IIT bashing yet again!

There are some things in India which is considered fashionable. One of them is bashing the "brand IIT". While some of the criticism is definitely warranted, a chunk of it is, well, just "fashionable".

Here is a piece by BV Shenoy. The article criticizes the IIT JEE system. It is really a well written article for most part, and all the arguments have been put rather nicely (although there maybe some factual errors). Except for the last paragraph. So you want to put emphasis on board exams? You trust them, do you? Well, before going any further please take a couple of minutes to read this too and spare a thought for the students who suffer this way. This link is a report on answer scripts getting "lost" and then "found" on a local train. The article also reports that this isnt a one off incident.

When we appeared in class XII exams, a chunk of roll numbers had 78 in math. A nice continuous chunk. With students amongst that chunk having rather varied expectations too; even if you were to look at the mock exam marks there was huge diversity in the chunk (the students by the way, can look at the graded mock test answer scripts). Fishy? But still, there are so many who would rather trust this than the JEE.

By all means, with a preponderance of coaching centers, the IIT JEE cant be truly considered fair. But take a moment and think whether the alternatives proposed, like the board exams are fair.

I have a couple of questions for the proponents of using board exams etc as "performance indicators", and hence maybe as possible alternatives to the JEE.

1. While you keep harping that coaching institutes play a key role in JEE, do you intend to say that no private coaching goes on for board exams? Even if you were to leave aside the coaching institute stuff, do you intend to say that students studying in a top notch metro school, and those studying in a mofussil school are on a level playing field? If they arent, how come the board exams will be a better indicator.

2. A lot is made out of the corelations between board exams and college performance and the (lack of) corelation between JEE scores and college performance. Anybody has an idea of the corelations between board exams and other tough exams (eg, ISC math score vis-a-vis math olympiad results) and the correlations between JEE and other tough exams (eg, JEE math score vis-a-vis math olympiad scores)?

In a lighter vein, I do see a very strong correlation between college performances and board exams, while I dont see any between college performance and the JEE: In the board exams they ask questions like "State Newton's laws of motion"; nothing focuses on applications of the Newton's laws in tricky situations. In the undergrad courses, they ask questions like "Define structure factor"; no questions asked on actually calculating the structure factor of even slightly complex crystal structures. JEE however, wouldnt ever ask "State Newton's laws and stop there". There you have to demonstrate, while solving the problems, that you have understood the laws fairly well and can apply them. No wonder that the rote learners of board exams have a field day after entering college!! See, I told you; there's a very strong correlation indeed.

All is not well with the IIT JEE. Agreed. But the behemoth survives due to lack of proper alternatives. The crappy stuff which passes in the name of board exams are not, I repeat, ARE NOT an alternative for the JEE.

Disclaimer: I did not clear the IIT JEE. Like 98% others (as well as a fair chunk who didnt have access to methodical coaching like FIITJEE classroom coaching etc), I flopped as well. So please dont think I am defending a system that suited me.

Cup of Life, or Cup of woe?

Tony Cozier's article at the cricinfo website makes for interesting reading. Starting from hotel fires to underprepared pitches and "work in progress" at the match venues, along with dissenting feelings of players and officials thrown in, it appears that this edition of the World Cup is doomed to failure right from the beginning.

However, I have a sneaking feeling that this world cup will actually turn out to be a grand success for cricket and the goof ups will be effectively consigned to the dustbin. Much of this feeling has to do with the jolly good natured approach to life adopted by the denizens of Caribbean Islands. Here's hoping the Windies do well in the World Cup ... and the Indian team lifts the trophy :-)

What does feminism mean?

Here is an interview of Gloria Steinem in rediff. According to her, a feminist is one who can be a woman or a man, who believes in the full social, economic, political equality of women and men"

Richie rich

Forbes has published its list of rich guys of this world.

• 4 Indians make it to the 50 richest men - LN Mittal at #5, Mukesh Ambani at #14, Anil Ambani at #18 and Azim Premji at #21. (none of them, by the way, fully self-made, although Mittal and Premji can make some claims in that direction). Thats a lot, considering that the average Indian's income as such is pretty low.
• This highlights two things - Indians can make money staying in India if they work hard enough. Also, when one looks at the general poverty in the country this accentuates the huge disparities that exist between the "haves" and the "have nots" in India.
• 6 of the 10 richest, 12 of the 20 richest and 29 of the 50 richest men/women are self-made billionaires
• Of the women billionaires in the top 50, I couldnt find a single "self-made" billionaire (hmm... need to check this statement again though).

Some semblence of sense. At last!

Here is a an account of the supreme court dealings on the issue of reservations. Finally, do we see some light at the end of the tunnel, which in the first place, was a creation of a certain pig-headed minister with little more vision than the number of votes garnered in the votebank.

Strangely, now he is starting to sing a slightly different tune.

I intend to put in a short discussion on the merits and demerits of the reservation systems (as enforced in India).

McGrath the batsman

This article by Tim de Lisle on McGrath the ODI batsman makes for great reading :-)

nanopolitan's analysis: R&D funding

Prof. Abinandanan presents a nice incisive analysis of science R&D funding in India (wrt the present budget) in his blog ...

Holi cows

The Telegraph's report on holi cows of India ...
Isnt it great while all the average Indian will be working his ass off on Monday, the representatives of the average Indian will be enjoying holidays? Now, really this isnt much of an issue though. No work gets done in the Parliamentary sessions anyway with all the uncivilized yellings and quarellings; and when they do manage to stop bickering, all our politicians manage to do is to come up with messages for team India, like this one.

A valuable tip for team India

Lok Sabha speaker, Mr Somnath Chatterjee, has an excellent tip for Rahul Dravid and his men in blue over here :-)

Budget 2007-08

So the budget has finally been presented. The govt tom toms it as a success, and the opposition decries it as a failure - now thats all expected.
According to the govt, budget highlights its focus on education. Sushma Swaraj thinks otherwise and shreds apart the claim;

The TOI quotes her as:
"The Finance Minister says Rs 10,671 crore would be provided for the Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan. Well, the two per cent cess on education has fetched the government Rs 10,393 crore. Similarly, they have allocated Rs 6,483 crore for higher education. And the extra one per cent cess will get them about Rs 5,200 crore. If the taxpayer is paying for the education, what is the government giving?" she asks, appalled that the UPA government is saying that education is the highlight of its Budget. "Where is the allocation from the Budget?"

Another quotable quote from her: "The housewife wanted a reduction in her ration bill. But in fact, only those who feed their pets imported dog food will see a cut in their ration bill. It's so strange that man's food has become expensive and dog food cheaper."

And a quotable quip from TOI too :-)
"Trust the seasoned politician to aim where it matters. The middle-class stomach."