First Year Courses

“You’ve made it.”

These are simple words, but behind them are a compendium of late-night problem sets, mock tests, and dreams of cracking what is impossible for most. Congratulations on passing that phase of your academic journey! As you pass from that academic phase to inside the gates of IIT Delhi, a new journey begins - marked by courses which you thought were easy but quickly reach places you never knew, labs where you start to build contraptions of your dreams, and where you discover how physics works in reality. You learn how calculus is beyond just differentiation and integration, some of you will begin to learn how to code for the first time, and you understand how the circuits you built in the lab work with the theory to support them. You’ll soon realise that academics here is a whole new game — and this article is your guide to understanding how it all works.

Common Courses

MTL1001

Welcome to the trials at IIT Delhi! This course, ‘Calculus’, is nothing like the beasts you have encountered so far -the possibility of no scale-down marking, and the very first quiz, will teach you much about your life here. It is a course common to everyone in the first semester, regardless of branch :) Behold the formalisation of abstract mathematics via proofs of epsilon-delta that you may have never seen before. Abbott is a great book to read in the initial part of the course.  The wizards of old have collected scrolls for you to beat these monsters - try to have a look at their amassed knowledge and see what can be useful for you! (Read - Get thorough with concepts and attempt the PYQs!)

ELL1000

Known for the vast content this course covers in a short span of time, you will find yourself going from KVL/KCL to Linear Monoliths (sorry, those are just transistors) pretty fast. While lecture slides may vary as per the instructor (refer to good pre-existing resources), tutorials are a real godsend here. Get familiar with fast question solving. Do not try to cover content a day prior to exams. Avoid calculation errors and DO NOT be that kid who bought the calculator on exam day. Revision, personal effort, solving-orientedness and patience are key to remember this course on a positive note.

PS: Try not to ask your seniors about this course, they have forgotten it too.

COL1000

IMPORTANT!!!

This course will be split into various modules, including computer literacy, and students will also be divided into 2 groups based on a test. After both groups are brought to a similar level of familiarity, the curriculum will be identical.

A highly anticipated first-year course, it delivers knowledge of the programming language, but also teaches you to think better. Keep consistent in learning the syntax, practice questions given, but explore more, from platforms such as Codeforces, Leetcode, the CSES problem set or Project Euler, to name a few. Oh, and ever heard of plagiarism? Your assignment instructors sure have. Last year saw long plag lists mailed to all students, and those incriminated were penalised with a grade down in the course. Just saying.

PYL1001

Introduction to Electrodynamics

This new course is a deep dive into the fabled domain of electrodynamics, and we will draw insights from a previous similar course, PYL101. While the attendance vs time followed a radioactive decay curve, the questions were well rumoured to be out of a certain book.

Course punchline: Teri Griffiths kitni hui??  Equations and derivations from the gradient, divergence and curl to those for dielectrics are important here. And the content covered, be it in Purcell or Griffiths, is gold. By the way, one tiny detail for all the PYL101 derivatives: in our days, the minors and majors had a 50-50 weightage. If your instructors make it so, TAKE THE MINORS SERIOUSLY.

PYL1002

Waves and oscillations

This new course, too, derives from PYL101 and not all departments take it up. This course requires strong JEE recollection but is also much more. Prepare to oscillate to the tune of normal modes, coupled oscillations, transverse waves, and longitudinal waves. If you had some conceptual gaps during your days, this course could be just the time to bridge those, learn newer concepts like Fourier analysis, dispersion, group velocity and realise their immense practical applications!

“Some concepts will resonate with you, some will polarise you. But remember that the course is a superposition of concepts, practice and frequency of tutorial attendance”

-A senior who was soon banished to Tartarus

PYL1003

Mechanics and the Special Theory of Relativity

Newton's equations of motion, along with conservation laws. The central force motion along with different possible trajectories, followed by a non-inertial frame of reference. Rigid-body dynamics. Michelson–Morley experiment, postulates of the special theory of relativity and its consequences. Sorry, we know as much about this as you do.

PYP1000

Ever felt scammed by ideal world physics? This course, fiddling with light and electricity, brings a lost believer back on track. You’ll see how physics works in real life, how light interacts with your instruments, how electrons influence magnetic circuits and vice versa. You’ll write meticulous reports with insightful discussions and error analysis and conduct your own mini-forms of research for the vivas. That’s right - you’ll have to prepare well for these oral exams, where it’s a test of how much you know about the experiment’s physics, outside of the lab manuals. Try to read the lab manuals properly beforehand, and understand how the experiment works - the time crunch will become a myth. May your instruments be calibrated and results ever in your favour. 

