One Fine(!!??) Evening...
I had the 'privilege' of being given an 'I' in one of the courses in my sixth sem. I knew the reason, for I was admitted in the hospital during the quiz II examination in that particular hospital. Thanks to the IITM Institute Hospital. They had made an "excellent" diagnosis of my problem, that they ended up showing me a few figures, then asked me to redraw those "difficult" geometric figures again on my paper. Seems they wanted to test my memory. I had to pay ten thousand rupees and not yet received the insurance. Anyways, that is my personal story!
Once the grades were put up, I just approached Prof.Karthik and he wanted some time so that he could standardise my "re-quiz II" and give me "my grade", the one I deserved!! I pestered him throughout a week and finally gave up. Then had my "interesting" intern and once was done with it, I decided to make a visit to the BSB again. I had to meet another professor regarding "some arbitrary" project I have been doing for the past one and a half years and just finalised "things" with him and he was happy with what I (we) had done. When I was returning down (it was evening 4:00 and I was planning to go home that evening. Only If I left then, I would reach my home at 8:00), I just got reminded of my "I" put up on the notice board, and just wanted to check if Karthik was there and HE WAS.
I walked to his room and he was talking with somebody else. He did not call me (usually, he does even if he were talking with somebody) inside, so i choosed to wait. In two or three minutes I entered inside and had a look at my watch, it was 4:30. I came out of his room at 7:30. I would term that as an interesting discussion, though it was about the class in general, about whom I have always thought, I have no right to comment on!! However, I ended up making some statements, which I dont know if they are are cent percent right.
I asked about my grade and he said, "What you think you should have got?"
"You said my end sem score was 63, while the first mark was around 75. There are no Ss and hence I should be on the A-B border."
"I think I gave you a B..."
"Hmmm...."
"You were decent enough, but not great!"
"Obviously not great sir, my marks speak...."
"Why dont you sit down!!"
I did not anticipate a three hour discussion and so, just took the seat. Doesn't mean, I would not have if I knew if that would last that long.
"Why is the class score low.... why only first mark is 75 odd...?"
And also said some more points he noticed.
Those who looked like they were topping the class after the 2 quizzes, continued with their score. But those who were on the border tremendously improved and increased their grade by two points ( E to C kindaa!)
I think thats a million dollar question which none of us, the students who took that course, can really answer correctly. I actually started off defending "MY CLASS".
Honestly, I tried to make an impression that our question papers were "tough" and hence the mark was also low. He ended up convincing me that was not the case, exactly.
When he says, something like, "Consider your Quiz I, ALL QUESTIONS WERE ANSWERED, even then the score was less"
I tried to capitalise on the time factor and he said that even in the end sem, only one part of the last question was not answered.
So, whats wrong!!
The worst part is, I was supposed to answer this question, "Whats wrong!!"
Then he said something else, I was surprised. He has been at our college for three years and the first QPaper he set was the TOUGHEST it seems. He made specific mention of one of our Seniors and said there were such people who could really solve such questions, i.e, those people really "Excelled" in his course. It turned out that, they "excelled" in every other course too, may be one or two, an exception!!
The next batch, he faced problems when it came to Giving "S"s to the students and he grudgingly gave away a few. But this time, to us, he just abstained from doing so.
(He also said what Prof. Murali Krishnan felt about OUR batch. It is not much surprising to note that both our Transportation Professors share the same view point about OUR academics)
So, whats wrong!! ... back to the same old question.
Then a set of interesting questions, just to dumbfound me!!
Say, the top mark is 75% and the lower marks are concentrated around 30%
When the lower ones can increase their score by another 20%, why cant the "so-called" "above-average" students do the same!! Why do they choose to retain their score!!
Why is there no "tendency" to "excel" in the course...
All my attempts to back-up the class were just in vain, or may be, I did not make sincere attempts, gave up soon, just because I too shared the same thoughts as his. This then turned into "an-any-course-discussion" rather than a one about his subject.
What is the problem??!!
I said, may be, students were not interested in the course.
Here too, I got stumped
He said, "Ok, I accept, you have diverse interests. Even more the reason, I should find, atleast ONE person who really EXCELS in every course. This does not happen in my course!"
What is the problem.... ??!!
He said that it should be either of these two ....
"This much is what I can really do!!"
OR
"Well, if I study that much to give me a 75% which is enough for me to get an S, then why study more!!"
I really could not guess where this discussion was heading towards, but I could get an inkling.
"Sir, may be, you can call upon the class, and have this discussion in public. You will get results.!"
"How many students you think will be interested in such a talk?!!" He was not so plain, but this was what intended.
