How to Get into IIT: A-Z Guide
Indian Institute of Technology is one of India's most renowned educational institutions. The first IIT institution was established in 1950, and since then, they have created history in the field of technology. The Ministry of Education manages it, Government of India, governed by the Institutes of Technology Act, 1961. IIT is known for its glorious past and promising future. It provides the best resources for students to learn, innovate and invent. Hence admission into IIT is like a dream come through.
How to get into IIT is one of the common questions asked by the students who want to get into an IIT Institute for completing the engineering programmes. We have answered how to get into IIT in detail so don’t miss out on any step.
IIT institutes in India
• IIT Kharagpur -West Bengal
• IIT Bombay- Maharashtra
• IIT Madras- Tamil Nadu
• IIT Kanpur- Uttar Pradesh
• IIT Delhi- Delhi
• IIT Guwahati- Assam
• IIT Roorkee- Uttarakhand
• IIT Ropar- Punjab
• IIT Bhubaneswar- Odisha
• IIT Gandhinagar- Gujarat
• IIT Hyderabad- Telangana
• IIT Jodhpur- Rajasthan
• IIT Patna- Bihar
• IIT Indore- Madhya Pradesh
• IIT Mandi- Himachal Pradesh
• IIT (BHU) Varanasi- Uttar Pradesh
• IIT Palakkad- Kerala
• IIT Tirupati- Andhra Pradesh
• IIT Dhanbad- Jharkhand
• IIT Bhilai- Chhattisgarh
• IIT Dharwad- Karnataka
• IIT Jammu- Jammu and Kashmir
• IIT Goa- Goa
IIT institutes are known for their infrastructure, electronic libraries, innovative tech festivals, and highly passionate and resourceful teaching faculty. The first IIT institute at Kharagpur was inaugurated in 1950, while the latest ones at Goa Bhilai, Dharwad and Jammu were established in 2016. So if you are thinking of shortlisting the best colleges for engineering, IIT should top the list.
Let us quickly have a look at the courses offered at IIT:
Undergraduate programmes at IIT:
Bachelor of Technology (Btech) - Most popular Engineering streams offered in IIT are:
• Aerospace Engineering
• Electrical Engineering
• Chemical Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Civil Engineering
• Metallurgical Engineering & Materials Science
• Computer Science & Engineering
• Engineering Physics
Postgraduate programmes at IIT
• Master of Technology (MTech),
• Master of Business Administration (MBA)
• Master of Science (MSc).
• Master of Design (M.Des.),
• Post Graduate Diploma in Information Technology (PGDIT)
• Master in Medical Science and Technology (MMST)
• Master of City Planning (MCP)
• Master of Arts (MA)
• Postgraduate Diploma in Intellectual property Law (PGDIPL)
• Postgraduate Diploma in Maritime Operation & Management (PGDMOM).
Dual Degree and integrated courses (BTech + Mtech)
Doctorate programmes
IIT offers a plethora of options and opportunities for students. They profoundly support innovation and inventions. This is very evident in the alumni family deeply associated with IIT. So, students, it's very apparent that admission into the IIT will be backbreaking.
It will require immense hard work, determination, and strategic and aggressive preparation. So let us understand How to get admission to IIT.
The stepwise process to get into IIT: Step 1 - Cracking JEE Mains
JEE mains is a national Entrance test that forms the basis for admission to IIT. A student has to pass 12th with a minimum of 75% marks with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics as his core subjects. It is a Computer-based Test with 90 questions. Out of this, a student has to attempt 75 questions.
JEE Mains is conducted 4 times a year. So the best score out of your 4 attempts will be considered for the next level of exams. Remember, you can appear for JEE for 3 years after passing 12th.
If you are aiming for admission in the engineering courses, you will have to give only one Computerbased Test based on PCM, but if you are aiming for architecture, you have to appear for 3 papers. Two of them are online, and one is an offline test to evaluate your drawing skills.
Once you clear the JEE Mains with the minimum cutoff criteria, you are eligible for Step 2.
