The Great Indian Ritual Called IIT
Guess why today was special for me? Today, I had my IIT entrance exam. For my American followers who have no idea what IIT is, here's a short description- it's an exam which serves as a qualifier to get into the Indian Institute of Technology. Every year, about 500,000 student apply, out of which just over one-percent get selected. For all my Indian followers, well, I don't think I need to tell you what IIT is all about because there is no way you don't know about it.
I never took the whole IIT thing seriously. For me, learning science and becoming an engineer was always something of a mundane Plan-B which became Plan-A when it became clear that becoming a full-time writer, especially in India, isn't a piece of cake. However, I do love the challenges that Science has brought for me and believe in diligently doing all the things required to get into a good engineering college. Never in my life have I been confused about what is my passion and what is my vocation.
But there are kids who take IIT very seriously. These kids are of two types.
The first type comprises of extraordinarily bright children for whom getting into IIT, despite the odds, isn't a big improbability. I'm sure they have an IQ which cracks the roof and there's nothing most people can do to ever be as good as them at Physics, Chemistry and Math.
The second type comprises of students whose goal is to get into IIT. There goal is not to become an engineer or scientist, but to just get into this one particular institution. They slog for two or maybe four years, losing out on a lot of high school fun, because they think getting into IIT is the only respectable future. Now, I'm not trying to be mean here or making fun of what someone wants to do after school. I am just stating a simple truth. The thing is that IIT is more of a phenomenon than just a college. Given the hype surrounding it, some people tend to think that going to IIT is the only way to preove you are smart. Of course, you do have to be smart to get in, but that doesn't mean you don't have an excellent future ahead of you if you do to some other college.
Even though I'm saying all these things right now, I have to admit I did have a meltdown yesterday. I was afraid I wouldn't understand a single question on the test. Also, most IIT aspirants take special classes which coach them for the test. I never took any such training whatsoever. All I did was study by myself for two years, and that too without ever letting the word IIT direct my education. Obviously, before I even went for the exam, I knew I wasn't going to get in. But the IIT entrance exams are a kind of ritual in India. Everybody shows up for the test, despite knowing they won't get in.
Today, starting at nine in the morning, I gave the toughest exam of my life. Actually, the first test wasn't all that bad. I did know how to do some of the questions and I was proud of myself for that, because a lot of kids simply memorize the basic algorithm of all questions possible and attempt to write the exam based on what they have 'learned', not what they have understood. But still, I couldn't do a lot of questions. So basically, for a good part of the first three hours, I had to sit with a paper on my desk telling me I'm stupid.
After the first test, which was actually better for me that I had ever expected, we were given a two hour break. Now, after getting by a three-hour tests which has questions that basically make fun of your intellectual standard, why would a sane person wait two hours to go through another three-hour long test? Well, I don't really have an answer to that.
The second test was....awful. Even though I knew what the questions were asking for, I didn't know the route which would lead me to the answer. But still, I did do something. By the time the test was over, I knew perfectly well that the doors of IIT campuses across the nation would forever be closed for me.
But it's not always just about getting in. I once knew a boy who was born without a limb. He was brilliant, and actually made it to IIT. He just didn't get the subject of his choice. But the thing was, he didn't appear for the test as a handicapped candidate. He said he didn't believe himself to be handicapped. Had he applied in the quota for handicapped students, his rank would most definitely have been in the top ten, but he didn't want that. Sometimes, there are some things bigger and worth more than a dream which aspirants throughout the country have. Sometimes, it's more important to prove you're just like everyone else despite not having a full arm, than to prove you're better than everyone else by going to a certain institution.
All that being said, I salute all the students who become the chosen few. They truly do something that most of us can't, and in some ways, can be called as some of the brightest talents of the country.
As for me, I'm just glad it's over. Never again will I have to sit for a test I have no chance of passing. I am good old me again- writer by nature, aspiring engineering college student by choice.
I never took the whole IIT thing seriously. For me, learning science and becoming an engineer was always something of a mundane Plan-B which became Plan-A when it became clear that becoming a full-time writer, especially in India, isn't a piece of cake. However, I do love the challenges that Science has brought for me and believe in diligently doing all the things required to get into a good engineering college. Never in my life have I been confused about what is my passion and what is my vocation.
But there are kids who take IIT very seriously. These kids are of two types.
The first type comprises of extraordinarily bright children for whom getting into IIT, despite the odds, isn't a big improbability. I'm sure they have an IQ which cracks the roof and there's nothing most people can do to ever be as good as them at Physics, Chemistry and Math.
The second type comprises of students whose goal is to get into IIT. There goal is not to become an engineer or scientist, but to just get into this one particular institution. They slog for two or maybe four years, losing out on a lot of high school fun, because they think getting into IIT is the only respectable future. Now, I'm not trying to be mean here or making fun of what someone wants to do after school. I am just stating a simple truth. The thing is that IIT is more of a phenomenon than just a college. Given the hype surrounding it, some people tend to think that going to IIT is the only way to preove you are smart. Of course, you do have to be smart to get in, but that doesn't mean you don't have an excellent future ahead of you if you do to some other college.
Even though I'm saying all these things right now, I have to admit I did have a meltdown yesterday. I was afraid I wouldn't understand a single question on the test. Also, most IIT aspirants take special classes which coach them for the test. I never took any such training whatsoever. All I did was study by myself for two years, and that too without ever letting the word IIT direct my education. Obviously, before I even went for the exam, I knew I wasn't going to get in. But the IIT entrance exams are a kind of ritual in India. Everybody shows up for the test, despite knowing they won't get in.
Today, starting at nine in the morning, I gave the toughest exam of my life. Actually, the first test wasn't all that bad. I did know how to do some of the questions and I was proud of myself for that, because a lot of kids simply memorize the basic algorithm of all questions possible and attempt to write the exam based on what they have 'learned', not what they have understood. But still, I couldn't do a lot of questions. So basically, for a good part of the first three hours, I had to sit with a paper on my desk telling me I'm stupid.
After the first test, which was actually better for me that I had ever expected, we were given a two hour break. Now, after getting by a three-hour tests which has questions that basically make fun of your intellectual standard, why would a sane person wait two hours to go through another three-hour long test? Well, I don't really have an answer to that.
The second test was....awful. Even though I knew what the questions were asking for, I didn't know the route which would lead me to the answer. But still, I did do something. By the time the test was over, I knew perfectly well that the doors of IIT campuses across the nation would forever be closed for me.
But it's not always just about getting in. I once knew a boy who was born without a limb. He was brilliant, and actually made it to IIT. He just didn't get the subject of his choice. But the thing was, he didn't appear for the test as a handicapped candidate. He said he didn't believe himself to be handicapped. Had he applied in the quota for handicapped students, his rank would most definitely have been in the top ten, but he didn't want that. Sometimes, there are some things bigger and worth more than a dream which aspirants throughout the country have. Sometimes, it's more important to prove you're just like everyone else despite not having a full arm, than to prove you're better than everyone else by going to a certain institution.
All that being said, I salute all the students who become the chosen few. They truly do something that most of us can't, and in some ways, can be called as some of the brightest talents of the country.
As for me, I'm just glad it's over. Never again will I have to sit for a test I have no chance of passing. I am good old me again- writer by nature, aspiring engineering college student by choice.
Congrats on getting through the test!
ReplyDeleteHello.
ReplyDeleteYou blogs are pretty impressive. I would really like you to check out my blog and give me a feed back about it. I would really appreciate that.(P.S, we were in the same school)