I am a BTech in Computer Science and Engineering department from IIT Bombay. I graduated in 2020 and in this blog post I would attempt to explain why I think that Computer Science and Engineering is the best branch in any IIT.
If an aspirant already has a preference for some other branch, then I’m not trying to discourage their decision but I would want them to make an informed decision after reading this blog post.
Why is Computer Science and Engineering the best branch in any IIT?
It’s not a simple question to answer so I will divide the answer by considering different aspects of engineering and life after graduation.
Relevance of Syllabus
The syllabus in Computer Science and Engineering unlike other branches is the closest to what one expects from the subject. Students have a general opinion on what their branch will teach them in the next 4 to 5 years. But in most of the branches, the syllabus is far different and opposite to what they expected and hence they feel like this is not what they opted for at the start.
Interest in Subject
Since, the syllabus in CSE is closest to what one expects when entering this field, their interest in the subject remains strong till the end. Yes, there might be a couple of courses which is not your cup of tea or which you dont like at all but when you look at the big picture, you will see that you understood the subject better because most of the courses were relevant and interesting.
How helpful in placements
In placements, most of the IT jobs as well as other jobs require a basic level of Data Structures and Algorithms and being comfortable in atleast one of the basic languages.
Both of these points are covered in the syllabus of CSE and hence the students just need to revise them before placements and not prepare them from scratch like students from other branches.
How relevant in Jobs
Even after job, CSE continues to be the most relevant subject as the things learnt in the course is always useful for the day to day tasks in your job. In other branches, the picture is quiet different. Their syllabus has almost nothing to do with the tasks they perform in their job.
Salary / CTC
It is no secret that the IT firms, quant firms, software firms pay the highest to their employees. And this is the main reason why students from other branches ditch their core jobs and go into software or IT sector. Being a CSE student, one always gets preference over other branch students in placements or lateral hiring.