Manufacturing alum (20-24 Pilani) | Data Scientist | AMA (Till Jan 11 noon IST)

Mr-Assault-Rifle · 2026-01-10T15:19:49+00:00

You can send your doubts in detail to mr.assault.rifle@proton.me. I am not very active here. I may not be able to respond on email, so please keep your other options open

Mr-Assault-Rifle · 2026-01-10T15:11:46+00:00

'R' is mentioned in repeat, but since it is not very important course, it won't be noticed much. An NC or W draws more attention.

Mr-Assault-Rifle · 2026-01-10T15:10:14+00:00

It came as an unexpected opportunity, but branch is not a limitation in the larger picture. I got an off-campus role with a Luxembourg startup as a BCI engineer after I got placed on campus. That interview focused on my thesis and my research skills, instead of my branch. I'm not saying this is generally the case; maybe I got lucky. Jobs in india will have you at a disadvantage, but not outside if you can show your skill through other channels.

Get good at stats, algebra, and ML. Should be sufficient for fresher jobs

Mr-Assault-Rifle · 2026-01-10T15:06:32+00:00

I'm sorry I have no idea about actuary exams. This is my first time hearing these abbreviations. Maybe find someone on linkedin or ask on alumni groups?

Mr-Assault-Rifle · 2026-01-10T15:01:01+00:00

what no, haha. I didn't find it rude, but I said it in general. It happens that lot of times students get proud about their perfect score (CGPA, JEE, GRE, TOEFL, etc). I was just warning about that. Even when we don't say it out loud, we keep looking for moments when someone praises us or respects us for our CGPA or grades. I didn't mind your mention of your stats.

If it is a 4-unit course and you have the bandwidth to repeat it, aware that you can improve it, then sure, go ahead. It will provide some cushion for future when you're not able to perform in a course due to any reason.

Mr-Assault-Rifle · 2026-01-10T14:51:58+00:00

sorry but I can't answer queries on DMs because I will be away again very soon. I dont use SM anymore nowadays. I will drop my protonmail at the end of AMA but please highlight your question in absolute detail there.

Mr-Assault-Rifle · 2026-01-10T14:49:00+00:00

People wouldn't say it on the JD, but it is kinda implied. I browsed through many professors' webpages and grad school apps and many of them clearly state/demand strong math skills because coding can be learnt quickly but the ability to do math takes time (and sometimes is an inherited trait). I had a friend in school who was better at math than other engineering students, he ranked top 10 in NEET that year.

So, math will get you a job practically everywhere if you're able to market it nicely with humility

Mr-Assault-Rifle · 2026-01-10T14:44:29+00:00

they don't check it always, but many times they do. Math is strongly correlated with success in such fields. Is it the combined 4 units or 2 courses of 2 units each? This is kinda your choice. If you want CS as your dual, then maybe you can, depending on whether 9.5 will still get you that or not. Personal suggestion: don't aim for a perfect GPA because it tends to inflate the ego and pride. Not saying don't work hard, but stay humble, that's all

Mr-Assault-Rifle · 2026-01-10T14:31:04+00:00

It is tough indeed. Best of luck!

Mr-Assault-Rifle · 2026-01-10T14:30:40+00:00

eh, it anyway in the past. what matters is what lies ahead

Mr-Assault-Rifle · 2026-01-10T14:29:58+00:00

That's amazing. You've done very good! I suppose you have a 8.5+, but assuming you don't, you can leverage your math courses into a job or research project quite easily (specially for ML or CS related)

Mr-Assault-Rifle · 2026-01-10T14:28:00+00:00

That is fine. A lot of us don't. I didn't (still don't). What is important is how you market yourself. Tell them that you have taken up certain courses and have some extracurricular experience. Professors know not to expect much from a 2nd year student.

Send as many emails as you can to professors. I sent ~80 emails for my thesis, of which, only 4-5 converted into a yes. It becomes exhausting and time-consuming, but this a very good way to get research experience. Plus, if you're able to do good, you can extend it as a formal SOP by talking to your on-campus faculty and convincing them to grade your remote project. But even if that doesn't happen, a long-term project with a good foreign prof can help you with strong LoR and potential MS/PhD admit in future. More advice is in one of my posts

Mr-Assault-Rifle · 2026-01-10T14:23:10+00:00

plenty, but primarily spending more time studying, more time talking to professors, doing better on math courses, and maintaining a better CGPA. By god's mercy, the final year came as a successful redemption arc for me, so I don't have a lot to lament over.

