Why do research and your dissertation with us? 

IITM started out as a professional college, but now has become one of the most vibrant university campuses in the country. We pursue research in all major areas of science, engineering, humanities and social sciences. In due course, we hope to become a campus with a comprehensive university culture. Consistent with this vision, today we are a very multi-disciplinary campus with seamless exchange of ideas between professional researchers from various walks of academia. 

Most of our research students (in fact all full timers, which is 90% of our research student population) are supported through nationally funded scholarships. Considering the fact that IITM is a residential campus with a highly regulated market (ensuring low cost of living), the students have a very high value proposition. The value research students get by being part of us is on par with anything they will ever get, as far as academia goes. Currently students make it to our MS/PhD programs through many mechanisms including sponsored programs (for candidates sponsored via industries and various national and international agencies), part-time options etc.

IITM can truly claim access to veritable national resources; most importantly the scholarly strength of the faculty, post-docs and research scholars. In terms of national relevance, work we do speaks for itself. In short, for a career as a scholar and researcher, especially in India and increasingly across the globe, IITM offers the right combination of (a) intellectual resources, (b) financial resources, (c) exposure and access to international vistas, (d) student-centric culture and (e) nationally relevant professional preparation, with a truly global perspective. These I believe are extremely good reasons to be in IITM.

PS: I occasionally run into students who have completed their degrees abroad, but laden with the burden of huge loans. Occasionally preparation for the job market currently prevailing in the country is also missing. 

Considering IITM's support mechanisms for students and it's current culture, I think it is reasonable to believe that almost none of our students are ill-prepared for India or financially burdened. Our students are ready for making nationally and internationally relevant societal contributions in research and development, through their access to IITM's resources (including knowledge capital and infrastructure), and solid scholarly training they receive here.