MESSAGES Message from the Director In-Charge Dear Students, Welcome to SVNIT, Surat! We are delighted to welcome you to SVNIT and hope that you’re excited about our vibrant campus life! The 2021-2022 academic year still holds some unknowns for us in the light of the ongoing pandemic. Despite the unique circumstances, we are thrilled to have you with us. We want you to enjoy the campus and take appropriate personal and collective precautions when living, learning, working, and playing. We are ranked No. 47 in the Engineering category among the top technical institutes of the country by NIRF 2021. At SVNIT, we rely on a pedagogy that promotes creativity and innovation and very high-standard teaching-learning practices. The institute’s incredibly talented faculty will be your guides and allies in your exploration. They are your greatest resource. They are leaders in their fields and you get to know them. The institute is celebrating the Diamond Jubilee this year but remains as young at heart as ever. We remain committed to excellence and growth in every facet – UG, PG, and Ph.D. programs, cleaner and greener campus with a positive working environment, excellent infrastructure, professional development opportunities, vibrant co-curricular and extra-curricular activities, community engagement, and ambiance for bonding through equity, trust, and mutual respect. We emphasize on the development of core human values, and both mental and physical well-being of our students. Keeping in view of the National Educational Policy (NEP) 2020, the institute aims to be a globally accepted leading academic institute that provides a more holistic and multidisciplinary education, creating knowledge, and catalysing excellent and innovative quality research in science, engineering, and technology, contributing to the development of the nation and humanity at large. I want you to know that the entire SVNIT community is here to support and encourage you as you commit to study at SVNIT. On behalf of the entire faculty, staff, and student community of SVNIT, I say that we are so happy that you have decided to join us. We are proud and honoured to have you at SVNIT, Surat. Welcome! Best wishes,
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Prof. R. Venkata Rao Director In-Charge - SVNIT
Message from the Deputy Director The entire globe has been reeling under the severe influence of COVID-19 for the past two years. Our SVNIT family was also equally disturbed academically and health-wise during the same period. I hope you are keeping well with your family in this difficult situation. All the stakeholders within the campus cooperated very well and we have tried to manage the COVID situation to the best of our abilities. The institute has started recalling their students in the campus for resuming the classes in offline mode. I am sure that the students coming into the campus will cooperate equally well to keep the campus safe. I am happy to know that the students’ team of Renesa - SVNIT is publishing the F1 Magazine under the able guidance of the faculty advisors of the institute. Being the Official Media and Publication House of SVNIT, Renesa aims to keep the people of our institute (especially the new entrants of B.Tech. and M.Sc. first year) wellinformed and fully aware of the important issues, events, and achievements related to the Institute. It also serves as a platform for the creative expression of thoughts through writing and design. This F1 magazine also serves as a guidebook for the incoming firstyear students and includes all the important information that new students would need to know about the institute — about clubs, fests, grading system, academic regulations, and the curriculum of their respective programmes. The contents of this magazine are also made accessible to the people outside of SVNIT by publishing and sharing the same through online mode using social media platforms and the Renesa website. I am sure the contents of this F1 magazine will give good exposure to the faculty, staff and students about ongoing good practices of the institute. Its publication through the online medium will definitely improve the perception of the institute in the outside world. I welcome all the first-year students who have joined the SVNIT family. I convey my best wishes and congratulations to the entire team of Renesa for bringing such a wonderful issue to the stakeholders. Dr. P. L. Patel Deputy Director - SVNIT
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Message from the Dean Student Welfare I would like to extend a warm welcome to our new batch of students and congratulate them on their decision to join the SVNIT family. The welfare of students on the campus is paramount. Apart from academics, the institute takes due care of the overall development of students through extracurricular activities. The Office of the Dean (Student Welfare) ensures the overall growth of students in a favourable learning environment. It organizes various extracurricular activities to make the campus life vibrant and lively through the Student’s Council. All the Student’s Council activities are then conducted by the respective Student Coordinators recommended by the appointed faculty Chairman/Co-Chairman. Apart from the various clubs and societies, the institute also promotes Physical Education, National Service Scheme (NSS), and National Cadet Corps (NCC). You are coming to the institute campus for the first time and most of you will experience hostel life for the first time too. Stay connected with your parents and family because they are always worried about you. You will make friends here from across the country and from other countries as well. Learn the languages and cultures of the different states. I would like to advise my young friends to work hard consistently, enjoy campus life, make friends, follow self-discipline, and dream high. Also, be committed to your dreams, parents’ expectations, society, and the nation. Always focus on what is best for you in the long run, instead of what feels easy, or right in the moment. Think before doing anything because every decision shapes your character and destiny, so don’t take it lightly. At last, you have to follow the COVID guidelines wherever you are. I hope that we all meet in the physical teaching mode soon. Dr. Ravi Kant Dean (Student Welfare)
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Dedicated to the SVNIT Fresher Batch of 2021
With Love, Team Renesa
DEAR FRESHERS Welcome to SVNIT Surat! After years of hard work and perseverance, you’ve finally made it here. The next 4 or 5 years promise to be some of the most formative and momentous years of your life. You walked into this campus as naive boys and girls. However, this place will change you. You will walk out several years later as intelligent men and women with resounding ambitions, invigorating enthusiasm, and experiences of a lifetime. In the end, you’ll either rush out, feeling like you’ve spent an eternity in this 250-acre campus, or you’ll be willing to trade your soul for just one more day here with the people you cherish. Your seniors have been in your shoes before, not knowing what lies ahead on this journey called college life. You’ve heard stories about it from friends and elders and watched movies and shows about it in awe, wondering when your turn will come. Well, your turn has officially arrived. The world is your oyster and we want you to make the most of it. As many wise men have said before, college is the time for exploration. You don’t just learn about the world and academic subjects; you end up discovering yourself. But sometimes, you need a GPS to get to the fun (and important) places. Consider this magazine your GPS and let it guide you through the maze that you must traverse in order to reach your destination.
