FAQ's
These list of questions are in
no way exhaustive. Feel free to drop in a mail to the official step account (
step@iimcal.ac.in) if you find you still have some queries.
Q. Do you have a student
buddy program?
R . Absolutely. About one month prior to your arrival here, we will e-mail you
your buddy’s name. He/she will help you in all your doubts pre-arrival and will
also help you get settled on campus. There is a student exchange program
coordinator who handles the program (including answering all your queries posted
to step@iimcal.ac.in!). They are your next level of support in case of any
problems. Rest assured, you will be well taken care of!
Q. Do I get picked up on
arrival?
R. Yes. But remember to drop in a mail to the step account intimating us of your
travel plans well in advance. Your student buddy will be there at the
airport/rail station to greet you in an institute car and escort you back to
campus.
Q. Is it possible to register
late or arrive in campus late?
R. As mentioned, the schedules are usually very strict. If there is a genuine
reason for which you may have to register late or arrive late be sure to drop an
email to the step account well in advance. You may require official proof from
your institution. There is no absolute guarantee that you will be allowed to
register as these matters are at the discretion of the Post Graduate Program
Chairman.
Q. Can I change a course after registering for it?
R. No change of courses midway through a term is permitted. As mentioned before,
the first week is ‘shopping’ week where you can attend all courses to get a feel
of them and then decide for yourself what courses you want to take.
Q. Can I pursue research / undertake a term paper?
R. Unfortunately, this option is not available to exchange students unless you
are enrolling in the summer term.
Q. Are the courses very quantitative in nature?
R. Depends on the courses you take. The courses aim at providing practical
solutions the real life problems. This may include quantitative analysis of the
problem or intuitive reasoning.
Q. Is the course load heavy?
R. That depends on the courses you take. Some courses a larger quantum of effort
is required. Depending on what you want to take out of the exchange program, you
must choose your courses.
Q. How are students chosen from IIMC for the exchange program?
R. The STEP Committee (refer Contact Us) conducts interviews. Based on a
weighted average of their interview scores and CGPA’s, students are allotted
universities in the order of their preferences. Usually this process completes
by February 20 of any year.
Q. What are the institute class
hours like?
R. There are 4 class hours – 9.45 am to 11.30 am, 11.30 am to 1.15 pm (A lunch
break from 1.1.5 pm to 2.00 pm), 2.00 pm to 3.45 pm and 3.45 pm to 5.30 pm.
Classes run Mondays-Fridays. Depending on the convenience of the faculty there
may be classes after 6 pm or on Saturdays and Sundays as well. Before your
arrival, the PGP office will already have prepared a timetable which lists class
hours for all the courses offered that term. Depending on what courses you
choose, your schedule will be defined.
Q How do I learn about Indian culture/languages?
R. We are trying to get faculty to organize classes on Indian culture for
exchange students. You can always ask around and learn a lot. Indians are a
friendly bunch and love to hold court about their various backgrounds!
Q. What is the climate in Calcutta like?
R. For Term IV students, it will be very hot. Be sure to pack some light
cottons. For term V students, the weather will be pleasant and overcast. Be sure
to get along your raincoats and boots along with your usual summer clothes. For
term VI students, weather will be chilly and you are advised to get along at
least one layer of protective covering (sweater/jacket).
There are plenty of mosquitoes and bugs around in the summer/rainy months but an
anti-insect spray or mat usually takes care of the same. In any case, all room
windows have been insect-proofed.
Q. Can my friend/ family stay
with me in my room?
R. That is against campus rules. You must reserve a room for them well in
advance at the Tata Hall (Rs. 950/- per day exclusive of meals)
Q. Is the food/water safe?
R. We have found that exchange tummies take a little time to adjust to the
Indian conditions! But rest assured, the food in the messes and most of the big
restaurants is palatable and safe. One of Calcutta’s joys are the numerous small
street-side eating joints. Your stomach might not be able to adjust to that fare
in a hurry but once you get used to it, it’s a delight! For drinking water, it
is advisable to buy bottles of mineral water (Rs. 10/- a bottle) whenever you
travel. In the hostels, you can ask for filters with mineral water refills (at
Rs. 60/- per refill- lasts 15 days). Water in the canteens is safe.
Q. What are the medical facilities around?
R. Medical care is usually cheap. There is an on-campus doctor who can be
consulted free of charge on all weekdays. There is also a large hospital just
outside the institute gates.
Q. How is the night-life like in Calcutta?
R. The city has its share of pubs and discos and boasts of a spicy night life.
Also frequently organized campus parties add to the fun.
Q. What are the tourist sites in
Calcutta?
R. Calcutta was the capital of the Raj for a long period of time. Famous
monuments like the Victoria Memorial and Fort William are testament to that era.
