Upon admission, every IITM student is assigned a faculty advisor, who is generally a professor from the department the student is enrolled in. The faculty advisor (Fac-Ad) guides their advisees in planning their course of study and provides general advice on the academic program. The effectiveness of a faculty advisor depends on how often students come to them with questions and problems. That’s why we encourage students, especially those in their first year, to reach out to their faculty advisors. We’re here to support you, and your faculty advisor is eager to help you navigate your academic journey. Don’t hesitate to seek guidance—they’re here to assist you every step of the way.
The assignment of faculty advisors follows a clear process. A month or two before the new academic year starts, each department’s Consultative Committee, including the Head of Department and faculty members, meets to plan. One key task is nominating faculty advisors for the new students. Current advisors, who continue with their students until graduation, are not considered. After nominating new advisors, the list is sent to the Academic Section, where each advisor is randomly assigned a group of students.
Each department’s ordinances outline the official duties of a faculty advisor, whose approval is required in certain cases. Course registration is not complete until the faculty advisor approves the student’s chosen courses. The faculty advisor ensures that students meet the department’s credit requirements each semester. Advisors may suggest adding or dropping backlog courses, which are courses not completed in previous semesters. If a student struggles with a course, they can drop it with written approval from their faculty advisor and the Head of Department, as long as they maintain a minimum attendance grade ‘G’ until dropping the course. If a student fails to meet minimum credit requirements and is removed from the rolls, they can seek re-admission from the Dean, Academics with recommendations from their faculty advisor and the Head of Department.
Besides the listed responsibilities, the faculty advisor may also help you with non-academic issues, such as if a student files a complaint with the Complaint Committee Against Sexual Harassment (CCASH). Additionally, the Faculty Advisor guides students who want to apply for a semester exchange program with a partner institution.