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Read on to find out what happens in the life of an SVNITian, the events and festivals celebrated in the college, and the plethora of clubs waiting for you. If you’re confused about the essentials to bring along to campus or want to know more about the SVNIT digital resources, we’ve got you covered. To make sure you don’t get lost on campus, we’ve included a map of SVNIT for you. Lastly, if you’re planning a trip across town and want to know more about life in Surat, look no further. We know it all, and now you will too. In a nutshell, this magazine is what we would have liked to receive from our seniors — a guide book for new students. While it does its best to be comprehensive, it’s certainly not exhaustive. It’s just meant to facilitate and aid you. Remember, you’re in college now. And it’s time to write your own story. Help will always be given at SVNIT to those who ask for it.
Shivansh Shandilya and Sumant S. Dangi
Chief Editors Renesa
WHAT MAKES SVNIT SPECIAL? Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology, Surat (SVNIT or NIT Surat) is one of the 31 NITs in India recognized by the Government of India as an institute of national importance. It was initially established as Sardar Vallabhbhai Regional College of Engineering & Technology (SVRCET) in 1961 and on 4th October 2002, it was elevated to the status of “Deemed University”. The lush 250-acre campus is placed in the centre of the growing city. SVNIT offers six UG programs, seventeen PG programs, three integrated five years M.Sc. Programs, and Ph.D. programs in all disciplines of engineering and applied sciences. The campus houses a stateof-the-art library, 104 research labs throughout all departments, sports and recreational facilities, academic centres, and hostels.
A branch of The State Bank of India (SBI), along with an ATM facility is housed beside the post office on campus.
In 2021, SVNIT was ranked 47th among engineering colleges in India by the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), four places better than the 2019 rankings.
Manoj Memorial Night Cricket Tournament (MMNCT) is a cricket tournament, organized in the Student Activity Centre ground with the help of the SVNIT Board of Sports, Hostel Office and Bihar Students Alumni.
Research in the institute has been recognized and sponsored by government agencies and receives funding for industry-sponsored projects. Additionally, the Association for Harnessing Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ASHINE), has set up a new research park on the campus.
The campus has a good WiFi connection in every building. SVNIT offers campus-wide WiFi connectivity and a 10-gigabit fibre optic network. The new library is stocked with books, e-books, journal publications; the library is equipped with a book RFID system for security, and solar panel installations. The gym is luxurious, free of cost with good amenities and having all equipment required for workouts. Also, the gym is equipped with complete AC facilities. Table tennis and two badminton courts are next to the gym.
Going well by the motto, Vigyanam Saarthi Nah Syatt (Charioteer of Science), SVNIT provides the students with all the necessary facilities which help them become better humans and responsible citizens.
SVNIT has a very active Training & Placement section. The committee also includes final-year student representatives from all disciplines of B-Tech and M-Tech (elected by the students themselves).
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CONTACT DETAILS Director Dr. R. V. Rao
director@svnit.ac.in
Deputy Director Dr. P. L. Patel
dy_director@svnit.ac.in
Dean Academic Dr. S. O. Sharma
dean_acad@svnit.ac.in
Dean Student UelTare deansw@svnit.ac.in
Dr. aai `ant Health Centre Dr. S. . Shah (Chief Medical Ofcer)
doctor@svnit.ac.in
Central Computer Centre Dr. ¤dai Prata ao ( c CCC)
ic_ccc@svnit.ac.in
Dr. ²al L. Parne (Add. c CCC)
add_ic_ccc@svnit.ac.in
Mr. Dilay Parmar (Technical Ofcer)
daparìar@svnit.ac.in
Dr. PatiÜ `. Shah (System Administrator)
pks@svnit.ac.in
s
Account Department
dy_acc@svnit.ac.in
Lb
library@svnit.ac.in ic_lib@svnit.ac.in
Central i rary
v
Student Acti ity Centre Dr. O. `. Datta
s
nkd@svnit.ac.in
Ho tel Section
-
Dr. S. . Patel (Co Chairman
& Associate Dean)
adean_sw@svnit.ac.in
Gajjar Bhavan Chief Warden (Dr. A. J. Solanki)
cw _ a ar@svnit.ac.in
Mother Teresa Bhavan Chief Warden (Dr. `hyati D. Mistry)
cw _ìt @svnit.ac.in
Narmad BhavaF Chief Warden (Dr. Bhavesh Gohil)
cw _narmad@svnit.ac.in
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TABLE OF CONTENTS Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Dear Freshers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 What makes SVNIT special? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Contact Details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Table of Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Student Chapters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Main SVNIT Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 A Day in the Life of an SVNIT Freshman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Important Places on Campus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Places to Be in Surat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Essential Supplies for Freshmen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Important Information about Surat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 SVNIT Digital Resources and Grading System . . . . . . . . . . 26 Student Chapter Details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 SVNIT Campus Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Contributors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
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STUDENT CHAPTERS DRISHTI This is the technical hobby club of SVNIT with numerous accolades under its belt. It aims to inculcate technical knowledge among students by taking on challenging projects like building robots and drones. Every project is developed from scratch, which adds to the overall hands-on experience. At DRISHTI, you get opportunities to work as a team on projects ranging from machine learning to structural designing, and from aeronautics to automated systems. The club works progressively to uphold its motive of being a place where “WE comes before ME.”
