7 days ago
‘Never underestimate small moments': An IIT Bombay student's perspective
— Sparsh Somani
My motivation to attempt the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) came from watching my father and uncle, who are both incredibly passionate about their work. I wanted to have a goal to strive for, too, and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) became that dream. Two teachers, Gaurav Sir and Prabhat Sir, played a pivotal role. I met them while I was in school. They were the ones who convinced me to opt for the science stream after seeing my potential.
I come from Kishangarh, Rajasthan, a peaceful town I dearly miss — especially the spontaneous night road trips with friends. It's been three years since I left home, and the comfort of my family, my home-cooked meals, and familiar surroundings is something I often crave.
I studied at Mayoor School, Ajmer, and was always a pretty average student, not extraordinary across all subjects. I only put real effort into the subjects I liked: math, science, civics, and a bit of history. Even so, I managed a 91 per cent in Class 10, which I appeared in 2022, and 90.6 per cent in Class 12 in 2024.
My father is a businessman, and my mother is a homemaker. Growing up, I had all the comforts one could ask for – but seeing how hard my parents worked to build what we have made me want to prove myself, too. I was free to explore interests like singing, piano, and football, and they never said no to anything I wanted to do. I think that freedom gave me the confidence to dream big.
I appeared for the JEE Main and JEE Advanced in 2024 alongside my board exams. I appeared for the JEE Main in the January attempt. My exam was on February 1, and JEE Advanced was on May 26. It was my first attempt. I secured an AIR 3147/99.81 percentile in JEE Main and 2874 in JEE Advanced.
I took coaching at ALLEN, Kota. Life there wasn't easy. Most of my school friends had taken the Commerce stream in Class 11 and seemed to be enjoying life, while I was stuck in a grind that felt never-ending. The FOMO (fear of missing out) hit hard. This was my first time living completely alone, and the start was tough.
During my time at Kota, I dropped from 63 kg to 51 kg, and the mess food there wasn't any better! Thankfully, a group of 10 students from my hometown helped me settle. Plus, I'd never been away from home, so the homesickness was real. I even cried quite a lot in the initial six months. In Class 12, I didn't go home for eight months straight, even though my home was just five hours away.
However, all the sacrifices made sense after the JEE Advanced result came, and I happened to take admission in IIT Bombay. I am now in my second year doing BTech in Civil Engineering at IIT Bombay.
I chose Civil Engineering because I was not interested in coding, and did not want to study just for a job in any random IIT. I talked to seniors and family members and realised that only a small percentage of students pursue work directly related to their branch – many shift to consulting, tech, or finance. So I chose college over a branch. Also, my father's business aligns somewhat with Civil, so it made sense. Other branches I considered were Computer Science Engineering (CSE) at ISM Dhanbad, Chemical at IIT Delhi and Bombay, and Mechanical at IIT Madras.
2024 was not my first time staying away from home. Adjusting here was much easier than what I had to go through in Kota. So I was used to the mess meals, and the food at IIT was much better. Also here there are various all-day canteens, so it is good. And all my wing mates were very friendly and nice to me. Hence, I had no problem adjusting. We did all types of daily chores together.
I got involved early on – I was Maintenance Secretary of my first-year hostel, joined Solar Powered Airship Research Team (SPART), and now work with Student Alumni Relations Cell (SARC). This year, I am also part of the Mood Indigo and Techfest organising teams.
Balancing studies and clubs is tough. To keep a decent 8+ CPI while handling fest work, sometimes you sleep just 3 to 4 hours a night. But all of it has made me more confident, open, and social. I now enjoy talking to new people, learning from them – even if they know just a little more than me.
A regular day starts with rushing to labs, a quick breakfast, lectures till afternoon, and post-lunch classes till 5. Evenings are for cricket, football, or chilling with friends. At night, it's club work, gaming (Among Us, poker) or chatting till 3–4 am, with the occasional trip to canteens or Amul.
I love singing. I went to music classes from Class 1 to 5, and now enjoy jamming with friends or recording casually. We hang out on rooftops like Energy Building, or squeeze 12 people in one hostel room and talk for hours.
Some professors are great mentors – especially during project-based courses like the bridge and tank building competitions in Civil – but others struggle with communication. Still, they are approachable and passionate about teaching.
My father supports my expenses, but I stay conscious and try not to overspend.
I am still figuring that out. I'm open to working a job initially to gain experience. But long-term, I want to start something of my own – maybe in tech, maybe in a completely different field. I even worked on a startup idea with a friend in the first year, though we dropped it after two months. But I know I'll try again.
If I had to pick one lesson from IIT Bombay, it's this: be open to people and experiences. Talk to everyone. Learn from everything. And never underestimate small moments – they might become the memories you will treasure most.
Mridusmita Deka covers education and has worked with the Careers360 previously. She is an alumnus of Gauhati University and Dibrugarh University. ... Read More
