Response to "The IITs – Factory and the Copycat Problem"

This blog is in the response of the article "The IITs – Factory and the Copycat Problem" http://www.pluggd.in/iit-entrance-exam-or-jee-factory-297/

Disclaimer: I realized only after writing this article that officially Schol. Ave. doesn't endorse this article, which is a sensible thing...But since they posted it, I hope they'll take references to the Schol. Ave. in a good spirit...idea is to bring a positive change and not to criticize Schol.Ave. And I do look forward for Schol.Ave. articles.

No offense to the writer, but after reading the article I feel like reading a third grade populist news paper article, which has been written taking some ideas from the movie "3 idiots" to encourage a mass level cribbing...when I was expecting a quality analysis of the situation (the issues / problems raised are very valid....this is why people will cheer the author)….

Now I myself am not a good writer, (and hence I didnt try to be in Schol ave.) but I expect some quality thinking and writing from the schol. ave. people (that’s why look forward for Schol. Ave. articles), otherwise it'll also become like the IITs of current times and people will be writing articles about how useless and non-creative "schol. ave." has become…

I’ll try to give my analysis of the issue, which we all are trying to address and we all are really concerned about….

IITs….the problem and the solution

IITs were setup by Govt of India to provide technical leadership in the country. It produced good engineers which did really well in all spheres of life. They joined PSUs and led them to excellence, some of them went for teaching, higher education, research. Whether India or abroad, they really did well and the brand was created. Till the time our dear PM Manmohan Singh (Then FM) brought liberalization for India, I feel things were running more or less OK. Post liberalization, unprecedented growth in the Indian industry was observed and it also brought IT bubble which brought lucrative jobs for IITian in India and abroad. IITians really played a role (people may differ on the extent of impact, hence I won’t quantify). And this was the source of the problem. Before I get into explaining the problem, I just want to clarify that I am not against industrialization / capitalism but all I am trying to say that like any other system this also creates some new equilibrium, which if not understood can be destructive (as we are seeing with IITs or infact with all leading academic institutions)

When all of us were studying in class 12th this problem started, but we never realized. Remember how all “good” students would opt for Maths after class 10th, next lot will take Bio, then next lot will take Commerce and the so called “useless” of the batch will have no options but to take Arts in some useless college. No good school will offer arts for class 12th. You may quote exceptions but I think we are dealing this issue in general (so please restrict yourself to give any comments which deals with exceptions…but remember that these exceptions only will ask question against the system and they are the hope if things have to improve).

Ever tried to compare physics with chemistry with Maths?? You may have liking for the one over the other but you wouldn’t find anybody quoting Maths is a better subject than Physics. Now extend the same logic to Science, Commerce and Art. And then extend the same logic for CS to EC to EE to Mech to Chem to Aero to Meta to Mining to…..I think the problem lies in this thinking which is building up. Although this thinking is not illogical, it is simply based on the fact that better the job opportunity, better the security in life and what is wrong if people are attempting security. This new equilibrium was formed by the industrialization post liberalization.

Problem with this thinking is people dumped creativity over security and if that is happening from class tenth to class 12th and extends your choosing subject in the IITs, then how can you expect people to talk creativity in the institute. Always remember that systems are not important, people are. And if people are brought in an environment where security is given preference to creativity, whatever system you propose (curriculum, freedom, relevant projects…etc…etc..) students will re-align them to choose option which will help them to have a secure future or students will be interested in the activities which give them direct profit (add to CV). So if people are really interested that WE the best minds of the country come up with some of the creative stuff, we need to break the mindset and not break the structure.

Now again a clarification, I am not trying to say one system (or the system which are proposed) is not better than the other. You may find some temporary / minor improvement in the situation but you’ll never achieve your dream. And, again, this should not stop you from working towards better structure, but please somebody has to look into the base of the problem also.

So, that’s why I say the three idiot theory of changing the system will not bring the change we are looking for. To bring the outcome we need to work towards changing people and this is my basic argument.

Now I wanted to get into analyzing the Schol. Ave. article but that is not the objective and I have great respect for Schol. Ave. If people are sensible enough they will understand.

Now let’s get into creativity, towards solution of these problems. The solution I am proposing is not the only and comprehensive solution, this is best to my ability and understanding. People are encouraged to add to this or provide alternatives. But solution should be towards breaking the mindset. Lot of people work towards structural changes, which is important but I am not interested in that.

As I said before the change will be brought by the people who are exceptions and they don’t accept to believe what is told to them. And we enough such people, people who are entrepreneurs, social-entrpreneurs, researchers, teachers etc. Anybody who has said NO to the so called main stream of JOB -> MBA -> Job and settle down is an exception. Now if change has to brought about these people need to come back to institute and speak to the students about the alternatives. We have enough examples who joined lucrative jobs and left that to explore other “creative” options. When these people come back and motivate students to exhibit creativity, surely bulk of people will realize that there are options and creativity has a value. This is when you’ll find creative coming back in the system. This is the basic argument, logic can be extended to create avenues to motivate students. In IITKGP, E-Cell and Schol. Ave. are such avenues which promote students to think beyond regular options.

Some cautions – Motive is not to promote everybody for entrepreneurship or do “crazy” (Not mainstream) stuff and if everybody starts doing that, even that will creativity. Idea is to make people realize that there are other ways of doing things and then let people who want security choose security and people who love to take risk take risk. Once people will realize this creativity will start coming back into day-to-day student activity.

I hope this write-up helps at least one person to think differently.

Varun

Agricultural & Food Engineer, 2006

IIT KGP

(varunkumar.83@gmail.com)

Please read my blog and checkout my facebook profile to find out more about the “crazy” stuff I am upto these days.