIItians, IIT-Madras)

This was all for now, for more updates stay tuned with us. Do share your comments as well and keep following us.

Signing off

Abhishek from askIITians

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India’s leading engineering institute- Indian Institute of Technology will now provide free of cost coaching classes for JEE preparation. The project will start from January,2017 and the services will be delivered through DTH(Direct-to-home) TV channels and internet.

This step will give lakhs of students an insight of IITs teaching level and give them a sense of confidence as they are will be taught directly by IIT experts. As per the IITs, the modern day coaching institutes focus solely on preparing students for entrance exams without considering whether the concepts are clear to them or not. Thus IITs decided to take the matter in its hands and get the aspirants IIT ready.

Choosing television channel and internet as a medium will help them reach a wide group of target audience. As television has coverage in even most remote areas and internet penetration is increasing in India at a significant rate. Approximately 200 hours of lectures of each subject will recorded and along with regular IIT experts, regular IIT students will also be part of this exercise. This move will further strengthen IIT as a brand.

The project is also supported by NCERT(National Council of Educational Research and Training) and HRD(Human Resource Development) Ministry which is plus point of it. This will further make the classes more effective by making it more interactive, help students ask questions and seek clarification in best possible manner.

Every year around 1.2 million students appear for JEE Mains exams every year and only around 15,000 are shortlisted to sit for JEE Advance. Since number of aspirants is increasing every year thus a positive response is expected for this project.

I hope you liked this great news, to get more such updates stay tuned with us. Till then, this is Abhishek signing off.

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The guidelines for filling JEE application form 2017 are out and if you go by mandates then Indian students will now have to produce Aadhar Card number during registration.

As per the notification present on JEE’s official website “jeemain.nic.in”, Indian candidates should possess Aadhar Card issued by UIDAI(Unique Identification Authority of India) at the time of filling application form for JEE 2017.

At the time of filling the form, candidates need to fill Aadhar number, name, date of birth and gender that are present in Aadhar Card. The details will be verified from UIDAI and in case of any mismatch the application will be rejected.  Thus it is advised to ensure that your Aadhar Card has correct details and in case of any mismatch,it is advised to get it corrected as early as possible.

Online application process will start from 1^st December,2016 and the last date to apply is 2^nd January,2017. The fees for which can be submitted by 3^rd January. This time JEE MAINS will be held on 2^nd April,2017.

However, any clear instructions regarding alternate of Aadhar Card for foreign students is still awaited but you need to to worry as they must have planned something for it. Till then do not worry and keep following us, this is Abhishek signing off for now and I promise to come up with latest update very soon. BYE

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Placement season has started in IIT’s, and the results are pretty impressive after initial week of placement. And what made the headlines is a girl from IIT-Bombay who grabbed the most sought after offer to work in Uber International, USA.

MP born Aditi Laddha was among first few who got international placement and the one to grab top offer. Although reaching at the pinnacle is not new to her which she proved earlier when she cracked JEE-Advance with AIR(All India Rank) of six in the year 2013.

She joined Computer Science & Engineering the same year and three years down the line got placed with top offer. She and another candidate by the name of Pranjal Khare are the only ones who got placed in UBER International. Among other girls who got placed with good offers are Palak Jain and Charmi Dedhia who got placed in Google(domestic placement).

Computer Science & Engineering is the most demanded course these days and the queue top international software giants such as Facebook, Google, Oracle, Microsoft, etc. are a proof of that.  But this surely does not mean that there was a drought like situation in other departments.

Apart from the above mentioned companies, the other international players that did shell out huge amount as salary or were ready to pay high enough to suitable candidate were  VISA, Bloomberg UK, Texas Instruments, Samsung, BCG, Goldman Sachs, Sony Japan, Shell, Airbus. This include foreign and domestic placement as well.

IIT-Madras and IIT-Bombay were good enough to attract big shots international players such as Bloomberg UK visiting the IIT’s for the first time.

Apart from all this, the interesting fact about scenario is the rise in number of girls who joined IIT’s after Aditi and have got placed with good amount of package. Since, engineering has been seen as male dominated course or career prospects that come up after pursuing engineering was thought to be for males, thus rise in number of girl aspirants is a positive sign.

In addition to that, the point to be considered is that candidates who get foreign placements are seen at par compared to those who get placed domestically. But the point that is not considered here is that all the calculation of annual savings comes to an equal, be it for domestically placed student or foreign placed thanks to the high cost of living in some of the foreign countries.

However, this still remains a point of debate whether you should opt for placement in foreign country or not. And this I will discuss in my upcoming blog/ blogs, till then keep following us and stay tuned for my next blog. This is Abhishek saying BYE..

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So here I am back with yet another update from IIT’s. And the update is that IIT’s have opened the option of changing/ editing/ removing any discrepancies in photographs and signatures of candidates uploaded in JEE(Joint Entrance Examination) 2017 application form.

The facility is made available since December 10, 2016, notification for the same in available in official website of CBSE(Central Board of Secondary Education) JEE.

