Life in CSE conducted under GDSC IIIT Vadodara ICD by Anubhav Madhav.

1. Life in Computer Science
and Engineering
Sunday | Oct 29th,2023 | 3.30 PM IST

2. Development
Competitive
Programming
Research

3. ● Maintaining a decent CPI
● Data Structures & Algos
● Competitive Programming
● Development
● Research
● Open Source Contributions
● An Impressive Profile
● Campus Ambassador Roles
● Communities, Groups & Clubs
● Personality Development

4. Maintaining a decent CPI
● Depends on your goal
○ Placement -> 7.5 minimum or 8
○ Masters (GATE, GRE or GMAT etc.) -> 8 or 8.5 minimum
○ Family Business
● Minimum CPI for eligibility of placement according to our Institute
rules, currently is -> 6
● Some companies do not follow CPI criteria like Amazon etc.
● Some companies have minimum criteria of around 7.5 or even 8 like
Microsoft
● Most of the companies have minimum eligibility criteria of -> 7

5. Data Structures and Algorithms
● The most important subject/topic
● Majority of the companies asks questions form DSA in their interviews
● Preferred Programming Language:
○ C/C++ (faster)
○ Java (if you’re comfortable)
● Best resources to learn and practice DSA:
○ GeeksForGeeks
○ Video Lectures:
■ Java -> Kunal Kushwaha (YouTube Channel)
■ C/C++ -> Abdul Bari Course on Udemy (Algorithms playlist is
available on YouTube)

6. Competitive Programming
● CP is not compulsory, but it’s better to have a good hand at CP too
● CP can help you to get in top tech giants (FAANGM)
● You can get into “FAANGM”, without CP too
● Make a habit of practicing at least 1 question of CP daily (DSA
preferably)
● Prerequisite: None but it’s better to be good at DSA, Number Systems
etc., so that you survive in CP world well
● Coding Practice -> HackerRank and HackerEarth (beginner)
● CodeChef & Codeforces (medium level -> that too is hard)
● TopCoder & SPOJ (high level)
● LeetCode (good for Interview Preparation - for practicing DSA)

7. Competitive Programming
World Famous Programming Competitions:
○ The ACM-ICPC
○ Google Coding Competitions
■ Google Code Jam
■ Google Hash Code
■ Google Kick Start
○ TopCoder Open
○ Facebook Hacker Cup and many more

8. Development
● Web Development [FE + BE + Database + Deployment]
● Android Development [Java/Kotlin]
● iOS Development [Swift/Objective C etc.]
● Flutter (for Cross Platform Apps -> Web, Android and iOS) [Dart]
● Blockchain Development (for dapps{decentralized apps}, Smart Contracts
etc.) [Solidity, Golang etc.]
● Game Development [C#] (using Unity) (games on web -> JS)
● AR/VR Development [C#] (using ARCore/ARKit SDKs)
● and many more….. (explore yourself)
● GDSC IIIT-V’s Computer Science Resources

9. Research
● Seek answers to questions of great interest to you
● Collect, organize, analyse and interpret data (or opinions)
● To understand a situation, phenomenon or behaviour
● In CSE:
○ Algorithms
○ Artificial Intelligence
○ Architecture, compiler etc.
○ Bioinformatics, Computational Physics and Chemistry
○ Genetic Engineering, BioTech
○ Super Computers and a lot more….

10. Other subfields of CSE
● Cloud Computing
● Network Administrator (management of servers in org.)
● Database Administrator
● Data Scientist, Data Analyst
● Mathematical Foundations
○ Coding Theory, Game Theory, Graph Theory, Number Theory,
Mathematical Logics
● Algorithms and Data Structures
● Artificial Intelligence
○ AI, Computer Vision, NLP, Robotics

11. Other subfields of CSE
● Communication and Security
○ Networking, Cyber Security and Cryptography
● Computer Architecture
○ CPUs, Processors, Memory and Operating Systems
● Computer Graphics
○ Image Processing, Information Visualization
● Concurrent, Parallel and Distributed Systems (or Computing)
● Databases
○ Relational, Structured, Data Mining
● Compilers

12. Other subfields of CSE
● Scientific Computing
○ Bioinformatics, Computational Chemistry, Computational Physics,
Computational Neuroscience, Numerical Analysis
● Software Engineering
○ Computer Programming
○ System Designing
○ Software Testing
○ Data Structures
○ Algorithm Design
○ Human-Computer Interaction
○ Reverse Engineering etc.

13. Other subfields of CSE
● Theory of Computation
○ Automata Theory
○ Quantum Computing

14. Open Source
● OSS -> Open Source Softwares (free to use)
● Open Source is a complete world in itself:
○ Super Hero: Git & GitHub (simplest method by me -> but
still a lot to learn)
○ Open Source Contributions
○ Contributing code to open source projects of
various organisations
● Open Source Code is available to all in public
○ First mission to Moon: Apollo 11

15. How to contribute to Open Source?
● Prerequisites:
○ At least one programming language or tech stack (MERN, django, flutter
etc.)
○ Version Control System [Git, {GitHub, GitLab, BitBucket}]
● Make a habit of maintaining and pushing all your projects on GitHub
● Search for a project which is made using your favorite tech stack (try this)
● Read README.md & CONTRIBUTING.md very well
● Start with solving beginner-friendly issues
● Join the organization’s communication channels for that project (slack,
gitter, discord etc.)
● Keep making PRs (‘pull requests’ -> it’s great to get your code merged)

16. Open Source Programs
● Google Summer of Code (GSoC)
● HacktoberFest
● GirlScript Summer of Code
● Outreachy
● MLH Fellowship
● and many more….

