The Ultimate Showdown: Inter-IIT Tech Meet 14.0
~Dhairya Garg, Shreyas Das
The Inter-IIT Tech Meet is the annual tech competition that is held by and for IITs. It is arguably the most prestigious technological event held among IITs. Held every December since 2012, this annual event unites the brightest minds from all IITs in a fierce battle of wits where intense innovation and collaboration coexist with rivalry and high-stakes competition. Students from all years across all IITs pour in their sweat, blood, and tears to compete, stand out, and ultimately win this prestigious title.
Inter-IIT Tech Meet: And What It Represents
This event is a showdown between IITs, each fighting to excel in various technical fields, while at the same time addressing real-world problems presented by companies in various fields such as Aerospace, Robotics, AI, etc.
After being the host for the Inter-IIT Cultural Meet last year, IIT Patna is set to host the 14th and current edition of Inter-IIT Tech Meet from 11th to 14th December this year. For the tech clubs at IITP, preparations for this year’s Inter-IIT Tech Meet have reached a fever pitch, as not only are they determined to bring home the trophy, but they are also proudly serving as the architects and hosts of the prestigious event itself.
4 Days Of Action
The Inter-IIT Tech Meet, in its usual 4-day jam-packed schedule, sees various showcases, talks, & GLs, along with the presentations of the competing IITs. The 2 primary subparts that the event consists of are Problem Statements and R&I. To keep things fair and challenging, the Problem Statements are sorted into four preparation tiers: High Prep, Mid Prep, Low Prep, and No Prep. This classification is based on the time and resources needed to tackle them, often up to the discretion of the pitching company itself.
Hosts, Past And Present
After the success of the Inter-IIT Sports Meet (etd. 1961), the Inter-IIT Tech Meet was introduced in 2012 (held in IIT Kanpur), as an alternative method of establishing networks and competitive spirit between various IITs. Since then, it has been a resounding success and has been hosted by multiple noted IITs. This year’s edition will be held by IIT Patna, following its successful hosting of the Inter IIT Cult 7.0, reflecting its growing stature amongst various IITs.
From The Start
Securing the rights to host this prestigious event was not easy and required meticulous planning. The process commenced with the previous hosts, IIT Bombay, offering a platform where interested parties could informally express their interest in hosting this event. The pitching process was generally led by the general secretaries or the contingent leaders of the respective IITs. After informal pitching, the directors approve the tentative budget and hosting plan provided by the contingent leaders from the new hosts-to-be. Following this procedure, the approval for hosting is granted. Further, an official email is sent to all technical representatives (Gensecs), followed by a board meeting where voting occurs. The IIT with the most votes gets the hosting rights.
Why Host At All?
While hosting might be a tedious task, it is not a burden. Being the host for this prestigious event allows IITs to showcase their institute, build something new, and continue the legacy of this meet. Primarily for a 2nd gen IIT, hosting events such as Inter IIT is a good medium to showcase their managerial and otherwise capabilities, while also bridging the gap between 2nd gen and 1st gen IITs.
Further, a question of how hosting is monetarily feasible for an IIT arises. When asked, one of the overall coordinators said,
“...The main income sources are participant fees and sponsorships. Some years, like this one, the event can be feasible [without major admin intervention] due to good sponsorships and participant fees, while other years it might not be.”
Organization & Logisitics
Post the host selection process, we find ourselves on the next big stage of the meet- the organization of it all. The first step in this task is the selection of the Overall Coordinators. The process, as stated by one of the overall coordinators, is a simple 3-part process: a mail is sent by the Vice President of Students’ Gymkhana for volunteers concerning this position, candidates are then shortlisted on the basis of their application responses, and the selection is finalised based on an interview.
The grand task of organizing and being responsible for the Inter-IIT Tech Meet then falls on these two selected candidates. This edition, this task has been assigned to Shivank Goyal and Vinayak Goyal.
“[Overall Coordinators] report to no one; they are the heads of Inter-IIT Tech and communicate directly with professors, PICs, and Deans.”
Next up, the ‘OC’ (Organizing Committee) is formed. This is the small army that works nonstop, turning all the ideas into a reality. This set of volunteers is selected directly by the Overall Coordinators.
And There It Begins
With the organizing committe in place, the organizational processes commences. As per one of the overall coordinators, the first task is assigned to the outreach team. The outreach team is the set of volunteers responsible for the primary task approaching companies for problem statement submission.
Shivank shed light on the timelines of different committees within the OC:
“The outreach committee starts first, working heavily at the start. Creative and production teams work in parallel. Finances come into play after problem statements are released, and hospitality is handled last.”
PS: This Is What The Fight Is All About
A PS, or a Problem Statement, is a challenge given by a company, circulated to all IITs, which participants work on. It helps companies build solutions or identify talent, and the problem statement carries the company’s name for branding. In this event, it is very frequent that big names such as Google, Microsoft, ISRO, Adobe, etc, submit problem statements.
The pitching process typically starts soon after the hosting rights are given, this time on around September. The outreach starts with multinational companies such as Microsoft, Google, Adobe, etc.
Confidentiality, And The Benefits Of Being The Host
Maintaining confidentiality regarding the Problem Statements is an important task, so as to keep this event free and fair for all. Apropos confidentiality, a small outreach team handles company communications. Once a positive response is received, all communication moves to a separate mail ID managed by convenors and coordinators until the problem statement is officially released.
Further, this then makes sure that there is no unfair benefit of being the host IIT. The OC also exists separately from the participating contingent.
Author’s Note
Hosting 2 consecutive Inter IITs is no small feat, and is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our fellow students. We hope this marks as a gentle push for the junior batches to keep this momentum running forward, and as an appreciation who have made this possible.
Interviewer: Dhairya Garg
Interviewee: Shivank Goyal
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