I could not refrain myself from telling him the famous incident, two years ago, when one of esteemed classmates just told one of our professors, "You are wasting our time sir, this discussion is totally useless". Well, these were the exact wordings I used, without exposing the real names involved. Can you atleast now understand, I tried to "Back-up" our class!!
Going by the principle by "Diverse opinions", there should be atleast one person who MUST excel in every existing course. So, if this is not true, there is something wrong with the attitude of the students and I was supposed to choose one between the two options he had given me.
What should I??!!
The sad fact is that, even one who is too mechanical and straight forward can get that 75%. One who really cracks out the remaining 20% has the real intellect!! And with this attitude, this thing is not happening. Then, how does a professor search for INTELLECT and grade accordingly!!
But he HAD to accept that, there were students who really completely gave-in while doing their BTPs. Thats how a professor can really understand the "level" of the student and find out that the student is really intellectual.
Basically, finally all this boiled down to this ... "If Somebody comes and asks me a recommendation letter, then how do I recommend him without knowing his intellectual capacity..."
As the discussion was going on a general basis, I just enquired what he does when somebody(who's BTP Guide is some othere prof) comes and asks him for a Reco.
His answer was not straight-forward, but I understood he doesn't have such a "policy" at all....
He answered somehow saying, the student must have excelled in HIS course.
"Excelled??!!"
Four years at IIT provide a very strong foundation to DO SOMETHING and prove your INTELLECT and EXCEL in the process. It is OK if you have spent three years without doing much. May be those were the foundation for what you were going to do in your IV year. The ideal place for doing it is your BTP, and show your Guide that you are really Excelling in that course. Basically, when you go and ask him for a recommendation letter, he need not have to think anything, he can just write the TRUTH - "He is excellent".
"You must earn your Recommendation" ....
Basically, he finished off advising "us" to work sincerely on my BTP and do it successfully. Three years have gone and all the knowledge acquired must be invested in this year to "earn" "our" reco !!
Why am I posting this here??!!
Well, as he had said everybody would not like to have such a discussion with HIM, it seems I knew, who in my class would like such a discussion, and he asked me to spread the word to SUCH people.
I have just written so that what really went on between us, whoever is interested might read and grasp his thoughts.
ORRRRRRR, was the entire 3 hour discussion, just directed at me alone... just to make sure that ....
I dont go and stand in front of him asking for a RECO!!
But he knows, that is not my cup of tea....
Once the grades were put up, I just approached Prof.Karthik and he wanted some time so that he could standardise my "re-quiz II" and give me "my grade", the one I deserved!! I pestered him throughout a week and finally gave up. Then had my "interesting" intern and once was done with it, I decided to make a visit to the BSB again. I had to meet another professor regarding "some arbitrary" project I have been doing for the past one and a half years and just finalised "things" with him and he was happy with what I (we) had done. When I was returning down (it was evening 4:00 and I was planning to go home that evening. Only If I left then, I would reach my home at 8:00), I just got reminded of my "I" put up on the notice board, and just wanted to check if Karthik was there and HE WAS.
I walked to his room and he was talking with somebody else. He did not call me (usually, he does even if he were talking with somebody) inside, so i choosed to wait. In two or three minutes I entered inside and had a look at my watch, it was 4:30. I came out of his room at 7:30. I would term that as an interesting discussion, though it was about the class in general, about whom I have always thought, I have no right to comment on!! However, I ended up making some statements, which I dont know if they are are cent percent right.
I asked about my grade and he said, "What you think you should have got?"
"You said my end sem score was 63, while the first mark was around 75. There are no Ss and hence I should be on the A-B border."
"I think I gave you a B..."
"Hmmm...."
"You were decent enough, but not great!"
"Obviously not great sir, my marks speak...."
"Why dont you sit down!!"
I did not anticipate a three hour discussion and so, just took the seat. Doesn't mean, I would not have if I knew if that would last that long.
"Why is the class score low.... why only first mark is 75 odd...?"
And also said some more points he noticed.
Those who looked like they were topping the class after the 2 quizzes, continued with their score. But those who were on the border tremendously improved and increased their grade by two points ( E to C kindaa!)
I think thats a million dollar question which none of us, the students who took that course, can really answer correctly. I actually started off defending "MY CLASS".
Honestly, I tried to make an impression that our question papers were "tough" and hence the mark was also low. He ended up convincing me that was not the case, exactly.
When he says, something like, "Consider your Quiz I, ALL QUESTIONS WERE ANSWERED, even then the score was less"
I tried to capitalise on the time factor and he said that even in the end sem, only one part of the last question was not answered.
