Very few programs like IITM BS Degree teach the basics of AI & ML | @IITMadrasBSDegreeProgramme

Summary

Arush Agarwal, an IDM BS degree student at IIT Madras, shares his journey in the program and his victory in the Tech AI hackathon. He discusses the structured curriculum, which covers niche technologies and emphasizes the importance of understanding the math behind ML models. Arush also advises students to balance academics with extracurricular activities and to explore untapped areas in data science.

Takeaways

• 🏆 Arush Agarwal is a student of IIT Madras' IDM BS degree and a national winner of the Tech AI hackathon.
• 👨‍💻 Arush is also pursuing a BTech in Computer Science Engineering and interning as a Business Intelligence intern at Aspire.
• 🌾 His hackathon project focused on developing an AI model to increase revenue for farmers in Northern India, specifically for Paty farmers.
• 📈 Arush utilized his learnings from IIT Madras to create a solution that could convert agricultural waste into carbon credits.
• 📚 The IDM BS program provides a structured curriculum in niche technologies, including geospatial analysis and LLMs.
• 🔄 The program's flexibility allows Arush to manage it alongside his offline degree.
• 🔍 Arush suggests maintaining an active LinkedIn profile to discover opportunities and participating in competitions for learning experiences.
• 💡 He emphasizes the importance of understanding the math behind ML models for real-life applications.
• 👨‍🏫 Arush advises students to take advantage of IIT Madras' TA support and engage with teachers for guidance and opportunities.
• 🚀 His future plans include a career in data science, leveraging the resources from his degree to transition from data analytics.
• 🌟 He encourages students to participate in extracurricular activities and explore areas in data science that are yet to be fully explored.

Q & A

What is Arush Agarwal's current educational status?

Arush Agarwal is a diploma student at IIT Madras pursuing an IDM BS degree and is also doing a BTech in Computer Science Engineering offline.

Where is Arush Agarwal interning and what is his role?

Arush is interning at Aspire as a Business Intelligence Intern, where he is involved in data analytics.

What was the problem statement of the Tech AI Hackathon that Arush participated in?

The problem statement was to provide solutions to increase the revenue for farmers in Northern India and Northeastern India.

How did Arush approach the problem statement of the hackathon?

Arush specifically focused on potato farmers in Northern India and developed an AI model to help them increase their revenue.

What unique solution did Arush propose to address the issue of stubble burning by farmers?

Arush proposed converting the stubble into carbon credits, which could help farmers and align with the emerging carbon economy in India.

How has the IIT Madras program benefited Arush in his learning journey?

The IIT Madras program provided Arush with a structured curriculum in niche technologies and forced him to study regularly through monthly quizzes.

How does Arush manage his time between the IIT Madras online degree and his offline BTech degree?

Arush finds the IIT Madras degree flexible, allowing him to finish his offline college around 3:45 PM and then watch videos and submit assignments for the online degree.

How did Arush come to know about the Tech AI Hackathon?

Arush found out about the hackathon through a connection on LinkedIn who posted about the opportunity.

What advice does Arush have for others looking to participate in similar competitions?

Arush suggests maintaining a well-updated LinkedIn profile and using platforms like Unstop to find opportunities to participate in competitions.

What is Arush's approach to learning in the IIT Madras program?

Arush emphasizes the importance of understanding the math behind ML models and applying theory in real-life situations, suggesting that students should engage with TA support and participate in events and competitions.

What are Arush's future plans after completing his diploma?

Arush plans to pursue a career in data science, utilizing the resources from his degree to transition from data analytics to data engineering and eventually data science.

What is Arush's advice for students currently in the IIT Madras BS degree program?

Arush advises students to not only focus on academics and grades but also to engage in extracurricular activities and explore areas within data science that haven't been touched yet.