IIT Bhilai welcomed its new cohort of around 600 newly admitted students on July 23, 2026.
To ensure a smooth transition into campus life, the Student Mentorship Program (SMP) is
hosting an immersive four-day Orientation Program from July 24 to 27. An interactive
session was organized for incoming students and their parents, during which Director Prof.
Rajiv Prakash and senior faculty members—including Deans Prof. Soumya Gangopadhyaya,
Prof. Santosh Biswas, Dr. Sudhanwa Patra, and Dr. Kuldeep Kataria, alongside SMP Faculty-
in-Charge Dr. Praveen Kumar—shared key insights into campus facilities, academic support,
and student life. The orientation aims to familiarize freshers with the academic, research, and
extracurricular opportunities at the institute.
In an engaging address to the incoming batch of freshers, IIT Bhilai Director Prof. Rajiv
Prakash cautioned students against viewing admission as the final destination. “Reaching an
IIT is like arriving at the base camp of Mount Everest—it is not the summit yet,” he
remarked, emphasizing that reaching the peak of success requires continuous discipline, grit,
and hard work.
Prof. Prakash urged students to leverage their education for the broader public good, pointing
out that student-driven startups are essential for tackling real-world societal problems. He
encouraged the students to go for incubation and form startups for the nation. They should
cater to the society’s needs and carry the “nation first” ideology. They must become job
creators instead of job seekers. Highlighting the institute’s expanding research and
development footprint, he motivated freshers to gain practical skills in emerging domains,
engage in R&D projects, and pursue entrepreneurial ventures alongside their academic goals.
Underlining the value of campus culture, the Director described IIT Bhilai as a close-knit,
supportive family dedicated to collective progress, encouraging freshers to embrace hostel
life for holistic personal development. Crucially, he noted that character must always take
precedence over achievement, advising students to prioritize empathy and integrity. He also
called for an inclusive learning environment, asserting that language should never be an
obstacle to acquiring knowledge.
