FAQ

Ans. Please write to molbio@acads.iiserpune.ac.in to explore the dates. However, please note that we will handle 10 students at a time. So if the number of students is more, then we can accommodate them in multiples of 10 over multiple workshops. If the number of students is less, you should encourage them to participate individually.

Q. Can I accompany my ward inside the lab during the workshop?

Ans. Sorry, no. Only the participants can be allowed inside the laboratory. We have no provision for waiting space for the parents either.

Q. What are the prerequisites for attending this workshop?

Ans. Our workshops are open to all and people who are currently not enrolled in a course can also participate. The Basic workshops are aimed at School (IX-XII) and College students (Bachelors) students, while the Advanced workshops are aimed at Bachelors, Masters and PhD students. We do not mind if Masters and PhD students take part in the basic workshops. However, we do not encourage school (i.e. up to class XII) students to take part in the advanced workshops, as our experience suggests that the content becomes a little too heavy for them.

Q. Can everybody, who applies, attend the course?

Ans. Yes, subject to availability of seats. To optimize learning, we will not take more than 10-12 students per workshop (depending on the nature of the workshop). Registration is strictly on a first-come-first-served basis.

Q. I paid and registered for one of the workshops. But now my plans have changed. Can I participate in some other workshop instead? Can you refund?

Ans. Sorry, not possible.

Q. I have paid the fees, but now it is not possible for me to attend due to <some reason>. Can my friend/someone else attend the course in place of me?

Ans. No, it is not a transferable offer. Therefore, once you have paid the registration fees, nobody can substitute you under any circumstances.

Q. I can see a date as "Free" in the table on the workshop page. However, that date is not showing up on the form. Why is this happening and what do I do now, particularly when none of the other dates are suitable for me?

Ans: The form is updated in real time, while the table takes a while to update. Therefore, it is possible that although a date is showing up as free on the workshop page, it is not showing up on the registration form. In that case, you will need to choose a different date from the ones available on the registration form. In case none of the available dates are suitable, you should NOT submit the form. You should then contact us immediately over email (molbio@acads.iiserpune.ac.in). You should mention the issue and attach the payment receipt and your bank details with the email. We will check whether we have indeed received the payment or not. If we have received the payment, then we will issue you a full refund. Please note that the process of issuing the refund will take 7-10 working days. Please note that once you have submitted the form for a particular date, then we cannot refund the fees or change the dates. Therefore, for getting the refund, you must write to us before you submit the form.

Q. I can see a date on the form, but when I am trying to fill the form, it is saying something has changed, and not allowing me to submit. What has gone wrong?

Ans: This is a very rare occurrence. It can happen when someone has ended up submitting the form for the last spot on that date, while you were entering your data. In this case, you will need to choose a different date on the form, as we follow a strict first-come-first-served policy. If none of the dates are suitable for you, then follow the steps suggested in response to the question above (i.e. write to molbio@acads.iiserpune.ac.in, attach your receipt and bank details, and request for a refund).

Q. I and my friends want to attend the workshop together on a particular date. Since the form does not tell us how many seats are left on a given date, how do we ensure that we sign up for the same date?

Ans: In this case, you should write an email to molbio@acads.iiserpune.ac.in immediately, stating how many of you want to attend, and the dates that suit you the most. We will advise you about the dates on which we have the required number of free slots. You will then be required to pay the fees through SB Collect and send us the receipts. We will then guide you about how to fill the form.

Q. I can attend the course only partially. Will I get a certificate? Can I pay partial fees?

Ans. Sorry, no on both counts.

Q. What is included in the registration fees?

Ans. The registration fees include the following:

All chemicals and consumables as required for carrying out the experiments.
Access to course materials.

Note that we will supply sufficient chemicals for all students to perform the experiments on their own once. However, these chemicals are very expensive. Therefore, if the participants end up wasting all or part of the chemicals, it will not be possible for us to resupply them.

Q. Will the registration cover food/travel/accommodation?

Ans. Sorry, no. The participants will need to make their own arrangements towards food, travel and accommodation.

Q. What will be the language of instruction?

Ans. The medium of instruction would be English.

Q. Some of the experiments in workshop <A> seem to be common with those in workshop <B>. Why so?

Ans. Each of our workshop covers a number of related techniques related to a particular aim. Therefore, some basic techniques like PCR, AGE, nucleic acid extraction etc., will always be common between workshops. Also, each workshop is an independent learning experience, and therefore, self-contained. Thus, the repetition of a small subset of experiments is by design and is not a flaw.

Q. I am an outstation participant. Where can I find accommodation and food?

Ans. Registered participants will have to make their own arrangements for food and accommodation. They can avail the IISER canteen facilities for food. For accommodation, the candidates can either look at IISER-Pune hostel accommodation page.

The other option is to directly contact the IISER Guest House (managergh@iiserpune.ac.in) and enquire about the availability of rooms and rates. Please note that guest house facilities are under very heavy demand and registration to the course does not automatically guaranty accommodation. Therefore you are requested to book your accommodation as early as possible.

Q. I have some queries. Whom can I contact?

Ans. Please drop an email to molbio@acads.iiserpune.ac.in