CEV - Cutting Edge Visionaries CEV aims at developing a person in every dimension of knowledge, personality, and perception — be it technology, science, management, or even economics and finance. Started in 2013 from a hostel room, this community has grown to provide a space where one is compelled to test their abilities and expand their limits by implementing revolutionary ideas. It holds regular group discussions, debates, quizzes, and workshops to meet the current needs.
LAC - Literary Affairs Committee This committee is a place where people share their passion for the art of speaking, reading, and writing. It includes fierce debaters, bold orators, quirky quizzers, avid readers, and literature enthusiasts. Whether you want to debate on a current issue or cry over the undue death of your favourite fictional character, this is the place to be. LAC also runs a book club and conducts pop culture-related events and discussions.
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SCOSH - The Society for Cultivation of Science and Humanities With the aim of developing a human stack exchange and thus building a vigorous scientific community across the nation, SCOSH is the premier science club of SVNIT. It aims to inculcate scientific temperament amongst the students. SCOSH amalgamates its ardency of science with humanities and technomanagerial skills for the holistic development of a scientific mind.
MLSA - Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors Want to have the edge over your competitors in programming? Look no further than MLSA. Using Microsoft services, MLSA aims to spread the dev culture and foster a coding community within SVNIT. As a technical student chapter, the new club promises to conduct exciting events, seminars and innovative hackathons to boost the growth of budding developers and open source enthusiasts.
CHRD - Centre for Human Resource Development CHRD steers the cultural cocurricular activities in the institute. It reignites the lost spark amidst the mundane lives of students. From music to art, dance to drama, and photography to film-making, they have everything you are looking for in a cultural club. Being the largest community in the college, CHRD houses six clubs under its umbrella — Raag (the music club), Malang (the dance club), Akriti (the art club), Kirdaar (the dramatics club), Convex (the photography club) and Cinephilia (the film club). They focus on core values
like individual development, giving space to diversity, moral and ethical behaviour, but most importantly teamwork. If summed up in one sentence, it provides “a shared sense of joyfulness with strangers from different parts of the country, brought together under one roof by one divine force: love for art.”
Nirvana A social initiative taken up by the college to provide primary education and to help underprivileged children present in and around the campus. Students of SVNIT voluntarily teach and mentor these children every day after classes. The primary focus is basic education and awareness. They celebrate festivals together and on weekends, they organise many fun activities like yoga, drawing, rangoli, and rakhi-making.
ChES - Chemical Engineering Society ChES aims to enrich future chemical engineers with experience and knowledge about chemical engineering education and its applications.
All events focus on facilitating public understanding of technical issues, advancing development, and exchange of relevant knowledge and ideas. Some of their major events are Siphon, Eureka, Chem-e-Car, and Alchemy.
CES - Civil Engineering Society This departmental society takes pride in being the pioneer club of the college. They constantly thrive to impart knowledge, industrial skills, and handson experience needed in the world of infrastructure. Along with their engaging events, the two-day annual fest, KAIZEN, is something you should look forward to.
ISF - IETE Students’ Forum The Institution of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineers (IETE) student chapter focuses on the advancement of the science of electronics, telecommunication, and related areas. They host year-round events, competitions, workshops, and seminars aimed
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at imbibing technical skills in all the participants and members. The departmental fest — Hertz and the project competition — S.M.P.C. are their two major events.
EES - Electrical Engineering Society This student society will give you a platform to indulge in electrical-related and non-technical activities. It organizes quizzes, workshops, blogs, and seminars covering everything for your comprehensive development. Be sure to not miss out on their annual departmental fest — Aatish.
ACM - Association for Computing Machinery Do you want to know all about upcoming computing technology with the potential to revolutionize the world as we see it? Are you looking to venture into the world of competitive coding? Whatever it is, ACM has got you covered. With year-round quizzes, hackathons, coding contests, and workshops like AMOC (ACM Month of Code), ACM Summer of Code, and Inception, they guarantee to satisfy the computing geek in you!
Hindi Cell
Renesa With the motto “Read. Write. Create. Evolve.”, Renesa is the Official Media and Publication House of SVNIT. There are writers, editors, designers, journalists, audio editors, and video editors that work together to provide readers with informative, relevant, and interesting content through magazines, yearbooks, online blogs, videos, and podcasts. This club provides the imperative creative outlet one needs to express their ideas and opinions freely, for both members and non-members. Want to showcase your inner writer, designer, or journalist? Renesa is the place for you, my friend!
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SAE - Society of Automotive Engineers SAE is a club of automobile enthusiasts that specialize in designing unique and sustainable transportation solutions. They actively participate in national-level automobile designing competitions such as Formula Bharat & E-Go Kart Design Challenge and rub shoulders with the best engineers of the country. (P.S. If it wasn’t clear already, they literally build really cool karts and cars from scratch and then race in them.)
Phoenix Aero A relatively new addition to the SVNIT family (formed in 2019), this aero-design club aims at reinventing aviation standards and coming up with innovative solutions to the problems faced by the industry. They have designed three aircrafts already — Pegasus, AtmosX and Xpartan, and continue to grow.
Joyfest This is a place for those who feel content in seeing others smile and giving back to society. Joyfest is a philanthropic initiative run by the students endeavouring to spread happiness. They organize frequent visits to NGOs for children, old age homes, clothing drives, and many other humanitarian initiatives every year.
SPICMACAY - Society for the Promotion of Indian Classical Music and Culture Amongst Youth This club strives to educate today’s youth of the forgottenyet-rich Indian heritage and culture. They conduct many events like Virasat, Swaranjali,
and Dharohar to promote intangible aspects of Indian Classical Music and Classical Dance.
grow individually and also in a group by gaining knowledge about different people from different walks of life.
