The selection procedure for a direct Ph.D. in IIT Madras varies as per the department. Usually, there is a primary election that is based on the CGPA that you obtain after clearing any national-level entrance exam like GATE.
After this, you need to give an interview and a written test round.
If you want to go for MS by research or Ph.D., you will have to appear for a written test which is followed by an interview. These tests are conducted twice a year, in May and in November. Check the IIT Madra website regularly. Once you apply for the Ph.D. position, and you get shortlisted, and then you can appear for the written exam. The written exam is similar to what the GATE exam is and there is no difference for MS and Ph.D. aspirants. Your interview will be conducted only if you clear the written test.
However, if you do not clear the written or the interview round, and you are interested in some particular work that is being carried out by any professor, you can approach them directly and ask for a research or project assistant’s position. If the professor is impressed by your work, they may convert you to a full-time Ph.D.
Well, getting a Ph.D. from IISc is indeed difficult. In my opinion, the true meaning of a Ph.D. is investing your entire efforts, time, and knowledge in one specific region. In India though, Ph.D. is just considered a degree one can achieve by publishing some paper in some conference or journal. The quality of these papers is poor and substandard bringing down the sort of the degree.
However, IISc being a prestigious institute has managed to maintain the dignity and credibility of the degree so far. You need to prepare yourself for committing to hard work and high-level dedication. Know that your next 5-6 years will be spent proving and disproving every hypothesis possible and conducting infinite experiments.
As a Ph.D. student, you will be publishing a few journals in top international forums and also writing your own thesis, which will culminate your entire work and present it before other researchers and professors of the institute. You will then be assessed thoroughly. Only after proving your point strongly and convincing them will you be able to get the degree.
During this whole time, you will face many struggles dealing with your PI and securing funds for your research work. But trust me the result will be worth the effort!
ISI Kolkata admission for Ph.D. is based on UGC NET/JRF and ISI admission test or equivalent. Students are shortlisted for admission tests based on their performance in UGC NET/JRF. You need to go through the interview round, on clearing the admission test, qualifying which will make you eligible for final selection.
The mentors and research facilities at IITs are much better than at BITS Pilani. However, the passing process is as much more difficult at IITs.
BITS Pilani, on the other hand, is flexible to incorporate the changing scenario and a PhD from BITS Pilani is much more industry relevant.
One of my cousins had a bad experience at BITS Pilani during his Ph.D. in the Mechanical branch. According to him, a large number of Ph.D. students in BITS Pilani drop out because of the intense pressure for producing results. PhD students are burdened with numerous tasks including the evaluation work for B.Tech. The saving grace for Ph.D. at BITS is that under a guide, your Ph.D. will be completed in 3 years like an MS from IIT.
Considering my cousin’s experience, you should consult the alumni at BITS Pilani before choosing the institution for pursuing your Ph.D. Otherwise, BITS Pilani is a reputable institution and its Ph.D. degree will hold great relevance. More so, if you get the right mentors and the right facilities, the name tag of an institution becomes secondary.
Many students who have completed their B.Tech + M.Tech (Dual Degree) are now pursuing their PhD from IIT Bombay. Here are some advantages and disadvantages of choosing to do a PhD at IIT Bombay:
Advantages of Choosing IIT:
Disadvantages of Choosing IIT:
Overall, if you enjoy campus life and are not solely focused on pay packages, doing a PhD at IIT Bombay is worth it. You can improve the level of research in IITs by being self-motivated and exploring your interests beyond academics.
A Ph.D. from IIT Mandi is certainly not a time pass. You need to put consistent efforts to keep up with the coursework. IIT Mandi follows a demanding curriculum. Ph.D. students need to maintain a CGPA of 7.5 out of 10. Students need to publish 2 reputed journal papers and various conference papers. They also need to deliver research seminars, It is anything but easy.
IIT Mandi has an excellent faculty base. Most faculty members are alumni of old IITs or universities abroad. So, they expect older IIT-level performance from Ph.D. students.
One of my relatives has done his PhD from IIT Guwahati and he shared his experience of the same. PhD and placements don’t go hand in hand as the goal of most PhD students is to research work and not get employed. IITs and IISc especially have very few job opportunities for Ph.D. students. Very few students around 3-4 from every department complete their Ph.D. every year.
My uncle told me he had 3 offers before submission. In IIT, it usually takes 4–6 months to get thesis review after submission, and an additional month for final defense. A few students get PostDoc and even job offers from foreign universities and companies.
All in all, it takes 5-7 years to get a Ph.D. degree but mostly the placements are satisfactory. My uncle too has become an assistant professor at IIT Guwahati.
Thapar University is not good for doing Ph.D. The Computer Science department is full of people who are self-involved.
Except for a few faculty members, others are not good. They will not help you in your research work and due to which you could miss deadlines.
Clearing GATE and then going for some decent college is the better option. Your thesis will be the real mirror of what you do during your entire Ph.D program. Work hard and get into one of the prestigious colleges in the country.
We can say that give your best shot in the GATE exam and get your seat reserved in some decent college, so that you gain some knowledge along with the hands-on industry training.
My friend had options of Ph.D. from JU, IIEST as well as IIT Patna and still chose IIT Patna. She claimed that IIT Patna had a better research culture and the professors get work published in very good journals, A/A* conferences, etc. The professors motivate the students for the same and this aspect attracted him the most. However, your personal preferences also come to play here. So consider the following points
Choose IIT Patna for its research culture and not the IIT tag.
I think IIT Gandhinagar MTech is a safer option to go with than a direct Ph.D. from IIT Patna. IIT Gandhinagar provides better learning experiences and opportunities to explore than IIT Patna. IIT Gandhinagar CSE faculty is exceptionally good and will help you if you are willing to do Ph.D. after MTech.
Unlike PhD and MTech guarantees a degree within 2 years and so if you end up changing your mind later you will not have wasted 5-6 years. You can decide whether to do Ph.D. or not while pursuing your MTech and play safe.
The overall academic experience and campus life are better at IIT Gandhinagar than at IIT Patna. Be it the food, facilities, faculty, alumni, or placements, IIT Gandhinagar has it all.