Why I don’t prefer encouraging people getting into an engineering college?

Young Indians have given up on engineering and MBA degrees considering the chances of getting a job to be very grim. Frustrated engineers and business graduates are now taking jobs for which they are overqualified and, therefore, underpaid.

In India, while some time ago, the number and quality of the engineering institutes were enough to produce technically skilled people in the country. Creamy layer used to be in IIT’s, Good students used to be in NIT’s and average people used to be in Govt. engineering colleges. Things were justified at that point. But everything got jeopardized when the number of engineering colleges rose up.

Needless to say, the popularity of the engineering was mostly due to IT and it's capability to offer even a mediocre student a job of Rs. 20K/month. In this jazzy world of IT, everybody forgot one vital fact. Engineering is NOT all about IT/Computers and IT itself is NOT equal to Computer Science. Today every sensible Engineer would say with me - IT has been very successful in destroying two streams of engineering that goes by the name Computer Science and Electronics and Communication engineering.

Some of the myths that parents and students get trapped into

1. One should be a professional such as a doctor, lawyer or an engineer to be successful in life. Other degree programmes are not useful.
2. Marks scored in higher secondary are a true reflection of one’s intelligence, and the one who has scored more than 95% is the most intelligent than others.
3. Those who studied higher secondary education in vernacular medium cannot shine in professional courses.
4. Unemployment is high, so campus placement is the only hope.
5. An engineering degree in the most popular branch, with 8.0 CGPA and above will definitely fetch a job.

In order to overcome poor placements and get most of their students placed, non IITs and tier two engineering colleges are coming up with alternative ways. They are plunging to newer industries apart from IT, compromising on lower salary packages, inviting more companies and bringing entrepreneurship in limelight.

                             

So here is my analysis of why I do not have an optimistic suggestion to pursue an engineering degree

Case 1 - If they belong to a Tier- 3 college in the outskirts of a metro city:

1. They undoubtedly took up engineering because it gets you an “established career" and somewhere somebody told them an engineering degree is a prestigious one.
2. All through those four years they realized that they made a huge mistake
3. They were expecting a placement at the completion of four years, but due to massive competition and lack of skills they failed to get one and that now look for other options for earning. 
4. Ramu, Somu, and Raju - all are doing MBA, so I’ll do the same 
5. But if they are among the 20% people in these colleges, who are actually interested in engineering AND have the recommended skills too, they fail to get a placement because they are not prepared to work in a small startup and want work in TCS and TCS will not hire them unless they belong to a tier 2/1 college or are exceptionally brilliant with super-duper communication skills. So they look for other options.

                       

Case 2 - If they belong to tier 1 college (IIT, BITS and all their copartners)

1. Companies willingly hire them ( I am talking about those companies who reject Tier 3 brilliant students but fluster for Tier 1 average students because of their "TAG" ) to provide them a steady life is foreseen.
2. But now they do not value the steady life.
3. They want more. They are IITians. They don't want to be working "under" someone. So they go on building up their “own startups” or go to California to pursue “MBA” and have "FUN".

Tier 3 engineering graduates always wonder what makes their education pathetic. Well its tiny bits of structure, admin, the students themselves and much more. Nobody is concerned on how to transform the already existing low grade colleges which are serving no purpose other than giving way an engineering degree at the end of four years

Well, I thought about what can be done to change the scenario, and here are some pointers that my brain came up with:

  1. Admissions not on the basis of competitive MCQ based exams or the score in the higher secondary:

 An engineer should have a bit of creativity, imaginative thinking, ability to research and a genuine interest in stuff. What AIEEE and JEE (sorry IITians) test is how a set mathematical problems can be solved in the minimum possible time. Now Euler’s theorem and Taylor’s series are important but what’s their use if you cannot apply them. And for application you need a brain which is aware, thinking and interested in the application itself, not in getting a job at TCS. Those kinds of brains can be sorted out when the admission selection criteria has some sort of analytic skills testing. People with real stuff should come forward to join such a course. Not anybody who can afford to repay an education loan for an engineering course.

2. Introducing practical based study in the curriculum:

 We have all watched the 3 Idiots movie a humpty number of times. So I needn’t elaborate on this.

3. Exams in the form of minor projects based on theory studied throughout the semester:

 This is an extension of the point above. Chuck away as much theory based exams as possible. This will stop the trend of people mugging and passing exams. In Tamilnadu and other major states all the muggers are tagged as toppers. But when these enter into corporate world they rarely shine.

4. Introduction of personality development sessions in curriculum:

 Many students may have the talent and aptitude but lack awareness and conversational skills. Now these sessions are available in many colleges but they suck big time. Again, there is nothing beneficial standard on in that part. We requisite to have people who know how to create an impact on the student’s personality and any XYZ with good English will not do.

