FAQs during Publicity

1. Why should we participate in this kind of exam?

Ans...:-Well, firstly this is the only national level exam for school students which is conducted by
such a highly reputed college like IITG. Students these days are generally made to mug formulae
and theories. This is a different type of exam. This prelims round is purely based on logical
thinking, reasoning ability and out-of-thebox thinking. Moreover, by participating in this type of a
huge national level exam, your student will get a first-hand experience of the competitive
environment.

2. What will the students get out of writing this?

Ans..:-We give national rankings for all the students who write this exam. Gold and Silver
Certificates are provided to the top 250 teams in each squad. Moreover, since this paper is simply
based on the application of the brain skills, this will also improve their reasoning power and
analytical thinking. And also if they qualify then in the 2nd round at IIT Guwahati, they will get
chance to interact with eminent personalities from all over the world, visit IITG labs, workshops,
take part in events like Robotics (1st time a robotics competition is organized for school students in
India), Science Exhibition etc. And most of all, its a chance for the students to experience life at an
IIT much before even writing the IIT-JEE!

3. Why are you guys conducting it? What is your final aim?
Ans..:-Because we have seen that school students in India are not exposed to the technical
knowledge. So we decided to give them chance to be an engineer in their school days.

4. Guwahati is a terror prone area. What kind of security you can provide to our students?
Ans..:-Sir, the campus is very safe. For the last 15 years there have been no such incidents. About
2000 students are doing B Tech alone in IIT Guwahati. They are from all possible regions from
across the country. No one has yet reported any such incident. We pick the teams from the railway
station & they are escorted by us in the college bus. Also we have a CRPF camp in our college
campus next to the hostels. So, you need not to fear at all.

5. What about boarding and lodging etc?

Ans..:-Sir, we provide boarding & lodging facilities at our campus. We have the best hospitality as
compared among the other any tech-fests. The hostels provide varied food items from across the
country. And the participants that came during the last few years were extremely happy with the
accommodation. Teams had come from abroad last year for the first time (Singapore and dubai)
and they were also extremely happy with the accommodation provided by us.

6. What about the teachers n Profs i.e. will there be any arrangements for them?
Ans..:-Sir one teacher/prof is allowed with each team & we shall provide accommodation to them
along with the students which will again be paid.

7. Last year there was communication problem between students and their parents due to
non-functioning of cell phones from outside Guwahati. What kind of arrangements can you
make this year?
Ans..:-STD booths are available in hostels which are open 24 hrs a day. In case of emergency,
there are volunteers of Techniche present at almost all locations who have postpaid phones which
the students can use. I would also suggest that if you have a postpaid number kindly give it to the
students as postpaid numbers do provide roaming in this part of the country.

8. The school whose team failed to make final entry into Technothlon. Wont they be given
their state as well as national rank or at least a certificate of participation?
Ans..:-Sorry sir we wont be able to provide any certificate or ranking. Sir, you can understand our
problem by observing such huge scale participation. But yes the school ranking will be provided on
the national level. And we have Silver Certificates for the Top 250 teams.
9. When are you going to conduct the exam and when will the result be declared?
Ans..:-On 14th July is the prelims at around 200 centers worldwide, and the result of prelims will be
declared during the 1 week of August, and then the selected teams will be invited to take part in
the 2nd round at IIT Guwahati during Technichein September
st

10. How many schools participated last year and which school was the winner?
Ans..:-More than 2500 schools from all over India participated in the prelims last year.

11. Will my students be able to compete at IITG?

Ans..:-Sir, two years ago a modest school from Shillong stood first in the overall competition
defeating a large number of high profile institutes from Delhi, Hyderabad...the students caliber cant
be predicted till it isnt subjected to competitive grounds. Moreover, students from small profile
towns like Sikar, Akola etc had cleared the prelims round and had performed well in the finals. The
dim feeling of reluctance on your part is understandable but believe me, its just the confidence,
determination and vision that matters. Time and again, there have been instances which illuminate
the power of vision on the face of adversities.

12. Will the students get overloaded due to all the stuff like monthly quizzes, prelims and
also with their curriculum??
Ans..:-Monthly Quizzes and prelims are like the aptitude test, so these all will only help the
students to enhance their thinking ability, and also the since no preparations are required for giving
these exams, so they just have to spend the time corresponding to the duration of the exam.

