u/Natural_Sky3580

To the Seniors, Should I buy a MacBook Neo for IISER (maths and stats) or a MacBook Air M3/M4 (budget around a lakh)?

It's urgent, please help.

To all the seniors of iiser studying Mathematics or Statistics in IISERs . Where do you spend most of the time, as i know that for Bio, chem, physics students, it's their labs but what's the equivalent of labs for mathematics and statistics students (i mean where do you spend your time in research). There's the computer lab but can't you do the same thing on your laptop (if it is a good one),so the purpose of the computer lab is negligible. Or you do your research works in your hostel laptop?

Thanks in advance

To all the iiser students having a MacBook,what is the hidden cost for like damages and replacements in macbooks that you have faced in the 5 years of bsms. Please share that and also share how you can prevent it.

I want to buy a MacBook M4 for my college. But I want to know all of the hidden cost that are associated with by the MacBook. To all the Macbook uses what are the hidden cost that come up within 4 to 5 years of using a MacBook. And how can I prevent , in the best possible way.

Hey guys I am currently in class 12 (Gen) aiming for IAT 2027. I have my class 11th backlog and I want to go to iiser Kolkata. Which batch online should I buy should I buy the Vikram 1.0(for class 12)from SciAstra. Or should I buy the dropper batch that will start from July from SciAstra. Which one should I join and what is the difference between the 12th batch and the dropper batch. Should I buy a crash course next year. I have messaged SciAstra, and they are saying that the droppers batch will be a more iat focus course and will be a bit fast paced , I am a very fast learner so I don't think that I would have a problem with the fast paced. I already study fast paced. Like I don't need that much time to understand the topic. But still I want to hear your opinion.Please someone guide me.

If any iiser seniors (BS finals or MS) in Mathematics and Statistics department, please message me or comment here , so that I can reach out to you for laptop recommendations. (As the moderators of this group, won't let me do ). Please, it will really help me.

Thanks.

Hi everyone! I am a future IISER student planning to focus heavily on the Mathematics, Statistics, and Computing streams. I’m looking to set up my tech ecosystem before joining and would love to get some real-world advice from seniors currently in their BS final years or Master's programs.

I want to invest in a setup that is completely future-proof for the next 4 to 5 years until I finish my degree. Could you help me out with a few questions?

1. Which MacBook model do you currently use, and what is actually required for a student in our department? Is a MacBook Air (M2/M3/M4/M5), Macbook Neo with 16GB/24GB RAM enough, or do we genuinely need the sustained performance and active cooling fan of a MacBook Pro for our coding, data analysis, and math modeling workloads?

2. What is the absolute minimum RAM and storage configuration you recommend so the laptop doesn't slow down by the final years?

3. How common is it for students to use an iPad with an Apple Pencil for note-taking and reading textbooks/research papers?

4. Should I buy an iPad alongside the MacBook right from the start for handwriting math proofs and annotations, or is a laptop alone perfectly fine for our coursework?

I would really appreciate your insights, as well as any tips on utilizing the Apple Education Store discount on campus.

Thanks in advance!

Hey everyone,

​

​I’m currently in Class 12 (PCM stream) and my ultimate dream is to clear the IISER Aptitude Test (IAT) 2027 and secure a seat at IISER Kolkata.

However, I’m in a pretty stressful spot right now and could really use some honest advice, reality checks, and guidance from seniors or anyone who has cracked it from a similar position.

​

​My Current Situation:

​

​Category: General (so I know the cutoffs are going to be brutal, likely needing a 150+ score or a top 1000/1500 rank for Kolkata).

​

​Class 11: Massive backlogs. Concepts are super shaky, and I didn't utilize the year well.

​

​Class 12: Haven't officially started the preparation yet.

​

​Strengths/Weaknesses: Mathematics is my absolute favorite subject—I actually love solving complex math problems and can spend hours on it. Physics is okay, but Chemistry is a major weak spot that I really need to fix.

​

​My Questions for the Community:

​

​Is it still possible? Be completely brutally honest. Given that I’m general category, have a year's worth of 11th backlog, and am starting 12th from scratch, can I realistically make it to IISER Kolkata if I give it my 100% from today?

​

​What should my roadmap look like? How do I balance clearing high-weightage Class 11 chapters (like Calculus basics, Mechanics, etc.) while keeping up with the fresh Class 12 syllabus?

​

​Subject Strategy: Since I love Math, I want to maximize my score there. But how should I tackle Chemistry to ensure it doesn't sink my overall rank? Should I focus strictly on NCERT?

​

​If anyone started their preparation late or cleared their backlogs in Class 12 to make it to a top IISER, please share your schedule or any tips on resources/books that worked for you.

​

​Thanks in advance!

Hey everyone,

​I’m looking into IISER Kolkata and am really curious about the campus atmosphere, specifically regarding the local culture. Since the campus is located in Mohanpur, West Bengal, I wanted to ask current students and alumni: What is the presence of Bengali culture like inside the campus?

​I’d love to get some insights on a few specific things:

​

​Festivals & Events: How are major occasions like Durga Pujo, Saraswati Pujo, or Poila Baisakh (Bengali New Year) celebrated on campus? Do students organize specific cultural nights, plays, or musical events (like Rabindra Sangeet or local rock band covers)?

