Why are IITs so Tough to Crack?

Summary

The video script delves into the prestige of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and its role in nurturing successful entrepreneurs and leaders. It explains the rigorous selection process of IITs, where only 0.8% of applicants are admitted, highlighting the institute's focus on intellectual depth and practical application. The video emphasizes the unique academic culture that encourages questioning and out-of-the-box thinking, with students being assessed on their ability to generate insightful questions and solve complex problems creatively. Beyond academics, IITs provide a platform for practical skill development through competitions and seminars, equipping students with financial literacy, resource optimization, and networking skills. The script also underscores the importance of an all-rounded educational experience that fosters individuality and innovation, as opposed to a system that produces identical graduates. It concludes with a call to action for students to seek out environments that promote such holistic learning and personal growth.

Takeaways

• 🏫 Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) is a prestigious institute in India known for producing successful tech and engineering graduates, including CEOs of major companies like Google and founders of unicorn startups.
• 🎓 The admission process to IITs is highly competitive, with only 0.8% of applicants being selected, and it involves multiple stages of exams and interviews.
• 📚 IITs focus on fostering intellectual and technical depth in students, moving beyond rote learning to encourage curiosity and out-of-the-box thinking.
• 🤖 Practical application of knowledge is emphasized through various competitions like E-Yantra Robotics and Urban Futurism, which challenge students to solve real-world problems.
• 💼 Financial literacy and investment strategies are taught through seminars and competitions, equipping students with essential skills for entrepreneurship.
• 🏆 Resource optimization skills are developed through competitions like TaskWiz, where students strategize business models for profitability.
• 🔗 Networking is crucial for entrepreneurship, and IITs provide opportunities for students to build valuable connections through various clubs and events.
• 📈 IITs were established with the objective of creating a task force of talented youth to build India's infrastructure and contribute to the country's development.
• 🌟 The success of IITians can be attributed to a combination of intellectual and technical depth, a culture of curiosity, practical knowledge, soft skill development, and networking.
• 📚 The script advocates for a change in the broader education system, encouraging creativity, problem-solving, and innovation rather than just rote learning and exam preparation.

Q & A

What is the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) known for?

IIT is known as India's top tech and engineering institute, renowned for producing successful entrepreneurs and leaders in various industries, such as Sundar Pichai of Alphabet and the founders of Flipkart.

What is the significance of the number 111 in the context of IITs and unicorn companies?

111 refers to the total number of unicorn companies (companies valued at over $1 billion), out of which 90 have founders who are alumni of IITs.

What is the basic process for enrolling in IITs?

To enroll in IITs, a student must first qualify for the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Mains by scoring 75% in 12th standard. Out of approximately 12 lakh students who attempt JEE Mains, only the top 2.5 lakh students can move forward to JEE Advanced, and from there, only the top 10,000 students are admitted to IITs.

Why is it difficult for ordinary students to get admission into IITs?

It is difficult because the selection process is highly competitive, with only 0.8% of the 12 lakh students who originally apply being selected for admission.

What additional filtration process do the most prestigious IIT colleges employ?

The most prestigious IIT colleges, such as IIT Bombay, Delhi, Kharagpur, or Madras, conduct personal one-on-one interviews to further filter the candidates.

What is taught in IITs that contributes to the success of its students?

IITs provide a comprehensive education that includes intellectual and technical depth, practical knowledge through competitions and events, soft skill development, and networking opportunities.

How does IITs' academic education differ from other universities and colleges?

IITs focus on conceptual understanding and out-of-the-box thinking, with unique exams that encourage students to ask and answer deep, fundamental questions.

What types of competitions are available for IIT students to apply their technical skills practically?

Competitions such as the E-Yantra Robotics Competition and Urban Futurism challenge students to use AI, Big Data Analytics, and coding knowledge to create smart solutions for real-life problems.

How do IITs help students develop financial literacy and investment strategies?

IITs conduct seminars on money management and competitions like the Cash Flow Competition, where students are given investment data to strategize and evaluate their investment decisions.

