Assam: IIT Guwahati conducts orientation event for 2,200 students

Guwahati: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati welcomed the incoming students batch of 2023 on Tuesday, August 1.

The officiating director, Professor Parameswar K Iyer, extended his best wishes to the new students, encouraging them to make the most of their journey at the IIT Guwahati campus.

Addressing the students, Iyer expressed his confidence in the capabilities of the new batch, highlighting the institute's commitment to providing the best quality infrastructure and educational resources. He urged the students to not only excel academically but also engage in extracurricular activities to foster their holistic development.

This year, IIT Guwahati conducted its sessions according to the regular pre-pandemic academic schedule for the first time since the Covid-19 outbreak, as mentioned by Prof. Bishnupada Mandal, the JEE (Adv) 2023 organising chairman.

The institute admitted a total of 957 B.Tech students through JEE Advanced 2023, with 20.4% of them being female. Additionally, 56 students were admitted to the B.Des program through UCEED 2023.

During the orientation program, Prof. Kanduru V. Krishna and Prof. Rupam Barman presented the NEP2020-aligned academic programs offered at the institute, emphasising the flexibility for students to customise their curriculum according to their interests.

Prof. Anamika Barua, the Dean of Students' Affairs, highlighted the importance of students' overall development and introduced various student clubs at the institute, including technical, cultural, sports, and NSS clubs.

Dr. Lalit Mohan Pandey, Head of the Centre for Career Development, inspired the students by showcasing the placement and internship options available at IIT Guwahati. The institute achieved a record-breaking 1000+ placements this year, with the highest domestic package of Rs. 1.2 crore and the highest international package of Rs. 2.4 crore.

IIT Guwahati organised a special session on the mental wellbeing of the students during the orientation event, a press release stated. Prof. Anamika Barua discussed the institute's dedicated system for mental health support, including mandatory counselling for all newly admitted B. Tech students, professional counselling for students in need, 'Know Your Neighbours' campaign to foster social support, and extended counselling support on working days (9 am to 8 pm).

The session was attended by new students, their parents, and their siblings, helping them understand the resources available to manage personal and academic life in a stress-free and efficient manner.

The breakdown of the July 2023 admission data is as follows:

• MTech: 595 students (99 female candidates)
• MA: 56 students (26 female candidates)
• MBA: 24 students (10 female candidates)
• MDes: 60 students (21 female candidates)
• MSc: 177 students (31 female candidates)
• MS(R): 17 students (3 female candidates)
• PhD: 251 students (92 female candidates)
• Dual Degree(Masters+PhD): 4 students
• BTech: 957 students (196 female candidates)
• BDes: 56 students (18 female candidates)
• Preparatory: 3 students (1 female candidate)
• Total: 2200 students (497 female candidates)

The new batch of students expressed their excitement to explore the IIT Guwahati campus and its facilities.

Speaking about the orientation session and being at the IIT Guwahati campus for the
first time, Saniya Uran, a first year student of B.Tech, Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering said, “Coming to IIT Guwahati feels like a dream. We got to know about the campus from the orientation programme and now look forward to exploring it.”

Also Read | Must address encroachment urgently in Manas National Park: Experts