​

​Language Dynamics: Given that IISERs pull a diverse crowd from all over India, how does the language blend look? Is Bengali commonly spoken among peers, or is campus life predominantly Hindi/English-driven?

​

​The Food Scene: Does the mess or the campus eateries/canteens serve authentic Bengali food regularly (like proper fish curry or specific sweets), or is it mostly standard North/South Indian mess fare?

​

​Local Exploration: How easy is it for students to head out and experience the cultural hubs of Kolkata or nearby areas during weekends or breaks?

Whether you're a native Bengali or someone from outside the state who experienced campus life there, I'd love to hear your perspective on the cultural blend at IISER-K.

​

Thanks in advance!

(ps: I am myself a Bengali)

​

To all seniors in IIser kolkata. What is the course of study for bsms in computational data science. Do I need to also study physics chemistry biology, In the first two years, like other bsms courses. Or is it a special one where I will not have to study any physics chemistry biology and only maths for the whole 5 years. Please help?

Last week I went to Kolkata (from north bengal). And even though I expected it,but I was still shocked to see that many people like almost 50% of the people I saw were speaking in Hindi I didn't feel like I came to Kolkata and Bengal. All the cab drivers , taxi drivers, students, high level workers, people in metro. Many of them were speaking in Hindi and they all expected me Bengali to speak in their language and when I refused they were looking a bit arrogant and disgusted by me . But still everywhere I went I spoke only in Bengali. The same thing is happening in Siliguri. Where it feels like a crime if you speak in Bengali. And it's us who have let them to be this much arrogant and ego stick about their language if their so much price of their language and their culture they should go out of Bengal why they are living Bengal and eating the part time or full time jobs of bengal. And many Bengali parents today are trying to teach their children Hindi and English before Bengali. We are slowly forgetting our culture and mixing with Hindi people. Even though I don't say that all non Bengali have to and always have to speak in Bengali but when there in a public space and when they want to speak with another person they shouldn't have the others is that the people of Bengal will learn their language and then will speak them they have come to ask to work in hours they it is there due to speak our language not our duty . I have carefully watched that the non Bengali are arrogant and egoistic about their own culture and language and they hate us and they and they will be feeling disgusted when there are Bengalis and Bengali speaking people. I think Bengali nationalism should fire inside every Bengali heart , and the pro Bengali nationalism which is very much required right now should be brought up from the teenagers and young adults of Bengal like me. Last year I heard the news that a Bengali woman was harassed in Kolkata metro for speaking Bengali is this the point that we have come as a culture as a society.Even though Bangla Pokkho, did a few good things for Bengali but most of them were a soft TMC support . After this election I feel there is a huge space for Bengali nationalism in Bengal. To all my Bengali brothers and sisters I really want to know your experience did you ever feel forced to speak in Hindi in front of some Hindi people or did you face any similar experience please share with me I really want to know.

Last week I went to Kolkata (from north bengal). And even though I expected it,but I was still shocked to see that many people like almost 50% of the people I saw were speaking in Hindi I didn't feel like I came to Kolkata and Bengal. All the cab drivers , taxi drivers, students, high level workers, people in metro. Many of them were speaking in Hindi and they all expected me Bengali to speak in their language and when I refused they were looking a bit arrogant and disgusted by me . But still everywhere I went I spoke only in Bengali. The same thing is happening in Siliguri. Where it feels like a crime if you speak in Bengali. And it's us who have let them to be this much arrogant and ego stick about their language if their so much price of their language and their culture they should go out of Bengal why they are living Bengal and eating the part time or full time jobs of bengal. And many Bengali parents today are trying to teach their children Hindi and English before Bengali. We are slowly forgetting our culture and mixing with Hindi people. Even though I don't say that all non Bengali have to and always have to speak in Bengali but when there in a public space and when they want to speak with another person they shouldn't have the others is that the people of Bengal will learn their language and then will speak them they have come to ask to work in hours they it is there due to speak our language not our duty . I have carefully watched that the non Bengali are arrogant and egoistic about their own culture and language and they hate us and they and they will be feeling disgusted when there are Bengalis and Bengali speaking people. I think Bengali nationalism should fire inside every Bengali heart , and the pro Bengali nationalism which is very much required right now should be brought up from the teenagers of Bengal like me. Last year I heard the news that a Bengali woman was harassed in Kolkata metro for speaking Bengali is this the point that we have come as a culture as a society.Even though Bangla Pokkho, did a few good things for Bengali but most of them were a soft TMC support . After this election I feel there is a huge space for Bengali nationalism in Bengal. To all my Bengali brothers and sisters I really want to know your experience did you ever feel forced to speak in Hindi in front of some Hindi people or did you face any similar experience please share with me I really want to know.

How is the student union or independent leaders environment in iiser kolkata. Is there a space for pro bengali nationalism?? And will I be able to join or do various social work for the people, like ngo , or technical workshops for bengalis from IISER K , how is that environment??

Hi , I want to join iiser kolkata bsms in mathematics and statistics. One of my aim is to work for bengalis in West Bengal, like ngos , technical skills working, hand work jobs and to create jobs for the poor people in different parts of wb, .Is it possible to do that besides study from IISER . How is the environment for that . And what about the student union or independent leaders and is there any space for pro bengali nationalism in the unions. And for ground level social work for bengal in iiser kolkata. How is the environment for that. Please help. 🙏🙏