And here are the steps for you to be followed for making changes:

• First of all, login to the CBSE JEE, jeemain.nic.in
• Then look on the far left hand side under “Current Events” column, look for the notification by the title of “Remove Discrepancy in Uploaded Image(s)” and click on it.
• A new page will open in front of you.
• When the page gets opened, type your Application number, enter the password and then click on “Login”.
• After logging in, go through the instructions carefully and follow the steps to make changes in your photograph or scanned signatures. Do make sure that you save the changes before exiting.

The scanned photograph should be 3.5cm x 4.5cm of dimension and should be between 4KB to 100KB in file size.  The scanned signature should be 3.5cm x 1.5cm of dimension and size should be between 1KB to 30KB file size.

The last date of applying for JEE Main 2017 is January 2, 2017 and fees can be paid till 3^rd January, 2017.

Stay tuned for more updates, till then keep following us. This is Abhishek saying BYE..

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Hi all, In this blog I am about to cover a very important discussion about JEE. Well, if you work in a reputed institute like askIITians then you often come across various questions related to JEE Mains and Medical and these days the question that students ask me quite often is “ Whether they should prepare for JEE 2017 or JEE 2018?”.

I discussed this with our faculties and came up with a brilliant idea of covering this through a series of webinars.  The main aim of these webinars is focused on:

• decide the year when you will appear for JEE,
• if you decide to appear for JEE in 2017 then what should be your strategy,
• time table preparation
• books to be followed
• test series to be considered for practice,
• preparation strategy to be followed in each subject etc.

The first webinar of the series was on the topic “Crack IIT JEE 2017- 130 Topics in 190 Days- Chemistry Plan” by Miss Sakshi Ganotra, Chemistry expert in askIItians.

I hope you liked our video, so as here is the icing on the cake and the link for our rest of the webinars:

• How to Nail Mathematics in Just 6 Weeks?
• Fix Your Physics in just 6 Weeks for IIT JEE
• 13 Must read Books to Ace IIT JEE 2017
• Moving to India necessary after Grade 10th ?
• 7 Effective Time Management Tips to crack IIT-JEE 2017

Like our webinar, follow us on facebook to get update about our next webinar.

The post Shall I prepare for JEE 2017 or JEE 2018? appeared first on askIITians Blog - One place for all updates on IIT JEE & Medical Exams.

Welcome to our second topic of discussion in the series of webinar focused on JEE preparation. Looking at the topic you might be thinking that preparation strategy is same for all the subjects so why cover Physics, Chemistry and Maths separately in each blog. But since every subject is different, therefore so has to be its preparation strategy.

This second webinar of the series was on the topic “How to Nail Mathematics in Just 6 Weeks?” by Mr. Harsh Patodia, Maths expert in askIITians. Mr. Harsh discussed about:

• Points to consider before starting preparation,
• Important topics and their sub-topics
• Strategy to cover all the topi8cs and sub-topics in just 6 weeks.

Here is the link for our previous webinar in series:

• Crack IIT JEE 2017- 130 Topics in 190 Days- Chemistry Plan

Here is the link for rest of the webinar in the series:

• Fix Your Physics in just 6 Weeks for IIT JEE
• 13 Must read Books to Ace IIT JEE 2017
• Moving to India necessary after Grade 10th ?
• 7 Effective Time Management Tips to crack IIT-JEE 2017

Like our webinar, follow us on facebook to get update about our next webinar.

The post How to Nail Mathematics in Just 6 Weeks? appeared first on askIITians Blog - One place for all updates on IIT JEE & Medical Exams.

Welcome to our third topic of discussion in the series of webinar focused on JEE preparation. This third webinar of the series is on the topic “Fix Your Physics in just 6 Weeks for IIT JEE” by Mr. Santosh Verma Datla, Physics expert in askIITians. Mr. Santosh discussed about:

• Roles of academic teacher/ student
• Important topics and their sub-topics
• Strategy to cover all in just 6 weeks.

Here is the link for our previous webinar in series:

• Crack IIT JEE 2017- 130 Topics in 190 Days- Chemistry Plan
• How to Nail Mathematics in Just 6 Weeks?

Here is the link for rest of the webinar in the series:

• 13 Must read Books to Ace IIT JEE 2017
• Moving to India necessary after Grade 10th ?
• 7 Effective Time Management Tips to crack IIT-JEE 2017

Like our webinar, follow us on facebook to get update about our next webinar.

The post Fix Your Physics in just 6 Weeks for IIT JEE appeared first on askIITians Blog - One place for all updates on IIT JEE & Medical Exams.

Welcome to our fourth topic of discussion in the series of webinar focused on JEE preparation. This fourth webinar of the series is on the topic “13 Must read Books to Ace IIT JEE 2017” by Mr. Nishant Vora, Maths expert in askIITians. Mr. Nishant discussed about:

• Books and test series to be considered for JEE preparation.

