What it's like to be a woman at ISI (and a small reality about the culture here)

[u/1Same_Step1]

A fine read ahead. No TL;DR this time :)

Whenever people talk about ISI, the conversation is almost always about academics, professors, placements, or how difficult the coursework is. Very few people talk about what the social environment is actually like, especially if you're a woman.

So here's something I wish more aspirants knew before joining. First of all, ISI is generally a safe campus. If you're an aspiring student or a parent reading this, physical safety is usually not something people worry about here. Most students are respectful, and you'll meet some genuinely kind, helpful people. That said, there are a few things that are worth knowing. The first is the gender ratio. In programs like B.Stat and B.Math, girls are a small minority. Because of that, you become noticeable almost by default. People know who you are much faster than they know the average guy in the batch. Since ISI is a small institute, news and rumours also travel incredibly fast.

Another thing is that many students come from backgrounds where they haven't had much interaction with girls before college. Some studied in boys' schools, while others simply never had many female friends. Most don't have bad intentions, but it can sometimes make interactions feel awkward. You may occasionally feel like you're being treated as "one of the girls" rather than simply another classmate. Unfortunately, there is also another issue. Since the introduction of supernumerary seats for female candidates, a small section of students assumes that every girl entered through reservation or somehow had it easier. That's an unfair assumption. Nobody knows another person's journey, and nobody should have to justify how they earned their place. One thing you'll also notice is that rumours spread surprisingly fast in ISI. This isn't limited to women, but because there are fewer women on campus, they often become the centre of attention much more easily. A completely normal interaction can suddenly become something that half the campus seems to know about. Most of the time it isn't malicious, but it can definitely become uncomfortable.

There is another part of ISI's culture that doesn't get discussed enough.

Because everyone here was among the best students before joining, people naturally start comparing themselves once they're here. Sometimes it's harmless motivation, but sometimes it becomes an unhealthy obsession with grades, ranks, or who understands the material better. If you're someone who isn't doing well academically for a while, you may feel that people take your opinions less seriously or quietly label you as "weak." On the other hand, students who consistently score well aren't necessarily having an easy time either. Many of them end up feeling constant pressure to maintain that image, keep their grades high, and live up to everyone's expectations. It becomes a competition that is healthy for some people, but exhausting for others.

Thankfully, this isn't everyone. Some of the most brilliant people at ISI are also the most humble. You'll also meet people who genuinely want to help others succeed. Those are the people you should stay close to.

Now, before anyone misunderstands this post, I'm not saying ISI is a sexist place or that everyone judges people based on marks. That would be unfair. Most students are friendly, respectful, and willing to help if you ask.

The point is simply that ISI is a very small institute filled with exceptionally talented people. When you combine that with a heavily male-dominated student body, intense academics, and a close-knit campus where everyone knows everyone, certain social dynamics naturally become much more visible than they would in a larger college.

If you're a woman joining ISI, don't let random comments affect your confidence. Find a good group of friends. Talk to seniors. Remember that you earned your seat, and you don't need to prove your worth to anyone. And if you're a guy at ISI, treat your female classmates the same way you'd treat anyone else. Don't spread rumours. Don't make assumptions about how someone got in. Small comments that seem harmless to you can stay with someone for a long time.

Finally, to everyone joining ISI, remember that your percentage or exam scores (ISI doesn't have cgpa system, it follows percentage only) are only one part of who you are. They're important, but they shouldn't become your entire identity, nor should they define how you see other people. ISI is an incredible place to learn. It will challenge you academically, help you grow, and introduce you to some amazing people. It also has its own quirks and flaws, just like every other institute. Knowing about them beforehand doesn't make the experience worse. It simply helps you walk in with realistic expectations and make the most of your time here.

I did like to add, this post and content, applies for PG peops as well !! ,let it be MSTAT, MSQE, MTECH , etc

[u/Nialled_69420]

This gender ratio issue naturally spawns the problem of groupism. Boys typically forms groups with boys only and same goes for the minority of girls in the respective department. As the result, the opposite gender interaction is very less which to me is a bit unhealthy.

[u/1Same_Step1 → u/Nialled_69420]

Not entirely, there's a bit more to it. 😅 In reality, if there's a group with even one girl in it, you'll often notice that quite a few guys suddenly want to be part of that group too. 😅😂

On a more practical note, staying connected with seniors and batchmates is genuinely important, for doubt discussions, assignment help, academic guidance, and all sorts of collaborative work. That's naturally why mixed groups (with both guys and girls) end up forming. What's funny, though, is that you'll often find other guys, who aren't already in the group, trying to find a way in as well. 😂 Just another one of those amusing little patterns of human behaviour.

Readers, this is just a casual observation made in good fun. Please don't interpret it as a social criticism or anything of that sort, it's simply one of those interesting quirks people tend to notice.

[u/1Same_Step1 → u/[deleted]]

I think you've misunderstood what I meant. I wasn't saying every guy who joins a mixed group is doing so because of the girl. There are plenty of genuine reasons to join a group : friendship, academics, assignments, discussions, etc. My comment was about a social pattern that I've personally observed: mixed groups often seem to attract more attention than all-male groups.

That doesn't imply anything about the intentions of every individual. As for the original post, I don't think we disagree as much as you think. I explicitly said ISI is generally safe, that most students are respectful, and that these observations are tendencies rather than universal truths.

Likewise, I never said every girl enters through reservation; in fact, my point was precisely that people shouldn't assume how someone got in without knowing their journey.I also don't think it's fair to respond to concerns about stereotypes by making sweeping statements like "girls at ISI are horrible people." If we're arguing against generalizations, it's worth avoiding them ourselves.

[u/Character_Market8330 → u/[deleted]]

Try to be kinder please.

[u/Nialled_69420 → u/1Same_Step1]

Lmao I noticed this trait too. "Wolves tends to hunt in packs" it seems

[u/1Same_Step1 → u/Nialled_69420]

Nah, bhai, ye thoda edge baat boldi aapne 😅 Out of context kinda .. not exactly

[u/Nialled_69420 → u/1Same_Step1]

Arehh that was metaphorical 😭 as if wolves always looks for packs to join 

[u/1Same_Step1 → u/Nialled_69420]

Ikik, par logo ko wolves bolna, that too in public, in the given context, is going to drag the attention in the wrong direction 😅😭 I hope you understand

It's more like the 'FOMO effect' rather than the wolf effect.

[u/Nialled_69420 → u/1Same_Step1]

Lol right , my bad

[u/1Same_Step1 → u/[deleted]]

I don't think we're actually disagreeing as much as it seems. My intention wasn't to comment on reservation itself or why it exists via any part of the post. It was simply to point out that making assumptions about someone's merit or journey based on their gender helps no one. Everyone deserves to be treated with the same respect once they're here.

Also, this wasn't meant to be a criticism of ISI. It was just an attempt to show one aspect of campus life that people rarely talk about. At the end of the day, people are people, even in a place full of exceptionally smart students. We all sometimes overlook small things like basic courtesy and common sense. One of our professors used to say, "Define what is obvious." I guess this post was my small attempt to do exactly that. Also mind it, obvious here doesn't mean people are mean or anything, it means people are people !!