Madhatters Madhatters is an English theatre group that frequently sets up productions of old classics and originallydeveloped plays. Other than the good old-fashioned stage theatre, Madhatters also develops digital content and short films for us to enjoy and tickle the artist in us. Their previous projects include a short film “Quaranteam”, a web series “The Goldilocks Effect”, and “How Not to Talk to Anyone”.
NCC - National Cadet Corps NCC is a voluntary youth organisation that trains youth to develop comradeship, spirit of sportsmanship, and character that can provide leadership in all walks of life. Its aim is to expose young minds to the life of defence staff and inculcate discipline in them. It is the perfect destination for not only defence aspirants but also for those who dream of becoming a leader someday.
NSS - National Service Scheme As their motto says “NOT ME BUT YOU”, the main aim of NSS is to identify the needs and problems of the community. The main philosophy of NSS is that the welfare of an individual is ultimately dependent on the welfare of the society and therefore, the volunteers shall strive for the well-being of the society. NSS helps the students
Our college houses these student-run societies for us to have an opportunity to grow beyond the boundaries of our classrooms. We urge you to explore and step out of your comfort zone to discover yourself in a new light. Whether it is art, robotics, automobile designing, writing, or anything else that sparks your interest, just go and give it a shot (you won’t regret it). See you soon!
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MAIN SVNIT EVENTS Kashish - The Freshers Party Essentially a rite of passage for freshmen, Kashish is a two-day fest organized by our college to welcome the new batch of students. It is usually held in October and consists of both a singing night and a dancing night, where first yearites get to perform and showcase their talents. The Mr. Fresher and Ms. Fresher contests also take place during this fest and are followed by the much-cherished DJ night. Auditions for these nights start a few weeks prior and contestants have to get through multiple rounds to be selected. During the day, multiple fun events are organized to provide ample opportunities for socializing with fellow batchmates and breaking the ice. To give you a sneak peak, paper dances and tug-of-war are a part of this medley. The rest, you must attend and discover on your own!
Sparsh Sparsh is one of the biggest annual cultural festivals in all of Gujarat. Usually taking place in February, this week-long extravaganza opens up the gates of SVNIT to everyone. To kick it off, the inaugural night sets the scene, followed by dancing, singing, EDM, and fashion nights with exceptional performances. Sparsh boasts of a highly anticipated celebrity night — “the big daddy of all nights” as quoted by Wikipedia. From stunt shows to laser tag, the informal day events keep students busy with a variety of performances, games, quizzes, and hunts.
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IGNIS Sports enthusiasts, fret not as SVNIT brings you the annual intercollege sports meet — IGNIS. Taking place between the months of March and April, IGNIS has budding sportspeople flocking to SVNIT from colleges all over Gujarat. Over the span of 3 days, students get to participate in a variety of sports, including cricket, football, volleyball, handball, basketball, lawn tennis, table tennis, badminton, chess, kho kho, and kabaddi. With some informal events and a DJ night added to the mix, this event caters to everyone.
Mindbend Mindbend is one of the largest and most diverse techno-managerial fests in Gujarat. Generally conducted in the early weeks of February, this 3-day event is a spectacular display of technical acumen by the young talents of SVNIT. The event usually kicks off with plenty of highly informative student workshops that provide unparalleled technical exposure to beginners. This is followed by a series of intuitive advanced workshops, project exhibitions, illuminating talks, and thrilling contests ranging from Robowars to drone races. Under its hood, Mindbend hosts many such exciting technical and managerial challenges, making it the ideal destination for the technofanatics of SVNIT.
Garba Night Perhaps the most awaited event over the course of the year is the SVNIT Garba Night. Held in the festive months of October or November, this day is a celebration of the rich traditional Gujarati folklore dance — Garba. Amidst the beautifully-decorated SAC Ground, the event commences in the late evening hours with an aarti, followed by traditional garba music, and eventually, some up-beat DJ tunes. Watching hundreds of students draped in traditional chaniya-cholis or flaunting kafni pajamas while dancing in symphony to melodious garba tunes is a treat to the
eyes! In fact, students from all ethnicities, Gujarati and nonGujarati alike, participate in the Garba Night and create some of the best memories of their college lives.
MMNCT The most anticipated event of SVNIT is the Manoj Memorial Night Cricket Tournament (MMNCT). Usually held at the end of January, this cricket tournament spans over five days. With over twenty participating teams composed of college faculties, college staff, and student teams from all years of B.Tech. and M.Sc., the popularity of this
tournament is unparalleled. Arguably the most esteemed SVNIT college event, MMNCT provides the perfect platform for participating players to showcase their cricketing skills and win the title for their team. This is the only event that brings the entire SVNIT community together and involves everyone, including professors, teaching assistants, mess workers, localites, and both boys’ and girls’ teams. At the end of the highly competitive event, top performing teams and individual players are awarded with plenty of exciting prizes along with the prestigious MMNCT trophy.