Here is the link for our previous webinar in series:

• Crack IIT JEE 2017- 130 Topics in 190 Days- Chemistry Plan
• How to Nail Mathematics in Just 6 Weeks?
• Fix Your Physics in just 6 Weeks for IIT JEE

Here is the link for rest of the webinar in the series:

• Moving to India necessary after Grade 10th ?
• 7 Effective Time Management Tips to crack IIT-JEE 2017

Like our webinar, follow us on facebook to get update about our next webinar.

The post 13 Must read Books to Ace IIT JEE 2017 appeared first on askIITians Blog - One place for all updates on IIT JEE & Medical Exams.

Welcome to our fifth topic of discussion in the series of webinar focused on JEE preparation. This fifth webinar of the series is on the topic “Moving to India necessary after Grade 10th?” by Mr. Sourabh Singh, Maths expert in askIITians. Mr. Sourabh discussed about:

• Pros amd Cons of moving to India for IIT JEE preparation (specifically for foreign students and NRI’s)

Here is the link for our previous webinar in series:

• Crack IIT JEE 2017- 130 Topics in 190 Days- Chemistry Plan
• How to Nail Mathematics in Just 6 Weeks?
• Fix Your Physics in just 6 Weeks for IIT JEE
• 13 Must read Books to Ace IIT JEE 2017

Here is the link for rest of the webinar in the series:

• 7 Effective Time Management Tips to crack IIT-JEE 2017

Like our webinar, follow us on facebook to get update about our next webinar.

The post Moving to India necessary after Grade 10th? appeared first on askIITians Blog - One place for all updates on IIT JEE & Medical Exams.

Welcome to our sixth topic of discussion in the series of webinar focused on JEE preparation. This sixth webinar of the series is on the topic “7 Effective Time Management Tips to crack IIT-JEE 2017” by Miss Sakshi Ganotra, Chemistry expert in askIITians. Miss Sakshi discussed about:

• Time management strategy to be followed while preparing for IIT JEE.

Here is the link for our previous webinar in series:

• Crack IIT JEE 2017- 130 Topics in 190 Days- Chemistry Plan
• How to Nail Mathematics in Just 6 Weeks?
• Fix Your Physics in just 6 Weeks for IIT JEE
• 13 Must read Books to Ace IIT JEE 2017
• Moving to India necessary after Grade 10th ?

Like our webinar, follow us on facebook to get update about our next webinar.

The post 7 Effective Time Management Tips to crack IIT-JEE 2017 appeared first on askIITians Blog - One place for all updates on IIT JEE & Medical Exams.

Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) in its latest announcement has decided to discontinue CBSE-i (CBSE- International) curriculum from the academic year 2017-18.

The board started CBSE-I curriculum in the year 2010-11 as a pilot project to match educational needs of international students. Basically focusing on students of Indian origin settled abroad.

CBSE took this decision in lieu of operational difficulty faced by them, especially in availability of quality study material of global standards.

The decision will impact CBSE affiliated school and schools approved to offer CBSE-i curriculum located abroad as well as India.This will affect schools following CBSE-I curriculum in countries like United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Japan, Malaysia and some other gulf countries offering the curriculum.

With all this update, the question comes up is that what will happen to students currently studying CBSE-i curriculum? Well, following is the arrangement done by CBSE for them:

• Students studying in CBSE affiliated schools will be moved to CBSE main curriculum upon their promotion to next academic year.
• Students from school that are not affiliated from CBSE but approved for offering CBSE-I curriculum has liberty to seek regular CBSE affiliation for offering CBSE main curriculum.

Stay tuned for instant updates related to CBSE, IIT-JEE, AIPMT, NEET, NTSE, etc. This is me Abhishek saying BYE..

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The state government has decided to raise the standard of Common Entrance Test (CET), the state level test for admission in engineering and medical colleges is going to be tougher from next year (2018).

The government does have plans to help students prepare for it, for which the state government has asked Maharashtra Board of School and Higher Secondary Education to upgrade the syllabus in grade-12. This will help student in preparing for both state as well as national level tests such as JEE and NEET.

This announcement seems to be a good move as now students have to prepare only once and then they will be ready for both the tests. Apart from this, the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development has already decided to conduct a single entrance test for all engineering admissions at undergraduate level from 2018-19 to standardize the testing process but that is yet to come into effect.

We will surely be back with as soon as a concrete information is passed on this. Till then this is me Abhishek saying good bye and keep following us. BYE..

To access previous year CET papers click here

To get detailed knowledge about CET conducted by different states, information about examination, participating colleges, eligibility, syllabus, etc click here

The post CET exam gets tougher next year appeared first on askIITians Blog - One place for all updates on IIT JEE & Medical Exams.

Any competitive exam requires months of preparation and even a single silly mistake can cost you a lot, considering the amount and level of competition. But sometimes we are so concerned about covering the syllabus and counting the days left for main exam that we almost forget about few simple mistakes that we do. So I have listed top seven of those mistakes that you should avoid doing:

Ignoring the basics

For any competitive exam clearing the basics and building a foundation before you start with the higher level topics is must. And in case of NEET exam, class-11 syllabus serves as a perfect foundation for those higher-level topics that you are aiming to cover.