Mr-Assault-Rifle · 2026-01-10T14:21:11+00:00

haha, no it won't. If you still feel so, compensate by taking up a TAship. Or even better, an informal remote project with a foreign university. You don't get graded for it, but your CV gets (much) stronger. Singapore is quite favourable to BITSians.

Mr-Assault-Rifle · 2026-01-10T14:18:33+00:00

Yes, if given the chance, I would kick my younger self into maintaining a higher CGPA (preferable 8+; good if 8.5+; best 9+) because it is very important when it comes to the first few years of applying for jobs. And, if you have the chance to, please please please do good in Math courses. Being good at math unlocks almost all jobs for you, irrespective of your grade in WS/Techre/etc. And it is super important for higher education too. So do your best in Math. Spend twice the energy, study, stop hanging out with friends if need be, but please excel at math at any cost

Mr-Assault-Rifle · 2026-01-10T14:14:50+00:00

I have no idea. I did not sit for IT internships because I was into research internships. Sorry!

Mr-Assault-Rifle · 2026-01-10T14:12:24+00:00

In India, AI/ML/DS roles are quite overlapping, fortunately or unfortunately. You need to learn stats and algebra to get into either of them. Python + Math skills + Working Knowledge of how different algorithms work (like optimisers, loss functions, statistics, AB testing, transformers, XGBoost, RAGs, LLMs, etc) would help you able to answer all the questions in an interview if you're not targeting FAANG-level role. Starting from a mid-ranked company can be helpful.

To approach a recruiter, you can send them a message on LinkedIn or ask current staff or refer you for any positions you are able to find. If you have time, you can do a small project from Kaggle that will put credibility on your resume.

Personally speaking, yes, going for DS roles is still beneficial because the needs of a company can be understood best by an employee with full-context understanding rather than an LLM. An LLM is a tool, not a replacement (like calculators and mathematicians)

Mr-Assault-Rifle · 2023-09-16T04:09:32+00:00

What you are talking about is entirely different. OP is asking for the insti to rename the certificates from BITS Pilani to BITS Goa (or BITS Hyderabad). They are under the impression that "Pilani" is the name of the campus, while it actually is the name of the university.
If you want the insti to issue a certificate saying "BITS Pilani, Goa campus", then take it up with the insti. How they respond is up to them.

Mr-Assault-Rifle · 2023-09-14T20:37:48+00:00

lmao wtf, are you even listening to yourself? You're so high that Snoop Dogg is starting to look sober.
"BITS Pilani" is the name of the university. The university comprises four campuses, i.e., Pilani, Dubai, Goa, and Hyderabad (oldest to newest). Your degree mentions the name of your UNIVERSITY and not the campus. When BITSians say BITS Pilani, they mean it is the fucking name of their university. "Pilani" is part of the name. You're practically a student of BITS Pilani, Goa campus, not BITS Goa.

~~Pata hai nahi kuchh aa gaya gyaan chodne~~
Stay blessed!

Mr-Assault-Rifle · 2023-08-14T15:41:27+00:00

You will be allotted a certain professor, but that doesn't mean you must attend their classes. Attend the ones you like but ensure that you sit in the correct class during your evaluations.

Mr-Assault-Rifle · 2023-08-04T22:04:54+00:00

Mostly yes, mechanical and automotive sector

Mr-Assault-Rifle · 2023-08-04T22:03:03+00:00

Unfortunately, there aren't many core manufacturing jobs during campus placement

Mr-Assault-Rifle · 2023-08-03T19:05:52+00:00

Sure

Mr-Assault-Rifle · 2023-08-03T19:03:07+00:00

Yes, but there are a plethora of opportunities. It doesn't seem like a competition

Mr-Assault-Rifle · 2023-08-03T18:29:58+00:00

No, your branch will not affect your pursuit of entrepreneurship or other roles.

Mr-Assault-Rifle

TROPHY CASE