17. Impressive Profiles
● Two best social medias for you:
○ LinkedIn (have an “all star” profile | stay active | keep updating)
○ Twitter (follow great profiles for amazing opportunities)
● Maintain all your tech profiles well, like:
○ GitHub
○ HackerRank, CodeChef etc. (if interested in CP)
● Try to have an amazing online presence
○ You can have a personal website (or portfolio)
○ Blog Website
● Keep updating your resume (1 page) {template , template2}

18. Campus Ambassador Roles
● Be a face of your campus in some organization or some
fest (or competition)
● Enhance your network, thus enhance your opportunities
● Stay in touch with students of other colleges, stay updated
● It can help you get good contacts, thus great referrals
● GeeksForGeeks, CodingNinjas, OnePlus, TechFest IIT-B etc.

19. Communities, Groups & Clubs
● Clubs -> Coding, Dancing, Singing, Drama, Photography
○ Try whatever you want, you have only got 3-4 years
● Groups -> Google Developer Groups: GDG Baroda, Gandhinagar etc.
○ DevFest, AppFest ::-> Join: Slack, Gitter or Discord etc.
● Communities -> Google DSC, Microsoft LSA, GitHub Campus Expert etc.
○ Google DSC: Lead in 4th year, Core Team :: Mentors, Support Team & Volunteers
■ One Lead per campus
○ MLSA: Microsoft Student Community [link] (1st-3rd year: all are eligible)
■ Several MLSAs per campus are allowed
○ GitHub Campus Expert: responsible for Git related workshops
■ One per campus
○ Lots of amazing experiences, awesome network, many schwags
○ Good for your Resume

20. Personality Development
● Communication Skills (for Interviews)
● Management and Leadership Skills (for Team Work &
Projects)
● Enhance your Public Speaking Skills (host events)
● Think BIG!!
● Try to be optimistic and energetic
● Stay Healthy and Clean
● Learn about “Body Language”

21. Hackathons
● Learn some tech stack
● Have a diverse team (FE + BE + Android/Flutter + UI/UX + a good leader etc.)
● Git and GitHub is a must (used in most of the hackathons)
● Some of them have prizes in lakhs
● Some hackathons provides job at tech giants to winners too
(Jobathons)
● Blockchain and AR/VR are emerging technologies
● Stay active on Twitter and LinkedIn to get updates about
various Hackathons (DevFolio)

22. Important Subjects
● Data Structures & Algorithms
● Object Oriented Programming
● Database Management System (DBMS)
● Software Engineering (System Design)
● Operating Systems
● Computer Networks
● ….and all others too 🌝

23. Important Websites
● Learning: YouTube, Coursera, Udacity, edX, Udemy etc.
● Practice: GeeksForGeeks, HackerRank, LeetCode, InterviewBit
● Social Media: LinkedIn, Twitter
● GitHub
● StackOverflow
● chatGPT 🤭

24. Scholarship, Financial Aid & Discount for Courses
● Udemy
○ Search on Google “<course_name> 100% off coupons”
○ then keep on trying various coupons
○ Or search for torrent files
● Coursera
○ Apply for Financial Aid [sample_answers_doc] (takes 15 days for review)
● Udacity
○ Scholarships -> {Bertelsmann, Intel Edge AI etc.}
■ Get notified for future scholarships {register_here} (scroll to bottom)

25. Interview Preparation in brief
● Flow: Resume shortlisting -> Coding/Aptitude Round -> Technical
Interview -> HR Interview (or Managerial Interview)
● Resume Shortlisting:
○ Keep it 1 page, no grammatical mistakes, use keywords
● Aptitude Round: Practice on IndiaBix.com
● Coding Round: HackerRank, HackerEarth, LeetCode (strong DSA)
● Overall Preparation (including OOPs, DBMS, OS etc.): Interviewbit
● Practice Mock Interviews, also:
○ “THINK OUT LOUD!!”
○ Interviewer is to help you get hired, ask him/her for help (or to direct
you for in which direction to think)
○ Be Confident!

26. To Do!!
● Create your account on LinkedIn, complete your profile and explore
● Create your account on GitHub and other websites of your choice
● Get your GitHub Student Developer Pack (set Institute email address as primary)
● Learn Git and GitHub
● Explore for your favorite tech domain for projects
○ Read or watch videos about all domains and shortlist few of your
choice
○ Try and explore the shortlisted one for 7-10 days strictly
○ Stick to the most comfortable and best one, master it.
● Plan and make amazing projects (of one or various domains)
● Practice DSA almost everyday (when you start with the course)

27. ● Have a good financial knowledge
● Have a stable and proper mindset
● Think BIG!
● Kuch toh log kahenge, logo ka kaam hai kehna
● Believe in Yourself!
● Throw away all doubts, fears and self-limitations
● Focus on the Good!
● Be optimistic
● Keep exploring
● Read Books like “The Power of your Subconscious Mind”,
“Atomic Habits” etc.
● Drink more water 😉
Tips

28. Time for Questions!!

29. Thank You!