My Experience at IISER Pune

The Campus

Hello, I am Sumit Singh, currently a third-year BS-MS student at IISER Pune. To start with, let me tell you about the campus. So, the campus has two main gates, namely the front and back gates. The front gate opens in Baner Road, and the back gate opens in Pashan Road. Also, just a nice point to add here is that we have metro line work in progress just in front of the Baner Gate. However, it has caused some problems for us in crossing the roads. But, soon, for the upcoming students, it will be a great help. 

The Food 

About the food, we have two main messes, namely V-square and Shiv Sagar (1st floor and 2nd floor in the Dining Complex). Other than that, we have Mini Shiv Sagar. As the name suggests; Mini Shiv Sagar has a lower occupancy as compared to the above mentioned messes. Also, in the mess, we have breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dinner. The food can be availed by cash, UPI, or mess cards. There is a wide range of food options covering almost everything. And, the good part is that it keeps changing, and they bring new dishes as well. 

If we don’t like one mess due to some reasons, we have the freedom to opt for another. There is no restriction; just convincing friends sometimes bothers the decision-making.  

The general pricing for ideal food is: Breakfast for INR 24, lunch and dinner range from INR 45-50. Other than that, if you wish to add juices or extra dishes, then it will cost more. One more thing to add, the food is non-refill based. So yes, you are not supposed to have expectations of an unlimited diet. However, whatever they will give should be enough. 

General Stores in the Campus 

We also have two general stores, namely the Ankita Store near the boys hostel and the Agro store near the Indoor Stadium. Here, you can get everything. Also, for necessities such as mattresses, buckets, and clothing stands, we are supposed to inform Anikita Store beforehand so that they can pre-order these things. 

Additional Things a Newcomer Must Know 

Also, if you are coming here for admission, you are supposed to contact the guest house of IISER Pune for booking a room to ensure your stay until you are assigned a hostel room. I guess, it costs around INR 1200 a day. You don’t need to worry about the guest house rooms; they are well managed. Also, it’s very important for newcomers to read the mails carefully. 

Accommodation 

About hostels, H1 and H3 have double occupancy rooms (two students per room), while H2 has single occupancy rooms (one student per room). H1 is for male undergraduates, H3 is for female undergraduates, and H2 is for male PhD students. 

Clinics and Medical Facilities 

About health, we have a medical clinic named Wellness Clinic and an apollo pharmacy for medicines and wellness things, and even first aid kits in almost every building. Also, IISER also provides medical insurance which covers different things, and the policies might change with time. 

Sports Facilities  

About sports, we have one indoor stadium consisting of a basketball court, a carrom board room, 4 badminton courts, and table tennis. We also have a gym above the indoor stadium. Additionally, we have grounds such as a cricket ground, a volleyball ground, a football ground, an outdoor basketball ground, a tennis court, a golf net, a kho-kho ground, and a kabaddi ground. Besides these main grounds, we also have other grounds that could be used for any sport (such as frisbee or athletics). 

Well, I haven’t really talked about culture, clubs, academics, and competitions yet. It’s a lot for me to write, so I would let you all discover the rest by yourself.

About the author: Sumit Singh is currently a third-year student studying BS-MS at IISER Pune.  

Note: The views expressed in this article are solely the author’s own and do not reflect/represent those of Shiksha.