MARKS - Previous year questions & solutions

MARKS is a complimentary application that allows you to access and practice prior year questions organized by chapters for various exams such as IIT JEE Main, IIT JEE Advanced, NEET, BITSAT, WBJEE, MHT CET, NDA, KVPY, among others.

Find answers to previous year papers for IIT JEE Mains & Advanced, NEET, and other competitive assessments.

😎 Why consider downloading MARKS?

📚 Access chapter-wise previous year questions for both JEE Main and JEE Advanced

📚 Obtain chapter-wise previous year questions for NEET

📚 Explore chapter-wise NTA Abhyas questions

🎯 Participate in daily practice challenges and track your goals

🔖 Mark significant questions and save them to your notebooks

👇 Find chapter-wise JEE Main Previous Year Questions along with Solutions 👇

Includes IIT JEE Main 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, and earlier papers dating back to AIEEE 2002, all with solutions

👇 Access chapter-wise JEE Advanced Previous Year Questions with Solutions 👇

Covers IIT JEE Advanced 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, and past papers up to 2013, complete with solutions

👇 Discover chapter-wise NEET Previous Year Questions with Solutions 👇

Comprises NEET 2021, 2020, 2019, and back to AIMPT 1988, with corresponding solutions

👇 Browse chapter-wise NDA Previous Year Questions with Solutions 👇

Access the chapter-wise NDA previous year questions from NDA 2020 through NDA 2006 for NDA Mathematics.

👇 Review chapter-wise KVPY Previous Year Questions with Solutions 👇

Involves KVPY 2020 SA, KVPY 2020 SB/SX, and earlier papers down to KVPY 2010 SA and SB/SX with solutions

⭐ Gain all the NTA Abhyas JEE Main and NTA Abhyas NEET questions in a chapter-wise format ⭐

We plan to introduce chapter-wise previous year questions for various other engineering and medical entrance examinations as well. Thus, you will be able to access:

👉 Chapter-wise WBJEE Previous Year Questions with Solutions

👉 Chapter-wise MHT CET Previous Year Questions with Solutions

👉 Chapter-wise BITSAT Previous Year Questions with Solutions

👉 Chapter-wise AIIMS Previous Year Questions with Solutions

🔥 Key features of the MARKS App 🔥

Over 100,000 questions for JEE Main and NEET practice

More than 20,000 quizzes and challenges available for JEE Main and NEET

A comprehensive question bank organized by chapters targeting key engineering and medical entrance exams

Daily goal evaluation tracking

Information in Youtube

Exploring Industrial & System Engineering at IIT Kharagpur | Interview with Debraj Chatterjee

In this episode of "Know Your Branch," we dive into the world of Industrial & System Engineering at IIT Kharagpur with Debraj Chatterjee, a bright and talented student who shares his experiences and insights into the program.

Debraj talks about the unique aspects of this branch. He also shares his tips and tricks for success and offers valuable advice to students who are interested in pursuing a career in this field. Don't miss this exciting conversation!

MARKS - IIT JEE & NEET Prep App

55.3K subscribers

4,039 views  Jun 26, 2023

Hello everyone, I’m Ish, currently a sophomore at IIT Kanpur majoring in Civil Engineering. Today we have a special guest with us—Devdas Chatterjee, a recent graduate from IIT Kharagpur who majored in Industrial and Systems Engineering. Welcome, Devdas! Could you please start by introducing yourself?

Hi everyone! I recently completed my undergraduate studies in Industrial and Systems Engineering at IIT Kharagpur. During my third-year summer, I interned with Nomura in their investment banking division and recently secured a full-time offer from Bain & Company for a consulting role.

That’s a great achievement. Can you tell us how you chose Industrial and Systems Engineering as your major?

Actually, I initially joined IIT Kharagpur in the five-year Integrated MSc Chemistry program. After my first year, I applied for a branch change. While exploring different departments, I found that Industrial and Systems Engineering had a unique mix of business-oriented and technical courses. I was always interested in business, and this department offered the perfect combination of technical depth and managerial relevance. That’s why I made the switch.

That’s interesting! So, how would you explain Industrial and Systems Engineering to someone who’s completely new to the concept?

