This is your best chance to journey to the centre of the earth. And you’d better not be claustrophobic. Institute of Career Studies dishes out the dirt
BTech, Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad :
The Indian School of Mines (ISM) was established by the Government of India in 1926 on the pattern of the Royal School of Mines in London, with the aim of providing manpower to the Indian mining industry. In recognition of its role in mineral exploration and the mining sector, the school was granted autonomy by the government in 1967 and has been functioning since then as a deemed university. ISM is located at the core of the mining region of eastern India. It has a state-of-the-art computer centre, a computer aided mine planning and design laboratory, a highly specialised library and, its USP, an experimental-cum-training mine.

ISM offers BTech courses in computer science and engineering, electronics and instrumentation, electrical engineering, environment engineering, mining engineering, mining machinery engineering, mineral and petroleum engineering and mechanical engineering. The school also has a five-year integrated MSc programme in applied physics, applied chemistry, mathematics and computing, an MSc in applied geology and applied geophysics, an MBA programme, five-year dual degree programmes and MPhil and PhD courses.

The notification is published in November. Application forms can be submitted online (www.ismd.ac.in) or offline (Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad-826004, Jharkhand). The forms are available from designated branches of banks on payment of Rs 1, 000 (Rs 500 for female and SC / ST candidates). Students are selected on the basis of their performance in the IIT-JEE exam.

Eligibility:
To sit for IIT-JEE, applicants should have passed or be appearing for any of these exams: Plus Two, intermediate or two-year pre-university exam, A-levels, Senior Secondary School exam conducted by the National Open School with a minimum of five subjects and three or four-year diploma recognised by AICTE or a state board of technical education. Candidates should be 25 years old or less on October 1 of the year of examination.

Entrance exam :
The IIT-JEE is held on the second Sunday in April at several cities across the country.

Pattern of exam :
There are two question papers of three hours duration each with objective-type questions from physics, mathematics and chemistry, designed to test aptitude, comprehension and analytical ability of the candidates.

How to prepare:
It is important to be clear and thorough on all concepts. The IIT-JEE syllabus is similar to what you study at the Plus Two level. Therefore, it is advisable to dovetail your studies rather than pursue divergent tracks. For homework, attempt the questions on atoms, gravitation and quadratic equations while the topics are being taught in class. Some of the books you can refer to are Mathematics by S.L. Loni, I.A. Maron and Tata McGraw Hill publishers, Physics by I.E. Irodov, H.C. Verma and Tata McGraw Hill publishers and Chemistry by Arihant publishers as well as Physical Chemistry by R.C. Mukherji. Also, practise answering previous years’ papers within the time limit.

Sample Test Paper:

An open cylindrical tank 2 m high and 1 m in diameter, contains water up to a height of 1.5 m. The frequency attained by the tank without spilling any water is:

a) 85 rpm

b) 80 rpm

c) 90 rpm

d) 100 rpm

The plane face of the plane convex lens of coal length 20 cm is silvered. What type of mirror will it have and of what focal length?

a) convex f = 20 cm

b) convex f = 10 cm

c) concave f = 20 cm

d) concave f = 10 cm

For a conductor of non uniform curvature, the charge density

a) is uniform over the entire volume

b) is uniform over the entire surface

c) is higher at the points of higher curvature

d) is lower at the points of higher curvature

Linear equations which are homogeneous have:

a) only trivial solution

b) infinite solutions

c) unique solution

d) none of these

A and B are two events. The probability that both occur is 1/6. The probability that neither occur is 1/3. Then the probability of the two events is:

a) 5/6 and 2/3

b) 1/2 and 1/4

c) 1/2and 1/3

d) 1/3 and 1/4

Sources: The Telegraph (Kolkata, India)