Mother Teresa’s missionary home and tomb is another popular tourist destination.
The Howrah bridge is the world’s busiest bridge. Calcutta is the cultural
capital of India. There are any number of plays, movies, dances, festivals
ongoing any time which showcase India’s rich diversity. The famous Durga Puja
festival in October is not to be missed. Around Calcutta, you can get a feel of
typical Indian village life (after all, most of India still does live in the
villages). Santiniketan (around 3 hrs.) from Calcutta was the center of Indian
culture for a long period and has produced India’s only Nobel Prize for
Literature Laureate Rabindranath Tagore.
Q. Can I do social work in Calcutta?
R. The institute has a club for social work called Initiative for Community
Action (INCA). If they have projects ongoing in your term, you may be invited to
participate.
Q. What are the travel opportunities around Calcutta/ in India?
R. Darjeeling is extremely popular with Western tourists, especially the trekky
kind. Nepal is reachable by air/rail. The unspoilt and verdant North East is
also reachable by air from Calcutta (approx. Rs. 1300/- one way to Guwahati from
Calcutta). Further, the marshy mangrove forest of the Sunderbans at the
confluence of the mighty Ganges with the Bay of Bengal, is just 2 hours from
Calcutta. If you are lucky, you might get to meet a Royal Bengal tiger (and
hopefully survive to tell the tale!) and plenty of not-so-friendly gharials
(saltwater crocodiles).Weekend visits are organized regularly by the 'Adventure
Club' to the mighty Himalayas. For the daring few longer arduous treks are
organized. The 'Taj Mahal' one of the seven great wonders of the world is an
overnight train journey from Calcutta You can plan your travel either during the
Puja break that comes in the middle of the term or before and after the term.
Calcutta is one of the four large metros of India so daily flights/trains are
available to Delhi [overnight journey by train] (for tourists wanting to explore
Rajasthan/Agra/Delhi), Bombay [36 hrs. by train] (commercial hub, stopover on
way to Goa) and Madras [28 hrs. by train] (gateway to Southern India including
the beautiful lagoon state of Kerala and the garden city of Bangalore). Train
reservations on major routes must be done well in advance (>= 1 month). Exchange
students are advised to travel by Air Conditioned IInd or IIIrd class as travel
in second class compartments can draw a lot of unnecessary stares. As a rule of
thumb, an AC 3rd class ticket to Delhi from Calcutta costs approx. Rs. 1600/-,
Calcutta- Bombay approx. 2000/- and Calcutta-Madras approx. 1900/-. If you plan
to be doing a lot of traveling on the railways, then an INDRAIL pass issued by
the Railways for foreigners is an attractive proposition. For further details
check out www.indianrail.gov.in. Air fares are usually steep (Calcutta – Delhi
is approx. Rs. 6500/- Economy) but if reservations are done well in advance
(>=21 days), substantial discounts can be availed.
Q. What is the best time to travel around India, given the IIMC schedules?
R. For exchange students, especially those in Term V, the Puja vacations can be
used to travel (October 12-16). Else it is a good idea to do your traveling
before the term states or after it ends due to the attendance requirement.
Despite the attendance, you can still manage weekend getaways around Calcutta
but nothing of the Delhi/Madras sort. In terms of seasons, India is best seen in
November-January when the weather is pleasant.
In case you are planning to travel after your term ends, all the exchange
students can leave all the excess luggage they don’t want to carry around in a
room at IIMC for which they shall have to jointly pay a daily rent of Rs. 30/-
per day. Also you must get your visa extended to cover the period of travel as
IIMC will not provide any letter on that regard.
Q. Is housing available on campus?
R. Yes. IIM Calcutta is a fully residential campus (and you would love the life in the campus for sure! ). There are three student hostels (Old Hostel, Tagore Hostel with Annexe and New Hostel) and one Family hostel (for married students).
Q. Please list all the services offered to exchange students.
1. We provide pick up facilities to our exchange students.
2. Computers available on hire basis for a single Term on very subsidized rates.
3. All our exchange students can utilize our library for which they need to bring 2 copies of their photographs to get a library card.
4. Accommodation is also provided to all our exchange students on very nominal charges, allocation of rooms is done on a first cum first basis.
Q. Do you have an orientation program? Is it required? Dates?
R. The beginning of the 1st week of a Term is considered to be our Introduction week. We wish to have all our exchange students before this Introduction week to maintain at least 75% attendance, which is compulsory in our institute.
Q. How does my school initiate a
partnership with IIMC?
R. Its easy. Get a dean or an authorized official of your institution to contact
our exchange program by sending a mail to the official step account (step@iimcal.ac.in)
for the notice of the STEP committee.