In simple terms, Industrial and Systems Engineering is about optimizing systems. A system could be anything made up of multiple interacting parts working towards a goal—humans, machines, software, workflows, and so on. These systems exist in banks, airports, railways, manufacturing plants, and more. Our job is to make these systems more efficient and cost-effective. That’s why this major is often called a “jack-of-all-trades”—because it can be applied to virtually any industry.

That sounds quite versatile. Are there any prerequisites for entering this field? How is it different from “Production and Industrial Engineering” offered at other institutes?

The main difference is the scope. “Production and Industrial Engineering” typically focuses on manufacturing processes and factory systems. Our program at IIT Kharagpur covers that and much more—it looks at systems in a broader sense, across industries. There aren’t any strict prerequisites; if you're curious about how things work and how to improve them—especially in business environments—this could be a great fit.

What are some of the core and elective courses you took?

Some of our core courses included Operations Research, Optimization, Engineering Economics, Quality Control, and Probability & Statistics. Operations Research, for instance, can be applied in railway scheduling, airline planning, and queue systems in banks. We also had finance-related subjects like Financial Management and Project Accounting. Additionally, we touched on computing basics like Operating Systems. These courses collectively prepare students for a wide range of careers including finance, consulting, data analytics, and even software development.

After hearing about these courses, I can see why this major is so flexible. Could you tell us more about your internships?

Sure! I interned with Nomura in their investment banking division during the summer after my third year. Although I received a return offer, I wanted to explore a different field—so I pursued consulting during final placements and got into Bain & Company. This shows how adaptable the degree is—you can switch fields and still do well if you build a solid foundation during your time here.

What is the overall placement scenario like for this department?

In one word: diverse. Students from our department go into finance, consulting, data science, software, FMCG, supply chain, and more. We’ve had placements at companies like Nomura, Morgan Stanley, American Express, McKinsey, Bain, Google, Amazon, Microsoft—you name it. Some companies that traditionally hire from core engineering branches even consider us due to the variety in our curriculum. Compared to other traditional branches like Mechanical or Chemical, we have broader opportunities.

What about the academic workload? How does it compare with other engineering majors?

I’d say the workload is relatively lighter. The courses are practical and intuitive, which makes them easier to grasp. They’re also interrelated—understanding one helps with others. If you attend lectures and stay consistent, scoring well isn’t too difficult. In comparison, more theoretical or research-heavy branches may be more demanding.

What are your thoughts on branch change for new students?

If you’re aiming to switch to highly competitive branches like CS or Electrical, you’ll likely need to be in the top 5% of your batch in the first year. Many students underestimate the importance of first-year academics, but honestly, if you stay consistent and focused, it’s very manageable. Branch change is definitely possible—you just need to stay disciplined.

How was your overall experience at IIT Kharagpur?

Overall, it’s been great. Unfortunately, the first two years were online due to COVID, so I missed out on the full campus experience. But even then, I got to meet incredibly talented people. Some of the smartest people I met didn’t do well because they lost discipline, while others who weren’t initially top performers did great because of their work ethic. This place gives you both opportunity and freedom—how you use it is up to you.

What about extracurriculars?

There’s something for everyone. In sports: swimming, squash, basketball, tennis, and more. In the arts: music, theatre, dance, stand-up, mimicry, beatboxing—you name it. There are tons of tech and business clubs too, like consulting and finance clubs, developer societies, etc. And if you don’t find a club for your interest, you can start your own. The ecosystem supports it.

Final question—how would you advise students choosing between a top college and a popular branch?

If you have a chance to join one of the top five or six IITs—like IIT B, IIT D, IIT KGP, IIT M—even with a less popular branch, I would strongly recommend choosing the institute. These top IITs offer unparalleled exposure, alumni networks, and placement opportunities. And remember, you can always try for a branch change. So go for the best college you can, work hard in the first year, and you might end up with both the college and the branch you want.

Any last words for students considering this major?

Yes—thank you for taking an interest in a major that’s often underrated but full of potential. I’m genuinely passionate about Industrial and Systems Engineering, and I hope more students come to appreciate its value. If you stay disciplined and consistent during your four years, you will definitely see the results. But if you lose focus at critical points, it’s easy to fall behind. Choose wisely, and keep growing.