Secret Facts About IITs And IIMs That Nobody Knows About!

IITs and IIMs are considered the top of the crop among any educational institutions in India. In fact, these two names carry a sense of prestige and grandeur that inspires awe among the general populace. However, similar to how the soaring skyscrapers of Mumbai conceal the densely crowded slums down below, the prestige of IITs and IIMs also hides several untold secrets that many fail to see. In this blog, we will be discussing several IIT IIM secret facts that many of you might not have heard about. These facts cover aspects ranging from the entrance exams to the placements, so stay tuned to find out more about the best colleges in India facts. 

IIT JEE Exam Myth Vs Reality

First of all, let us begin by dissecting some of the common misconceptions about the infamous JEE exams. If you have ever tried learning how to get into IIT IIM, etc., you might have been puzzled by the fact that JEE exams have some of the most unpredictable selection patterns. Someone who is exceptionally smart can get rejected, whereas a relatively average student can clear the exams. Well, let us learn about the IIT JEE exam myth vs reality. 

Myth: Only a natural genius can crack the JEE

Reality: This is misleading. While being a genius can certainly help, a lot of so-called ‘average students’ also clear the exam every year. Everyone has a distinct learning style, so the only thing you can rely on is a style that suits you the best. That way, you can clear the exam even if you don’t believe that you are a genius. 

Myth: You won’t succeed unless you study 15-18 hours a day.

Reality: While it is difficult to say whether or not you will succeed with 15-18 hours of study, it is certainly true that you will not succeed with the insane burnout that will cause. If you focus hard and smart, 6-8 hours of study with plenty of sleep (7-8 hours) should be enough. Most alumni success stories IIT IIM would tell you that none of these people spent 75% of their days only on studying. 

Myth: You cannot crack JEE without coaching.

Reality: Coaching is definitely helpful, but there have been people who have cracked the JEE without coaching. It is advisable that you go for coaching, but it is not mandatory. Most toppers would credit their success to both their coaching and their self-study. 

Myth: JEE is a test of speed and calculation.

Reality: No, speed and calculation are important in bank exams, not in JEE. What is really important is conceptual application, logical reasoning, and time management. Our ‘IIT JEE exam myths vs reality’ section would be incomplete without this very common misconception that has spread as a result of people confusing one competitive exam with the other. 

Myth: You have to finish the entire syllabus.

Reality: You have to study a lot, but not all of it. Accurately mastering 80-90% of the syllabus is far more beneficial than superficially covering the entirety. Negative marking also exists, so you’d want to be as precise as you can. 

IIM CAT Exam Secrets: 5 Secret Facts About CAT Nobody Will Tell You!

Now that we have dealt with the ins and outs of JEE, let us discuss its twin, the CAT exams. While the CAT exam is no less difficult, it somehow generates less discussion than the JEE. Let us learn about some IIM CAT exam secrets that nobody really talks about openly. 

• CAT slots are not equal:-

 Students often think that one slot could be easier than the other, but that is a common misconception. Your final percentile is calculated not only on the basis of your scores, but also on how you performed in accordance with other candidates in your slot. This makes each slot highly variable and definitely not equal. 

• Reservation and cutoff don’t tell the full story:- 

It is absolutely infuriating to see a general category student not getting an interview call at 98 percentile, whereas a reserved candidate gets one at 82 percentile. However, reservation often clouds the IIT IIM entrance exam difficulty, as the highly publicised 99 percentile scores only apply to a small fraction of the total seats being offered. 

• CAT score is only 50% of the battle:- 

You read that right. Your CAT score is only 50% of the total admission score. Things like matriculation, class 12th, and graduation scores also have an impact. Even work experience and academic diversity can make or break your chances. 

• The actual cutoff is higher than you think:- 

IITs and IIMs want fewer and fewer candidates to interview, which is why they often secretly boost the cutoff score to sort from a smaller pool of applicants. This is why sectional cutoff is so important; you need to have a solid performance throughout all of your sections. Did you already know about these IIM admission secrets or not?

