There are probably many books out there teaching you how to get into the prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT). In India the pressure and prestige associated with getting into IIT is so much that a place in Rajasthan called Kota actually has hundreds of coaching institutes taking students by the dozens and training them to take a shot at the joint entrance exam called JEE. These coaching classes have a rigorous training schedule with hours and hours of daily practice in a competitive environment. Some students actually sacrifice up to a year in their schooling in order to fulfill their (mostly their parents’) dreams of getting into an IIT. Parents have been known to shift to Kota to be with their child and encourage him till he cracks the tough entrance exam.
But having spent all these years in IIT, I’m wondering why isn’t there any sure-shot guide to help me get out of the institute? The amount of red tape which some all of these government institutes spew out is unbelievable. Even the US Immigration department would not be so rigorous. Not only does the student face an extraordinary amount of bureaucracy during the time he spends here, there is a lot of paperwork to be done when he wants to get out. Here’s an example. In order to be able to get out of the campus legally, here are the list of things which need to be done:-
1) Get Form 1 from the hostel office.
2) Prepare Form 2 consisting of a list of things you want to take out of the campus.
3) Get Form 2 signed by the hostel warden, then go to the academic block, and get it signed by the Chief Security Officer.
4) Get Form 3 from the acad block.
5) Get it signed from
- Central Library
- Department Library
- Mess
- Department Office
6) Approach the seniors and ask them what else is to be done
7) I still don’t know what to do with Form 1
8 ) If error, go to Step 1
The whole procedure will consist of meeting at least 10 people, and visiting 3-4 departments. It could take anywhere from 3-7 days. Hope the above procedure, though incomplete, helps atleast a few students to make it out of the renowned IITs. For the curious mind, here’s what I have listed on my Form 2
Form 2
13 text books (9 unused),
2 pairs of jeans,
3 shirts and 5 tshirts,
6 pairs of underwear,
2 pairs of chappals, 1 pair of shoes,
12 cloth hangers,
24 issues of Playboy,
1 bottle of Smirnoff Blue,
6 shot glasses
Sd/-
CSO
PS. I’m joking about the last three items. 
Or am I?
