Hey guys! My name is Ashish Verma. A designer by heart and a teacher by profession.
On the education front, I completed my MDes in Product Design & Engineering from CPDM, IISc Bangalore. I secured All India Rank (AIR) - 10 in CEED (Common entrance exam for Design) - 2014 conducted by IIT Bombay. I also got selected for MDes in Industrial Design at Industrial Design Centre(IDC) IIT Bombay. Before MDes, I completed my B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering from JSS Noida.
Frankly speaking, I had never thought of becoming a designer initially. I was sincerely preparing to crack the GATE exam, but as life would have it, with bare minimum preparation I gave CEED, got a pretty good rank, got selected for IIT and IISc design schools. I chose IISc, Bangalore. Rest is history.Â
How I came to know about CEED?
I came to know about CEED at the end of July 2013 and I searched the wits out for information about this exam on the internet. But only a few blogs helped me with my research. I filled up the application form without delay and researched websites covering every bit of information - tips about preparing, and all the resources required for CEED. I also contacted some seniors for queries and a few of them came forward to help.
How to choose a coaching centre?
The problem I faced while choosing a coaching centres was that, many of them advertised about their conversion rates and experienced faculty. But, in reality they didn't even have faculty from IIT/ NID. Also, in most cases the faculty members left the coaching centres in the middle of the course or worked part - time.
So, the main thing is to research well about the faculty teaching there before choosing a coaching centre
My creative life
Sketching has always been the go-to hobby for me. I have been sketching since childhood and even now I can’t stop scribbling stuff with charcoal and graphite pencils.
When I began, I had no knowledge of any Design Software. But, I persisted, with full faith in my skills and mastered the art with pencils.
So, the only thing that matters is your creativity; how well you visualise a scenario; how you create the picture in your head. Once that is set, let your hands be the medium and the paper your canvas, and just experience the wonder you create.
Perfection is tough to master, but persistence and dedication will take you closer to it.
Tips for aspirants
Now, I have some tips which I implemented during my preparation for CEED, DAT’S and Interviews:
1. Gather knowledge - Have a basic knowledge and general awareness about the recent headlines. You can consult Manorama online or even the quarterly/yearly books that are available.
2. Enhance your speed - Speed is a big constraint in this exam. Draw fast, don’t use scale, protractors, compass and stuff. Rely on basic hand sketching. You don’t have to be perfect, just be creative.
3. Relax - Chill out, relax and enjoy the paper, it’s a full 3 hour roller-coaster ride.
4. Understand the difference - DAT’s at IIT and IISc are very different. For IDC, you need to have good knowledge about materials, manufacturing processes, design synthesis, sustenance of your design, and good working hands'.
5. Create something useful - IDC has a material test also(for PD only), don’t be all fancy on your work, try creating something useful out of the given materials, use them economically.
6. Interview - Interview panel is very friendly. Practice your communication skills. Your portfolio is important here, a basic engineering knowledge, and don’t fake anything just be yourself.
7. Paper pattern - Whereas at IISc, the written test was in 2 parts this year, each for 1.5 hours. In the 1st paper there were questions on aptitude and then there were engineering questions on thermodynamics, trusses, bending moment diagram, network analysis, functions maxima/minima, fluid mechanics, kinematics, probability and chemical constituents, we had to attempt 5 out of 11.
The next paper was purely design based. You need to have latest information on technological advancements, redrawing an object from an image, design issues in common things, re-designing them. Just observe things around you more often, you’ll be able to counter question based on your acquired experience or get close to solving them.
8. Level of interview - The interview is tough. They test your approach to basic engineering questions, they’ll be according to your background architecture/engineering, your interest in joining this course, communication skills, confidence. (P.S. they were barely interested in my portfolio here).