• The gender disparity and its unfairness:- 

Back in the day, there were very few women in IITs and IIMs, which is why a gender quota has been implemented. As if the IIT IIM entrance exam difficulty wasn’t enough, a female candidate is much likelier to get shortlisted for an interview rather than a male candidate despite having a noticeably lower CAT percentile. If the female candidate gets lucky and has a caste-based reservation trick up her sleeve, then you can pretty much accept defeat. 

IIT Placement Facts Nobody Knows

If there is one thing pretty much all of India can agree on, it is the fact that the future of IIT IIM graduates is basically set for success. However, there are some facts about the placements that you won’t hear from people who constantly perpetuate the IIT hype. Here are some IIT placement facts nobody knows about. 

• The ‘Crore Package’ isn’t what it looks like:- 

You will constantly hear about someone scoring a package in crores, but that’s not what they get paid in hand. These packages are almost always CTC (cost to company), and they include components like joining bonuses, stock options, performance bonuses, housing allowances, etc. 

• Some branches have a better chance of getting placed:- 

This is one of the most overlooked unknown facts about IITs. Students in courses like computer science, electrical engineering, etc., score better packages than students in civil engineering or mechanical engineering, for instance. The pay scale is vastly different, and sometimes students have to gain skills outside their area of expertise just to get a better salary. 

• PPOs are more important than you think:-

 Most top-tier companies tend to fill almost half of their placement quotas via PPOs (pre-placement offers). This means that the competition becomes impossibly more difficult if you haven’t managed to get a PPO before the placement season begins. This is one of the most important IIT graduates salary facts, as PPOs give you a boost unlike anything else when it comes to getting a decent package. 

• Not every IIT is the same:-

 The IIT tag is not a guarantee that you’ll get a high-paying job. Certain IITs like IIT Mumbai, IIT Delhi, etc., tend to attract better recruiters, and thus, students there get better packages. This is among the more common IIT IIM secret facts, as most people are aware that the top IITs are undeniably better when it comes to packages. 

• Getting into IIT isn’t a placement guarantee:- 

Even though being an IITian is a very helpful tag, it also increases the expectations recruiters have of you. Don’t be too confident that an IITian would have a guarantee the moment they apply for a specific job. 

Life At IIT IIM Untold Stories: How Is Life At India’s Top Campuses?

Most students are often confused about whether to live in hostels or find their own accommodation. However, if you want to stay at India’s top campuses, there are some secrets you need to know. Here are some IIT and IIM campus life facts that paint a different picture of India’s top institutions. 

• The hidden mental health crisis at IITs and IIMs:- 

Unfortunately, the culture of IITs and IIMs fosters too much competition. This competition starts out as a healthy rivalry but often progresses to become bitter jealousy and a desire to prove one’s worth. You can take a look at alumni success stories IIT IIM, and they’ll tell you that sometimes, the pressure can be too intense for the student’s good. 

• The great gender ratio and lack of healthy interaction:- 

A lot of students find it difficult to interact with fellow student body members of the opposite gender. Whether it is because of nervousness or uncertainty, it certainly cultivates a culture that shouldn’t mould IIT and IIM graduates into becoming awkward around the opposite gender. 

• Class averages foster an unrealistic competitive spirit:-

 In many courses, grades are not determined by absolute marks, but by class averages. Even if you score over 65%, it won’t get you a good grade if everyone else also scores the same. If you have ever searched the words “How to get into IIT IIM?” then you should drill this as far back in your mind as possible. 

• The unspoken social divide between students:- 

There exists a subtle yet very noticeable elitist complex that certain students seem to have. Things like entry score, branch, CAT percentile, etc., give students a weird ego stroke that makes them think that they are somehow better than other students. 

• Placements are overhyped:- 

A lot of students pay too much attention to placements and fail to equip themselves with the core skills that will actually help them in their careers. The future of IIT IIM graduates will only be secure if they have the necessary skills that will help them progress in their careers. 

