Swiss versus Indian institutes of technology

A typical lecture hall at ETHZ. Devendra Shintre

Devendra finds a lot of similarities between Swiss and Indian elite universities.  

I was fortunate enough to have been educated at one of the finest universities in my country: the Indian Institute of Technology in MadrasExternal link (IIT). My expectation of Switzerland’s Federal Institute of Technology in ZurichExternal link (ETHZ) was quite high. I had heard a few stories from IIT alumni vividly describing how rigorous ETHZ is, especially the mathematics department. My experience was mixed. Some of the courses I took were far easier than I expected.  On the other hand, some were extremely tough and demanding. The course difficulty, so far, has always been on opposite ends of the spectrum. However, the typical semester course load for a regular student is much lighter at ETHZ than IIT. 

Lecture schedules were also quite different than India. The typical duration of a lecture is usually two hours (with a small break in between) instead of an hour in India. I like this schedule better, as it means less repetition. However, concentrating on one subject can become quite difficult, especially when a two-hour lecture is followed by a two-hour tutorial class. These tutorial class are handled by teaching assistants. Sometimes it is an extension of lecture, but most of the time it is just a session to clarify any doubts. 

When it comes to the teaching quality and methodology, ETHZ is quite like IIT. As with any education institute, there are bad and good lecturers. Something I found unique and nice is that students knock on their benches after a lecture to show their appreciation. 

A sign asking for silence as an exam is in progress. Devendra Shintre

Exams at ETHZ are a completely different experience. They are usually in written format and sometimes online. Some courses even have oral exams. Although, I haven’t had an oral exam yet, I have heard that they are easier than written ones. This is largely due to the tendency of examiners to guide the student towards the right answer, especially in the case of a silly mistake in a proof. But then again, it depends a lot on the examiner, and some may choose to make you feel stressed to check how well you perform under pressure. 

Exams at ETHZ are usually after the vacation. That means I have to study during vacation. In addition, the exams stretch over a month which means two fewer months of vacation. I had only four exams but couldn’t go home during the summer because of this. All that studying helped. My academic performance was similar to India in terms of exam results, so I wouldn’t say that the exams are tougher here. It depends a lot on the course selection. 

Overall, apart from these superficial differences, I felt that pedagogical environment is similar at the premier institutes in both countries. Research work, on the other hand, is a different ball game. The large amount of money the Swiss spend on research allows for more freedom to experiment. Unlike India, industry collaborations are not that rare. Swiss and international companies offer a position to write a master thesis with them. Whereas in India, companies usually prefer in-house research rather than collaborating with academic institutes. I think IITs and Indian industries can both benefit from increased interaction.

For more blog posts and information on studying in Switzerland visit our dedicated page Education Swiss Made.