So, whats wrong!!
The worst part is, I was supposed to answer this question, "Whats wrong!!"
Then he said something else, I was surprised. He has been at our college for three years and the first QPaper he set was the TOUGHEST it seems. He made specific mention of one of our Seniors and said there were such people who could really solve such questions, i.e, those people really "Excelled" in his course. It turned out that, they "excelled" in every other course too, may be one or two, an exception!!
The next batch, he faced problems when it came to Giving "S"s to the students and he grudgingly gave away a few. But this time, to us, he just abstained from doing so.
(He also said what Prof. Murali Krishnan felt about OUR batch. It is not much surprising to note that both our Transportation Professors share the same view point about OUR academics)
So, whats wrong!! ... back to the same old question.
Then a set of interesting questions, just to dumbfound me!!
Say, the top mark is 75% and the lower marks are concentrated around 30%
When the lower ones can increase their score by another 20%, why cant the "so-called" "above-average" students do the same!! Why do they choose to retain their score!!
Why is there no "tendency" to "excel" in the course...
All my attempts to back-up the class were just in vain, or may be, I did not make sincere attempts, gave up soon, just because I too shared the same thoughts as his. This then turned into "an-any-course-discussion" rather than a one about his subject.
What is the problem??!!
I said, may be, students were not interested in the course.
Here too, I got stumped
He said, "Ok, I accept, you have diverse interests. Even more the reason, I should find, atleast ONE person who really EXCELS in every course. This does not happen in my course!"
What is the problem.... ??!!
He said that it should be either of these two ....
"This much is what I can really do!!"
OR
"Well, if I study that much to give me a 75% which is enough for me to get an S, then why study more!!"
I really could not guess where this discussion was heading towards, but I could get an inkling.
"Sir, may be, you can call upon the class, and have this discussion in public. You will get results.!"
"How many students you think will be interested in such a talk?!!" He was not so plain, but this was what intended.
I could not refrain myself from telling him the famous incident, two years ago, when one of esteemed classmates just told one of our professors, "You are wasting our time sir, this discussion is totally useless". Well, these were the exact wordings I used, without exposing the real names involved. Can you atleast now understand, I tried to "Back-up" our class!!
Going by the principle by "Diverse opinions", there should be atleast one person who MUST excel in every existing course. So, if this is not true, there is something wrong with the attitude of the students and I was supposed to choose one between the two options he had given me.
What should I??!!
The sad fact is that, even one who is too mechanical and straight forward can get that 75%. One who really cracks out the remaining 20% has the real intellect!! And with this attitude, this thing is not happening. Then, how does a professor search for INTELLECT and grade accordingly!!
But he HAD to accept that, there were students who really completely gave-in while doing their BTPs. Thats how a professor can really understand the "level" of the student and find out that the student is really intellectual.
Basically, finally all this boiled down to this ... "If Somebody comes and asks me a recommendation letter, then how do I recommend him without knowing his intellectual capacity..."
As the discussion was going on a general basis, I just enquired what he does when somebody(who's BTP Guide is some othere prof) comes and asks him for a Reco.
His answer was not straight-forward, but I understood he doesn't have such a "policy" at all....
He answered somehow saying, the student must have excelled in HIS course.
"Excelled??!!"
Four years at IIT provide a very strong foundation to DO SOMETHING and prove your INTELLECT and EXCEL in the process. It is OK if you have spent three years without doing much. May be those were the foundation for what you were going to do in your IV year. The ideal place for doing it is your BTP, and show your Guide that you are really Excelling in that course. Basically, when you go and ask him for a recommendation letter, he need not have to think anything, he can just write the TRUTH - "He is excellent".
"You must earn your Recommendation" ....
Basically, he finished off advising "us" to work sincerely on my BTP and do it successfully. Three years have gone and all the knowledge acquired must be invested in this year to "earn" "our" reco !!
Why am I posting this here??!!
Well, as he had said everybody would not like to have such a discussion with HIM, it seems I knew, who in my class would like such a discussion, and he asked me to spread the word to SUCH people.
I have just written so that what really went on between us, whoever is interested might read and grasp his thoughts.
ORRRRRRR, was the entire 3 hour discussion, just directed at me alone... just to make sure that ....
I dont go and stand in front of him asking for a RECO!!
But he knows, that is not my cup of tea....
posted by Shankar at 6:32 PM
2 Comments:
Thanks for sharing the dialouge.
Thanks for informing ur 3-hour discussion!!
Great that you have enough patience to listen for 3 hrs and then describe the entire part again...
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