National Institute of Technology - [NIT], Rourkela

The standard of education and the institute's credibility can alone be determined by going through the rankings. So, I will be stating some highlights pertaining to the campus life at BIT Mesra, in general,

• BIT Mesra has an active club culture with more than 60 clubs promoting a number of extracurricular activities
• NIT Rourkela has the 2nd largest campus in India and is a great place to be at.
• The hostel life is also great with minimal restrictions at least for boys. 
• The mess is in close proximity to the hostel and the level of hygiene is commendable here. The mess follows a 4-meal per day system wherein Breakfast is served in the morning at around 7 -9.30 am, lunch at 12–1:30 pm, snacks at 5–6 pm, and finally dinner at 8–9:30 pm.
• Many night canteens run till 3 in the morning to cater to the midnight cravings of the students. 
• The institute is a heaven for sports lovers. It has facilities for almost every kind of sport like football, cricket, hockey, volleyball, basketball, and kabaddi.
• The internet connection facilities are however poor and this matter needs to be taken care of.

You will be surprised to know that my friends in other NITs keep complaining about the campus life there while I was very satisfied with the quality of campus life offered at NIT Rourkela. So, in addition to academics, NIT Rourkela also offers a vibrant college life!

NIT Rourkela is a premier engineering and technology institute in India that enjoys a strong reputation for its M.Tech program. The program is well-structured, with a focus on both theoretical and practical aspects of engineering and technology. Here are a few pros and cons of pursuing an MTech from NIT Rourkela

Pros

• Excellent hostel facilities wherein students are allotted double occupancy rooms in the first year and single occupancy rooms from the second year.
• A massive campus with a variety of sports facilities like cricket grounds, football grounds, Table tennis facilities, Basketball court, Lawn Tennis Court, Badminton Courts, Volleyball Courts, Swimming Pool, Gym, etc
  The labs are functional 24/7 for MTech students with high-speed internet facilities.
• Students are allotted individual PC to study and do their research work.
  The project work assigned to MTech students is largely research-oriented.
• M.Tech students have no restrictions regarding timings in hostels and departments.

Cons

• MTech students get no summer or winter vacations due to heavy workloads.
• The attendance policy is strict and Bio-metric attendance is taken twice a day.
• Sparing the weekends and academic holidays, BIT Mesra MTech students are allowed to take only 15 leaves in 1 year. 
• Students have to prepare for 4 presentations, grand viva, project viva, and thesis submissions in the second year.

Overall, NIT Rourkela is considered to be a great choice for an M.Tech education.

One of my female friends shared her hostel life experience at NIT Rourkela. Here is a glimpse of what her hostel life looked like

• She was allotted B block of KMS hostel, which has the biggest and most spacious rooms among all hostels of the institute.
• The institute has a variety of eateries including 1 night canteen and 1 day canteen
• The hostel has a number of rules and regulations, one such being the late entry rule wherein if you don’t enter the hostel by 11:00 PM, you have to enter your name in the late entry register. This cannot happen more than thrice a month else your parents will be informed.
• Breakfast options are limited such as bread, eggs, bananas, cornflakes, milk, and tea. These items are supplementary to an additional menu 
• The lunch menu is great for non-veg lovers while the dinner is very pathetic.
• Although washrooms are cleared daily, hygiene and cleanliness need to be improved.
• Festivals like NITR, Garden Fest, and Hall Fest make the hostel life more vibrant and happening.
• There is a common room with indoor sports facilities and other leisure facilities.

Overall hostel life at BIT Mesra is decent for girls with a few restrictions.

Yes, there is an option for branch change after the first year at NIT Rourkela. The conditions for branch change vary depending on the specific program and the student's academic performance. Generally, students must attain a CGPA of 8.5 with no backlogs to be eligible for a branch change. 

Here is what the institute has officially declared regarding branch change:

All B. Tech, Int. MSc and BTech- MTech dual degree students who have secured a GPA of 8.5 or more (without any backlog) at the end of the first year are eligible for a branch change given they fulfill the following criteria 

• Change of branch will depend on the availability of vacant seats. Also, the vacancy created in the branch you are changing from should not be more than 5% of the actual existing strength.
• The 5% of vacancy is calculated on the basis of the existing strength. 
• Once you have changed your branch, you cannot go back to your old branch.
• The only criteria for branch change is GPA and in case of a tie in the same, the JEE Main rank will be given preference.

Additionally, students may also be required to participate in an interview or other selection process. 

One of my cousins is currently studying at NIT Rourkela and shared a few worrisome things about the institute that affected her learning experience 

• NIT Rourkela is surprisingly underestimated and does not get the fame it deserves. Only its students can get an idea of its incredibility.
• Usually on Sundays, the campus witnesses a power cut from 8 AM to 5 PM. 
• The attendance policies are very rigid and a minimum of 87.5% attendance is required. 
• Rourkela does not have connectivity through flight. This makes traveling difficult for the students and also limits the number of recruiters.
• The clubs are underfunded and therefore their performance is not very good.
• The library is poorly stocked. It does not have books that are more important to students while exam preparations.
• The institute has an overly secured campus with a large number of security forces.
• The campus is overly large and one cannot travel by foot. You need to have a bicycle, to save time and energy.

However, the above-mentioned points aren’t very crucial and don’t affect the learning process directly. So it’s better to overlook them and focus on the bright side of the institute. 

NIT Rourkela hostel rooms are decent with enough space to house 2 students. From the 3rd year, students are allotted single-occupancy rooms.

• A typical room in an NIT Rourkela hostel has all basic amenities like a table, chair, bed, fan, and light. 
• Additionally, there is a provision of free Internet facilities and also DCC.
• Students can spend their leisure time in the common room which has facilities like indoor games, TV, a library room, and a common mess.
• Food served in the mess is decent which is related weekly. Once a week, the menu comprises special dishes. There is a day canteen offering juice, milk, tea, coffee, sandwich, eggs, etc
• The midnight cravings are catered to by night canteens that provide tea, snacks, Maggi, and other stuff. 
• There are decent sports facilities like a badminton court and also a garden.

Hope this was helpful!