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A DAY IN THE LIFE OF AN SVNIT FRESHMAN So, you’ve finally made it all the way to SVNIT and you’re wondering what your life will be like now. Well, you have two options: you can be a sloth who lies in their hostel room every moment they’re not in class, or you can be an adventurer who spends their time post 6 PM exploring the truckloads of exciting activities on campus. I highly recommend the latter. Be an exciting human, not a sloth. Now, let me give you a sneak peek into what you can expect from an average day in SVNIT. In the beginning, you’ll have boundless energy to wake up early, take a nice shower, and reach the mess on time for a scrumptious breakfast. You’ll calmly walk out the hostel gates, find an empty seat on the college bus, and get to class well ahead of time. However, as the months go by, this bubbly enthusiasm will start to erode. You’ll start waking up just 30 minutes before your 1st lecture begins, develop godlike abilities of getting ready to sprint out your door in under 10 minutes, and frantically run to class with a heavy backpack bouncing on your back. Fret not, you’ll become a certified Olympic sprinter after running around so much on campus. Unless of course, you decide to buy yourself a bicycle. Be warned though — you would be plagued by inferiority complex when a panicking student with dangerously low attendance overtakes your cycle on foot.
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After four hours of lectures (or labs for some students), you’ll be famished. You’ll think of stopping by at the canteen for a tasty lunch, but the overcrowded building and your thinning wallet will convince you to settle for the mess instead. Once again, if the gods of fortune are feeling generous, you’ll get a seat on the bus and reach your hostel’s mess in style. However, you’re more likely to walk along the foliagecovered roads, chatting with your friends about every topic under the sun. After calming your rumbling stomach in the mess, you’ll head back to your hostel room with a full belly for a few minutes of rest. However, as soon as the tendrils of sleep draw you in, it will be time to head out to your next set of classes (labs for most, lectures for some).
When classes finally end at 6 PM, you’ll have an unlimited number of options to choose from. While some may head out to the Old CRC lawns to relax and chat with friends after a busy day, others will simply head straight to their club meetings or sports practice sessions (which they’re already late for). While hungry souls rush to the canteen, night canteens, or the vada pav stall outside the college main gate to satiate their hunger, starcrossed lovers separated for 4 whole hours reunite elsewhere on campus. Some, however, head straight back to their hostels and collapse on the bed after another exhausting day. Under the receding glow of dusk, students enter the mess for dinner or step out for a merry evening outside
campus in one of the various malls, shopping complexes, restaurants, or cafes in Surat. The fun and laughter with friends extends well into the night — less if you’re outside campus, more if you’re inside the hostel premises. When food cravings strike again, you can stroll to your respective hostel’s night canteen (or if you’re feeling adventurous, into another hostel’s), usually open from 10 PM to 2 AM (and also in the evenings from 4 PM to 7 PM). With your sleep cycle already ruined after another night of crazy antics and bingewatching random shows or movies all night, you wake up groggy once again, and repeat.
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IMPORTANT PLACES ON CAMPUS New CRC
Situated in the heart of SVNIT, the classroom complex, famously known as the New CRC, is where freshmen get their first glimpse of the real ‘college life’. The seven-storeyed building houses numerous well-equipped rooms for different classes, including classrooms, drawing halls, and seminar halls. During the first year, the New CRC can be labelled as a second home for most students, given the amount of time they spend here.
Sports
SVNIT houses multiple outdoor game facilities. There are 2 basketball courts with floodlights on campus, paired with a volleyball court and two tennis courts. The main field, called the SAC Ground, is commonly used for football, cricket, athletics, kho-kho, and kabaddi. Apart from outdoor sports, there is a range of indoor sports, including badminton, chess, carrom, and table tennis. The physical education center, commonly referred to as the SAC (Student Activity Center), also has a modern, sophisticated gym stocked with a variety of equipment and over 15 stations available for students to work out. We highly encourage all students to participate in inter-year, inter-department, inter-university, inter-NIT, and other open tournaments in the sport of their choice.
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Library
Established in 1968, the central library is one of the most prominent student hubs because of its rich collection of resources. In 2017, the central library was moved to the New Library building, replete with centralised air conditioning. It is now visited by students on a daily basis to study during the exams or just to relax after a busy day. With its long-standing history, the New Library is considered as one of the best technical libraries catering to the basic needs of college students, including natural light, easy-to-reach shelves, accessible technologies, seating, and distinct zones for different purposes. The facilities are open to students from 9 AM to 8 PM on weekdays and special provisions are provided during exam weeks. The ground floor of the library also houses an on-campus stationary store that sells essential supplies for students and offers printing/photocopy services.
Canteen
Located beside the New CRC, the SVNIT college canteen is a place that is close to the hearts of the few thousand students in the institute. Open from 7 AM to 7 PM on all working days, including Saturdays, this place is always bustling with activity. This is where you can grab a bite between classes, have a full meal for lunch, or just hang out with friends. Give our canteen a visit to taste delicacies like the famous Mysore masala dosa, cotton-like chole-bhature, and the mouth-watering gobi manchurian.
SBI
The friendly neighbourhood bank to take care of all your monetary needs, this is one place you definitely need to visit on campus. No matter how broke you are, you need a bank account to validate your broke-ness, and as unlikely as it might seem to an outsider, there are other reasons to go to the bank — one might say, to hang out. A bank account in the campus bank is preferable as most transactions with the college mandatorily require an SBI bank account. Although on campus, the SBI works just like it would work anywhere else, with long lines and lots of paperwork.
Post Office
A relic from the past, the SVNIT post office is located beside the SBI bank. Once a year, students gather here to send rakhis home for their beloved siblings, the only time of the year when the post office sees a crowd.
ASHINE Incubation Center
Association for Harnessing Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ASHINE) has set up a new research park on campus which will act as an incubation center for promoting research and innovation, entrepreneurship, and industrial interactions. The Old Library was recently converted into the Technology Business Incubator (TBI), which would accommodate facilities like co-working spaces, incubation area, and FABLABs (Fabrication Laboratories). Co-working spaces can be rented out by startups that seek offices to manage their workforce. Interested students can also benefit from working in such a business-oriented environment. The incubation area is the place where students can gain knowledge about the startup ecosystem and get hands-on experience by discussing concepts like Design Thinking. As the name suggests, FABLABs facilitate in designing and prototyping all sorts of projects.
