In Conversation with Aripra Kar

Hello Everyone! I am Aripra Kar, a former student of Miranda House, Department of Mathematics (Batch of 2020). I am currently pursuing a Master in Mathematics from IIT Delhi.

How would you describe your journey at grad school so far?

Quite different from what one expects grad school to normally be. It is mainly accredited to the ongoing pandemic which is accompanied by delayed semesters, virtual classes, extra-tough question papers, in fact, the most bugging bit of it is the fact that we did not get a chance to meet our batch-mates or our faculty, neither live the campus life which most of us are majorly excited about. It was vastly different from the undergrad experience, where we got to rejoice in life a little more, everything used to take place at a slower pace, much contrary to how it is now. It was pretty challenging for me to get adjusted to the fast-paced atmosphere for the first few months, but I have definitely learned how to go about it now.

“Research or Corporate jobs” is always a big dilemma for students pursuing pure sciences. What are your plans after completing your Master’s?

This is the toughest choice one has to make at this stage and both come with their own advantages. However, I have to say I fall under the category who hasn’t decided upon a single path yet, which most of us should, by this time. I am keeping both options open for myself right now.

Students tend to lose their interest in mathematics over time. What are the things that made the subject intriguing for you?

Math had always been a sort of hobby for me, so I never lost interest in the subject per se. However, when levels increase, and especially in the undergrad and grad stages where the entire concept of Mathematics gets shifted to something completely different from what we had learned in school, it seems to get a bit challenging and people mostly lose their interest at this point. But I must say, when you look into Mathematics beyond the complicated language and theorems and symbols and try to comprehend the ideas with a simple outlook, it makes things a lot easier to digest. All I have ever done to keep me going is continue to have faith in Math, because after all, it is one of the most respectable fields one can ever go into, globally.

We have been hit by a second wave of Covid-19 and the Batch of 2021 is, once again, expecting online college education in their first year of post-graduation. What suggestions would you give them for maximizing their college experience?

Yes, it is quite unfortunate for everybody. However, I must say that it is not all bad, surely a new experience. You do make friends even though you are miles apart, you do excel in your studies with a tad bit more effort and most importantly, this is the new normal system that we all have to accept and embrace, till hopefully, things get better. My only suggestion here would be, that the best way to maximize your online college experience would be to take part in extra-curriculars and be a part of societies, now more than ever. It gives you the best chance to meet and interact with fresh minds, which otherwise a normal campus life would have given you.

How is the research scenario in post-graduation? Did you get any research opportunities?

In post-graduation one usually has to do a couple of research-based projects under experienced faculty, which gives a nice understanding of how research work takes place or how publications are written and compiled. Apart from that, you get to interact with a lot of Ph.D. students who are currently pursuing their research and they are the best people to clarify all your research-related doubts. Most students opt for Summer Research Internships in prestigious institutes like TIFR, VSRP, etc. which also gives a good exposure.

Any advice for the students who are planning to sit for JAM next year?

The most important thing is consistency- keep in touch with notes regularly, sit for as many timed mock tests as you can, and solve tons of problems and previous year questions so that you get familiarized with the type of questions that are asked. And if you are determined till the end, cracking Jam would not be difficult.