If you read the recent headlines in local Pune newspapers, all were proudly proclaiming that 250 students from Maharashtra got selected in various IITs in the country. This is against about 15-20 till recent years. On the face of it, it is a very proud achievement. But in my opinion, it’s not that proud. This article prompted me to write a blog I’ve wanted to write for ages!
First of all, I would like to express my suspicion on the “Kota” courses that most IIT aspirants go through. I somehow smell a scam going down here. What is so different that is taught in Kota as compared to the rest of the country? Why do year after year people from Kota come up trumps in IIT-JEE? Why do people flock to Kota and stay there for a year to prepare for the exam? Is the water there magical? If someone could offer me an explanation, I would be very interested to listen to it!
Recently the IITs made the entrance checks a little more stringent. Minimum 60% needed in the 12th Board exams. Otherwise not eligible to apply! Result? WIDESPREAD protests all over the country. Pitiable I must say. Seriously I mean. You really think someone securing 50 % in the 12th Boards is going to able to handle the IIT course? I don’t think so!
I for one never considered myself to be suited to even appear for the IIT-JEE. WAY over my level of intellectual capacity. I really admire all those who have cleared this test and fought their way into the IITs. Hats off to them! But I am now beginning to see a different perspective to this entire process. I shall elaborate on it a little later in the article.
Let us now move to the IIMs. “THE” place to be if you want to pursue an MBA. Path of entrance? The much feared CAT or the Common Aptitude Test. “Aptitude”. This word seems to have lost its fundamental meaning in modern Indian testing methodology. Aptitude should be something that comes naturally. Not coached. Then why are there COUNTLESS coaching classes claiming to give the BEST training to CAT aspirants to clear the toughest exam in the world?
Is it because the competition is so high that even natural aptitude needs to coached? Ironic isn’t it? But that is the truth in the today’s times. Coaching classes for CAT have mushroomed on every corner and are minting money. Reason? Economics, my dear Watson. Supply must equal Demand!
At this point I would like to add that I too appeared for the CAT and I too had joined a coching class for the same. A few facts I came across were:
The exam isn’t as tough as it is made out to be.
Coaching classes are virtually ESSENTIAL to do well in the exam.
Everyone should give the CAT once in their lives once at least. If nothing else, just for the sheer experience of appearing for the toughest exam in the world.
There are 2,50,000 hopefuls every year vying for 5000 odd seats. That’s a mere 2% hit ratio.
I got a 97 percentile despite getting a big fat ZERO in Maths.
Moral of the story? Don’t let the facts weigh you down. Give it your best efforts. Don’t give it just for the sake of giving it. For all you know, you could get through. Give the CAT and get an experience of your life!
The IITs & IIMs are premier institutes in India for acquiring graduate and post graduate degrees. Their course structure and teaching methodology are unparalleled. They are the best institutes in the country. But what makes these institutes the BEST? The course material? The faculty? Their placement record? None of these! It’s the students that make the institute. If you choose the best students in the country it stands to reason that you will be the best institute in the country. Simple! I would like to see these premier institutes open their doors to below average students and then see if they can maintain their high level of achievement. I would also like to see them give a chance to less fortunate students in this country to get the best education and move forward in life.
Let me elaborate on a story I heard recently. The niece of one of my superiors managed to secure admission in IIT Powai for Civil Engineering. Civil engineering you will ask? Well, she wanted to be ONLY in IIT Powai. Branch didn’t matter. This girl with relentless hard work and her superior intellectual capacity managed to come first in all the 5 IITs! Not a mean achievement by any stretch of imagination. Consequently she received a Presidential Gold medal for it.
Subsequently she went on to pursue her M.S. in Structures in the good ole US of A.(Why am I not surprised?) After which she was picked up by NASA. Again, on the face of it, a very proud achievement. But again, not from my perspective. Allow me to explain.
IITs & IIMs are government backed institutions. Their course fees are subsidized by the Government by the way of grants. These were started way back in the late 1960s in order to impart world class education to thousands of intelligent Indians and use their knowledge so gained to build the country. It was more or less that way for about 35 years. Then came the era of globalization. And it all changed!
People are now taking the best education from our country at subsidized rates and migrating overseas in search of “greener” (pun intended) pastures. As in the example I quoted above, do we need great minds to spend their time trying to put man into space which, on the face of it, is not going to benefit mankind in any perceivable way? Or do we need our great minds to solve the earth’s problems? To try and design a dam structure in such a way that it won’t disintegrate in the event of an earthquake and kill thousands?
Lets get to the crux of the matter then. Why is that the best minds of our country head out and then blame India for not being a progressive nation? Building a nation needs the best of minds working together for a common goal. A lot of readers of this article will say that it is a case of “sour grapes” with me. “You couldn’t go so why you blaming others?” I am not blaming anybody. People should head out and look for so called better prospects. By all means! But please don’t sit overseas and belittle me, my countrymen and my country! After all, a home, even if made of cow dung, is still home! And in a house where you are a guest, even if it is made of gold, you remain a guest no matter what!
