What to do after you join MS Research at IIT Kharagpur

Here, I plan to write about my MS (Research) journey at IIT Kharagpur, India. In this article, I will provide the complete details of all the administrative procedures and guidelines required throughout the course of pursuing an MS Research degree after you get accepted to the program.

Important: I will also provide the CGPA calculation for MS Research at IIT Kharagpur (towards the end of this article), as mentioned in my Grade Card of 2019. This is quite different from the CGPA computation of B.Tech and M.Tech students because a significantly high percentage of credits for computing CGPA is assigned to research work (78 credits out of total 94 credits).

This is targeted toward students that have already received the joining letter and have successfully gotten through the admission process.

Many congratulations on your acceptance!

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What does MS (by Research) course mean?

This is a special research-oriented Master’s program open only to candidates who are already employed in some funded projects in the institute, or candidates sponsored from specific government organizations. The program requires a student to complete a required set of coursework, pass a comprehensive viva-voce, and finally submit a thesis containing original research work. A MS (by Research) program can typically take between 2 to 3 years. – Source: https://cse.iitkgp.ac.in/?academicprograms.html

Here, you will also find the syllabus for the MS Entrance Test and MS Comprehensive Viva Voce.

The application process, Interview Preparation, and More on MS Research Program

If you are planning to apply and are yet to complete the admission procedure, I think my previous post will be more useful. It extensively covers topics such as how a student can apply (the application process), the eligibility criteria, how to prepare for the interview, and how to decide to pursue it.

How to apply for M.S Research at IIT Kharagpur

Let us now start …

Online Application Portal of IIT Kharagpur – ERP

I think you have already used the ERP profile for completing your admission formalities. Please follow the admission letter mail as it will clearly outline how to complete the process of creating an ERP account using your institute roll number and password.

If I remember correctly, you have to set a new password and create a set of 3 questions and its associated correct passphrase. Every time you plan to log in from now on, you have to provide:

1. Institute Roll Number
2. Password
3. Any 1 of the 3 passphrase-based questions that you have set in the previous step

Great, we have now entered, and you will be looking at the ERP dashboard

Most used sections of ERP as an MS Research student

Academic -> MS student -> Student Status

Provides updates regarding your admission like joining status, joining date, topic, coursework selected semester registration status.

Since ERP does not send you any notification if there is any status update, you need to keep checking it periodically.

Apna (Internal) IIT KGP Notices

For Ph.D. rules or any other Academic Regulation details, please visit APNA IIT Kharagpur’s Rules and Regulations section and Academic section (Academic PG).

Academic -> Student Profile

This option contains the complete academic details, emergency contact details, institute email id, and current student status information.

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Workflow of MS Research Program of IIT Kharagpur

You should understand the details of the following MS rules published by the Institute [Download link].

If you are interested in the PhD regulations, updated on July 5, 2024, you can access it here.

A friendly reminder and disclaimer: Please check if the rules has been updated or not by asking the Academic section or your department office for providing you the latest rules and regulations. It is usually uploaded in Apna IIT-KGP, which is an internal website. This is just for informational purpose and may not represent the current regulations.

1. MS Admission

• Admission is managed through the Institute’s ERP system, accessible from the homepage without requiring login credentials.
• Candidates must meet eligibility criteria, submit applications by deadlines, and appear for interviews conducted by a Selection Board comprising department heads, academic committee members, and project investigators if applicable.

2. Coursework Assignment

• After admission, students are assigned coursework by the Departmental Academic Committee (PG&R) along with supervisors within 7 days of joining.
• An MS student is considered as a research scholar, therefore, you get more flexibility with the choice of subjects. Please talk with the senior research scholars in your lab and also at least one meeting with your supervisor to discuss. Do necessary background knowledge and already be ready with a candidate set of subjects. This is an important step which we often overlook as a student.
• English for Technical Writing is a compulsory subject. Since it is the same requirement for all other departments, the classes gets filled up. So, typically, they schedule department-wise. For example, I was from Computer Science and Engineering department, so mine was scheduled for Spring Semester, although I had joined in Autumn semester.
• The coursework must total between 12 and 16 credits, including mandatory seminars and comprehensive viva-voce.
• Students must complete coursework typically within the first year (two semesters) and earn a minimum grade of “C” in each subject with an overall CGPA of 7.0 to progress.

3. Enrollment

• Students officially enroll in the program at the start of a semester.
• Enrollment is co-terminus with the semester start, and students must maintain residence requirements unless exempted after coursework completion.

4. Semester Registration

• Students register for each semester’s courses and research work as per Institute guidelines.
• Attendance is compulsory; poor attendance may lead to disqualification from exams or discontinuation.

5. Change of Coursework

• If a student fails to meet the minimum grade requirements in coursework, they may be allowed to repeat courses or appear for supplementary exams.
• The Departmental Academic Committee may recommend changes in coursework based on performance.

6. Mid and End-semester Examinations

• Students are evaluated through mid-semester and end-semester exams for their coursework.
• Passing these exams is essential for progressing to subsequent stages.

