Academic calendar
Autumn Semester 2026 runs Jul 27, 2026 – Nov 30, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.
- Autumn Semester 2026Relevant now
- Spring Semester 2027
Campus language
Search the full glossary. Nothing is sampled or hidden when the search field is empty.
Showing 21 of 21 terms
A
- Alak
- Alakananda Hostel, one of the older men's hostels on campus.
C
- CFI
- Centre for Innovation, the student-run lab for technical projects and competitions.
- CRC Canteen
- The refreshment stall located within the Class Room Complex.
- Cup
- To fail an exam or receive a zero mark on a component.
E
- E-Cell
- The Entrepreneurship Cell, which promotes startup culture among students.
F
- Fundae
- Short for 'fundamentals'; refers to useful advice, tips, or essential knowledge passed down by seniors.
G
- Ganga
- Ganga Hostel, a prominent residential block often referred to by its river name.
H
- Himalaya
- The largest multi-hostel mess complex serving the northern part of the campus.
J
- Jam
- Jamuna Hostel, a common shorthand for this residential hall.
L
- Lite
- A term used to mean 'take it easy' or 'don't worry about it'; the most common IITM philosophy.
M
- Maggu
- A student who studies excessively or 'grinds' for academics.
- Mandak
- Mandakini Hostel, a large residential block for students.
- Mitr
- The student counseling and mental health support body on campus.
P
- Put
- A versatile verb used for performing an action, such as 'put a treat' (give a treat) or 'put a mail' (send an email).
Q
- Quark
- A food court/canteen area located near the academic blocks.
R
- RG
- Relative Grading; often used as a verb to describe competitive behavior that might disadvantage others.
S
- Saarang
- The annual social and cultural festival of IIT Madras, one of the largest in India.
- Sarayu
- Sarayu Hostel, the primary residential complex for female students.
- Shaastra
- The annual technical festival of IIT Madras.
V
- Vindhya
- A major mess complex serving several hostels in the southern residential zone.
Z
- Zaitoon
- A popular on-campus private restaurant located near the residential area.
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- CLT
- Central Lecture Theatre, the primary venue for large guest lectures and orientations.
- CRC
- Class Room Complex, the main hub for undergraduate and postgraduate lectures.
- Cycle
- The primary and essential mode of transport for students within the sprawling, forested campus.
- GC
- General Championship, the inter-hostel competition spanning sports, cultural, and technical events.
- himalaya_food_court
- Himalaya Food Court
- HSB
- Humanities and Sciences Block, housing the departments of Humanities, Maths, and Physics.
- Insti
- The universal shorthand for the IIT Madras campus and its community.
- Insti ID
- The official smart card used for identification, library access, and sometimes payments.
- kannan_catering_services_fft
- Kannan Catering Services-FFT
- leo_fortune
- Leo Fortune
- Mess Registration
- The monthly online process where students choose which mess hall they will dine in for the following month.
- MSB
- Mechanical Sciences Block, a major academic building for engineering departments.
- nilgiri_mess
- Nilgiri Mess
- OAT
- Open Air Theatre, a large outdoor venue used for movie screenings and festival events.
- zaitoon_restaurant_grill
- Zaitoon Restaurant & Grill
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- Autumn Semester 2026 runs Jul 27, 2026 – Nov 30, 2026.
- How much campus context is included?
- 21 approved campus terms and 15 local details are included in full.
- Are all approved campus terms included?
- Yes. The complete approved glossary is available in the scrollable, searchable campus-language section.
- Where does this guide come from?
- Calendar dates, campus terms, and local details come from DormWay's approved campus reference library.