u/Soft_Culture1227

I'm in by 4th year of BS-MS Physics, worked in a few labs as an intern or project student, I've never felt like I've been able to add anything of value to the lab, I learn a lot, but that adds to my experience, not something of value to the lab. How do I do something notable?

For context: The labs I've worked in are either experimental condensed matter labs (quantum transport in 2d van der waal heterostructures) or computational quantum transport lab which deals with NEGF+DFT.

IISER Tirupati was established back in 2015. While growing pains are understandable for a newer institute, it has been over a decade, and the state of the Physics Department is getting increasingly difficult to overlook.

​If you are a prospective student planning to join or a current student considering majoring in Physics here, here is the ground reality:

​1. Stagnant Faculty Strength & Shortage:

​Over the last 3 years, the total faculty count has essentially remained stagnant or even slightly reduced due to faculty departures balancing out new joins. Despite continuous claims of "active hiring," the department still sits at around ~10 faculty members.

​Research activity across the board is limited. While there are a few genuinely good professors, many are heavily tied up with administrative responsibilities, leaving them with little bandwidth to mentor students.

​2. Severe Project Caps vs. Batch Size:

​We have an 80+ student physics major batch.

​Faculty are strictly capped at taking a maximum of 3 students for semester projects. With ~10 professors, simple math shows that a large chunk of the batch is left stranded without an internal project guide.

​3. No External Semester Projects Allowed

​Despite the lack of internal capacity, the administration does not allow students to pursue semester projects externally.

​IIT Tirupati is right next door and has an active collaboration with our institute, yet students aren’t allowed to utilize nearby options to fulfill project requirements.

​4. Limited Electives & Core Course Quality

​Compared to older IISERs or other national institutes, our course variety is extremely narrow.

​Major advanced courses face serious logistical issues. For example, for an essential course like Quantum Field Theory (QFT), early classes were delayed/disrupted because the department couldn't find a post-doc to take it. Relying on post-docs rather than permanent faculty for core, advanced major courses is becoming standard practice here.

​Key foundational courses in emerging areas (like Machine Learning) have to rely on external faculty due to zero in-house expertise.

​5. Massive Domain Gaps in Research Fields

​There is very little diversity in research specializations.

​If you want to work explicitly in Experimental Condensed Matter Physics (CMP) or Quantum Information Theory (QIT), there is virtually no dedicated faculty. While some professors cover broad theoretical areas, niche/modern subfields are entirely absent.

​6. Rushing New Programs Without Departmental Infrastructure

​The institute introduced programs like Economic Sciences without having an independent, full-fledged Economics or Statistics faculty base. Launching new verticals without stabilizing existing core departments creates half-baked curriculums across the board.

​TLDR; IISER Tirupati has potential, but the chronic faculty shortage, research facility gaps, and rigid administrative rules around projects make pursuing physics here very frustrating. Think twice, talk to current students across different batches, and weigh your options carefully before committing to this institute.

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Hey, I wanted to ask 5th year peeps or the people who've passed out, when should we start mailing for thesis and what are some things we should keep in mind while applying, any tips are appreciated. (My major is physics)

Hey, I'll be interning at IIT Delhi for this summer. I made a general doubt post about it so someone suggested I should make a specific post asking if anyone's willing to rent or sell their mattress for the summer. Let me know!

Hey, I'll be interning at IIT Delhi at the Physics department and I've been alloted rhe Jwalamukhi Hostel.

1. They are asking an extrra 60/- per day for bedding. Since I'll be staying for 48 days, it'll add up to 2880 rs. Should I opt for bedding on per day basis or it'll be cheaper to just buy a pillow and a mattress?

2. Jwalamukhi is 17 mins away from the physics department on foot. So should I opt for jwalamukhi mess or some other? And what commute will I get within campus, and is it free?

3. What about mugs, buckets and other essentials. Are showers there or do we need absolutely need a bucket?