Why I Chose Scaler School of Technology Over IIT Ropar For Computer Science Engineering

Pratham Jain’s decision to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science Engineering at Scaler School of Technology stems from his unwavering passion for technology and innovation. Although this first year student at SST, hailing from Punjab, cleared the JEE and gained admission to IIT Ropar for Electronics, his true desire was to immerse himself solely in Computer Science. 

While IITs and NITs are the obvious options for engineering aspirants, Pratham chose a different path where he had to overcome his fair share of difficulties along the way. “I wasn’t really keen on taking the JEE exam however it’s what my parents always wanted. I have always loved coding and hence wanted to pursue my career in computer science. I did listen to my parents and cleared the JEE, even got electronics at IIT Ropar, however, when I cleared SST’s entrance as well, this was an easy choice for me,” quips the enthusiastic coder.

Scaler School of Technology stood out as the ideal choice due to its unique approach to education, emphasizing practical knowledge and real-world application. Despite being a newer institution, the faculty comprises of industry leaders from companies like Google, Microsoft, and Meta, which made it a lucrative option for Pratham. Having mentors such as Goutham Harsha (Google) and Udit Agarwal (Google, Ex-Amazon), who provide invaluable insights through expert sessions and workshops, has further solidified his decision. The recent visit from renowned venture capitalist Rajan Anandan and sessions with influential figures like Bhavin Turakhia, founder of Titan and CodeChef, underscore the institution’s commitment to bridging the gap between academia and industry. Moreover, being located in the vibrant city of Bengaluru, a hub for technology and innovation, makes SST an ideal choice for him.

Speaking about why he took the unconventional decision of choosing a private college over an IIT, Pratham adds, "My passion for Computer Science led me to choose SST. I made the challenging decision to enroll in a forward-thinking private college over an IIT because of my deep love for technology and coding. SST stood out to me for three key reasons: First, the curriculum crafted by tech professionals is hands-on and emphasizes practical skills, which is a refreshing change from traditional college programmes. Second, the faculty comprises seasoned experts from top companies like Google, Microsoft, and Amazon, ensuring that we learn directly from industry leaders. Lastly, the programme includes an opportunity for a 1-year industry immersion which helps to gain practical experience. Many of my seniors have secured internships at Swiggy, Pazcare, etc in the 2nd year of their programme.”

SST offers a 4-year undergraduate course in computer science where students not only learn but also get ample opportunities to apply their knowledge during hackathons, coding competitions, workshops and more. Pratham shares that he has already started learning competitive programming and web development in his first year at SST, while a lot of traditional institutions teach these at a much later stage during their courses. “I recently participated in a coding contest at IIT Madras’s fest, Shaastra. There I interacted with a lot of 3rd year computer science students who haven’t yet learnt competitive programming. This made me somewhat proud of myself that I made the right choice in studying at SST, which puts me ahead in a lot of ways,” added Pratham. He has already participated and won accolades in several hackathons, the most recent one being the Unicorn Bharat Hackathon that was held in December 2024.

AT SST, students work on several real-life projects at their innovation labs. In the Robotics Lab, 3D printers are used. In the Drone Lab, students are in the process of testing a firefighting drone. It can fly to places firefighters can’t reach and help put out fires. In the IoT Lab, students also using Apple’s Vision Pro to visualize home interiors with Urban Company, helping people see how their homes will look before they’re built. Students have also built special glasses that can help blind people see. “I have also worked on the Robodog myself, we had to train it using machine learning for it to learn various commands. It is a robot dog which almost moves and acts like a real dog,” says the first year student.

Pratham adds that if you walk around the campus, you will come across a basketball court and spaces dedicated to extracurricular activities. There are also several student clubs which are emphasized at SST, promoting a balance between academics and extracurricular activities. “I myself am part of the CP Club (competitive programming), where students learn to code for contests mainly, solve several problems within a time limit and all of that is very exciting,” he says.

Finally, speaking about his advice to aspiring computer science engineers, Pratham suggests you to follow your heart. “If you love computer science like I do, then SST is a great choice. I convinced my parents, even if they were hesitant at first, they eventually agreed after realising how happy I was here on campus,” he says, adding that one shouldn’t just focus on preparing for JEE but start learning coding early if they wish to do well in college and later on in their careers.