What role do clubs in IITs play in the development of entrepreneurial skills?

Clubs like the Entrepreneurship Cell and various interest-specific clubs provide networking opportunities and help students develop resource optimization skills and business strategies.

What is the main message of the video regarding education and learning?

The main message is that education should focus on fostering creativity, problem-solving, and innovation, rather than just rote learning and achieving high marks.

Outlines

00:00

🎓 The Prestige and Selectivity of IITs

This paragraph introduces the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) as India's premier tech and engineering institute, highlighting its reputation and the success stories of its alumni, such as Sundar Pichai of Google and the Bansal brothers of Flipkart. It raises questions about the unique qualities of IIT education that lead to such success and the high difficulty level of IIT entrance exams. The paragraph also outlines the rigorous selection process for IITs, which begins with qualifying in the 12th standard with 75% marks and involves multiple stages of exams, eventually leading to an acceptance rate of only 0.8%. The narrative also touches upon the additional filtration process for the most prestigious IIT colleges through personal interviews.

05:01

🚀 Unacademy's Initiatives for IIT Aspirants

The second paragraph focuses on the offerings of Unacademy, an online education platform, for students preparing for IIT and other competitive exams. It mentions the announcement of various batches, including Nimbus, Nexus, and Phoenix, led by top educators, starting from April 17th. The paragraph also discusses the benefits of a Unacademy subscription, which provides access to unlimited tests, digital notes, doubt-solving sessions, and more. Additionally, it talks about the discounts available for offline coaching and the speaker's personal experience at an Unacademy event in Bangalore, including interactions with other creators and the city's atmosphere.

10:04

📚 The Evolution and Educational Philosophy of IITs

This paragraph delves into the historical context and educational approach of IITs. It explains that the original goal of IITs post-independence was to create a task force of talented youth to build infrastructure and industries of international standards. The paragraph describes the evolution of the IIT entrance exam in the 1960s to ensure the selection of the best minds. It emphasizes the intellectual and hardworking nature of IIT students and discusses the need for an all-rounded education that includes practical knowledge, financial literacy, and networking skills. The academic education at IITs is portrayed as unique, with a focus on conceptual understanding and out-of-the-box thinking, as evidenced by the nature of exam questions that encourage students to ask their own deep, fundamental questions.

15:06

🌟 Developing Entrepreneurial Skills at IITs

The final paragraph discusses how IITs nurture entrepreneurial skills among students. It covers various aspects such as resource optimization, practical application of technical skills through competitions like E-Yantra and Urban Futurism, financial knowledge through seminars and competitions like Cash Flow, and the importance of networking through clubs and societies. The paragraph also emphasizes the importance of execution, which relies on more than just the idea, and how IITs provide an environment that fosters intellectual and technical depth, practical knowledge, soft skill development, and networking. It concludes with a message encouraging students to create an IIT-like environment for learning, to explore their passions, and to broaden their knowledge range to stand out and express their individuality.

Keywords

💡Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)

The Indian Institute of Technology, commonly known as IIT, refers to a group of autonomous public technical and research universities in India. In the script, IIT is highlighted as India's top tech and engineering institute, where many successful entrepreneurs and CEOs, such as Sundar Pichai of Alphabet and the Bansal brothers of Flipkart, have studied. The theme of the video revolves around understanding why IIT produces such ultra-successful individuals and the rigorous selection process involved.

💡Alphabet

Alphabet Inc. is the parent company of Google and several other subsidiaries, operating in a variety of industries including technology, life sciences, investment, and more. In the video script, Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Alphabet, is mentioned as an example of an IIT alumnus who has achieved significant success, illustrating the impact of IIT education on the tech industry.

💡Unicorn

A unicorn, in the context of business, refers to a privately held startup company valued at over $1 billion. The script mentions that out of 111 Indian unicorns, 90 have founders from IITs, emphasizing the institute's role in fostering entrepreneurial success.