IIM Admission Secrets: Why Is It Hard To Get Into IIMs?

The CAT exam stands like an immovable sentinel between students and IIMs. It only lets the so-called ‘most worthy’ students into the IIM, whereas the vast majority of applicants are left behind. Here are some IIM admission secrets that you should know about. 

• CAT scores are not the only thing examiners evaluate:-

 Your CAT exam scores will never be enough, as there are other things that also contribute to your selection. If you have poor or unsatisfactory scores in 10th, 12th, or graduation, then you might be rejected despite scoring really well. 

• Personal Interviews and group discussions shortlist most of the selected candidates:- 

One of the most important IIM CAT exam secrets that you should remember by heart is that personal interviews and group discussions can give a 98.5 percentile candidate a significant edge over a 99 percentile candidate. 

• Unreserved males get the short end of the stick:-

 On one hand, you have caste-based reservation, on the other hand, you have gender quotas. If you are an unreserved male candidate, then it is strongly advised that you have a backup plan ready, even though it’s not something you want to hear. 

• The work experience dilemma:-

 Some colleges prefer that you have work experience, whereas others do not. If we specifically talk about IIM admission secrets, then it has been reported that candidates with at least 2 years of work experience can get significant leverage over fresh graduates. Thus, freshers have to work much harder than a candidate who has years of experience up their sleeves. 

• The top-tier IIMs are virtually off-limits:- 

We aren’t trying to discourage you, but the top IIMs, such as Bombay, Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Calcutta, Kozhikode, and Indore, are basically off-limits because of how strict the admission criteria are for those institutes. IIM Ahmedabad and Bangalore are said not to even consider candidates with less than 99.5 percentile. 

IIT vs IIM Culture Differences

Even though IITs and IIMs are quite similar in various aspects, there are subtle differences and similarities in their respective cultures. In this section, we will look at IIT and IIM campus life facts that communicate the differences and similarities between the cultures of India’s most prestigious universities. 

• Soft ragging is still prevalent:- 

Unlike conventional ragging, soft ragging is performed by seniors putting intense psychological pressure on freshers to test their endurance. They are expected to be able to withstand the pressures of a highly competitive environment, which is why seniors deem it their duty to get new students ready for this experience. 

• Elitism is omnipresent:-

 As discussed earlier, no list of IIM campus life facts will be complete without addressing the elitism that some students have. Better entrance exam scores can give some students an inflated sense of self, and students who scored lower often develop an inferiority complex without being forced to. 

• Competition is definitely not healthy:- 

The culture of IITs and IIMs focuses too heavily on fierce competition rather than participation and combined growth. It is strange too, considering the fact that IITs and IIMs already have the smartest students in India, and the culture tries to narrow down the very few candidates that get selected in the first place. 

• Clubs also subconsciously pressure students to compete:- 

While student clubs can provide relief from the oddly hypercompetitive nature of life at IIT IIM untold stories, it somehow still manages to cultivate a culture of competition. Clubs often have to compete with each other, and this does nothing to create an environment where growth is the key issue rather than putting others down. 

• Professors behave differently in IITs and IIMs:- 

Lastly, professors in both universities tend to have a different approach to helping students. IIMs have smaller batches, so you can get more personalised attention from your mentors. Whereas IIT professors tend to be a little more distant, which they are forced to be as they have a lot of students to deal with in a relative sense. 

Conclusion: Did You Know These Things About IITs And IIMs?

So what do you think? Did you know these hidden facts about IITs and IIMs that rarely get attention? If you didn’t, then please be mindful not to fall into the trap of believing every surface-level good news that you hear about India’s top universities. There is a lot more to the story, and a lot more hidden details that only the students and faculty know about. So the next time someone wants you to believe that IITs and IIMs are essentially flawless utopias of learning, remember these unknown facts about IITs and IIMs and set that person straight.