13. Leave the person who won the prelims and came to IIT, what can an average student
learn from the prelims and stuff??
Ans..:-Technopedia (explain about technopedia) has a lot to offer for an average student. It has in
store myriad amazing things, which even an average student can be enticingly attracted to. It will
promisingly inspire them to venture more into the infinite world of technology and science.

14. Why IITG over IITD and IITR?

Ans..:-Sir, IITG is the only IIT which has taken the initiative of indulging in the school level
competitions, achieving unimaginable heights of success in the first year of implementation
itself(prelims precisely).

15. How it will benefit the streams other then engineering???

Ans:-(Provide Details of competitions like VSM, CSI etc work) management field plus its not only
about the competition, its also about the exposure that a student would enthrall from visiting an
IITs techno management fest...

16. The principal says, "Im busy now, I cant attend to u now. Come some other day."
Ans..-Get his contact by any means and then first ask him/her that sir I will take only few minutes,
if he allows you then brief him about Technothlon in short but powerful way so that he get some
interest, and then just ask him/her for the faculty coordinator, and if faculty coordinator is also busy
then just take next appointment. Because in any case you have to try to interact with students
directly in each and every school and in case you do not get the permission to do so, then at-least
you have to bring contact of faculty coordinator of every school.

17. Your institute promises a lot of things but the team never keeps it words. We didnt
receive our prizes of your previous festival so called Alcheringa and more over the
participation certificates for the students were sent very late. How can we trust you?
Ans..:-Sir we know that delays do happen sometimes. Sir we are sorry for that but things are not
always under our control. But sir I ensure that this wont happen this time. I will try my level best.

18. Moreover the prelims results are declared very late and with the time left we cant
reserve our tickets to your institute and hence we face a lot of problem in travelling. Can
you please get a solution for that?
Ans..:- Sir this time the results of the prelims will be declared in the 1st week of the august so you
have 1 month before mains. Also sir you can make prior reservation to avoid any problems and if
the team is not selected you can always cancel the same, its better than paying for tatkal tickets
later.

19. A personal question.....what are you personally gaining in return by organizing this sort
of festivals?
Ans..:-Sir I being a student want to help the student community, & by organizing this event we
provide a platform to the budding talents. Being a student of IIT-G its my responsibility to make this
event successful. Personally this will develop my overall personality. Also I think that our region
has got a pool of talent which needs to be explored.

20. Sometimes the principal may just say," I will inform my students about the competition,
if they are interested I will inform you." how to deal this situation?
Ans:-Try your best to convince him so that he lets you to interact with the students, because finally
students are important for you. If not possible try to convince the faculty coordinator who can
represent you in his school.

21. Why do you people collect money at all? You are after all, a non-profit organization.
Why do you collect money?
Ans..:-Sir, it is true that we are a non-profit organization. Conducting an exam of this magnitude
across the country and abroad is no mean feat. There are a lot of intricacies involved, centers to be
fixed, question papers to be made and printed, and despite Technothlon having gone abroad since
last year we have maintained the minimal fee. Moreover, the personalities who attend the Lecture
Series at Techniche are very big (explain). We also conduct events of robotics, online modules etc
which require funding. All materials are provided by us. Moreover, as a Social Initiative we are
planning to conduct the prelims round at free of cost for under-privileged students. So as you can
see, the fee is very fair and we maintain our status of being a non-profit organization.

22. The principal might say that he/she will only allow the brighter students from the school
to participate saying that the other students are not as good to take part in such
examinations.
Ans..:-Sir, Our whole point of this exam is that it is one which is purely based on Logical Thinking,
analytic reasoning and the ability to think out of the box. This has no relation with academic
performance. It is highly possible that a student, who you do not expect to do well, actually
out-performs all the top students. In fact, it has already happened that way! ( )

23. Why should we register for an exam that is to be conducted in July?? (For public in
december)
Ans.:-Technopedia(Online Module, explain about that). Technopedia involves lots of quizzes,
monthly articles, forums for discussion etc.. They provide a platform for students to interact with the
highest minds in the country. Moreover, the quizzes can act as sort of sample questions for the
prelims exam. Another fact is that we students, who conduct this exam and help you in the process
of registration, wont be available during the next 4 months in your city as we have to go back to
the college. Hence it will be easier for you to register now as we do not the interested students to
miss out on this.

A word from the organizers:

Organising an event of this magnitude is something that you will cherish and enjoy for the rest of
your life. And last but not the least, bear in mind that you are an IITian. When you approach the
principals and media persons in your city, you are representing the IIT Guwahati community. Be
proud about it.