VSP at Ashoka was honestly one of the best things I’ve done so far. I went in not really knowing what to expect, but I came out with so many new skills, friends, and memories that I’ll carry with me forever.
The biggest pro for me was the people. The community at VSP is just different. Everyone is super driven, curious, and open to collaborating. Whether it was during classes, group projects, or just late-night conversations in the common room, I was constantly learning from the people around me. The mentors and faculty were also really approachable. They didn’t just teach from slides — they actually cared about us and pushed us to think deeper and question things.
Academically, VSP gave me exposure I wouldn’t have gotten otherwise. The courses were a good mix of theory and practical work. We weren’t just memorizing stuff for exams. We were working on real projects, doing presentations, and applying what we learned right away. That made everything feel way more relevant. I especially liked how interdisciplinary it was. You could be in a session about policy in the morning and then be discussing design thinking or entrepreneurship in the afternoon. It forces you out of your bubble, which is exactly what I needed.
Another big plus was the networking and exposure. We got to interact with people from different fields, attend talks, and work on projects that had actual impact. It made me realize how many different paths are out there and helped me get clearer on what I want to do next. The campus environment also helped a lot. Ashoka’s campus is beautiful and the vibe is very open.
What other participants should know
- Lot of free time
- Dirty washrooms
- More industry/company visits would be nice