MEP1001

This is a course where you may find yourself puzzling over the combination of the machines of yesteryear and the precision manufacturing tools of what seems like tomorrow. If the course has a theoretical exam scheduled, attending classes is a must; you will find that lecture slides do not quite cover up for what class learning gives. Also invest time on your project. (Don't be the emo-support-only person of your project group; working with the team will leave you priceless memories.) This course is stressful at times, but is soooo satisfying once all your circuit components actually work and don’t blow up anymore. 

MEP1000

Your seniors faced this course in its boomer era, pencil drawing, roller scale mode, and half a semester of CAD modelling. For you, however,  the drawing part is scrapped entirely. With designing software such as AutoCAD or FreeCAD, you will be taught to create models and objects with a surprising and deeply satisfying level of finesse. Time = grade, especially during assembly. Practice tons, ask TAs, learn during labs and classes, and you should be fine. Oh, and when the animations arrive, you want to be there.

MTL1002

In the undying dimensions of vector spaces and the vast fields of linear algebra lurks a course that has puzzled many but bewitched all. Watch out for the subtleties, pay attention to new concepts introduced at the start. Don't hesitate to develop your own intuitions about this course! And did you really believe that you had differential equations done in class 12? Boo-ha! Prepare for a surprise in the latter half. Some say the PYQs (for MTL101) and exams of this course share a deep bond, especially in types of questions that the tuts did not touch.

CML1001

Structural Insights into Atoms and Molecules

Why should you never trust an atom? They make up everything.

Not sorry for that. But hey, the course is new, and the news is that it aligns with the quantum portion of CML101, a course your seniors faced. This will be your first formal introduction to quantum, where particles without sufficient Total E. move with the sheer force of spite to mangle the position momentum uncertainty beyond redemption. Things may feel muddled up the first few times but you must Solve. More. Questions. Even with a roughly hazy idea of the topic, you will gradually find some coherence and familiarise yourself with some bizarre sounding conventions. This becomes a highly scoring exam topic.

CML1002

The Art and Science of Building Molecules and Materials

Who doesn't love organic?! Another new course that is said to cover a portion of CML101. Theories on what you can expect: A need for JEE concepts, Molecular Orbital Theory and as always, tutorials. In this course, you will study how chemical reactions come about at the orbital level and get a flavour of how nuanced and involved the domain of organic chemistry is. Also, there is little to no backup for the follow-up-based learning that happens in class, so attendance is a must.

PS: ask doubts and involve yourself in class regularly, the professors are quite patient and receptive to both doubts and ideas!

CMP1000

What NOT to do in this course: Frantic notes for the next day’s lab test and faking readings, grinding on submission day.

What TO do in this course: Read the manual carefully, and note the sneaky little details you could miss. THAT helps the tests. Also, this will be a great course to get to actually see those chemical reactions at work (make metal complexes, and build some nylon, to name a few) and use some really cool equipment (Stuff actually works!). But do refer to your seniors’ work when confused and ensure that everything is meticulously covered. Also, the back of the manual questions are a great help in lab quizzes.

Department-Specific Courses

AML1100

Engineering Mechanics

This is the course that will enable you to understand (we did not say solve, you probably already can not) that JEE Adv. 2016  physics question. Super important to practice this one as much as you can.

ELL1001

One of the most chill EE courses of your four years, starting with what you know and ending all the way with MATLAB - the trick, like any course, is going to class (you’ll want to go to classes for this course).

ELL1205

Based on understanding signals, it’s based almost entirely on the textbook—stick to it and you’re golden. With some light MATLAB work and clear concepts, this is one of the more manageable EE core courses.

ELL1401

Covering how digital systems work, logic gates make an appearance here - keep your slides close and lecture notes closer. Try not to neglect the practical portion - it can make the difference between a nehli and dassi.

COL1002

This course sharpens your logical reasoning and proof-writing skills. It’s concept-heavy and intellectually stimulating but requires consistent effort. The focus is usually on learning how to think rigorously - many find it tough, but grading is usually kind if you put in the work.

