‘Idli Chutney No Sambhar’: IIT-Roorkee Cites Technical Glitch in Viral GATE Email Mishap

Today, we live in a technical world where glitches can happen at the most unexpected moments, often leaving us amused. It’s like ordering a delicious meal and getting served a side of confusion instead! Just like IIT-Roorkee’s recent GATE email greeting that humorously referenced ‘Idli chutney no sambhar’.

A user posted on Reddit, sharing a screenshot of a strange email he claimed to have received from the GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering) administration. The post rapidly gained traction, leading to a wave of memes and funny reactions on social media.

See the post here

Is this some kind of joke?
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The user, confused by the email’s content, wrote, “I got this official mail from GATE. Is this intentional? How can they make such a mistake?” The attached screenshot featured a peculiar greeting: “Dear idli chutney no sambhar,” followed by the message, “GATE 2025 Admit Cards are now available to download from the GOAPS portal.”

The email appeared to be an error, with a bizarre mix of words that lacked coherence in context.

This odd message quickly went viral, with users sharing their confusion and laughter. One user replied, “He’s right, I received the same. Someone must have messed up.” Another user added, “Is this some joke?”

A GATE aspirant, shared, “I checked with my North Indian friends, and they received their correct names. However, my South Indian friends got the same greetings. It’s hard to believe that IIT, which is regarded as the most prestigious engineering institution in India, would reduce my identity to idli and chutney.”

This mix-up has led to a wave of humor on social media, with users turning the error into a meme phenomenon. Many have made jokes about the strange wording of the email and questioned how such a mistake could happen in an official communication from a well-known examination authority.

A user commented, “Hello. Idli chutney no sambhar, from Sarson da saag and makki di roti.”

One user joked, “I hope it’s orange chutney otherwise it would be an utter waste to be stuck with white chutney and no sambhar.” Another chimed in, “Unpaid intern at it.”

A user sarcastically said, “That intern should get a raise at the IT cell,” while another added, “Bhai, admit card download kar, uspe tera naam Idli Chutney to nahi hai kahi.”

After the post gained widespread attention, IIT-Roorkee released a statement explaining that the mistake was due to a “technical glitch,” and that candidates were subsequently sent emails containing the correct names.

“IIT Roorkee, which is organizing GATE 2025, recognizes that there was a technical glitch resulting in incorrect email salutations for some applicants during a bulk mailing. The problem was promptly addressed, and emails with the correct names were dispatched to those candidates. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused,” stated Sonika Srivastava, the Media Cell in-charge at IIT Roorkee.

It’s a reminder that even the most advanced systems can have a sense of humor, often leaving us scratching our heads and chuckling at the unexpected.