7. Comprehensive Viva-voce

• Conducted by the Departmental Academic Committee within one month after coursework completion.
• This oral exam covers all coursework topics and carries 4 credits.
• Passing the viva is mandatory for continuation.

8. Seminars

• First Seminar: Delivered after coursework completion and before starting thesis work, focusing on the research problem and scope.
• Second Seminar: Delivered mid-way through thesis work (around the end of the 3rd semester), presenting research progress.
• Both seminars are assessed by the Departmental Academic Committee and carry 2 credits each1.

9. Synopsis Seminar

• Before thesis submission, students must present a synopsis seminar outlining their research findings and thesis plan.
• This seminar is evaluated by the academic committee.
• The consensus or unwritten rule is that for a MS thesis, there needs to be two contributory chapters, which means two publications. In some cases, the second publication may be even “under review” and not yet been accepted. It is decided on case-by-case basis. Likewise, for PhD, you need a minimum of three contributory chapters.

10. Thesis Submission

• Students submit their thesis after completing research work.
• The thesis must align with the assigned research problem, typically related to the project or scheme under which the student is registered.
• Submission deadlines and formatting guidelines are strictly followed.
• This marks an important milestone because you are now free to join any company or research lab or whatever your plans are. As an MS, you can also participate in the IIT placement drive. Although, these companies primarily target B.Tech and M.Tech, some of my MS friends had been placed in this manner.

11. MS Thesis Defense

• The final defense involves an evaluation panel including the supervisor, internal and external experts, and the Departmental Academic Committee.
• The defense assesses the quality and originality of the research work.
• Successful defense leads to awarding of the MS degree.
• The defense can now be also given through online mode. This proves to be quite beneficial for the students as otherwise they have to take leave, travel and significant preparations to attend in-person.

12. CGPA Computation for MS Research (Very Important)

Description	Letter Grade	Grade points
Excellent	EX	10
Very Good	A	9
Good	B	8
Fair	C	7
Average	D	6
Pass	P	5
Fail	F	0

There are two parts:

Part A (24 credits: 16 + 2 + 2+ 4)

Coursework (16), First Seminar (2), Second Seminar (2), Comprehensive Viva Voce (4)

CGPA in Part A = Total Grade Points in Part A divided by Total Credits in Part A

Part B (70 credits: 20 + 18 + 16 + 16)

• Internal assessment of day to day work by Supervisor (20 credits)
• Final viva-voce by DAC, Internal expert, External expert and Supervisor (18 credits)
• Evaluation of thesis by “External” expert (16 credits)
• Evaluation of thesis by “Internal” expert (16 credits)

CGPA in Part B = Total Grade Points in Part B divided by Total Credits in Part B

Final CGPA = (Sum of Grade Points in A and B) divided by (sum of total credits in A and B, i.e., 94 [24 + 70] )

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General Rules and Guidelines

Eligibility

• Candidates must have a relevant bachelor’s or master’s degree with minimum marks/CGPA (60% or 6.5 CGPA for Engineering/Science/Commerce/Management; 55% or 6.0 CGPA for Humanities/Social Sciences).
• Research workers on institute projects, sponsored candidates, and staff members are eligible under specific conditions.
• Age limit is generally 35 years, extendable to 45 for experienced candidates

Duration

• The program normally lasts two academic years (four semesters).
• Coursework and thesis work combined must be completed within this period, with possible extensions under special circumstances.

Residence and Attendance

• The Institute is fully residential; students must stay in assigned hostels unless exempted after coursework.
• Attendance is mandatory; unsatisfactory attendance can lead to exam disqualification or dismissal.
• Sponsored students may be allowed to become non-resident after completing coursework and minimum residential requirements, conducting research at their sponsoring organization if approved.

Course Credits and Grading

• Total credits for the program are approximately 90–94, divided between coursework, seminars, comprehensive viva, and thesis evaluation.
• Minimum grades and CGPA requirements must be met to qualify for the degree.
• Failure to meet academic standards may result in repeating courses or discontinuation.

Supervisors and Research Work

• Each student is assigned up to two supervisors who guide coursework and thesis research.
• Research topics are assigned by supervisors and must be related to the project or scheme under which the student is registered.
• Interdisciplinary or sponsored candidates may have joint supervisors from the Institute and sponsoring organization.

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Advice and Guidance of doing AI Research for both MS and PhD in IIT Kharagpur or India

I have written detailed tutorials and YouTube videos on this topic to help you out. I wish you all the very best.

How to Get Started with Research in AI for Medicine: A Comprehensive Guide

A Self-help guide to starting your own Machine Learning research project

How to build an end-to-end Data Science project from scratch

I would love your comments and get feedback from you.

Disclaimer: These facts are based on my experience during my MS research tenure and may change over time. I advise you first to approach your Office of the respective departments and enquire about the requirements and various formalities that must be completed and submitted by the student. However, for a detailed interpretation of the rules, kindly enquire with the PGSRS section in advance.

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Related articles that may be of interest to you

I wish you all the very best for starting your journey in research. I have summed up my learning over the past five years in academia in the following articles

1. A Self-help guide to starting your own Machine Learning research project
2. Ten ways to sharpen your Soft Skills as a grad student