First of all, I would like to express my suspicion on the “Kota” courses that most IIT aspirants go through. I somehow smell a scam going down here. What is so different that is taught in Kota as compared to the rest of the country? Why do year after year people from Kota come up trumps in IIT-JEE? Why do people flock to Kota and stay there for a year to prepare for the exam? Is the water there magical? If someone could offer me an explanation, I would be very interested to listen to it!
Recently the IITs made the entrance checks a little more stringent. Minimum 60% needed in the 12th Board exams. Otherwise not eligible to apply! Result? WIDESPREAD protests all over the country. Pitiable I must say. Seriously I mean. You really think someone securing 50 % in the 12th Boards is going to able to handle the IIT course? I don’t think so!
I for one never considered myself to be suited to even appear for the IIT-JEE. WAY over my level of intellectual capacity. I really admire all those who have cleared this test and fought their way into the IITs. Hats off to them! But I am now beginning to see a different perspective to this entire process. I shall elaborate on it a little later in the article.
Let us now move to the IIMs. “THE” place to be if you want to pursue an MBA. Path of entrance? The much feared CAT or the Common Aptitude Test. “Aptitude”. This word seems to have lost its fundamental meaning in modern Indian testing methodology. Aptitude should be something that comes naturally. Not coached. Then why are there COUNTLESS coaching classes claiming to give the BEST training to CAT aspirants to clear the toughest exam in the world?
Is it because the competition is so high that even natural aptitude needs to coached? Ironic isn’t it? But that is the truth in the today’s times. Coaching classes for CAT have mushroomed on every corner and are minting money. Reason? Economics, my dear Watson. Supply must equal Demand!
At this point I would like to add that I too appeared for the CAT and I too had joined a coching class for the same. A few facts I came across were:
The exam isn’t as tough as it is made out to be.
Coaching classes are virtually ESSENTIAL to do well in the exam.
Everyone should give the CAT once in their lives once at least. If nothing else, just for the sheer experience of appearing for the toughest exam in the world.
There are 2,50,000 hopefuls every year vying for 5000 odd seats. That’s a mere 2% hit ratio.
I got a 97 percentile despite getting a big fat ZERO in Maths.
Moral of the story? Don’t let the facts weigh you down. Give it your best efforts. Don’t give it just for the sake of giving it. For all you know, you could get through. Give the CAT and get an experience of your life!
The IITs & IIMs are premier institutes in India for acquiring graduate and post graduate degrees. Their course structure and teaching methodology are unparalleled. They are the best institutes in the country. But what makes these institutes the BEST? The course material? The faculty? Their placement record? None of these! It’s the students that make the institute. If you choose the best students in the country it stands to reason that you will be the best institute in the country. Simple! I would like to see these premier institutes open their doors to below average students and then see if they can maintain their high level of achievement. I would also like to see them give a chance to less fortunate students in this country to get the best education and move forward in life.
Let me elaborate on a story I heard recently. The niece of one of my superiors managed to secure admission in IIT Powai for Civil Engineering. Civil engineering you will ask? Well, she wanted to be ONLY in IIT Powai. Branch didn’t matter. This girl with relentless hard work and her superior intellectual capacity managed to come first in all the 5 IITs! Not a mean achievement by any stretch of imagination. Consequently she received a Presidential Gold medal for it.
Subsequently she went on to pursue her M.S. in Structures in the good ole US of A.(Why am I not surprised?) After which she was picked up by NASA. Again, on the face of it, a very proud achievement. But again, not from my perspective. Allow me to explain.
IITs & IIMs are government backed institutions. Their course fees are subsidized by the Government by the way of grants. These were started way back in the late 1960s in order to impart world class education to thousands of intelligent Indians and use their knowledge so gained to build the country. It was more or less that way for about 35 years. Then came the era of globalization. And it all changed!
People are now taking the best education from our country at subsidized rates and migrating overseas in search of “greener” (pun intended) pastures. As in the example I quoted above, do we need great minds to spend their time trying to put man into space which, on the face of it, is not going to benefit mankind in any perceivable way? Or do we need our great minds to solve the earth’s problems? To try and design a dam structure in such a way that it won’t disintegrate in the event of an earthquake and kill thousands?
Lets get to the crux of the matter then. Why is that the best minds of our country head out and then blame India for not being a progressive nation? Building a nation needs the best of minds working together for a common goal. A lot of readers of this article will say that it is a case of “sour grapes” with me. “You couldn’t go so why you blaming others?” I am not blaming anybody. People should head out and look for so called better prospects. By all means! But please don’t sit overseas and belittle me, my countrymen and my country! After all, a home, even if made of cow dung, is still home! And in a house where you are a guest, even if it is made of gold, you remain a guest no matter what!
3 comments:
great one mate.......i can only say....i agree wid every single point...we share the same thoughts
masta lihila ahe!!:D
I esp. liked the last para.. hands down.
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