Not taking enough mock tests

Practice makes a Man and even Woman perfect. And even after having access to number of free or paid practice papers and test many of us do not take advantage of them, the reason, well it’s just because of that big word called “laziness”. These mock tests and practice tests not only make you understand the importance of time management but highlights your weak points and helps in boosting the confidence.

Avoiding difficult and long questions

We human beings have a tendency of avoiding difficulties, be in a situation or question. But this simply doesn’t mean that the questions that you avoided will not come in the exam. So, stop avoiding and start attempting.

Disturbing your sleep pattern

We all know that important these competitive exams are and they are worth sacrificing a few nights of sleep. But what we forget to do is to get back to our normal sleeping pattern a few days before examination. As a sleepless night just before the examination will hamper your concentration during the exam and this is actually one of the most common mistakes done by students.

Discussing the syllabus just before the examination

Yes, I agree that we all try to cover to cover the maximum that we can before the examination but cross checking it just before the examination is a strict “No”. This may confuse you, shake your confidence and may bring to a panicking situation. So, kindly avoid it and have faith in your preparation.

Doubting your preparation

I know this one is the most commonly heard statement but you should have confidence in your preparation. If you have been dedicated enough and worked really hard for the exam then you will achieve success. Doubting your abilities and your preparation have never been a good idea and will never be.

That’s all for now and I’ll be surely back with some more tips next time. Till then this is Abhishek saying BYE..

The post NEET Exam preparation? Avoid these 6 mistakes appeared first on askIITians Blog - One place for all updates on IIT JEE & Medical Exams.

Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is conducting NEET (National Eligibility Entrance Test) this Sunday i.e. 7^th May, 2017 in paper and pen mode. The national level exam for medical entrance will be conducted across 104 cities and 2200 examination centers. With just few hours left for the exam, it is important for the aspirants to know about the basic guidelines given by CBSE as it is very specific about the debarred items and what can be carried inside.

• Entry Time: Candidates will start entering examination center at 7:30AM and late entry after 9:30AM is not allowed. Candidates are thus advised to reach within prescribed time. Following is the time table that will be followed on the day of exam:

• Dress Code: Following are the guidelines issues by CBSE regarding the dress code:

  Candidates should wear half sleeves top or shirt, full sleeves are not allowed.
  2. Clothes should be of light colour, dark coloured clothes are not allowed.
  3. Candidates are suppose to wear slippers or sandals, shoes or socks are not allowed.
  4. They should also avoid wearing any ornament such as bracelet, necklace, metallic accessory, etc.

• Barred Items: Following are the items barred in the examination centers:

  Textual material (written or printed) in any form or mode
  2. Stationary items such as pen, pencil, geometry box, calculator, log table, eraser, writing pad, etc.
  3. Communication devices such as mobile, pager, health band, earphones, Bluetooth device, etc.
  4. Watches, ornaments, goggles, handbags, hair pins, amulets, belt, scarfs, any metal accessory.

• Allowed items: Following are the allowed items and mandatory to be carried:

  NEET 2017 admit Card, passport size photograph should be affixed on it.
  2. One passport size photograph to affix on attendance sheet
  3. One postcard size photograph to affix on Performa, the photograph should be 4X6 with white background. It should not be taken earlier than 1^st January 2017. Name of candidate along with date on which photograph was taken should be mentioned on it.

These were the basic guidelines issued form CBSE but apart from that I would like to give you some of personal guidelines as well like:

• Read all instructions carefully before starting the exam
• Be careful while marking response and fill the circles properly
• Mark the answers about which you are sure of as each wrong answer will earn you -1 mark
• Solve the simple questions first
• And, do not carry any barred item inside the examination hall.

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For starters, let’s debunk some popular myths surrounding this department. Even though the name does entail the application and understanding of basic concepts in biology, it is far from true that one needs to have a prior background in it! The department of biochemical engineering and biotechnology here at IIT Delhi (I might even take the liberty of calling it the first and only consortia of the like in the country) does a good job of amalgamating the biological analogue of classical chemical engineering – think enzymes replacing catalysts in reactors – with the boldly emerging field that biotechnology is (genetic engineering, anyone?). The designed curriculum is strewn with courses ranging from molecular biology and genetics to process control and dynamics, from downstream processing to various other transfer and transport operations. In addition to the mandatory courses, one can choose from a fascinating repertoire of electives that the department is replete with.