5. Batch of not more than 25 to 30 students in a class:

 Putting up a herd of students into a single class room will fetch nothing except noise.

6. Tie ups with various start-ups and not just high end companies:

 Everyone needs practical talent. Be it TCS or a startup in sake. The college admin must have tie ups with these companies and show them the practical projects these students make. The companies will definitely be interested in hiring these children rather than a mugger who is a 9 pointer.

7. Encourage students in all ways possible:

 Every student will have their own talents. Institution should be able to find them out and encourage them in their respective interest apart from books.

8. Provide students with ample knowledge on various streams of knowledge:

 Institutes must provide ample knowledge on the real world. Don’t make students glued to books and exams.

9. Don’t prioritize students based on the marks:

 Don’t rank people according to their marks rather find the real star among the group.

10. This is for the students - Don’t consider engineering a money fetching mechanism:

 If money is the only purpose of taking an engineering course, then wait for surprises.

There is much more to say… 

My dear Chennai Roads :)

Chennai Road in Peak-hours

Well, I’ve been thinking for quiet a long time to put up this. But it always remained back in my draft list. I have been into a long backtrack whether to put up this or not. Finally my time has come to vent out my resentment towards my ROAD-MATES. I know it’s not a big matter of deal. But still being a girl and driving a two wheeler in a city like Chennai is not a simple-to-do task. I always wanted to write-up so that people will appreciate, that driving is not a so-pleasant-thing.

Whenever you drive down the road, you can see that the number of female two-wheeler drivers have been significantly increasing. I am, each time contented and feel independent that I drive a two- wheeler. But driving every day to work, on busy areas like Triplicane, Royapettah, Gemini flyover, Teynampet, Anna Salai, and Nandhanam makes me really exhausted in the early hours of the work day.

The roads being highly trafficated since the number of car-owners and bike-owners have been on a rise since the year 2000 as per statistics. I have, in the past five months or so, have become a master of Chennai peak hours traffic. I have established myself a few rubrics which helps me seriously to abbreviate my travel time as well as keep myself calm while driving. The fact that has to be accepted is that there is no such thing called as a traffic-free route in Chennai.

While driving in the impossible roads is a curse, my dear co-driver fellows of the Share Autos and auto rickshaws – leisurely move around but have a supernatural ability to enter and exit sideways in traffic and also stop instantly for no reason or to sometimes overlook or pick up commuters. They also tend to get into wrong lanes and then exit at the last direction of their choice. The drivers are consistently fairly aggressive and incline to combat their way into making you pay for their mistakes!

Apart from these share autos and auto rickshaws, there is another turtle which moves on the roads - The MTC buses - generally better performers than the private buses except when they approach a bus stop where they turn into some out-of-date freaks out to destroy and block everything in their path. You need to also watch out for the pedestrians at these bus stops because they most always assemble in huge groups in front of the bus-stop.

Tata Indica, Toyota Qualis, Mahindra Maxi cabs and other private cabs - the drivers of these vehicles are close by cousins to the Share auto/Auto rickshaw drivers and they share the same character traits which is a bad news for ‘proper-driving’ person along for the ride. The drivers of these vehicles feel that the other vehicle is too close only when there is physical contact and it is rare scene, an Indica or any private car without a dent or scratch on all the sides of the car!

Trust me I have close encounter with luxury cars driven by owners who are on the phone and don’t concentrate on the road. People walking in groups on roads least bother about the drivers on road. I always watch out for pedestrians and unless there is need I will not touch my horn. To be really authentic and straightforward, dogs, cats, cows, and other co-living things react to the horn sound in a much sensible way than my dear fellow human beings.

Dear Road mates BE CALM & DRIVE TOLERANTLY !

It takes 8,460 bolts to assemble an automobile, and one nut to scatter it all over the road :) :) :)

My favourite Possession – An Ink Pen

Those days of blue patches all over my pinafore will turn my maid, a monster. Yeah, to be appropriate, it was in my 4^th grade when I became the honored owner of a brand new Camlin ink pen. Short and stout it was. I was filled with the same excitement most kids associate when receiving free toys.

Till our third grade, pens seem to be an alien to us as if they were from Mars and Venus. Writing meant, only with pencils, crayons, and sketch pens. Those were the days we really yearned to write in a pen. Writing in an ink pen meant a respect while all our juniors at school still go crap with that ever-breaking pencil needles. Those magical gadgets that glided on paper in an astonishing shade of blue, and not those grungy, forever breaking sticks called pencils. A pencil becomes an abandoned without its best friend-a sharpener.

