Very few toppers opt for IIT-Madras

Chennai: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras seems to be off the radar for top ranking students in this year’s admission process. Very few students from the top 100 in the JEE (advanced) have preferred IIT-Madras. Faculty at IITs say that geographical location of the institute and students’ perception makes a lot of difference in admission preferences.

IIT, Kharagpur, which is the organising institute for 2014 JEE (advanced), released the first round of allotments on July 1. Chitraang Murdia, a resident of Udaipur, who topped joint entrance exam (JEE-advanced) with a score of 334 out of 360 marks has selected computer science engineering in IIT-Bombay as also several other toppers.

IIT-Madras, which is famous for mechanical engineering since the days it began with German collaboration, has no student from the top 200 ranks (general category). Electrical engineering, which is another of the institute’s flagship programmes has fared better than other departments with students in ranks between 32 and 452 opting for it.

The institute, which was started in 1959 as one of the seven original IITs, has not been able to attract top-ranking students in several other departments even after 55 years. Former deputy director and professor emeritus at IIT-M’s ocean engineering department Prof V.G. Idichandy points out that the trend to select the institute starts right from the coaching centre which the student joins.

“Most top ranking students either come from coaching centres in Kota (Rajasthan) or from Hyderabad (Andhra Pradesh), they will like to join IIT-Bombay as it is nearer their home town. Hyderabad is equidistance from Chennai and Mumbai for a student from Andhra Pradesh,” he said.

Prof Idichandy also attributed students’ misperception about placements that make them select IIT-Bombay. “Students think they will get a job only in Mumbai as it is the financial capital of the country. On the contrary, several students from IIT-Madras have been placed in top notch companies with big salaries,” he said.

Another senior faculty noted that the reputation of the faculty also matters for the student to select his favourite institute. “The institute’s reputation is based on the faculty’s contribution to research and fame in the academic fraternity. Even if you have one highly rated professor your institute becomes most sought after by students,” the faculty said.