Here is a more in-depth analysis of the various realms of this field that one can explore at IIT Delhi:

1. X-men, Spider-man and so on: Yeah, that’s right, thanks to Hollywood propaganda you are probably familiar with and fascinated by all that noise around mutation theories and genetic studies. Courses like molecular biology and genetics, cancer cell biology, basic biochemistry etc. provide an insight into how the cell machinery is built up and how it can be reprogrammed to achieve desirable traits.
2. Dolly? Human Insulin? Tissue regeneration? You probably guessed it again – cloning and therapeutic biotechnology (which has gained enormous popularity thanks to research on stem cells and GMO) forms a good part of the curriculum through courses like recombinant DNA Technology, current topics in biotechnology to name a few.
3. Towards a cleaner environment: This vast field of renewable energy and alternative fuels is fast becoming one of the hottest areas of research. The curriculum gives a flavor of how one who is interested might pursue this field further.
4. Pfizer, Novartis, Biocon? These are the first few names that pop into one’s head when one hears “pharmaceuticals”. A considerable part of the curriculum is designed on the two major aspects that a typical pharma industry is based on – drug design and synthesis, and downstream processing. While courses on the former give an idea of how novel drugs are synthesised (and existing optimised), courses on the latter focus on how to increase product recovery, improve yields and various other extraction, purification and separation technologies that a process relies upon.
5. Data crunching and analysis: The term you’re looking out for here is “Bioinformatics” – a computational field in biology that has made possible milestones in the history of medicine such as the Human Genome Project. With how genomic data collection is getting bigger and sequencing faster than ever, leveraging the power of computers to recognise sequences, match fragments of information and spit of meaningful annotations has made possible (at least in concept) the phenomena that personalised medicine might be.
6. Next generation biotechnology: With applications from point of care diagnostic tools (such as gluco-meter) to microfluidic chips, a few courses such as nano-biotechnology deal with the emerging, application-based concepts fast developing in the area. With technology getting more collaborative and more accessible each day, this might be an interesting field to consider for someone looking to pursue higher studies.

All in all, here are some realities on what to expect and what not to expect

1. “I do not want to get into biology”: Again, this branch hasn’t got much to do with human biology, so don’t confuse it with medicine. There WILL be a few courses to get one into the basics of how living organisms function, but most of it is application based and some mathematical. It is certain that it will tinker with your creative side. Almost a third of the curriculum is merged with the chemical engineering department.
2. “It does not get me the job of a banker/consultant”: Wrong, one can always take additional courses and drift away from the field and become a management consultant, coder or banker. But yes, this will not be easy as all these courses will be very far from what the department would expect from you. So it can get a bit challenging to shift completely without hassle.
3. “What would I do after graduating from DBEB?” Well, a bunch of things! As far as higher studies and research aspects are concerned, I daresay it is one of the best branches that one can get into. Given how vastly developed a field this is abroad (especially in countries like USA, France, Germany, Switzerland, UK and Japan to name a few), there’s plenty to explore through summer internships and projects. However, if you do end up discovering that research is not for you, taking additional/extra courses in other departments might be a useful idea.
4. “What are the options in core for me apart from research?” Well, this is probably a downside given the industry isn’t well developed to cater to capital intensive facilities that biotechnology requires in India. As of now, at least. If a job in a technical field immediately after college is what you demand, then this probably isn’t the best place to realise that goal.
5. “I don’t like being in the lab”: Well, this is an inescapable truth of the department – that it involves a lot of wet lab work. So for those who like getting their hands dirty on cool apparatus, you have lots to learn through experiments (biotech labs are one of the most expensive places you can find yourself in!).

Landscape of the Biotechnology sector

The Indian scene: The investment in this sector has grown by leaps and bounds in the last 10 years. We’re at the starting of the realization that institutionalized funding to support RnD in biotechnology is essential to further the growth of vital sectors such as healthcare, energy etc. The government of India supports innovation in the field through many schemes and grants doled out by DBT (dept. of Biotech) which include much international collaboration. While it is true that as a percentage of industrial spending is still meager as compared to countries like USA, Switzerland, UK etc., India still holds a large share of international pharmaceutical market as one of the largest producers and exporters of small molecule therapeutics. In terms of innovation, needless to say, we’re still lacking hugely the infrastructure and support in the form of capital, and therein lay the main setback for the industry – its inability to absorb skilled Biotechnologists which are being churned out by premier institutions of our country such as the IITs.

Globally, it can be said without a doubt that biotechnology industry is flourishing at a lighting rate. From GSK to Novartis, the international repute of these firms has given rise to many small-scale start ups and innovation centers which mainly aim at furthering the conceptualization and design of advanced biotechnology driven products such as diagnostics, point of care devices, alternative energy resources and whatever one can name. With the our race getting closer and closer in its attempts to achieving sustainability and unprecedented longevity of human life, one can only tout for this field being the cynosure of research attraction in the coming future. Fields such as renewable energy and engineered molecular therapeutics have already started to occupy the center stage for international dialogue and scientific exchange and in a few years down the line, it wouldn’t be surprising if this realm becomes the leading sector for investment.

All in all, Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology is an emerging field – something that most students don’t realise until they’re (mostly forcefully) into it. The focus is largely bilateral, a) Biochemical engineering and b) Biotechnology. As for the program, a student looking to get into research should strongly consider a dual degree as it involves one dedicated year of project work and program electives which might help in deciding a path of interest. For those looking to take up a job or apply for a more comprehensive masters’ degree, the B.Tech program might be a better choice.

Good luck!

About me (Swati Agrawal): I am a senior undergraduate at IIT Delhi currently pursuing a major in Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology. While I am still exploring the various domains that this vast field is replete with and gathering lab experience while on the way as and when the opportunity arises, few areas that I’m interested in are process optimization for diagnostics and metabolic engineering to create alternative resources – both carrying the overarching aim to make healthcare more accessible and convenient for human life from all walks.