💡JWE Mains and Advanced

JEE Mains and JEE Advanced are two stages of the Joint Entrance Examination, which is the primary entrance exam for admission into IITs. The script explains that only the top 2.5 lakh students from JEE Mains can attempt JEE Advanced, and from there, only the top 10,000 students are eligible for admission to an IIT, showcasing the competitive nature of the selection process.

💡Academic Grooming

Academic grooming refers to the development and nurturing of a student's intellectual and practical skills within an educational institution. The script discusses how IITs provide academic grooming that goes beyond rote learning, encouraging curiosity, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities, which are key to the success of IIT graduates.

💡Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship is the process of designing, launching, and running a new business, which typically involves risk-taking and innovation. The script highlights the entrepreneurial skills developed at IITs, such as resource optimization and networking, which contribute to the high number of successful startups founded by IIT alumni.

💡Resource Optimization

Resource optimization is the practice of using the minimum amount of resources to achieve maximum output in a business or process. The script mentions that IITs teach students how to optimize resources in their business models, which is a crucial skill for successful entrepreneurship.

💡Networking

Networking refers to the cultivation of professional relationships and connections. The script points out that IITs provide a platform for students to build valuable networks through clubs and interactions with top academic faculties, which can be instrumental in their future careers and businesses.

💡Financial Literacy

Financial literacy is the knowledge and understanding of financial concepts, such as money management, investment strategies, and financial planning. The script notes that IITs offer practical knowledge in financial literacy through seminars and competitions, equipping students with the skills needed to manage finances effectively in their future ventures.

💡Innovation

Innovation refers to the process of translating an idea or invention into a good or service that creates value or for which customers will pay. The script emphasizes that IITs encourage out-of-the-box thinking and innovation through their unique examination system and various competitions, fostering an environment where students can develop innovative solutions to real-world problems.

💡Curiosity

Curiosity is the desire to learn, experience, or understand new things. The script repeatedly mentions curiosity as a driving force behind learning and success at IITs, suggesting that fostering curiosity in students is a key factor in their ability to become creative thinkers and problem solvers.

Highlights

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) is India's top tech and engineering institute, producing successful alumni like Sundar Pichai and founders of major companies like Flipkart and Ola.

IIT alumni have founded 90 out of 111 Indian unicorns, companies valued at over $1 billion.

Admission to IITs is highly competitive, with only 0.8% of applicants being selected.

The admission process involves multiple stages of exams, including JWE mains and advanced, with further filters at prestigious IIT colleges.

IITs focus on teaching that gives students an edge, including a culture of questioning and out-of-the-box thinking.

IITs have a unique academic approach, such as exam questions that require students to ask their own questions based on previous learning.

IIT students are encouraged to apply their technical skills to real-life problems through competitions like E-Yantra Robotics and Urban Futurism.

Financial literacy is taught through seminars and competitions like the Cash Flow Competition, preparing students for real-world investment strategies.

Entrepreneurial skills are developed through resource optimization and business strategy competitions like TaskWiz.

Networking is emphasized through clubs and exposure to top academic faculties, which aids in startup success.

IITs were initially established to create a task force of talented youth to build infrastructure and industries of international standards.

The entrance exam for IITs was introduced in the 1960s to ensure only the best minds were selected and groomed.

IITs provide intellectual depth, practical knowledge, soft skill development, and networking opportunities for holistic student growth.

The speaker attended an Unacademy event in Bangalore to learn about new offerings for IIT and NEET exam preparation.

Unacademy offers various batches and coaching options, including online and offline, with access to tests, notes, and doubt-solving sessions.

The speaker emphasizes the importance of curiosity and individuality in learning and education, suggesting that other colleges should adopt similar practices.

The video concludes with a call to action for viewers to create an environment like IIT for their learning and to express their individuality.

Transcripts

Indian Institute of Technology India's top tech and engineering institute

where every student dreams of getting an entry

Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet, the company that owns Google Narayan Murthy, co-founder of Infosys

Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal, founders of Flipkart and many other companies' founders

Ola, Zomato, Sugar, Housing.com, Shop Clues, Snapdeal today, they are the founders of every startup

In fact, you'd be pretty surprised today, 111 unicorns

i.e. companies whose valuation is more than $1 billion

90 of those unicorns are founders of IITs So, the question is

What is taught in IITs that makes students ultra successful in their careers?

