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IITs today do more harm than good
By
SINS
| Friday, 08 August 2008, 04:21 Hrs
|
Bangalore: Now even IITians are no exception. Students who are coming out of the IITs (Indian Institute of Technology) are finding themselves as mediocre when they meet with the corporate reality, says a director at one of the premier IITs in the country. Thanks to the mushrooming coaching centers that can groom anybody to write any entrance tests,including IIT's.
"I am looking for students with raw intelligence and not those with a mind prepared by coaching class tutors. The coaching classes only help students in mastering question paper or pattern recognizing skills. By attending the IIT coaching classes, students were learning a wrong lesson that the ends justify the means," IIT-Madras director, M S Ananth was quoted as saying by Times of India.
There have been reports of IIT students committing suicide both while being inside the campus and after coming out of the institute with a job in hand. Ego clashes that emerges when toppers of different colleges realize that they are no more a topper here but equally talented fellows have contributed a lot to the campus suicides. And also the students who got into the institutes with the help of coaching center come out just to realize that they have not learned anything that enable them to cop up with corporate demands. They find no choice but succumb to pressure.
Meenal Nalwaya, a graduate from IIT Delhi, feels that students in the campus have mostly had a good academic record. They develop a habit of seeing themselves at the top anywhere and everywhere. But the platform in IIT is very different. "Everyone here is equally competent, which leads to unwanted tension," she says.
The Joint Entrance Examinations (JEE) are designed to test the knowledge of the candidates and those who clear them are considered as the brightest. But many put blame on the selection procedure at IITs as the mediocre students that eventually come out of the prestigious IITs today do more harm than good.
Alok and Gaurav Khanna, both graduated from IIT Delhi, say that the entrance pattern is to blame. The exam is mostly objective and anyone, who works hard enough can clear it. But life in the campus is not so easy.
"Sometimes we realize that even sharp students become slack in the campus and do not fare well in the exams leading to various mental problems. Even the brightest student becomes complacent and thus finds himself in a complicated position," adds Alok.
But most of the IIT graduates say that abolishing the coaching classes would have been ideal but it is an impractical thought since this culture has penetrated deep into the society.
"I am looking for students with raw intelligence and not those with a mind prepared by coaching class tutors. The coaching classes only help students in mastering question paper or pattern recognizing skills. By attending the IIT coaching classes, students were learning a wrong lesson that the ends justify the means," IIT-Madras director, M S Ananth was quoted as saying by Times of India.
There have been reports of IIT students committing suicide both while being inside the campus and after coming out of the institute with a job in hand. Ego clashes that emerges when toppers of different colleges realize that they are no more a topper here but equally talented fellows have contributed a lot to the campus suicides. And also the students who got into the institutes with the help of coaching center come out just to realize that they have not learned anything that enable them to cop up with corporate demands. They find no choice but succumb to pressure.
Meenal Nalwaya, a graduate from IIT Delhi, feels that students in the campus have mostly had a good academic record. They develop a habit of seeing themselves at the top anywhere and everywhere. But the platform in IIT is very different. "Everyone here is equally competent, which leads to unwanted tension," she says.
The Joint Entrance Examinations (JEE) are designed to test the knowledge of the candidates and those who clear them are considered as the brightest. But many put blame on the selection procedure at IITs as the mediocre students that eventually come out of the prestigious IITs today do more harm than good.
Alok and Gaurav Khanna, both graduated from IIT Delhi, say that the entrance pattern is to blame. The exam is mostly objective and anyone, who works hard enough can clear it. But life in the campus is not so easy.
"Sometimes we realize that even sharp students become slack in the campus and do not fare well in the exams leading to various mental problems. Even the brightest student becomes complacent and thus finds himself in a complicated position," adds Alok.
But most of the IIT graduates say that abolishing the coaching classes would have been ideal but it is an impractical thought since this culture has penetrated deep into the society.
