Exchange Diaries
Vasu Chourasia | Mechanical Engineering
University of Surrey, Canada
Research Area: Software-Defined Networking
What was the University and topic of research that was taken up by you during the FT?
I was selected for one of the Universities in the UK that was the University of Surrey located in Guildford. Our project was based on ‘Security in Fog supported Software-defined Networking’ under 6G Innovation Centre.
FT vs corporate internship, what are all the things we are missing out on and what are we gaining more?
I did my previous Corporate Internship in PwC India, in that corporate internship, they allotted me one particular project and whenever I had any doubts related to that I could approach my mentor. So, in Corporate Internships, you can learn but it's more like overall learning consisting of daily work, management, communications, and many more, but in Foreign Training, you will understand how to apply the theory we learn in a regular classroom to different problems pertaining to the relevant domain.
Should BTech students aspiring for higher studies from abroad opt for an FT?
A student who wants to pursue MS from foreign universities should opt for an FT in the field in which he is interested because working in the Research group of the project will not only enhance your knowledge in the particular field but also you will be exposed to the research domains of each member of the group and this kind of exposure provides clarity in planning for higher studies.
What exactly is the application process for the FT? Are there any important documents one must keep?
IR Cell will update their Facebook page about the active status of the FT portal and after that, you can apply for the same. The process is pretty easy:
You have to sign up in the FT Portal of IR Cell and have to upload your Resume
After that in your dashboard, you can see the registered University and the details of the project in which you can apply
You can apply to the project in which you are interested in answering some questions e.g. what you will contribute to the project.
Then the University will shortlist the candidates and if you will get shortlisted then they will call you for an interview.
How did the process get affected due to the online nature of the applications?
Process wise I don't think there is much difference because when we were on campus then also the interviews were online or on a call. As there are no shortlisting tests so cheating is also not a thing to be worried about. So it’s the same as before.
Did you have to mail the professor personally for the project? For how much time did you wait for a reply?
I did not mail the professor personally, I applied through the portal only, and after a month of applying on the portal, I got the email of shortlisting.
When should one start applying for an FT? How long did the procedure last till you got the desired FT?
It depends on the University which is open for you and the projects they offer, depending on your interest. You should apply for the projects in which you have some prior knowledge and also want to build a career. Don’t apply blindly to all universities as if you will get shortlisted by any one of the University then you will not get the chance to apply further in other Universities and also if you will get selected by any particular University in which you are not interested then it will create a problem for you as you have to work one the same for 2-3 months.
What is the role of CGPA in the selection process?
They don’t majorly focus on your CGPA, but having a decent CGPA is good. They will not judge you on your CGPA but having a decent CGPA and previous internships and projects in the same domain would give you an edge.
How did the pandemic affect your application for the project? Did the pandemic have any positive impact on the project?
In the current pandemic, it was difficult as I wasn’t able to go onsite. I missed out on the opportunity to go to their university and practically do projects in their university with their equipment. Also, I would have the option to ask professors my doubt first hand rather than mailing them in this online mode.
Where should a student, who is unaware about the entire application process, look up for information about professors and their research work for opportunities?
Firstly I filtered Projects on what I was interested in, then did background research of the professor about their other projects also which Ph.D. that project falls under. The motive of the project and its future endeavors and all the professor's citations should also be looked into.
How should a first-year student prepare beforehand for his FT application in their subsequent year?
In the first year, one should explore different fields and skills. A student can also apply for projects inside our institute only under professors by mailing. After gaining knowledge in a particular project then he could apply for Foreign Training. As they lookout for some beforehand knowledge before shortlisting you. So, after the first year, you should apply for a project under any professor. The same goes for second-year students too.
Does belonging to IITKGP provide any added benefits for getting your FT?
Yes, as I talked to some of my friends in other IITs, they told me that they don’t have such a cell or society through which you can apply for Foreign Training. So what they do is soft mailing to professors of foreign universities. The thing we have here in IIT KGP is profitable for us compared to others.