Health Centre
The campus Health Centre is an OPD unit located near the Chemical Engineering Department. It is run by a residential doctor assisted by two physicians and supporting staff. This is where you should go for free medical consultation. Just make sure you are carrying your SVNIT college ID. As long as it is not something serious, you can get your prescription from the doctor on duty. Under other circumstances, you will be referred to one of many medical facilities and hospitals which are affiliated with the SVNIT institute under its medical insurance policy. SVNIT provides medical insurance to all its students and issues an insurance card to every student.
Production Hall
Seminar
More than just what its name suggests, the Production Seminar Hall functions as a sort of auditorium for the campus. Apart from the seminars by professors, guest lecturers, and other notable alumni, various events, like the stage plays by the two drama clubs of our college, are also performed here. The Hall is undoubtedly one of the favorite places of the students, because no matter what the event is, it always seems to be brimming with people. It is situated in front of the workshop, so after some tiring hours of working with tools and machines, you can directly walk into the Hall’s airconditioned embrace and enjoy the ongoing event.
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PLACES TO BE IN SURAT If you don’t know already, our campus is situated right in the middle of the bustling city of Surat, brimming with spots waiting to be discovered. It has a blend of everything ranging from restaurants that can excite your taste buds to places where you’d want to spend the rest of your academic years. Without further ado, note down the following spots and start planning your weekends: •
If we had to choose the best thing about Surat, it would be difficult, but delicious food would be a top contender. With food stalls at every corner, you’d think there was a glitch in the matrix and that things had begun to duplicate. Fortunately for you, we’ve gone through the painstaking process of filtering out the best food spots the city has to offer. Safal Square is a must-try place with over ten restaurants, cafes, and dessert shops in the same square. Located on the Udhana-Magdalla road, this gem is just a bus ride away from our campus. Coming closer to home, freshers should obligatorily check out the Food Park opposite the campus and the Night Bazaar beside the campus. Both these places are famous for serving aromatic gobi manchurian, pizza, and classics like masala dosa. If these options aren’t enough (or if you’re on an eating spree), you can hitch a bus ride to the Valentine Mall and eat at The Food Park right beside it. One of the newest offerings from the Surati food scene is the Aagam Viviana complex in Vesu, which is just an auto ride away from college. Besides these, there is also a myriad of choices when it comes to cafes and restaurants in town. Another honorable mention is the International Business •
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Center (IBC) not too far from our campus. The IBC offers the big cats in the game like Pizza Hut, Domino’s, and KFC. These fast food joints are also accompanied by gourmet restaurants, dessert shops, and the ever-favourite Starbucks. With ample options for both vegetarians and nonvegetarians, lip-smacking food is one thing Surat will never be deprived of. Malls are the best place
to blow off some steam after a long week, and our city has quite a number of options. The famous VR Mall has a wide variety of recreational activities to offer. There are tons of shopping centers and fast food joints within the mall itself, providing a onestop solution for your needs. Housing a spacious theater, the VR Mall is a common hotspot for SVNIT folks. If you feel like dancing your troubles away, RahulRaj Mall is the place to be. With over four
` VR arenas, and other exciting activities like rope courses. With so many options, you can spend the whole weekend at the place and still not run out of things to do. Shott is another fun place where you can hang out with your friends. It has everything you’d want: go-karting, arcade games, laser tags, party venues, and a zipline course. •
dance clubs, you can book an evening anywhere and vibe to the DJ all night long. Apart from that, the mall has its fair share of clothing lines and gift shops at your disposal. Central Mall is another must-visit spot with its iconic theater and remarkable food joints. Being closer to the campus, it’s a common spot for all SVNITians. • •
The best part about living alone is that you get to buy as many snacks as you want and no one will stop you. Luckily, our campus is surrounded by grocery stores where you can get almost anything you want. The Malhar Complex right beside the campus has many shops where you can buy your supplies for a reasonable price. With a medical store, a store with imported snacks, and a supermarket with daily discounts, it’s a mustvisit store for your daily
needs. Surat also offers the famous chain that needs no introduction, Big Bazaar, which has almost everything you need to survive. With clothes, food, vegetables, stationary, footwear, and utilities, Big Bazaar is a place you’d want to visit every now and then to stock up. Surat isn’t shy of recreational venues either. Like the food, the places this city has to offer will also leave you wanting more. Rebounce is a relatively new recreational hub in Surat. Apart from the largest trampoline park in Gujarat, this place has arcade games, bowling alleys, football turfs, laser tag, and much more. To add icing on the cake, there are cafes in and around the place. If one trampoline park wasn’t enough for your bouncy adventures, you can visit Woop too. Woop also offers a football turf, arcade games,
If you’re looking for some sightseeing, Dumas Beach should be on your list. Being one of the 35 most haunted places in India, it’s advised not to visit the beach at night. However, Dumas Beach is a sight to see during the day and a common spot for everyone to unpack their stress and relax. A little farther away, you can find the famous Suvali Beach which is considered to be the cleanest beach in India. The immaculate vibes this place has to offer is second to none. Looking at other spots, Surat Fort is a historical marvel that speaks volumes about the rich culture of the city. The site was recently restored, which polished its aesthetic and made it more accessible. If the Surat Fort doesn’t quench your thirst for historical facts and stories, the Sardar Patel Museum is your next destination. The museum displays precious artifacts and other resources that played their roles in the history of Surat and Gujarat.
