SRM Institute of Science & Technology

About My Alma mater

I have attended 4 different schools in different places. I have spent the first 10 years of my life and 6 years of schooling in Lagos, Nigeria. I owe my strong basics and keen interest in learning and growing to this place. Further, I studied in Goa and Kutch for short durations after which we moved to Bhavnagar, Gujarat where I spent the last 5 years of schooling at Silver Bells Public School. This place refined and nourished my perspective and shaped me as a person. I still look up to my teachers for guidance. I was always involved in a lot of extracurricular activities, be it dance, sports or organizing events and was also awarded the Student of the Year in class 10 and class 12.  All round development is what helped me do better in academics. I was always a ranker in my school life and strived to be the best.

What made you to choose SRM, SRMJEEE and finally B.Tech CSE?

After I got over with my 12th boards, I started looking for a career option to opt for a befitting stream. I was fascinated by computers since I was a kid. Hence, it was not a difficult decision to make. I was eager on taking up CSE and not any other branch. I had heard about SRM being a good place to learn with a lot of opportunities and so decided to give SRMJEEE. My experience was exceptional, and I was confident of securing a good rank, which would help me secure a seat in CSE. Counselling was admirably organized, and I was glad to pursue exactly what I desired.

About your home town and support from parents

I was born in Delhi and hail from Rajasthan. Over to that, I have been living in Gujarat since a long time. Having moved a lot since childhood, adjusting to new places is not tough for me. My parents knew this and were very supportive of letting me study in Chennai. They have always let me take my own decisions, and have extended support for me to achieve my goals. It makes me the happiest seeing them so proud.

About your hostel life at SRM

I have lived in the hostel for all 4 years of college life, and I can’t stress it enough that the memories you make in hostel are simply the best. The infrastructure of the newly built M Block is quite good in addition to all facilities available in the hostel campus itself. If you are lucky to find great friends in hostel, they will make sure to make 4 years memorable.

About SRM Campus Student Clubs & Chapters

SRM has a great infrastructure and there are ample factors to delve in that can help you be more productive, make you learn and grow. The labs are well equipped, library is wonderful and how can we forget the auditorium! SRM provided abundant opportunities for those who know how to make adequate use of them.
I have been the Vice-Chairman of SRM IET On Campus, Committee Head in Aaruush and volunteered for SRM MUN. All these experiences have added to my confidence, ability to solve problems, and think out of the box to tackle situations. We have a lot of teams in our college which focus on technical work and others which focus on events. I would encourage everyone to pursue their technical interests but also have some experience in organization and management as it adds to a lot of skills like team work, leadership, time management which play a great role in you placements as well as life ahead.

A gist about what to expect during placement rounds

Placement is not a term to fear but an inquisitiveness that challenges you. It is a culmination of all that you’ve done and learnt in the college. Make every year count. Though I did not attend the actual placement as I was offered a PPO after my summer internship at Microsoft, I do have some tips for the upcoming batches. First and foremost, be thorough with basic aptitude and verbal concepts. The syllabus taught in our course is enough, but practice everything well. Do the aptitude course not for the grade but for your own learning. Not to forget the importance of data structures and algorithms. It is pivotal to have your basics of coding right, which includes OOP concepts(for software jobs). Always remember, the panel is not here to scare you but to help you get the job you aspire for. Be thorough with all you have in your resume. Know the how and why of each thing. And it’s totally fine to not know things, accept it instead of cooking up answers or guessing. Be confident, be humble and you can sail through every interview.

What are the challenges faced in the interview ?

We had an online coding round in January which comprised of 3 questions. Most of you would expect the level of questions to be hard, but it scaled from easy-medium. I could easily solve 2 of them in 10 minutes and the 3rd one after a bit of brainstorming. It focused on our basics. The interview for the selected students was conducted in March. There was one pen and paper coding, and 3 personal interviews. There were just 25-30 of us left after the pen-paper coding round out of 150+. It was a breathtaking experience. Further, there were two technical interviews which were focused on coding only and 1 HR + problem solving round. The interviewers were very helpful and would provide hints on getting stuck. I would explicitly mention the importance of the CCC training given. There were a few questions directly asked from the ones done during the training. If you follow the training religiously and practice on your own, things will turn out to be good. Never underestimate your capability. Try your best always.

About your internship at Microsoft, work style, adaptability and Work From Home experience

Microsoft has been a great place to work. The 2 months as a summer intern was quite a learning experience. It is known to have one of the best intern programs in the country. Interns are treated and given work valuable for the company’s products. The feature I worked on in my summer internship has reached the users across the globe, and I feel happy to contribute to such a large product as Microsoft Excel. Apart from work, we had an intern learning week where we painted, had fireside chats, talent show and a lot more activities. At Microsoft, you are encouraged to do everything that interests you, have a balanced work life and work as per your comfort. Being a 6-month old intern now and working from home, the support the company provided is commendable. Hope to deliver the new feature I am currently working on soon. Looking forward to joining as a Full Time Employee in a few months.

Overall feedback

It is a matter of pride and fulfilment of my dream to have been placed at the exceptionally prestigious organization, Microsoft.  SRM provides a platform and infrastructure to go beyond academics and be an all-rounder. It encourages students to nurture their interest and grooms them to excel in that field. The 4 years at SRM have not only made me industry ready, but have also helped me enhance my soft skills to grow personally and professionally.  I would like to thank the Institute for all the learning opportunities extended and for guiding me to kick start my career with Microsoft.The CSE faculty has been very encouraging throughout. Be it learning or other processes, I have always received help and guidance. Also, I would thank the Placement Cell for helping me throughout.Overall, SRM provides a bunch of opportunities. If you’re focused and leverage it in the right way, there is a bright future ahead.

Faculty mentor words of appreciation

Ms. Anushka Bhargava is one of the best students in the class.  She is good at her academics and other activities.  She is more responsible in all her endeavors.  Her problem solving skills were remarkable.  She has a good attitude and always supportive as a team coordinator.  I feel proud to have her as my student.” Mrs. R. Lavanya, Assistant Professsor, Computer Science and Engineering, SRMIST, KTR Campus.