Pens didn’t break like my pencils. It was just continuously smooth. I scrawled until all the ink in the pen had been transferred to my paper, my hands, my clothes and my face.

But it was worth it.

My out-and-out preferred though, remained the ink pen. By peer pressure I moved on to its gel ink cousins for the sake of convenience and a stain free uniform.

I’ve always thought that writing with a new ink pen, is much like making a new pal. There are some pens with which, I make a joint assembly instantly, those pens know how exactly to bring out the best in me. Those pens will last to be my favourites, the ones that I’ll take time to clean every weekend in hot water, and the ones that will write out my most important exams, and my greatest secrets. There are some other pens that will take a little longer for me to like. They misbehave most of the time, but occasionally show a good side, so that I don’t give up on them; they teach me patience.

The last time I had used an ink pen was roughly four years ago. I had stopped using them while writing harshly-timed engineering exams. I became fully dependent on the keyboard and stopped using pens altogether when I entered the corporate world.

Everytime I glide down the paper with an ink pen, I admire my own handwriting. I would hold up the paper in different angles to get different perceptions of my handwriting.

Nothing replicates the feeling of holding a pen and gliding it on a piece of paper.

There’s a simplicity in the pen and paper :)

The Indispensable Devil of My Life

Never a day passes without an argument!

Never a night ends without a silly fight!

Every single day is a tug-of-war

There is a little devil in my life, constantly keeps battling in my regular life.

She is the one, who mocks me the core,

But still, she is the one who will never give me up at any instant of life.

Just like moms, sisters share a special bond with us.

Every little moment we fight and bout each other.

But still deep in my heart she is still my special daughter.

A companion who seals your life with laughs and smiles.
The special moments last for miles and miles.

We share a special bond like a mother-daughter

Having a sister like her is having a best friend you can't get rid of. 

We grew up together and went through life’s ups and downs together

And, I would say, I would be lost without her.

She is a good supervisor, who gets all her homework done by me.

The lazy bones are embarked within her.

No matter how simple the task is, she needs me for sure.

Bless you, my darling Chandrika,

Just always remember, you can always talk to me
I’ll be the best friend you ever knew

Seconds fade, minutes fade, hours fade, days fade, weeks fade, months fade, and years fade,

But never our bond fades…

From your ever-fond Sissy,

Jayashree Ravi

Take time. Change the world you see :)

Everything in life takes time. Would you like to change your life? Do you long more time for yourself? 

Take time. Change the world you see :)

Eleanor Roosevelt believed “The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.” 

Would you like to take better care of your health, reduce stress, spend time with you near and dear ones and create more balance in your life? Well, you’re not alone. We partner each other in this “Mechanical world.” The ultimate secret of changing your life is in your hands. It is simple to be attained. As I’ve revealed earlier, everything in life takes time, so is this. Do anything in life but let it produce joy, not only to you but also the people around you. You just need to understand that time changes everything — people, surrounding, you and me. 

I was weak, before I turn out to be strong

I was soft, before I turn out to be sarcastic

I was pessimistic, before I turn out to be confident

I was timid, before I turn out to be brave

I was ignorant, before I turn out to be challenging

I was unaware, before I turn out to be awake

I was melancholy, before I turn out to be cheerful

I was impolite, before I turn out to be courteous

I was indecisive, before I turn out to be decisive

I was gloomy, before I turn out to be friendly

I was hostile, before I turn out to be devoted

I was rigid, before I turn out to be flexible

I was immature, before I turn out to be matured

I was unreceptive, before I turn out to be responsive

I was unwilling, before I turn out to be willing

Take time. Change the world you see. Live life with love :) 

What "SHE" needs?

I can assure you that any girl will have similar honest desires. B’coz we girls are special and pretty in our own way :-) I know some of you are rolling your eyes, but read it as a friendly refresher, a reminder that is simple and honest. So here’s my list...

Always hold her hands when you are together.

Apply polish for her nails.

Be Prince Charming to her parents.

Be the first one to wish her on her bday.

Brush her hair out of her face.

Buy gifts for her.

Call from your vacation spot to tell you were thinking about her.

Choose dresses for her.

Compliment her everytime time you see her.

Describe the joy you feel just to be with her.

Do cute things that will make her love you even more.

Even if you are really busy, go out of your way to call and say I love you.

Express her that she is the only girl you ever want. (Do not lie!)

Fall asleep on the phone with her.

Find out her favorite perfume and wear it every time you are together.

Give her surprises everytime you visit her.

Give random gifts of flowers/chocolates/poem etc.

Go for a long walk down the beach at midnight.

