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How is the life of an MS (by research) student at IIT Madras?
One of my friends was an MS student at IIT Madras and she loved the time spent pursuing that course.
- It gave her a sort of exhilarating experience of freedom to pursue whatever and however she wanted in her academics.
- The research helps you learn how to tackle the challenges on your own.
- Since you do not belong to a certain class, you might feel lonely sometimes but for some this might actually be a good thing. You get more time to invest in studying for your research.
- A typical morning of an MS student at IIT Madras begins around 8-9 and there are no fixed timings as you don’t have any classes to attend. You wake up and check if the computation you had left overnight on the supercomputer has converged or not.
- After this, go to the mess for breakfast and then head to the labs.
- You start coding and solving problems. If you face a problem you read and try to get a solution on your own. You keep working till 1: 30 after which you head to have lunch.
- At around 4 30 in the evening, your guide approaches you to get updates on your work for the day. You get to take a tea/coffee break with them which would not have been possible as a BTech and MTech student. They guide you not only academically but also enlighten you on fundamentals like professionalism, discipline, humility, principles, and morals of a human being.
- Post the tea break you are back with coding in your lab or reading a scientific paper.
- After a while, you can pack yourself and leave for the hostel. Now you can catch up on your sleep, watch anything.
The routine of a typical day of an MS student is mostly self-driven and thus varies from person to person. You get immense exposure as you have to work with BTech students, Ph.D. students, and sometimes even with the placement committee. Unlike BTech and MTech students, you have practical and theoretical knowledge of many concepts.
Which course is better: IIT, Madras M.S. by research or IIIT Hyderabad M.Tech in computer science?
The MS program is solely research-oriented and has minimal research work, while M.Tech is coursework based and has very less research angle. It's up to you to decide which aspect is more suitable for you and then only choose the program.
The subject or area of your work defines your MS program because the entire research will be based on that area only. Chronologically, an MS student has to go through these
- Choose 5 courses related to your area of work and try to complete them within a year
- Once you are done, start your research work and publish your paper
- Sit for placements and get placed with a good package
- Synopsis meeting after which you have to write your these
- You are ready to leave IIT Madras
There is no fixed duration of the degree and one can even complete it in 2 years. It all depends on your capabilities and your area of research. Some even convert their MS degree into Ph.D. after the 1st year. The faculty pool is very cooperative and guides you continuously throughout your research work. Some important research topics include
- Computer Architecture
- Machine learning
- NLP
- Speech
As far as IIIT Hyderabad is concerned, its MTech program is coursework-based will little research in comparison to MS. So make a good choice of both institute and program based on your career prospects and preferences.
How good is the MS(R) program at IIT, Delhi?
The MS (R) program offered at IIT Delhi is one of the finest courses offered at the institute. Academically, its credibility lies between MTech and Ph.D. Apart from your core courses, you can choose any course and gain additional knowledge in that field.
Research-wise, the program is very dynamic and students are as actively involved in research as the Ph.D. students. Unlike BTech and MTech, the primary focus is on research rather than academics and project work.
Placements-wise, the branch is excellent with a 100% placement percentage.MB(R) students get placed even before MTech students. Many companies offering research-based job profiles consider the students of this branch.
So be it academics, research, or placements, the program offers it all and is thus a good choice.
Can any one enlighten me regarding the MS(by research) program at IIT Kharagpur?
While many confuse MTech and MS as similar, both programs have extremely different perspectives. Hence their worth and demand cannot be rightly compared.
The two major points of difference are that
- MTech has a fixed duration of 2 years whereas MS has no fixed duration and is completed whenever your professor decides.
- MTech is a good option for those looking for high packages whereas MS is for the ones passionate about research.
MS is usually completed once all your research work comes to an end in addition to the first year's coursework. Most people opt for PhDs from top foreign universities. Admission to such universities becomes easy if you have some valuable publications under your name.
Job prospects: Once you have completed your Ph.D. from a reputed university, you can enter teaching professors in top universities. Another option is the R and D section of some elite companies of the world. So we can safely conclude that both MTech and MS have their own individual benefits.
How is MS by Research at IIT Madras different from Phd? Considering both are research focused programs.
The basic differences between MR at IIT Madras and Ph.D. at IIT Madras are
- Research: MS program has less research work than Ph.D. It is considered an extended version of MS and many MS students go for a Ph.D. afterward.
- Degree: An MS degree is awarded if the student has a minimum of 1 international conference paper and if the panel is satisfied that the work has met the standards of the institute. Whereas a Ph.D. is awarded only when the student has a minimum of 2 international journal papers and if the panel is satisfied and considers it as per the standards of the institute.
- Coursework: An MS student needs to take at least 5 graduate courses whereas a Ph.D. needs to take 4. Additionally a Direct Ph.D. or M.S.+PhD. needs to take 8.
- Duration: The time taken to complete an MS program is between 1.5-3 years whereas for a Ph.D. and M.S. + Ph.D it takes 3-5 years. This duration might be increased in case a student is unable to complete it in the given time frame.
- Viva: In Ph.D., you are required to pass a challenging Viva Voce, while in M.S. you need not. The difficulty level of this viva varies from department to department.
- Stipend: Under the HTRA scheme, an MS student gets INR 12400 while a Ph.D. student gets INR 25000.
Despite these differences, the general routine and schedule of both MS and Ph.D. are similar. Ultimately, more than your program, your research topic and performance will matter.
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