About BSP (IIT Delhi): The Board of Student Publications, IIT Delhi publishes the journalistic and creative content relating to Engineering. The main aim of BSP, IIT Delhi is to provide high quality publications to the students so that their expression of creativity and personal views can be encouraged. Also, It focuses on reporting all the events across campus to people so that they remain informed about all the institute happenings.

The post Everything about B. Tech and Dual Degree (B.tech + M.tech) in Biochemical Engineering and Biotech appeared first on askIITians Blog - One place for all updates on IIT JEE & Medical Exams.

The most common perceptions about Civil Engineering are limited to buildings and construction, but there is a lot more to this department than what is commonly attributed to it. The Department of Civil Engineering at IIT Delhi is an umbrella body of five major disciplines:

1. Environmental Engineering
2. Geo-technical Engineering
3. Structural Engineering
4. Transportation Engineering
5. Water Resources Engineering

The B. Tech. program at IIT Delhi is specifically designed to give students a flavor of these disciplines, with a mix-bag of courses appropriately selected to the provide meaningful insight into each one of them.

Aside from these five major disciplines, the curriculum also offers courses in Construction Management and, Surveying and Remote Sensing. Each one of these offers a bunch of opportunities associated with it, ranging from higher education to prospective jobs. Many interested students decide to pursue a master’s degree abroad, and are able to secure admissions to reputed universities (the likes of Stanford, University of California, etc.). Some of them subsequently seek a PhD and continue with a career in academia, others land lucrative jobs post their masters. A lot of students secure jobs during campus placements in core and non-core sectors, with the majority of core jobs coming from PSUs like IOCL, HPCL, etc. Also, a significantly high number of students decide to pursue IAS (Indian Administrative Service) and IES (Indian Engineering Services), and eventually secure good ranks in these highly competitive examinations.

In a nutshell, the program offers a wide spectrum of opportunities to its students for choosing their career paths. It is an intensive program, coupling the theory courses with ample amount of practical component (which is at times physically demanding). Despite that, it is a department with limitless opportunities for those willing to work towards securing them, and provides the truest impression of what engineering at its core is like. I hope you make the most of it. Good Luck!

-Yatharth Seth

About BSP (IIT Delhi): The Board of Student Publications, IIT Delhi publishes the journalistic and creative content relating to Engineering. The main aim of BSP, IIT Delhi is to provide high quality publications to the students so that their expression of creativity and personal views can be encouraged. Also, It focuses on reporting all the events across campus to people so that they remain informed about all the institute happenings.

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4 years B.Tech programme | Course Code – TT1

To begin with, let’s dismiss the unpopular myths and the disparaging comments surrounding the field of Textiles. Well, this department was the first one to come up at IIT Delhi, with a separate building dedicated to it which houses classy labs, including the reputable SMITA lab (Smart Materials and Innovative Textile Applications), for you to get some enriching handson experience and not just theoretical knowledge. The department offers a plethora of courses, ranging from the study of molecular structure and characterization of fibres to manufacturing of fabrics and special functional coatings (water repellent, stain resistant, crease resistant, flame retardant, to name a few). Apart from the core or compulsory courses, there is an intriguing range of departmental elective courses from which you can choose, depending on your interest. Is it arousing your inquisitiveness already? Well, it is bound to, as you dive deeper! In a nutshell, opportunities offered by the department are gargantuan!

Far from the usual misconception, Textile Technology is not about fashion and designing clothes. Textile Engineering is the study of textile production, processing and it’s compatibility for the use of common man. It combines the principles of engineering with specific knowledge of textile equipment and processes. This field of engineering draws inputs from various other branches of engineering like chemical, instrumentation, computer, structural, electronic and mechanical engineering. Textile Technology/Engineering deals with the application of scientific and engineering principles to the design and control of all aspects of fibre, textile and apparel processes, its products and machinery. These include natural and man-made materials, interaction of materials with machines, safety and health, energy
conservation, and waste and pollution control.

Here are some captivating points on various domains in this field:

1. How is the clothing I am wearing actually made? You would have never ever imagined in your dreams, how intricately the textile machinery is designed and finally realized. You will be perplexed to know about the so-many stages a cotton boll growing in the fields of Maharashtra goes through, to eventually become the cotton shirt that you wear to look personable
2. Rolls Royce, Boeing’s Dreamliner! Sounds exciting? A major percentage of their bodies is made up of textile structural composites, which give the advantage of high strength-to-weight ratio as opposed to conventional use of metals. Related courses in this field will give some in-depth knowledge about the structure, working and mechanics of such materials.
3. Heard of ASIMO? Humanoid robots? Artificial muscles are one of the integral ingredients in the making of robots. You must have heard of Laparoscopic surgery which is used in gall bladder removal, for instance; it too uses robotic arms to assist the surgeon. Studies in the field of polymer science are being used to develop artificial muscles which can deliver power which is many-times that of a mammalian muscle.
4. Artificial skin, 3D bioprinting for scaffolds in tissue engineering: A course on medical textiles will give you fascinating insights on how Textiles can be combined with Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology to create, say, bandages which prevent post burn contractions, super absorbent baby diapers and sanitary napkins etc.
5. Textile Reinforced Concrete (TRC) and Translucent concrete! Have you noticed the splendid architecture of some buildings? Or at night when you are enthralled by looking at magnificent pieces of marvel?  Thanks to the new-age ultralight TRC which has made this possible; in fact Germany has already started making structures using this technology. Optical fibres reinforcing concrete can give an ornate and swanky look on the exterior as well as in the interiors of buildings, homes and offices.
6. Nanotechnology, Functional Textiles: This is one of the most appealing sphere in the world of textiles. Carbon nanotubes, electro-spinning, temperature controlled functional clothing, UV resistant nanofinishes (as a solution to the temporary sunscreens) are latest developments with some mind boggling technology behind them!
7. Textile Business Management: If your aptitude is more towards the business side, you can choose to do a departmental specialization in this area. You can opt for courses like Supply Chain Management (which is an integral part of any organization or firm, and not just textiles), Costing, Project Appraisal and Finance (it will give you some
   insight into managerial accounting and financial management), Operations Management, to name a few. [The second option of departmental specialization is ‘Technical Textiles’ wherein you can take up courses related to aforementioned points i.e. 1 to 6]

So, having covered the technical details, let’s move on to the much awaited query burdening your mind – “Where do I land after getting a B.Tech degree in Textile Technology?” More than words can explain, you will get to know of the nuances of this field when you actually study the subject. And in the process, you will find your niche area, the one which offers scope to achieve your potential. I can pen down a few options, though.

• There are ample opportunities for research and development in this field, given the pace at which it is growing. You can explore this option by doing projects and a couple of summer internships. If you find it interesting, you can pursue Masters or PhD here or at universities abroad (Japan, Germany, Czech Republic, USA to name a few) in your field of interest. No wonder, with considerable and serious effort, you may just land up with a commercialisable innovation!
• If research is not your genre, you can try going for a core job in the textile industry or textile firms, where the technical knowledge from your branch will come handy. There are quite a few lab courses in Textile Engineering, which are mandatory. You will gain a lot of practical experience from lab work.
• In case textile engineering doesn’t interest you, you can opt for a minor degree in some other field like computer science, electrical, applied mechanics, chemical, economics, management etc. But you’ll have to put in extra effort for this since you’ll be required to do extra courses and credits (in that particular field) besides the regular Textile course curriculum. This will open up your job prospects in many other firms.
• If you don’t want to create hassles and stress by opting for a minor degree, you can simply opt for courses in the subject of your choice as a part of Open Category electives. But, in any case, you have to do the epartmental courses to complete the degree requirements.
• You can get into banking and consulting jobs too; you are mistaken if you feel that textile engineering will be a deterrent in fetching corporate jobs. Also, if you are interested in pursuing a career in management, you can straightaway join management institutes after IITD. There, you will be at a level playing field with students from all other branches and you will have the opportunity to reframe your career.

To summarize, there are countless buried and undisclosed opportunities for you to uncover, explore and innovate! You just need the ardour to keep going and the requisite guidance. All the best, make a wise choice and I hope you make the most of being in this department, if you land here.

Cheers!
~ Aastha Agarwal
Graduate, Dept. of Textile Technology, IIT:D

About BSP (IIT Delhi): The Board of Student Publications, IIT Delhi publishes the journalistic and creative content relating to Engineering. The main aim of BSP, IIT Delhi is to provide high quality publications to the students so that their expression of creativity and personal views can be encouraged. Also, It focuses on reporting all the events across campus to people so that they remain informed about all the institute happenings.

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Studying can be fulfilling but also stressful, especially when it comes to learning scientific facts, statistics, formulas and theories. Just as there are simple mistakes to avoid when preparing for exams, there are things you should make sure you do when it comes to learning. Here are just five of them.

Finding what works for you

Naturally, we all work most effectively in different ways and, out of the recommended approaches to boosting information retention available, it can be hard to know what will work best for you. However, it’s worth testing out a handful and focussing on the methods that seem to be most effective for you. Here are a few tried-and-tested approaches to revision that often have positive results:

1. Go for a brisk walk before studying: “getting some air” can be much more than just using an opportunity to clear your head. Recent studies have shown the benefit of going for a brisk walk before revising, particularly when compared to sitting still in the 20 minutes or so beforehand. Students who have been on a short, moderately-paced walk before a revision session have been shown to have a significantly higher successful recall rate than those who haven’t.

2. Say things out loud: you might feel self-conscious recounting what you’ve learnt aloud, but, in the right environment, there’s no need to. Find a place with no distractions and go through what you’ve learned out loud. Repeat this a few times. Hearing your words – maybe even recorded – as opposed to just seeing them written as text, will make it easier for the information to stay with you and you will gain confidence about the topic at hand.

