Today on MTV's show Kya Baat the topic of discussion was "Are the IITs Overrated?". After watching the show I went into a flashback mode. I remembered that when I was in class 10th only two streams were considered as worthy to be taken up, namely, engineering and medicine. And for those who wanted to become engineers getting into IIT was their ultimate goal. Students literally burnt the midnight oil so that they could clear the JEE.
My route to IIT Bombay was different. I first did my graduation in Chemistry from St Stephens College and then joined IITB for pursuing MSc. Until then I had thought that students at IITs must be having their noses buried in books all the time. To my utter surprise I found among the IITians great sportspersons, managers, leaders, actors, voice over artistes, music composers, singers, costume designers and even some amazing set designers. I was left completely speechless when I saw this huge waterfall which the students had built at the OAT all by themselves for a play!! Today many institutions offer degrees in engineering but IITs are one of the few places where one can do good research in pure sciences. All my MSc batchmates and even some of my friends from engineering departments are currently doing PhD as a result of their first brush with research here.
One of the points raised in the MTV show was that all IIT labs get good funding. This would be true if the comparison was with other Indian universities. But the picture would be very different if one were to size up the situation against the American and German univerisities.
So there is still a long road ahead that needs to be traversed. There are still many conquests to be made and many laurels to be won. In time the IITians will do all that and much more... this I am sure of.
3 comments:
What about UK labs? :P
But you see.. IITs provide the right kind of nurturing atmosphere unlike the other places which just turn out identical candidates with similar skills...
Thats my take..
Agreed that IITians have skills on par with the students from foreign universities (including those in UK :p). But just imagine what would happen if the facilities provided by IITs were on par too with those available outside India. :)
My association with IITs has been limited to the Delhi campus... but with all due respect, I can fearlessly say, they are certainly a class apart. I have had many frnds in other collleges... not that too much separates the people intellectually... coz. its just a matter of a few tests which decide whether one is an IITian or not !! But one thing is certain, atleast majority of the people who do land up here, are truly the cream of Indian intellect. Not to forget, its only a part of the cream which can be attributed to the limitation of infrastructure and facilites here.
The life here has been truly rewarding, and the name just sells, not for unobvious reasons though. Trust me, every moment spent here is worth it.... even today, if i have some tim eon hand, my fav destination for a cuppa is still the same... iit.
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