Exchange Diaries  

Mrinal Yadav | Ocean Engg and Naval Architecture

Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway

Research Area: Machine Learning

What was the University and topic of research that was taken up by you during the FT?

The University was the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and the topic of research was “AI/ML for multiscale data processing for uncertainty estimation and catch prediction”.

Why is an FT important? How would one compare research in Indian universities and foreign universities?

The most important reason to do an FT is that it increases your set of skills and knowledge, also the professor at foreign universities are very help full and guides you in every step. Secondly, if you get to publish a research paper in your research field because of FT it will provide you with many opportunities in both the corporate and research field.

Should BTech students aspiring for higher studies from abroad opt for an FT?

So during the FT my professor asked me if was interested in during master's from NTNU and explained to me the entire application process and she was ready to give the letter of recommendation. So I would highly recommend the Btech students who aspire for higher studies from foreign to do an FT as it will increase their chances to pursue Higher Studies Abroad.

What exactly is the application process for the FT? Are there any important documents one must keep?

Either you apply through the IRC portal or by personal mailing your SOP and resume are very important also the SOP has to be project specific, not general. If you state to the professor your interest and mentions that you would like to explore them specifically, then you would stand apart from other students and they would be interested in you.

Did you have to mail the professor personally for the project? For how much time did you wait for a reply?

In my case, the opportunity was provided directly by our Department. All the information regarding the opening of new FTs is mailed to us on a timely basis by the professors and one can wait for his/her desired opportunity and apply for it. As the FT opportunity is directly provided by the OENA department, so first there was a resume shortlisting and then an interview by the mentoring professor of the university.

How did the pandemic affect your application for the project? Did the pandemic have any positive impact on the project?

Well due to the pandemic I was not able to do my FT in person at NTNU, so had to do it in an online mode from my home. All the necessary things and tools required in my FT were provided by the University and the professor so my working in the project was not affected in the online mode.

What is the role of CGPA in the selection process?

According to me skills and knowledge is the most important thing required for the project. Even though a high CGPA is always preferred, a person having a relatively low CPGA can get a shortlist for an FT if he/she has enough experience in the domain and by showing interest and enthusiasm regarding the project.

Where should a student, who is unaware of the entire application process, look up information about professors and their research work for opportunities?

You can find the information regarding the FT and internship on the web page of the Universities and if you are interested to do FT under a specific professor then you should follow them on both LinkedIn and their university profile page so that you can be the first one to apply for it. Also, the IRC portal provides information and updates regarding various internships.

How should a first-year student prepare beforehand for his FT application in their subsequent year?

So my advice to first-year students is that they should explore different topics and learn various courses from Coursera/Udemy or YouTube and then decide the domain of their interest.

Does belonging to IITKGP provide any added benefits for getting your FT?

As in my case, the FT opportunity was provided by my department so yes IITKGP does plays a very important role in getting my FT as it has a very good ranking and reputation on a global scale.