The cutoff varies every year depending on the number of students appearing and the difficulty level. After attaining the minimum cutoff in JEE Mains, prepare for Step 2
Step 2 - Cracking JEE Advanced:
Jee Advance
JEE Advanced is again a computer-based test conducted by the zonal coordinators of IIT. The Joint Admission Board further regulates it. Here, the student has to take up 2 papers based on PCM. It is a 3-hour test, and a student can attempt it only twice. JEE Advanced assesses the student's ability, aptitude, and intelligence concerning his core subjects with an increased difficulty level. Students aspiring to Join architecture have to appear for an additional pen and paper test known as the Architecture Aptitude Test (AAT).
Here the AIM is to get a hold of the ALL INDIA RANK, which is precise step 3.
Step 3 - Scoring an ALL INDIA RANK
To obtain a rank here, a student has to fulfil specific criteria. He has scored a minimum of 10% individually in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics, and he has to get an aggregate of 35% marks in all 3 subjects. Only if the student fulfils, this criterion is considered for the ranking.
Step 4- Seat Allocation in IIT
To obtain a seat in the IIT, one must go through a standard seat allocation process. This process is carried out by the Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JoSAA). This process applies to all the IIT institutes.
So after clearing JEE mains and JEE advanced, one finds his way to obtaining the AIR score and captures a seat at IIT. It is a long way, and a student aspiring to become an IITian has to start well in advance for better results.
Some tips for clearing JEE
So now that you have understood that JEE is the first step toward IIT admission, it is imperative to prepare thoroughly. A student has to follow a strategy and needs to have a plan before he starts preparing. First and foremost, start preparing early to have ample time by your side. Here are some tips which can help you out!
Select the right resources:
A Lot of study material is available for JEE preparations. You cannot complete all. So be wise in choosing your reference books. The basis for JEE is the NCERT syllabus. So try beginning with that. Choose books for concept clearance and revision. Try to take suggestions from those who have already appeared for JEE. Don't burden yourself with the material. Ensure you pick the appropriate books for strategic preparation.
Develop healthy study habits:
The motive of studying is not mugging up or filling yourself with data. JEE is an application-based test. So study for concept understanding and then apply those concepts to solve questions. Physical health is also significant. So concentrate on eating healthy throughout the day. Devote time for revision too. Once you have studied a few concepts, get back and revise for better implications. Do not forget to self evaluate. When you cannot crack questions, try to redo them after revision. This will help you boost your confidence too.
Solve mock papers and test papers:
Previous year's documents are readily available. Try to solve them. Also, try to solve mock papers with the same difficulty level as the JEE papers. Begin subject wise. Ensure you are devoting adequate time to all three subjects. Try to solve individual subject question papers. This will give you an insight into which subject requires more preparation. This changes from student to student to manage your time allocation for all the issues. Once you have attempted mock tests, ensure you note your doubts and keep getting them cleared.
Evaluate your attempts:
A student has to evaluate all his attempts self-analyse where you are lacking. Only appearing for mock tests and getting your doubts cleared is not sufficient. Students lack time management, miss out on important topics or succumb to silly mistakes. So you have to evaluate yourself and take corrective measures for improvement.
Be Determined and Be positive:
When everyone around you knows that you are preparing for JEE, they generally share feedback on how difficult it is. Remember, they don't know your calibre and ability. Yes, you are aware of what you can achieve. Generally, students get demotivated and think of appearing the following year. That is undoubtedly an option, but why waste this year. Try to be optimistic and make full utilisation of resources. Determination is your shield.
A most crucial aspect of getting into IIT:
After understanding the difficulty level and complexity of the admission process, students have to understand the key or the essential aspect of getting into IIT is to start preparing in advance.
When we say start preparing in advance, we don't mean start studying at once and start mentally preparing yourself. And how would you do that?
• Start evaluating your strengths and working on your weakness
• Try to understand your abilities and interests
• Be clear about your likes, dislikes, choices and preferences
An excellent way to do this is to attend a Career Counseling session. A career counsellor will help you evaluate yourself.