Hang out with her friends.

Hold her hands.

Know her desires.

Learn from her and don't make the same mistake twice.

Learn to say sweet things to her in foreign languages.

Let there never be a second during any day, which you aren't thinking about her, and make sure she knows it.

Love yourself before you her.

Make a phone call every 5 minutes when you are very far away from her.

Make sacrifices for her.

Never forget the goodnight msg and always remember to say, "Sweet dreams."

Never lose your temper against her.

Never make lame excuses.

Pray together.

Prepare a dish for her.

Present her Roses.

Put love notes in her purse when she isn't looking.

Really, LOVE her.

Remember your dreams and tell her.

Say only when you mean it and make sure they know you mean it.

Share your deepest secrets and fears.

Sing to her.

Spend every second possible with her.

Stand up for her when someone talks trash.

Stare into her eyes and hold her hands.

Take her for a dinner.

Take her to see a romantic movie and remember the scenes she liked.

Tell her that you love the way she falls asleep with her head in your lap.

Tell her your dreams and aspirations

Walk in the rain with her.

Watch the sunset with her.

Whisper to her.
Write a poem for her.

Have you ever loved someone? If not, then you should, then you get a chance to look deep within your soul 

Be Organized

Being organized has never been a negative for anyone, in fact being organized leads to success more often than not! But how about organizing life like we organize everything else? What about our life’s TO-DO list. Here is something we should not miss out on!

Make time for yourself:

Yes, you had struggles to get through, troubles to overcome, loved ones to deal with, and goals to achieve. But a break from it all is more than necessary. It’s perfectly healthy to stop and let the world spin on without you for a while. It’s good for you to spend time alone. It gives you an opportunity to discover who you really are, and to figure out why you truly are always alone.

Credit your effort despite the result:

Failure keeps you grounded, success keeps you alert, but only faith and determination keeps you going. So stay focused, and celebrate your efforts, not your outcomes. Challenges are what make life interesting, overcoming them is what gives life meaning. Remember that the opposite of failing is not succeeding; the opposite of failing is trying.

React right:

If you can change your thinking, you can change your life. You have a thought process which you ride on when you are alone and quietly thinking. The worth of your life to yourself and others, as well as the happiness it brings, depends upon the way your process works, the baggage it carries, and the emotional space through which it travels. Between life’s stimulus and your reaction is where this space exists; within it is your power to choose how you react, and in your reaction lies your growth, freedom, and happiness.

Listen to your inner voice:

Some people will kill you over time if you let them; and how they’ll kill you is with tiny, harmless phrases like, “be realistic.” When this happens, close your ears and listen to your inner voice instead. Remember that real success in life isn’t what others see, but how you feel. It’s living your truth and doing what makes you feel alive.

Exercise Positivity:

You deserve a day when worries don’t get in the way of your happiness. A day where, even if some people are insensitive or unkind, you’re not going to mind because you realize that the blessings you received are far more precious than the burdens you once experienced. You can create a day like this for yourself. There is power in positivity.

Focus on the next logical step forward:

There are no hopeless situations; there are only people who have grown hopeless about them. So keep your hope alive. Don’t dwell on what went wrong. Instead, focus on what to do next. Spend your energy moving forward toward a solution. If you take full responsibility for yourself and your current situation, you will develop a hunger to accomplish your dreams, and you will discover a way to get there.

Be kind:

The best choice you can make is to be genuinely respectful and authentically kind. Though your kindness will not always be returned, it will certainly be noticed. And even when it’s not fully appreciated by others, your kindness will always inject more positive value into your own life. What you give comes back to you in ways that are impossible to predict. So give your kindness as often as you can, and enjoy the more positive world you are helping to create.

Appreciate people, who deserve it

You develop three kinds of friendships in life: friends for a reason, friends for a season, and friends for a lifetime. Take note of who these ‘lifetime friends’ are and never overlook their worth. Just because they are reliable and there when you need them, doesn’t mean you should fail to give thanks and appreciation on a regular basis. To value someone too lightly is to risk missing their goodness before they’re gone.

Be grateful for blessings:

We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude. What if you gave someone a gift and they neglected to thank you for it? Would you be likely to give them another one? The daily events in your life respond the same way. In order to attract more of the blessings that life has to offer, you must be grateful for what you already have.

Enjoy yourself:

In between all your goals, priorities, obligations, and everything else that might appear on one of your upcoming to-do lists, there are moments called ‘life’ that still have to be lived and enjoyed. The trick is to make the best of each moment, and value it for what it’s worth. In other words, don’t wish all your time away by waiting for better times ahead. Smile, right now, because you can.