Experts’ Speak: IIT is not the ultimate goal

By: Amit Sharma

Career does not depend on any institutional tag, it simply depends on your will to move on. Your desire to move on will decide the success frame into the engineering profession, not the IIT tag. 

IIT JEE is undoubtedly one of the premium and high-end competitive exams in terms of its difficulty level. Most of the students having an interest in the engineering dream of taking admission in Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). However, IIT is not everyone's cup of tea. Approximately 13 lakh students appear for JEE Main every year. Out of these 13 lakh, only 10,000 make it to IITs. This very estimation makes us think, “What if one could not make it to IIT?”. It is not always about your potential or knowledge, but sometimes, the matter of chance and destiny plays its role. So, one needs to be open to all the alternatives available. For all the students who could not make it to IIT, here are some suggestions as there is a lot more that can be accomplished without IIT degree. 

Do not take your failure in IIT to be the end of your career in the engineering profession. In my opinion getting admission into IIT does not ensure a healthy career, what matters is your passion to pursue engineering as a career. The career does not depend on any institutional tag, it simply depends on your will to move on. Your desire to move on will decide the success frame into the engineering profession, not the IIT tag.

Once you are into a job after completing your degree, no one really considers what institution you belong to. The employer looks for skilled, talented and hardworking candidates, whether they are from IIT, NIT or any other college. So, do not be stressed and think much if you do not get through an IIT. Students at this age easily get influenced by social concerns and start considering what people will think of them. However, I suggest you just concentrate on your goal and try to look for the bright future waiting ahead.

Options galore

There are educational establishments that carry the same legacy and dignity as IIT. National Institutes of Technology (NITs) of different states and Birla Institute of Technology and Sciences (BITS) Pilani are some of the premium institutions providing standard technical/engineering education. In the same line Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs) have also gained a reputation in the field of technical education. So this could also be one of the options if IIT is not possible. There is nothing to lose hope as far as your admission to a good engineering college is concerned. It is not only you but hundreds of students who could not make it to IIT but they doing exceptionally well in their engineering profession.  

Different state universities: A ray of hope

Now a day's numbers of private players have entered the education industry. Though they have acute business orientation no doubt they are imparting quality education and at last help the students to get placement in the organisation of repute. As the competition is tough, not only for students but for these private institutions too, it is always suggested to carefully check the reputation, legal status and ranking of the institution you are looking forward to. Aspirants who could not make it IIT can take admission in different state universities or colleges. Here I would like to suggest you some institutions of repute

1. National Institute of Technology (NIT), Tiruchirappalli
2. Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Pune 
3. IIIT, Allahabad 
4. National Institute of Foundry and Forge Technology (NIFFT), Ranchi 
5. College of Engineering, Anna University
6. Nirma Institute of Technology 
7. Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology (NSIT), Delhi 
8. IIIT Guwahati 
9. National Institute of Technology Warangal (NITW), Telangana
10. NIT, Patna
11. PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore
12. Thapar University, Patiala

Don’t give up

Your will power decides your success and builds never give up attitude. If you are an individual with a high passion for engineering then you should go for one more chance. You have already faced the competition for IIT, so now you are in a healthy position to get ready well for the exam. Learning from the past and moving ahead should be the philosophy of our life. This attitude will surely lead you to success in one or the other way.

About the Author:

Amit Sharma is serving as an Assistant Professor at Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, since 2013. With an experience of seven years in academics, Sharma conducts faculty development programmes at school level and management development programmes at organisational level across the industry