Comments on: Indian “Core” Industry? Ridiculous!

By: Anon

Anon — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 04:29:45 +0000

Your education at IIT is 90% funded by tax payers money. These tax payers are from India and not the ones abroad. You need to be responsive to them. A 2 month internship at Indian Industry that partly pays for your education will not hurt you all that much as you imagine. You can visit Industries abroad for internship in summer breaks other than the one required for credits. So where is the conflict?

By: Siddarth H.

Siddarth H. — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 18:21:29 +0000

A couple of points :

Can you solve a Signal Processing problem in a couple of hours if I mail you one? Whilst the underlying mathematical tools used in solving “different” problems across disciplines may be the same, specific knowledge in a particular field is needed to identify the various trade-offs and parameters involved, and it is these which distinguish an engineering problem from a mathematical one.

The IITs were set up with the aim of training students to solve the nation’s technological problems. As the popular joke goes, they forgot to specify which nation… Mathematics is universal; engineering is not. Every society has its unique set of engineering challenges, and I personally feel that an internship in Indian industry would sensitize us to these India-specific needs and constraints.

P.S. Whilst this discussion assumes that students in IIT are holier-than-thou, I’d like to mention that many students here seem to have “decided” that a Euro-trip is what is best for them…

By: Aswin V

Aswin V — Sat, 01 Sep 2007 17:12:51 +0000

Dawkins? lol….you are the only guy I know who could have put that one in….nice! [:)] I have a slightly different take on this issue though, one that will probably be fairly controversial, so feel free to strongly disagree. I don’t think the “contribution to Indian society” of a student has anything to do with where you do your internship, as you seem to make it sound. Secondly, again, the fact that you do your internship in “Indian industry” has nothing to do with what you do with life, which is really what counts to who you are “serving”, if such a concept exists in today’s world, which is the next point I want to make. Who defines what “Indian industry” is? Is it purely geographical? Is Shell India, for eg, “Indian”? What about those other firms who are subsidiaries of their US (or other foreign) counterparts? I guess the institute needs to come up with a good rationale not only to convince students, but also to settle this criterion. If it is geographic, then I have no idea what the intentions are. If not, then the question of the classification is important, at least in terms of having a consistent philosophy.

By: Daniel

Daniel — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 14:40:55 +0000

I couldn’t understand some parts of this article Industry? Ridiculous!, but I guess I just need to check some more resources regarding this, because it sounds interesting.

By: S.Manohar

S.Manohar — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 10:32:12 +0000

UPDATE :

I recently found out what actually prompted the dean to take this decission. Apparently some chem guy had got an intern at UMich under a prof named Fogler(supposedly a very stud prof) by changing his CG to 9.8 from the actual 5.8. He made up some N credentials also. This came to light during his visa interview and then the prof also foind out. He mailed the dean( or someone else) saying how all this was spoiling the reputation of IITM and that this would hamper the chances of other IITM students from pursuing their studies abroad.

Anyway this by no way justifies the decession. But u know the dean…….. he simply likes to ban everything.

By: IITM’s Indian way of promting research at Blogbharti

IITM’s Indian way of promting research at Blogbharti — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 18:42:07 +0000

[...] Coolshankin questions the premises of a recent IITM decision to restrict internships to core Indian industries: Sharing knowledge helps, even if it’s beyond political borders. There are a number of students who have had accepted journal/conf papers from interships abroad. I am sure some students whould have carried on their work from internships to final year projects. Going abroad also means brining in ideas and knowledge. It’s not a one-way traffic. I remember out professor lamenting about not having projects by B. tech. students worthy of being recognised internationally. Well, this new rule isn’t going to help that either. Linked by kuffir. Join Blogbharti facebook group. [...]

By: coolshankin

coolshankin — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 21:24:39 +0000

@manohar
Shashi Tharoor had written, “are we really insecure about our freedom from British that we have to change all the english versions of the names?” (may be verbatim) I am talking about insecurity about students forgetting about India once they land abroad for Internship or MS/PhD. Also, alumni does contribute a lot to India. With a more liberal economy since the 90s, the effects can be seen today.

@semanticoverload
motivation??? no idea.

@mahesh
i agree

By: S.Manohar

S.Manohar — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 03:31:29 +0000

@Mahesh
Of couse not da. I have no insecurity about being an Indian (That is what Shashi Tharoor supposedly said). I feel many ppl opposed this name change just because they somehow feel compelled to prove to others and to themselves that they are somehow disconnected form the masses.

I am not saying that IITians need to contribute to India at the cost of their career. I was just trying to make a point that the world is still a long way from the point where we can think of the whole world as one. Contributing to the “world-society” and to the India are seldom the same.
Anyway after some point it’s a personal thing to deceide……………………

By: Mahesh R

Mahesh R — Sat, 25 Aug 2007 22:56:39 +0000

I agree. ANy rule that restricts creativity is bad. I think humans have achieved what they have because of their creativity. And for progress, its usually not ground breaking discoveries that are needed, but more of applying something we already know to someplace where it wasnt thought before. So the rule in question clearly hampers that.

And Maggu, u r exactly what Shashi Tharoor was referring to. How does it matter if Bombay is Mumbai. You dont have to show others that you want to be Indian. What would be most important about changing name of cities for example is, do majority want it. If hey did then go ahead. Same with making Bangalore to Bengalooru. Anyway I am digressing here….

I wont even comment on “IITians need to contribute to India” idea.

By: Semantic Overload

Semantic Overload — Sat, 25 Aug 2007 16:14:50 +0000

Now what was the motivation for such a rule in the first place? I have a feeling that administration seemed to have a feeling of not having any control over what the student do with their internship. This decision seems to be the product of a control-freak frenzy.

Any attempt to restrict education only does more harm than good. However, I haven’t come across a single Indian school administration that give a shit about what is good for the students.

That IITM is effectively saying is: So you want to do research? Work on theoretical concepts that underpin the fundamental solvability of currently open problems in your area? Fuck you! We wont let you do it!

I have always maintained that I am what I am despite the education I received, not because of it!