Reader's comments (8)
1: they manipulate the system, mess it for
everyone and then talk like maniacs.
Posted by: Alok Dube - 05 Mar, 2009
2: The entire educational system is falling
apart.. today we have computers, tv and many
other distractions to disturb students from
studies. The culture also has changed. Girls
wear short dresses and this makes students
attracted to them and stop studies and start
flirting around, goofing around, spending the
day outside doing all kinds of unwanted
stuff.
Worst thing happening today is that idiocracy is taking over. People use sms terms. Shorten english words. Deliberately make spelling mistakes. It just get dumb and dumber. I don't think IIT is gonna produce useful students who can actually make a difference in the world. We have lakhs of students writing exams and only 10% actually do it for themselves. Most do it for there parents. Among that small 10% too there are those who get carried away. Most guys take what they are offered in a college. My friend himself got into a famous college and took the group they offered. I told him to take the group he actually was interested (even if its a simple college) rather than joining a so called "popular" college. IITs, NITs dont have internal sliding too (thats what i heard).. so its just a waste of talent and hardwork entering into these institutes. IITs are supposed to take students who are able to think rather than able to solve a sum like a machine or to say some definition at a speed of 5-6 words per second.
Worst thing happening today is that idiocracy is taking over. People use sms terms. Shorten english words. Deliberately make spelling mistakes. It just get dumb and dumber. I don't think IIT is gonna produce useful students who can actually make a difference in the world. We have lakhs of students writing exams and only 10% actually do it for themselves. Most do it for there parents. Among that small 10% too there are those who get carried away. Most guys take what they are offered in a college. My friend himself got into a famous college and took the group they offered. I told him to take the group he actually was interested (even if its a simple college) rather than joining a so called "popular" college. IITs, NITs dont have internal sliding too (thats what i heard).. so its just a waste of talent and hardwork entering into these institutes. IITs are supposed to take students who are able to think rather than able to solve a sum like a machine or to say some definition at a speed of 5-6 words per second.
Posted by: Mohsin - 28 Jul, 2010
3:What the defenders of the IIT are trying to
do is to pit a theoretical teaching shop
(IIT) against a top notch teaching and
research center (MIT) on the basis of
something as trite as the "toughness" of the
IIT JEE papers.
Imagine comparing out of the box thinking and inventive research as done at MIT with a high school level standardized science and math test (IIT JEE) based on manipulation of book facts, theorems and equations.
Even those questions set by the IIT for the JEE are copied or innovated from foreign texts. Had we invented or discovered all those basic theorems that form the basis of the IIT JEE then it'd be another matter. But, I repeat, even where setting a high school test paper (IIT JEE) is concerned, the Indian professors are simply imitating the original research that went into formulating all that elementary stuff.
As for higher science and math that far exceeds the bookish JEE level, well, IIT is nowhere and even most of its graduates working abroad are into high profile but routine jobs. At international college level competitions "crack" teams from IIT have ranked nowhere.
Scientists and engineers from tiny nations like Israel, Norway, Sweden, Finland, South Korea, etc, without the customary beating of drums that accompanies the so-called great achievements of institutions like IIT, are far more creative and are doing some serious work in cutting edge fields and are making a big contribution to world knowledge.
It stands to reason that the only "great achievement" of our IITians is passing a stiff theoretical standardized high school test like the JEE where the scores range from 80% or a little more for the JEE topper to something as low as 5% or a bit more for the lower rankers.
What these guys fail to understand is that passing a theoretically stiff high school science and math test and then going on to achieve an engineering degree is no guarantee that one will be a world class inventive or innovative engineer in professional life where the criteria of success greatly differs.
No wonder a few months ago an IIT JEE Chairman had publicly remarked (as reported in the Times of India) that the IITs despite all the boast have failed to produce innovative scientists and engineers.
Imagine comparing out of the box thinking and inventive research as done at MIT with a high school level standardized science and math test (IIT JEE) based on manipulation of book facts, theorems and equations.