This city has so much to offer that we can’t possibly note them all down. Even if we did, we’d be taking away the fun of being in college, the thrill of exploring new places. So, put on your adventure hats and set off on an exploration tour once you have the time, so you can add on to this list in the future.
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ESSENTIAL SUPPLIES FOR FRESHMEN Joining college can be an overwhelming experience. From your entrance exams to the never-ending cycle of forms that you need to fill out before you start, it can get pretty stressful and hectic. Some of you might be already organized with your innate pre-planning skills, but not everyone is lucky. So to make things easier, here is a list of things you must be equipped with before you start the next phase of your life: •
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Drawing Supplies: If you don’t already know, engineering is a field that requires a lot of visualization through drawings. Engineering Drawing is a compulsory subject for all B.Tech. and M.Sc. students in their first year. To successfully tackle ED, you should have the following in your arsenal: mini drafter, engineering compass, roller scale, master circle, mechanical pencils, drawing pencils with varying shades (HB, H1, H2, H3), and a geometry box. Available in almost all stationary shops, the previously mentioned list of things are necessary to get your drawings right. Some of you can give away your supplies after the first year, but the others aren’t so lucky as they have drawing subjects in future semesters. So, maintain your mini drafter and other supplies well so that you don’t have to go running around to get another one. Lab Coat: Unlike the classic whitecoloured lab coats we are all used to, you would need a blue-colored lab coat for engineering lab classes. This long coat, with its unique texture, is designed to protect you from the various hazards you might face in your labs. Used in the workshop, chemistry
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lab and other concerned departments, this iconic lab coat is a must-have in your inventory. You can get one of these bad boys at almost any stationary shop. Get your hands on one as soon as you can, unless you want to wander the campus or the hostel asking others to lend theirs. Calculator: Although seen as an illegal item in most of school life, calculators are pretty useful and important in college. No matter which course you’re taking, a scientific calculator always comes in handy when it comes to crunching numbers. You’ve probably conditioned yourself to using a logarithmic table, but times have changed now; automation is the future. Stationary shops sell a wide variety of calculators at different price ranges, including graphing calculators. However, keep in mind that graphing calculators aren’t
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allowed during exams; only scientific calculators are. Bicycle: A bicycle isn’t an essential like the others in this list, but it sure helps you get around quicker. Your hostels are quite far from your classrooms and walking back and forth all the time can get tiring, especially after long lab sessions. With a cycle, roaming the streets of Surat is also easier, since you don’t have to always rely on rickshaw-walas and the BRTS buses. A few spots near the campus sell decent cycles at different price ranges. Remember to buy a lock along with your cycles as there is always someone looking for a cheaper alternative to walking. Keep in mind that SVNIT also has its own characteristic yellow buses that circulate throughout the campus all day according to a fixed schedule. You can catch rides on these buses to get from one place to another
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on campus, however, they are often crowded during the mornings and afternoons when students come from and go back to the hostels. Important Apps: Your phone can be used for so much more than just swiping through social media and procrastinating all day. Attendancetracking apps are a godsend for all college students. Just make sure to mark it every day and you can easily keep track of how many classes you’ve slept through. Learn something new with apps that provide online courses to sharpen your skill sets. You can even learn new languages to better communicate with people of all regions. ‘SVNIT 101’ and ‘SVNIT Essentials’ can also help you adjust to the college lifestyle, supplying you with stuff that will help you survive four (or five) years at the institute.
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IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT SURAT Weather Summers in Surat wouldn’t be the nightmare they are if it weren’t for the blood-curdling levels of humidity in the air. Just as the monsoon starts to rear its head into the picture, our favourite uninvited guests decide to pay a visit, bringing along wonderful gifts like malaria and dengue. On a more serious note, mosquito nets can be a literal life-saver in Surat. Make sure to carry enough mosquito repellant that your whole wing can be covered in cases of emergencies. Needless to say, Surat also sees a fair amount of rain throughout the year. Winters should pass by like a breeze if you are already a master of taking cold showers.
Transportation You can easily get around the city in the local rickshaws and if your destination is covered by the Bus Rapid Transport System (BRTS), you are in luck. With a station right outside the campus, BRTS is usually the cheapest mode of transport available, with ticket fares ranging from around 5-15 rupees per person. There is also a zero-cost alternative that comes at the expense of your legs hurting the next day. To get out of the city, you can use the Surat Railway Station (10 km away from campus) or the Surat Airport (9 km away).
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Monuments
Specialties
Pack your bags and get ready to tour the iconic landmarks of City of the Sun. From intricatelydesigned places of worship like Chintamani Jain Temple and Ambika Niketan Temple to culturally-rich historical sites like the Old Fort and Dutch Gardens, Surat has it all. Take a trip to the Surat Castle to witness Khudawand Khan’s might, or visit the Sardar Patel Museum to learn about the life of this remarkable man. Within Zampa Bazaar are many craft and textile shops and the famous 80-meter Surat Clock Tower. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can even try entering the supposedly haunted Dumas Beach or the less-haunted but risky Suvali beach. Other amazing places to visit are the Science Centre, Jagdishchandra Bose Municipal Aquarium, and Chauta Bazaar.
Surat, often known as Gujarat’s textile capital, offers high-quality, finely-crafted sarees in a variety of styles. Shopping isn’t complete without purchasing a saree from the Bombay Market. Street food is a beloved element of any city, and a cultured city like Surat offers an endless selection of tasty snacks. There are numerous street food options to choose from, including locho, aloo puri, farsan, ghari, ponk vadas, undhiyu, and fafda. Surat is famous for its diamond industry. The craftsmen here have perfected the art of cutting and polishing diamonds. You can find many shops offering diamonds or jewellery as you roam the streets of Surat. Surat is one of India’s cleanest cities despite being one of the most populous cities in Gujarat, largely due to the active efforts of Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC).
