- Do you prefer local students to those from other cities or states?
- On what basis do you select students? Is it "first-come, first-served"?
- Am I eligible for this programme if I have passed out of Class XII a year ago but not taken admission in a college?
- Can I still apply if I only know one teacher who can write a recommendation letter for me?
- Should the recommendation letters be on plain paper or on institutional stamped paper?
- I live in Delhi and would find it difficult to travel to the venue. Can you arrange transport for me?
- I am a school teacher. Can I apply?
- Do you prefer local students to those from other cities or states?
No. IAYM is a national programme, and we actively seek to select students with diverse backgrounds. The only restriction on the number of outstation students comes from the number of rooms available in the hostel. If you are from outside Delhi but can make your own arrangements for stay here and are willing to forego the travel allowance, you can mention this in your application form. It may allow us to call you if local seats are available.
- On what basis do you select students? Is it "first-come, first-served"?
Between May 3 and May 7 our selection jury will review all applications & letters received before the April 30/May 3 deadlines. They will select students based on their academic records, letters from teachers, evidence of creativity/special achievements, and the project proposal. In 2010, we admitted 60 students out of 1500 applicants.
- Am I eligible for this programme if I have passed out of Class XII a year ago but not taken admission in a college?
Yes. But it may be a good idea to briefly describe the reason for the gap year. - Can I still apply if I only know one teacher who can write a recommendation letter for me?
Sending only one recommendation letter is not a good idea. These letters are an important part of the selection criteria, and submitting only one letter would put you in a poor position relative to those who send two letters.
We are sure if you try a little more you can obtain two letters! If you are getting one letter from a maths teacher, for example, you can get the other from a science teacher, or from a teacher who taught you in the previous class. - Should the recommendation letters be on plain paper or on institutional stamped paper?
Plain paper, or a printout of the format we have posted on the website is fine. To make it official your teachers can just put an institutional stamp next to their signatures. Here are links to the format suggested by us: PDF or DOC. - I live in Delhi and would find it difficult to travel daily to the venue. Can you arrange transport for me?
At present we have no plan of arranging local transport. You could try using part of the stipend towards travel. We can at best facilitate local students and their parents in contacting each other and making joint travel arrangements such as car pools. - I am a school teacher. Can I apply?
The programme is for students, but you could participate in other ways, whose nature and extent would depend on your qualifications and interest. For example, you could act as an assistant mentor to some project group, or help in running some particular aspect of the programme. Just write to us with your CV at iaym@mathscifound.org.
