Which college should I join among IISER Pune, IIT Madras Physics, IIT Kanpur Physics or IIT Engineering Physics?

If you are completely sure that you would like to study physics, you should avoid going with Engineering Physics. Rather, think of doing a BS+MS from IIT Madras. I have a few friends from IIT Madras and they were able to give some insight into the program. Let me list down the pros and cons of the course.

Pros:

• As far as the physics department of IIT M is concerned, it is about 50 years older than IISERs. With the batch strength being quite small, you will get personalized attention and opportunities. All 10 students from the class end up bagging internship opportunities and you won’t face a lot of competition either.
• IISERs have an easier syllabus as compared to IITs in the third year. At IIT M, you will be sitting for an MSc project after your first three semesters. This is followed by a project year.
• You will be able to avoid many of the chemistry, engineering, and biology courses. Many of them are electives too, so you will get to choose what you study.
• With the IIT tag, you will have broader opportunities. Access to alumni funding, good campus life, clubs, teams, and organizations are just some of the benefits. Even with an average CGPA, you can expect international opportunities.

Cons:

• The fees are quite high as compared to IISER where you can pay it with a scholarship.
• The engineering students are given preference sometimes which seems a little unfair when it comes to internships overlapping the two fields. They end up bagging the internship even if you have done your research in the field.

In conclusion, you should not go for EP if you are planning to do physics. It will be more focused on engineering subjects and not pure physics. You can also think of going to IIT K if you want to do your master’s abroad. So, choose according to your convenience.