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SVNIT DIGITAL RESOURCES AND GRADING SYSTEM The SVNIT website is an important onestop destination for all things SVNIT. It’s imperative, therefore, for us to help you navigate. Make sure to regularly check the student notice board on the homepage of the website to stay updated about the latest developments. Under Student Admission B.Tech./M.Sc./DASA you will find all the important links regarding admission, fee structure, and more — according to your mode of admission. For payment and registration, follow: Student Online Fees Payment and Registration. This will direct you to the MIS payment portal of SVNIT. Kindly read the guidelines carefully before proceeding.
A few other important pathways are also provided below Student Scholarship Student Curriculum Student Academic Calendar Student List of Holidays Visit pages of respective departments from the Department section. You will find a bunch of useful resources like faculty lists, student lists, course structures/syllabus documents, and student notices. For the academically-oriented, there are a plethora of resources like NPTEL (https://nptel. ac.in/noc/) and SWAYAM (https://swayam. gov.in/NPTEL) that provide free certified online courses/lectures from IIT professors.
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To find the contact information of hostel staff, head over to Central Facility Hostel. Central Facility Central Library and Central Facility Canteen will be helpful too.
MIS Management Information Systems (MIS) is one of the most
important sections. To access MIS, follow the sequence: Central Facility
MIS. En-
ter username and password:
Username: Admission Number (for example, U21CS037) Password: for the first time, it will probably be your Date of Birth or the Admission number itself, but you’d be advised to change it at the earliest. Make sure to check the notices in the MIS section regularly. At the end of every semester, you are supposed to fill the feedback forms of the courses offered in the current semester and then preregister for next semester. The feedback form will ask general survey-type questions judging your satisfaction with the course offered, and providing you with a space for suggestions. Below are the paths for the aforementioned:
Academic Student Section - Transaction Student Feedback Answers Academic Student Section - Transaction Student PreRegistration
To register for scholarships, use the path: Scholarship Transaction Student Scholarship Entry Finally, you can cast your vote during the student council election by using the following path: Academic Election VOTING
Assessment in Exams – The Grading System It’s imperative for freshers to understand the system of evaluation in exams here at SVNIT. You will, after all, face a lot of them during your time here. The evaluation is based on Cumulative Grade Point Assessment (CGPA). Courses are centered around credits — the higher the credit for any given subject, the higher the weightage of the subject itself. Credits are a combination of the course itself and the accompanying practicals, if any. The institute stipulates a mandatory attendance of 75%. In case the attendance is between 60% and 75%, the student will be given a grade lower than their actual grade obtained. Grades are awarded on the basis of exams, quizzes, class tests, projects, presentations, and practicals. There are 2 exams conducted every semester — the mid-semester exams and the endsemester exams. Other evaluation techniques are the concerned faculty’s prerogative, and are subject to their choices and the nature of the course itself. Students must ensure that they attain a minimum of 4.5 CGPA to go into the next semester. The grading system is explained below:
• • • • • • • •
AA - Outstanding AB - Excellent BB - Very good BC - Good CC - Average CD - Below average DD - Marginal FF - Fail
An FF grade means that the student will have to repeat the course until they attain the passing marks. The final score of a student is the sum total of mid-semester, end-semester, and internal marks. Additionally, an XX grade is given in the case of unsatisfactory attendance. The student will then be required to repeat the full course when it is offered in the next semester. When a candidate scores less than 12 marks out of 30 in the mid-semester exams, they are encouraged to appear for a Makeup Test. Scores above 12 are assigned 12 marks only, meaning that 12 is the maximum one can score in Make-up Tests. The Semester Grade Point Average (SGPA) is given on the basis of grades in each subject in the semester. Its breakdown is explained below:
SGPA= Σ (Course Credit × Grade point)/ Σ (Course Credit) The Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) is simply the average of all SGPAs obtained over time.
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STUDENT CHAPTER DETAILS Association for Computing Machinery NIT Surat
CHRD
Cutting Edge Visionaries CEV
Electrical Engineering Society (EES)
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AIChE - Chemical Engineering Society
Civil Engineering Society
Drishti
IETE STUDENTS’ FORUM
Literary Affairs Committee (LAC)
Madhatters
Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors Club, NIT Surat
Nirvana - A reason to smile
NSS SVNIT
Phoenix Aero - SAE
Phoenix Racing - SAE
Physics Club NIT Surat
Renesa
Tech Converge
SPICMACAY SVNIT
The Society for Cultivation of Science and Humanities (SCOSH)
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SVNIT CAMPUS MAP
CONTRIBUTORS CONTENT Sumant Singh Dangi
Riya
Shivansh Shandilya
Neelav Bhatiya
Karthik Sunil
Sauparnika Nair
Tanmay Dadhania
Vishvesh Trivedi
Saptarishi Pandey
Krish Sajnani
Yukta Malik
Anirudh Peri
Supal Padmashali
Krishna Shreeram
Malvika Nath
Chaitanya Rathod
Akshita Gupta
Harshil Nakum
LAYOUT AND DESIGN Abhinav Pandey
Tanishka Sonavane
Aneesha Sengupta
Vishwa Menpara
Rutvi Shah
Freya Parekh
Fahad Khatuda
Sauparnika Nair
Dev Jariwala
Manish Goyal
Chinmay Bhagat
Prasang Maheshwari
Nishant Singh 31
