In terms of academics, IISER Kolkata is good but not good as IISER Pune. First of all, major-minor thing is not that good, most of the people opt out of minor and only take major.
And this is really not true that IISERK is good in physics. There are few profs who are very reputed in thier field but most of the physics profs are on a similar level as other IISERs. Overall all the IISER have good research facilities. Also, most of the physics profs have huge ego. Don't know why. They mentally harass students on a regular basis.
* Coming to student life, IISERK campus is very far from the main kolkata city (almost 60 kms). And the transportation from campus to city is terrible. 1.5 hr journey in the local train is very difficult, you will not get any seat and you will be pushed from all sides. That is why, people go to kolkata rarely. As far as I know, pune is almost in the city. Rest things are fine.
Also I would like to mention about doing MS-Thesis project from outside of IISER Kolkata. Only two departments allow that here — Department of Earth Sciences and Biological Sciences. But a huge problem is convincing some profs from here to become Co-supervisor without whom one cannot do from outside. Profs don't want students to do thesis from outside, so they don't agree to become supervisor and knowingly destroy students career and laugh about it. I know people who got Project opportunity from institutes abroad but didn't got Co-supervisor from the IISER Kolkata. Many profs here enjoy mentally harassing students here. It's really tough to survive in labs here because they force students to work for more than 12 hours. it's exhausting and tiresome. even after that profs say things like you are * and don't know anything. they are extremely toxic. some profs use this situation to sexually exploit students. because their friends are the administrators so they get away doing all this bullshit. one would think that how can something like this can happen in premier institutes like IISER Kolkata but it happens a lot.