And why is it so difficult to get admission in IITs for any ordinary student?

And why are IIT exams one of the most difficult exams in the entire world?

Let's understand what this whole game is So, first of all, let's understand what is the basic process of enrolling in IITs

So, in 12th standard if a student gets 75% marks

then he is basically qualified for JWE mains The number of students who qualify for JWE mains

and attempt it is on an average 12 lakh in India

But this is also a tough exam to crack In which every year, out of 12 lakh students

only top 2.5 lakh students can move forward and attempt JWE advanced exams

Now, after this, there is another big filter In which, out of those 2.5 lakh students

only top 10,000 students qualify to get admission in an IIT facility

Meaning, if we look at this then out of the originally applied 12 lakh students

only 0.8% of them are selected in IITs

Yes, only 0.8% of students But this is in general

when we talk about IIT colleges If we look at the most prestigious IIT colleges

like IIT Bombay, Delhi, Kharagpur or Madras then these colleges

even those 0.8% of students do more filtration

by taking personal one-on-one interviews of students So, through multiple exams

students are selected in IITs by filtering 4-5 times Now, the question arises

what exactly is taught in IITs which gives them such a huge edge compared to other students

that they become super successful How do other colleges teach students and how do they have overall grooming in IITs

What is the culture of other colleges and what is the culture of IITs

All of this we will know in this video in a short while But before that

did you see the first event of Unacademy live? If you are following me on Instagram then I had uploaded stories

It was a mega event in which Unacademy revealed a lot of surprises for coaching IIT, JWE and NEET exams

I personally attended this event by going to Bangalore and also made a vlog of it

just to try something new So, I will show you some clips of that vlog now And yes friends me and my team

Team Gets It Fly We went on a great trip which I have covered in a mini vlog in this video

So, stay tuned Tell me in the comments how do you like this mini vlog? Basically, my purpose was

what they are going to offer in this new project of Unacademy for IIT and NEET students

So guys, this is where our vlog starts Now we are going to our brother from YouTube

Mr. Proton Channel Prem Suk So, we are going to his room

From there, we will go to Unacademy In JW Marriott

One thing that you will notice when you come to Bangalore is that this city is so clean.

Actually, this is an elevated city, so I think 1,000 meters above sea level.

So, because of this, dust and pollution settles below and you get a very clean atmosphere.

The air quality index here is very good. Oh!

Primsukh bhai, after a long time, once again. Once again.

Guys, this is the getup for today. We chose the formals.

The party looks a bit informal, but since it's an inauguration event, we might like the formals.

And now we are leaving. The most painful thing to assemble the creators is the work.

Because everyone comes easily. Sir, tell him in Hindi what pain in the ass means. Because it sounds very cool in English.

This is a family-friendly channel. We are going to do 4 big reveals. I don't know what's going to happen.

Surprises. Surprises. Whoa! Whoa! So, guys, we have come in this bus. It's settled. It feels like a vanity van.

I don't know why. There are a lot of creators here.

I have been following you for a long time, but I don't know you. And we have our favorite universe here. All of us have mentors.

So, let's go.

You make very good content. I am a big fan. Thank you. 400 times.

You make political content? Yeah. I am very much interested in it. Okay.

A very good answer to choose.

So, everyone gathered here.

But, if you enrol before 14th April.

Unacademy has announced many batches for 2025 and 2026 in this event.

Like Nimbus, Nexus and Phoenix batch with India's best educators which will start on 17th April.

Offline educators will also start batches. Like Maverick, Swift and Falcon.

In which you can experience offline coaching in the comfort of your home. And for all of these, you just have to take a subscription.

In which you can start all these batches.

And you will get access.

Apart from this, of course, you get access of Unacademy's unlimited tests, DPPs, digital notes, PYQs, doubt solving sessions and much more.

And yes, if you want to study offline, you will get 40% flat off in all the coaching centres of Unacademy.