3. Teach someone else what you’ve learned: peer learning – that is, students learning from one another – is a popular technique used by teachers in schools and universities alike. Rather than being an act of laziness on the teacher’s part, it is a potentially very powerful teaching strategy that enables students to feel more confident about a topic, whilst also making it easier for students to understand something explained in a classmate’s terms.

4. Choose your fonts wisely: research has shown a correlation between font style and information retention: people remember a lot more information that is written in an unfamiliar font than that which is written in a more familiar, easy-to-read font. By making the brain work harder at reading, more of the material will be absorbed; you’re made to focus more fully, which pays off.

5. Practice mindfulness: briefly, mindfulness is the art of being fully present in the moment.It can take a while to master, but can also be a very powerful tool when it comes to revision. Studying for exams is intense and stressful at times; mindfulness can equip you with the tools needed to calm your mind and revise more effectively, giving yourself try best chance of doing yourself justice in the exam. More information about mindfulness and its benefits can be found on the mindful website.

Most importantly….

Stick with the techniques that work for you. Whichever they may be, make sure you give yourself regular breaks. As tempting as it can be to cram everything into non-stop studying sessions, it is actually counterproductive to do so. Your mind and body need to recharge. Good luck!

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When it comes to engineering entrance exams in India, the most popular competitive exams are the JEE Main and JEE Advanced. Cracking these entrance exams with a high score means getting into one of the top NITs, IIITs, other GFTIs, and the prestigious IISC and IITs. These are the topmost engineering colleges in India run by the government and to get into one of these colleges means your prospect of getting a good job after completion of the course is higher. However, this doesn’t mean private colleges in India are lagging behind.

The Birla Institute of Technology and Science(BITS) is the topmost private engineering college in India. It is world renowned for the quality education it offers and the infrastructure it has. The institute has three campuses in India – Pilani, Goa, and Hyderabad, and offers a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses as well as integrated courses in engineering. The exam for admission to this institute is called Birla Institute of Technology and Science Aptitude Test (BITSAT).

Every year thousands of students appear for BITSAT. Although the exam is not as tough as the JEE Advanced, it is highly competitive because of the fewer number of seats in the three campuses of BITS. Getting a seat in this institute itself is a prestigious matter.

So, if you are preparing to appear for BITSAT 2018, here is a suggestive study plan for you:

1-year preparation plan for BITSAT 2018

With less than a year left for BITSAT, your preparation plan should be a smart one because you have to study for your 12^th board exam as well. BITSAT is conducted in the month of May and your board exams will be conducted in the month of March-April. So, you need to have a study plan where you can prepare for both the exams side by side without getting distracted.

1. The first thing to do is finish off the entire syllabus as early as possible. The BITSAT syllabus is the same as that of the CBSE syllabus of Class 11 and 12. So, you don’t have to allocate separate time for the two. If your basics for the syllabus of Class 11 is cleared, you can easily finish off the rest of the syllabus by October end. If your 11^th syllabus is not properly finished, you have to allocate two extra hours daily to catch up with what you have missed out.
2. Solve BITSAT practice questions and take chapter-wise test every time you finish a chapter. For chapters, you have already finished before, allocate one hour daily to solve questions from them. Pay more attention to the most important chapters for BITSAT. You have to master those chapters as they have more weightage and you cannot afford to lose marks on those chapters. Make sure to note down the formulas, reactions, mechanisms, equations as you finish the chapters. This will also help you in your board exams. Also, mark the questions you found difficult to solve and revise them regularly.
3. Allocate half an hour on alternate days for English Proficiency and Logical Reasoning. Study and practice either of the two on a given day. Do not keep it for the last minute. Most of the students do that and end up losing marks. If you are prepared for this section, your chances of getting higher marks. Follow these steps until the entire syllabus is completed, preferably by October end.
4. Once you have finished the entire syllabus, take full-length BITSAT mock tests on a weekly basis. Assess your performance from the tests – find out where exactly you are lagging behind, which concepts and chapters you are weak at, are you able to finish the whole paper on time, are you able to manage time properly, and are you able to select the right questions, etc. Work on them for the whole week and take another test. Compare your performance with that in the last test.

You can continue with this plan until the end of December. From January, concentrate mainly on your board exams. Just allocate two hours daily to revise for BITSAT – questions/topics/concepts/chapters you are weak at or which are important. You can also check out BITSAT previous years papers during that time.

Bring the para out of the table block.

Important Things to Remember about BITSAT

1. It is a three-hour test with a total of 150 questions from four sections.
2. The fourth section is Logical Reasoning and English Proficiency that can grab you some easy marks – do not ignore this section.
3. Unlike JEE Advanced, BITSAT doesn’t ask questions that have a combination of two-three concepts but BITSAT questions are tricky – having your basics cleared can help you answer these questions.
4. If you solve all the 150 questions within three hours, 12 additional questions will be unlocked for you, thus giving you the opportunity to score higher.

After your board exams are over, you will get another month to prepare for BITSAT. Revise the whole syllabus within the first ten days. After that, solve practice questions, take tests, and work upon wherever you feel you are weak.

All the best!

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