The hostel accommodation at IIT Madras varies according to the year and program. First-year undergraduates are allotted Mandakini (for boys) and Swarnamukhi (for girls). At the beginning of the third semester, they are allotted a different hostel, with double-sharing being the norm. The students get to choose their roommates, and 7-8 rooms adjacent to each other form a wing.
In their third year, students are shifted to another hostel which will be their final hostel until graduation. The allocation is single/triple, based on their preference. PG students are given single rooms.
FACILITIES
The hostel rooms are equipped with a table, a chair, an almirah, a shelf, and a bed (without a mattress). The room also has an overhead fan and multiple lights. A high-speed LAN network is provided, with multiple ports in case of double/triple sharing. Students however are required to buy their own LAN cables. Power cuts, though less frequent, happen and the electricity is restored in a matter of minutes in such instances. The larger tower hostels have lifts for convenience. The hostel also provides mosquito nets for windows. There are multiple common restrooms located on each floor. A set of 7-8 rooms get to share washing machines (Automatic and Semi-automatic). Laundry and room maintenance are responsibilities of the students. Cleaning staff clean restrooms, corridors, and floors but the rooms have to be cleaned by the students themselves. However, if there are pre-existing problems with dirt or paint, hostel management can be called for assistance.
The hostels also have an outdoor central badminton court, music rooms, reading rooms, and TV rooms. Gyms are common for everyone. Mandakini has multiple inner badminton courts. Some hostels also have vending machines inside, accessible 24*7!
In case of issues, you can contact the hostel manager, and they are prompt in resolving it.
In addition to the excellent facilities, hostel life will be an experience that every student will treasure for a lifetime. Waking up beside friends, having food, going to classes together, barging into each other’s rooms, causing a stir, etc - are something that will transform into a core memory.
Here is a vlog by an IITM student as he takes you through the hostels, their facilities, and students’ feedback -
(This video is not made by AskIITM - it has been attached for viewing purposes only. Credits to Rahuram Chanthrakumar on YouTube.)