I have put the link in the description below. You can check it out yourself if you are preparing for IIT, JWE or NEET.

Because if you are selected in IIT, then the students' grooming will go to the next level.

So, we just came out of the event. My ears are still ringing.

Because the front seat was the very first seat and there were speakers in front. And the music was playing so loudly.

Yesterday, our Get Set Fly team members are going on a retreat.

It is a nearby area but there is a resort. You will enjoy it there. I will keep you updated on that too.

So, guys, the event was over around 3-4 o'clock. And then we left from there by flight.

And now I have come back to Mumbai. And as I had told you that we have a party.

Team Get Set Fly has booked a resort. And basically, we are having a party in this resort.

So, DJ Vijay is going on. I have also left the swimming pool.

We were playing sports, water sports. And before this, their party had started.

So, the team members played cricket, football and all these things. So, this is the condition.

I will share it with you. You will also see my team once. The team members are very happy.

It is fun. It is very cool. So, let's go.

So, here my mini vlog ends.

Now, let's come to the point. How do children groom in IITs?

Who make them the best entrepreneurs and brains in India.

So, few people would know that after independence, there was only one objective to make IITs in the country.

To make a task force of talented youth in the country

which would build infrastructure, dams, power plants and industries of international standards in India.

And this scattered country would get a boost in development.

Now, when the first IIT was made in the 1950s, then the objective was the same.

But the problem was that there was no entrance test for it.

Just score above 75% in 12th and you are in.

So, in such a case, IITs should not become an employment hub like regular colleges.

So, in the 1960s, IITs started taking entrance exams.

Their purpose was to give entry to the best minds and groom them.

And this is the reason that today, only 0.8% of the aspirants are selected in IITs every year.

That means, the top cream. Now, of course, those who enter IITs are intellectually smart.

But they are also very hardworking. Because these exams are difficult to crack.

But still, if we talk about entrepreneurship,

then building a whole business is altogether a different ball game.

In that, along with intellect, you have practical knowledge, skills, financial knowledge,

resource optimization skills, networking skills, etc. Basically, a student needs an all-rounded grooming.

So, what was the solution for this problem?

How can a bookworm turn an intellectual geek into a successful entrepreneur?

Now, friends, they worked on multiple levels for this. But first, let's talk about academic education.

How is the academic education of IITs different from the education of other universities and colleges?

For this, I won't say much. First of all, look at the question paper of the semester exam of IITs.

Only two questions were asked.

In the first, the student was asked to ask questions on the basis of the last semester.

That too, for 30 marks. And for the next 40 marks, he was asked to answer his own questions.

Now, you also know that asking right questions is perhaps the strongest ability of a person.

The strongest intellectual ability.

And this actually shows how much conceptual understanding you have.

How much conceptual clarity you have. Because when you try to understand a concept, that's when you get questions.

And here too, the questions are not simple-wimple questions.

Rather, how deep and fundamental those questions can be.

The questions from which you can understand your level of understanding.

This is what is most important here. You know, the questions of the great scientists have changed the world.

The answers came later. First, there were questions where millions of people were sitting quietly.

No one was asked that question, but they were asked. This also shows that,

how much out-of-the-box a child can think. And then, by using those questions as their problem-solving ability,

you have to solve them in a creative and innovative way. So, as you can see,

a culture of questioning and out-of-the-box thinking has been encouraged here.

Students are not only getting rote learning done here,

but they are actually being motivated to be curious. And if you are a viewer of Get Set Fly Science,

then you also know that, I have been saying this for a long time, curiosity is the greatest power of a person.

Everything starts from curiosity, from asking the right questions,

and then gaining an ability to answer them fundamentally, starting from first principles.

Many people say that, Gaurav sir, I like your channel a lot because you teach well.

Well, this is not a secret sauce. We just teach with curiosity.

And teaching with curiosity automatically makes children interested,

because curiosity is a natural human emotion, which society has suppressed.

By making these unnecessary academic streams, children learn commerce,

and those who learn arts, they should not have any connection with science.