Even those questions set by the IIT for the JEE are copied or innovated from foreign texts. Had we invented or discovered all those basic theorems that form the basis of the IIT JEE then it'd be another matter. But, I repeat, even where setting a high school test paper (IIT JEE) is concerned, the Indian professors are simply imitating the original research that went into formulating all that elementary stuff.
As for higher science and math that far exceeds the bookish JEE level, well, IIT is nowhere and even most of its graduates working abroad are into high profile but routine jobs. At international college level competitions "crack" teams from IIT have ranked nowhere.
Scientists and engineers from tiny nations like Israel, Norway, Sweden, Finland, South Korea, etc, without the customary beating of drums that accompanies the so-called great achievements of institutions like IIT, are far more creative and are doing some serious work in cutting edge fields and are making a big contribution to world knowledge.
It stands to reason that the only "great achievement" of our IITians is passing a stiff theoretical standardized high school test like the JEE where the scores range from 80% or a little more for the JEE topper to something as low as 5% or a bit more for the lower rankers.
What these guys fail to understand is that passing a theoretically stiff high school science and math test and then going on to achieve an engineering degree is no guarantee that one will be a world class inventive or innovative engineer in professional life where the criteria of success greatly differs.
No wonder a few months ago an IIT JEE Chairman had publicly remarked (as reported in the Times of India) that the IITs despite all the boast have failed to produce innovative scientists and engineers.
Joel Pastakia replied to: Om Patri
post - 23 Sep, 2009
post - 23 Sep, 2009
4:Vaibhav,
you are from that cadre who would "want sachin tendulkar to play by being coached" because, you stand to gain from it.
you are from that cadre who would "want sachin tendulkar to play by being coached" because, you stand to gain from it.
Alok replied to: Vaibhav K Mittal
post - 22 Jul, 2009
post - 22 Jul, 2009
5:I agree. IIT coaching takes a huge toll on
students. Students who don't have a genuine
interest in PCM mug up in order to get into
IIT's and do engineering. IIT coaching should
be banned.
alexmahone replied to: Om Patri
post - 13 May, 2009
post - 13 May, 2009
6:bull research
i think it is a credible fact that not a single IITian has contributed to india in any way
i think it is a credible fact that not a single IITian has contributed to india in any way
Alok Dube replied to: anand
post - 05 Mar, 2009
post - 05 Mar, 2009
7: almost all the olmpiad wineers competitive
exam toppers are from iit but iit fail to
give a land mark .
in world good scientist are from many different countries but not from india
in iit they are trained to become a good engineer or scientist but not to top in the mba exam
in world good scientist are from many different countries but not from india
in iit they are trained to become a good engineer or scientist but not to top in the mba exam
lalit replied to: Ravi Jain
post - 07 Apr, 2010
post - 07 Apr, 2010
8: I am a recent IIT Kharagpur passout -
graduated in 2009. I am working with an NGO -
Naandi Foundation today.
My journey started with the busting of US housing bubble and the subsequent financial shock waves across the world. Recruitment scenario, even at IITs, remained gloomy and that helped me to narrow down my job search. I never enjoyed coding so I didn’t want to do a software job. Financial jobs did interest me but the sector was in total disarray. Luckily for me the Tata Jagriti Yatra happened amidst all these happenings. One fine evening I heard a friend of mine, Nitin, talking about Naandi Foundation and the work they do. I checked out the website of Naandi and found the work to be really fascinating. The same night I underwent a complete transformation, stumbled upon some really good articles on development sector, the bottom of pyramid concept coined by CK Prahlad, and after a night full of introspection, by the time sun rose, I started visualizing myself working for Naandi.
