Sreelakshmi PS
Interest is a part of human experience that comes from jumping into the unknown. Sreelakshmi PS has an idea of it and during her years in her BTech Degree in Computer Science and Engineering, as she came near the end of her degree, it was mandated that students garner 100 activity points for completion. With it came various methods to gather them, however, one stuck out to her, not just because of the 50 points per course addendum, but because of its diversity. This was her first exposure to the National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL).
She explored the platform beyond the requirement, driven by a curiosity to experiment. Her first course was “Introduction to Internet of Things (IoT)” offered by IIT Kharagpur. Although she initially did not know how to approach an NPTEL course, the experience helped her understand how she preferred to learn.
This was also where her natural interest grew, and it became more than just activity points.
Today, she works as a Junior Research Fellow at UC C25 Chips, funded by MITO and the Indian Government’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, at the Raj School of Engineering and Technology in Kochi, Kerala. She is also pursuing a PhD in Computer Science and Engineering. Even at this stage in her career, she still takes part in NPTEL courses and continues to learn. A course that stuck with her along the journey was “Joy of Computing using Python” by Sudar Shanayan Sur from IIT Ropar, where the concepts were taught in an intuitive, game-like manner. It was a good experience, and her good results reflected that
However, not every course came as easily. As interest in Artificial Intelligence continued to grow, she took “Introduction to Machine Learning” from IIT Madras. Unlike many of her other courses, which leaned towards practical or theoretical learning, this one was heavily mathematical. She struggled with the depth of the material but persevered, completing her assignments on time and sitting for the examination. Her experience did not stop there. She encouraged her brother to explore NPTEL as well, and the two eventually took a “Deep Learning” course from IIT Ropar together.
Her approach remains consistent: completing assignments before the deadline, watching the lectures thoroughly, reviewing the slides and making notes alongside her college or PhD work. As such, her current goals are set to complete her PhD and enter into the research field and associated departments. During this time, she did take on multiple courses, and found that given her schedule, a singular course at a time was the optimal approach.
These experiences broadened her knowledge beyond her formal curriculum, while also giving her practical methods and they didn’t just offer theory, but also implementation ideas and tips which worked wonders in the practical field.
As such, she often tells others to give at least one course of their choosing a try, even a simple one, the interest will follow.
The opportunity to learn from leading professors from the comfort of one’s room, combined with affordable examinations and recognised certifications, makes NPTEL a valuable addition to one’s learning journey and resume. As she puts it, the first step is the hardest; once someone begins, the motivation to keep learning can follow naturally.
~written by Krishneal Dutta