But this very thinking inside the box in IITs will not help you at all. Then, apart from unique exams,

how do students practically apply their intellectual and technical skills?

There are many different competitions for this as well.

For example, the famous E-Yantra Robotics Competition of IIT Bombay. Then there is another competition,

which is called Urban Futurism. The challenge in this is that, students have to study their AI, Big Data Analytics,

and Coding Knowledge, and make smart solutions for cities.

Like, let's say for example, making a traffic signal, which can manage traffic itself with the help of AI,

without any human involvement. So basically, the goal is this,

use your technical skills to solve real-life problems, and add value to society.

Then if we talk about financial knowledge, a knowledge that we never get in our schools and colleges,

then there are seminars on money management every year,

and then there are competitions to practically test what we have learned.

For example, the Cash Flow Competition. In this, students are given the investment data of the biggest companies in the last 7 months,

and in that, they are asked to make strategies on what they should invest the profit in,

and what percentage they should invest in.

And in the end, the goal is just to gauge, that your investment mindset,

your investment strategies, are correct or not. So basically, even before entering the real world,

IITians have learned financial literacy and investment strategies.

Then if we talk about entrepreneurial skills, as we saw,

there is a very close relationship between IITians and entrepreneurship. So what is happening here? Well, in IITs,

many entrepreneurial skills are taught, like for example, resource optimization skills. In simple words, in your company,

how do you get maximum output in the least amount of finances and resources?

You can optimize your business processes, your logistics, basically, your entire business system.

You can make it efficient, you can make it effective. You know, in any business, an idea is important,

but it is only 20%. 80% is always execution. And for that,

resource optimization is the most important. So to develop these skills,

there are different competitions in IITs. Like for example, TaskWiz,

in which students are given different scenarios, and students have to strategize their business model,

which is ultimately profitable. Then in entrepreneurship, networking also plays a very important role. You must have heard that saying,

your net worth is determined by your network. And for this, there are many clubs in IITs,

in which you can enroll according to your interests and passion. Like for example, Entrepreneurship Cell,

or like me, if you are a space lover, then there is also Astronomy Club for you. Music Club, if you like music.

Generally, all IITians, in their careers, are very successful in the future. And in this,

their network built in IITs, is very useful. Because in any startup, initially,

you need brains. And IIT is the place, where you get the best brains in the world. So basically,

if I tell you in a short, recollect from the beginning, why IITians are so successful in the future,

then this is the major reason. Number one, there is intellectual and technical depth in the academics here.

Mugging is not the only thing. Number two, the culture here,

helps to increase the range of knowledge. Number three, practical knowledge, through group activities, events,

or competitions. Number four, soft skill development, again through group collaborations, or team based projects.

Number five, networking, through exposure within IIT circles, clubs,

and top academic faculties, who also work in the research field.

And this is the true definition of learning and education. I strongly feel,

other colleges should also level up. Just getting marks will only make us robots,

not creative thinkers, problem solvers, and innovators. Imagine,

if you put the same type of machinery in a factory, the same type of system, the same type of conveyor belt,

whatever product comes out of that factory, all those products, thousands, millions of copies,

will all be totally identical. And because of the Indian education system,

even students like us are experiencing the same thing. The same portion, same outdated syllabus,

will secure millions of people, who have no practical application. And all the students get only a degree,

but at the end of the day, they are just a copy. Like the other lakhs of students,

they never get the opportunity to express their individuality, to project it.

And that's why guys, this video is just my message, that whichever college you go to, as much as possible,

for your learning, create an environment like IIT,

try to surround yourself in such an environment. First, explore yourself, find your passion,

and then in that, and in the areas around it, increase your knowledge range. With this,

you will be able to take yourself away from the crowd, and be able to express yourself openly. And honestly,

in my opinion, this should be the main purpose of learning and education. With that said,

if you got to learn anything new from this video, make sure to hit a like, subscribe to the Get Set Fly Science channel, and press the bell notification,

to keep watching such videos. See you next time, stay curious and keep learning, Jai Hind.