After scores of interviews I finally won myself a job in Naandi. I was impressed to see the corporate culture at Naandi. To begin with, I worked on a project which studied the feasibility of the use of solar water pumps in Indian farms. Then, I started studying all the project reports and impact studies on the extraordinary success story of Naandi in reviving the Agriculture in Andhra Pradesh. It felt great and what excited me was that it was just in Andhra Pradesh that Naandi had worked so far, and there were 28 other states in India – with similar state of disarray in livelihoods.
Reports state that 25% of India lives below poverty line, and I had never seen any Indian so poor that he could not even manage Rs. 20 each day. The guy who sweeps my room every morning also earns Rs. 3000 every month. This made me feel that I was so detached from 25 percent of Indians and I am happy that now I am working for exactly these people. Right now I am working on a few mammoth sized projects of livelihoods in Karnataka and Nagaland. At Naandi, I am getting the opportunity to work with a very dedicated team and some even carrying truck loads of experience with them. Working here also makes me aware of various loop holes in Indian government hierarchy and its feels bad when you see millions and millions, which were supposed to nourish employment generation schemes of poor farmers and urban slum dwellers, are actually being pocketed by everyone in the government hierarchy ladder.
Working in an NGO seems great, as the efficiency and reachability of NGOs are yet to be improved by leaps and bounds and that seems to be a great challenge given the Indian-mind set of people, Indian-social concerns of people and most importantly corrupted and lethargic governments. At present, out of two given options - Earning a handsome pay package every month without affecting lives of any or earning a little less and affecting livelihoods of thousands of poor people – mostly poorest farmers, the ones who feed us – I chose the second one.
My journey started with the busting of US housing bubble and the subsequent financial shock waves across the world. Recruitment scenario, even at IITs, remained gloomy and that helped me to narrow down my job search. I never enjoyed coding so I didn’t want to do a software job. Financial jobs did interest me but the sector was in total disarray. Luckily for me the Tata Jagriti Yatra happened amidst all these happenings. One fine evening I heard a friend of mine, Nitin, talking about Naandi Foundation and the work they do. I checked out the website of Naandi and found the work to be really fascinating. The same night I underwent a complete transformation, stumbled upon some really good articles on development sector, the bottom of pyramid concept coined by CK Prahlad, and after a night full of introspection, by the time sun rose, I started visualizing myself working for Naandi.
After scores of interviews I finally won myself a job in Naandi. I was impressed to see the corporate culture at Naandi. To begin with, I worked on a project which studied the feasibility of the use of solar water pumps in Indian farms. Then, I started studying all the project reports and impact studies on the extraordinary success story of Naandi in reviving the Agriculture in Andhra Pradesh. It felt great and what excited me was that it was just in Andhra Pradesh that Naandi had worked so far, and there were 28 other states in India – with similar state of disarray in livelihoods.
Reports state that 25% of India lives below poverty line, and I had never seen any Indian so poor that he could not even manage Rs. 20 each day. The guy who sweeps my room every morning also earns Rs. 3000 every month. This made me feel that I was so detached from 25 percent of Indians and I am happy that now I am working for exactly these people. Right now I am working on a few mammoth sized projects of livelihoods in Karnataka and Nagaland. At Naandi, I am getting the opportunity to work with a very dedicated team and some even carrying truck loads of experience with them. Working here also makes me aware of various loop holes in Indian government hierarchy and its feels bad when you see millions and millions, which were supposed to nourish employment generation schemes of poor farmers and urban slum dwellers, are actually being pocketed by everyone in the government hierarchy ladder.
Working in an NGO seems great, as the efficiency and reachability of NGOs are yet to be improved by leaps and bounds and that seems to be a great challenge given the Indian-mind set of people, Indian-social concerns of people and most importantly corrupted and lethargic governments. At present, out of two given options - Earning a handsome pay package every month without affecting lives of any or earning a little less and affecting livelihoods of thousands of poor people – mostly poorest farmers, the ones who feed us – I chose the second one.
Ravi Jain replied to: Joel Pastakia
post - 01 Feb, 2010
post - 01 Feb, 2010
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