IIT Madras Campus Feels Like Jumanji: Cat Naps In Hostel, Deer’s Food Hunt & Dosa. Delhi Says ‘Ab Lag Raha Yeh Better...’

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras is one of India’s premier institutions, highly sought after by students across the country. It has been ranked number one in India by the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) for the seventh consecutive year in 2025.

But this prestigious institute is not only a centre of academic excellence but also a sanctuary for wildlife and a place where students can unwind and relax amidst nature.

A recent Instagram video shared by Aryan Kala, a second-year student pursuing a BTech in Biological Engineering at IIT Madras, has given viewers a peek into the campus life at the institute.

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A post shared by Aaru (@aryan_kala_)

A Typical Day at IIT Madras

The now-viral clip, taken on November 20, shows students

preparing for exams, snacking late at night, and engaging with free-roaming animals on campus. The footage was shot when Aryan was preparing for his end-of-semester exams, accompanied by his classmates.

Sharing the video on Instagram, Aryan wrote, “JEE CAT ASPIRANT 2027 | Day 6/21 Ft. End semester examinations | IIT Madras.” In the video, Aryan can be heard saying that he took an exam in the morning, slept in the afternoon, and awoke at night.

After waking up, the group decided to grab dinner at the campus food truck, which serves dosa and is open till 3 am. Interestingly, the students are not alone, as a deer is seen looking for a bite of food. But the deer did not get any snacks from students because feeding them is not allowed on campus. The clip also shows a cat napping peacefully on a bed while students study for their exams.

Social Media Reactions

Aryan’s video has garnered over 1 lakh views on Instagram, giving viewers a glimpse into student life at IIT Madras. Several users also reacted to the video, with many recalling their own college days. A user wrote, “IIT Meowdras,” while another commented, “Peak engineering student behaviour as an engineer, we all did this.” Someone said, “Ab lg rha Madras aa jana chahiye tha.”

Wildlife At IIT Madras

Formerly part of the adjoining Guindy National Park, IIT Madras occupies an area of a 2.5 km² (617-acre) campus.

Speaking with HT.com, Aryan said that it is “very common” to see wildlife at the campus, adding, “If you go for a walk for 5 minutes outside, you will see around 15-20 deers at least.” Aryan further said that there are around 80-90 blackbucks, which are very rare in the country.

The campus is also home to cats and monkeys as well as snakes and crocodiles, although the latter are usually found in the forest area.

“Other than cats and deer, there are blackbucks and monkeys, which are seen often. After this, there are snakes, crocodiles and a lot more animals, but they usually stay inside the forest part of campus,” he added.