CML1033

You’ll start off with JEE topics like chemical kinetics and electrochemistry - but don’t get too comfortable because you soon move into a more rigorous approach to energy, entropy, and reaction dynamics. If you liked thermo or kinetics in school, you’ll enjoy the structured thinking here too.

DDP1026

This course is going to teach you about learning design as a problem-solving process, especially when the problem isn’t clearly defined. You’ll take your ideas from a simple sketch to a prototype you can market. This is a very practical-based course with 6 hours of labs a week, and learn what it means to design professionally.

ESL1000

This course introduces you to energy sources and how power flows through our civilisation. It expects you to pay attention, especially to the slides, which rule the course like an iron fist in a PowerPoint glove. Surprise quizzes? They love catching you off guard with objective questions drawn directly from lecture slides.

AML1050

This course dives into the rules that govern engines, air, and energy. You’ll learn about the Otto, Diesel, and Brayton cycles, and learn how the fridge works. The notes and lecture slides are the most helpful here. Most exams are open notes, but don’t let that fool you - questions are hard. Listening in class is absolutely key.

BBL1201

This course takes your JEE-level mole concept and gently pushes it into the world of biochemical engineering. Practice matters - stay consistent through the semester, and ramp up before exams with lecture questions and books like Felder, and you’re in a good place.

CVLXXXX

We are as clueless about this course as you are - the civil department told us nothing about this course, only that it’s a new course named “Mechanics of Solids”. Enjoy the course.

MTL1080

This course will teach you how to construct proofs on your own, making it absolutely essential for your academic life. Iff (see what we’re going with?) you’re the type who enjoys logical clarity and learning to build arguments from first principles, this course will be both rewarding and manageable.

MEL1002

Welcome to a course that is essentially the same as AML1100. We think you should refer back to the AML1100 notes of your seniors when you can (although they may come with a slightly different heading, wink wink.)

PYL1012

This is the course that introduces you to those sneaky gammas and deltas - you get partial differential equations, special functions, and other maths that you will use throughout your academic journey. Tutorials and consistent practice are key - it’s a little hard, but this will teach you the math behind the foundations of the universe.

TXL1101

This course may seem easy, but looks can be deceiving, and you’ll especially understand that in the paper. It’s a derivation-heavy course - try to keep up with JEE chemistry (rumour has it it’ll help!) Try to practice the PYQs often, too, and putting in the work is very rewarding.

MEL1140

This starts with the thermodynamics in JEE you know and love, but you soon move beyond it and see how it’s applied in the labs and see it come to life using real instruments - this is beyond just applying equations! Regular attendance is a must to keep up with this course.

CHL1001

This course focuses on energy transfer and how fluids behave - this is a theoretical course, and you’ll want to practice your derivations and build intuition. You might find NPTEL helpful here - it’s one of the best resources.

MLL1001

This is your first look into materials, and how they work at the smallest level and why they behave the way they do. This course is high-scoring - all you have to do is pay attention, and not to neglect the labs!

Department Change ke fundae

The Department Change Programme (DepC) is currently based on the CGPA calculated from all courses in which a letter grade is awarded. However, first-year courses are not fully uniform across departments. Some branches have department-specific introductory or lab courses — for example, TXL1101 or EL1205 — which are graded independently and are not common to all students.

In case you do a DepC, the DC from the department that you are originally from will get converted to an OC. You must cover the DC in the department where you are DepCing as soon as possible, either in the summer semester or in the next semester (without it, degree ki dikkat aayegi). If you’re worried about the prerequisites, no course will have that particular DC as the prerequisite in the second year, so it’s (relatively?) chill.

Problem:This creates an uneven playing field, as students from different departments may face varying levels of grading stringency in their department-specific courses, potentially affecting CGPA and consequently, department change opportunities.

WE PROPOSE:

1. A committee will sit to normalise grading across all the non-common courses - for example, TXL1101 and EL1205 - A B- on average would be awarded, graded strictly according to a curve. To eliminate the cases where one course would be definitively easier or harder than another particular course, we propose that courses be taught by professors who have more experience taking and grading courses. Further, communication between different professors taking these courses should be emphasised.

2. Weightage of non-common courses is decreased for DepC (to be decided by a committee). E.g. whichever courses are non-homogeneous should have their weightage decreased to maybe 60-70%.

3. Institute a review panel at the curriculum board level to ensure that non-homogeneous first-year department-specific courses are comparable in difficulty and workload.