Techfest, the annual Science & Technology festival of IIT Bombay is organizing the first Inter IIT Energy Saving Championship this year. Initiated to make people compete for the cause of energy conservation, the focus will be to encourage youth to take up responsibilities for the society.

Five IITs- Bombay, Delhi, Kanpur, Kharagpur and Madras are competing. The basis would be checking the per capita energy consumption at the institute. The bills of individual months of previous years of each participating IIT have already been reviewed and would be the guiding factor for checking the decrement in energy consumption. Efficient energy use and innovative saving methods will play an important role in deciding the winners.

A panel comprising of professors as faculty in-charges and students has already been formed in each IIT to handle the event. Here in Kharagpur, the panel is composed of Prof. Prabodh Bajpai, Prof. N. K. Kishore and seven student members from AIESEC, IIT Kharagpur, which is helping moderate the event.

Formed under the aegis of the Technology Film Society, this new group opens its agenda with member selection interviews, an open-to-all short movie making competition and workshops by professors and professional guests for interested students. Once workshops are over, members will be divided into various teams, viz. screenplay writing, cinematography, actor management and editing. An annual production in the form of a completely indigenous full-length movie is also planned. The new society will also be responsible for production of documentaries for the institute. They are planning to use cameras from the CET as of now but plans for acquisition of equipment are being worked on.

The sustained efforts of the founders,  Gaurav Kumar, Kaustubh Khare, Ravi Sinha and Vasu Kamboj came to fruition as the society was founded after one year of deliberations. With the blessings of eminent professors like Dr. Joy Sen of the Architecture and Regional Planning department and Dr. Priyadarshi Patnaik of the Humanities and Social Sciences department, this society hopes to go a long way. Says Ravi Sinha, one of the founders, “The advantage of a quality product from our society is that it can be easily transmitted and we will make sure we get as big an audience as possible. The portability of this form of visual communication beats others.”

The society will conduct member selection interviews for 1st and 2nd years on the 4th of September. Check the notice board nearest you for further details.

For more details, contact them at tsfms.iitkgp@gmail.com.

So if you have any questions that you think affects a sizable set of students, please do post them as comments here.

Thank You!!

–

The Scholars’ Avenue Team

You can also keep up with the latest happenings at the Gymkhana by following the TSG page on Facebook .

Incase of any doubts, queries or suggestions please get in touch with Mr. Sudipto Sannigrahi, Public Relations Chair, Technology Students Gymkhana. He can be reached through email (sudipto.ec.iitkgp@gmail.com/ sudipto.prchair@gmail.com)  and phone (+91-9434356219).

“The extension work of the existing messes in RK, RP is already in progress and is expected to be over by August 2009. The mess of Patel hall will also be extended and the work will be completed by mid September.  We are planning to build common rooms on the first floor of these halls and the existing common room will be used as an extension of the mess. The target date for completion is June 2010″

“We are planning to construct two new blocks at RP hall each consisting of 32 rooms (96 beds). We plan to complete this job by June 2010.

In RLB Hall, an extension is planned containing approximately 23 rooms, while in SN/ IG we are targeting one more block by June 2010 to accommodate 288 girls in 96 rooms. Work will start shortly.

The construction work of the Lal Bahadur Shastri Hall of Residence next to MMM Hall has started. The capacity of the hall is 2000 beds. We will try our best to receive 1000 beds by June 2010.”

Ref: HMC Chairman Interview, “Of double rooms, long queues and overcrowding”, The Scholars’ Avenue, August 17, 2009

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From long mess queues, resembling those at flood relief centres to overcrowded cycle-stands to four students in double occupancy rooms, IIT Kharagpur bears signature to India’s success in implementing family planning measures. And add to it crowded labs, bursting-at-the-seams classrooms, and an ever diminishing teacher to student ratio and the feeling sinks in. 1316 UG first year intake in 2010 vs 790 in 2007. Sigh !

One is but forced to ponder as to what will happen next year when smaller departments with classroom capacities of 25 and less, will have more than 50 students. Department Lab facilities will soon be excessively strained, and for some, like the Ship Drawing Lab with two-meter long drawing tables in the Department of Ocean Engineering and Naval Architecture, there might simply be no space.

True, constructions have been visible all over the campus (like the new Technology Guest House and other Halls of Residences) for a while, but are they adequate? More ever, have the constructions been true to the deadlines set? Take for example, the HMC Chairman’s assurances to The Scholars’ Avenue last year (Issue dated August 17, 2009, “Of double rooms, long queues and overcrowding”. See box for more.) that the Azad Hall rooftop construction would be completed by December, 2009 and one is but forced to rethink. It was, but a semester late. Add this to the dilemma faced by the SNites where even after sending a sizeable section of first years to MT Hall of Residence for the first time, some of the third years are still to get single rooms. A disparity of sentiments occurred when Post-Graduate students were introduced in some Under-Graduate halls, like RK, RP and LLR, and as expected the move was met with a dose of serious apprehension.

The Scholars’ Avenue caught up with Prof. Kanchan Chowdhury, former chairman of the IIT Teachers’ Association and gained some useful insights into the apprehended fallout of the population boom in Kgp.

TSA: Do you think the increase in the number of students will affect the quality of teaching?

KC: I personally feel that unless there is an eyeball-to-eyeball contact between the student and the teacher, the teaching cannot be made effective. The best class-size, according to me, is 40. Also, it goes without saying that with the increase in the number of students, the quality of teaching would go down. Now, in a country such as ours, where there is already a dearth of good faculty, if the administration desires to maintain this ratio, it has to lower the quality bar while hiring teachers and professors, thereby leading to a decrease in the teaching and research quality, in the short and long term.

TSA: Is it possible for the Director to take a stand against the MHRD policies?

KC: The Director is appointed by the MHRD for implementing its policies. It is not practical even to suggest to him to take a stand against MHRD policy. It may be recalled that in the decision of increasing the number of students and opening of new IITs, all the major institutions of Indian democracy, namely, Ministry of HRD, Union Cabinet, Parliament and Supreme Court were involved. They must have taken these decisions keeping in mind the billion plus people that they represent. Directors are not in a position to protest or undo such major national policy. The problems that the students are facing have been factored in by the government, but have been dismissed as dispensable in the light of the “greater good” of the nation.

TSA: Do you perceive a decline in the brand value of the institute in the near future?

KC: Brand is a cumulative effect of good teaching, good research and assured performance of the graduates in their work-place. It is also derived from the exclusivity of the product. It is obvious that the policy makers did not care about the dilution of brand IIT because they had other priorities, such as bringing IIT education to a larger number of students. Loss of exclusivity and deterioration of quality of interaction between teachers and the students are bound to hurt brand IIT. Around 1500 students used to clear the JEE during my time. Now you have as many students coming to this institute alone.

TSA: Do you see a lack of planning in the implementation of the MHRD policies?

KC:Yes, this increase (both in student intake and opening of new IITs) ought to have been done slowly and methodically, in phases, over years, keeping all parameters such as infrastructure and teaching quality intact. Unfortunately, in India, we are always in a 5-years planning mode, and hence are not accustomed to long term planning that developed countries pursue. Increasing the number of students before putting the infrastructure in place has definitely led to deterioration of quality of life and education at IITs. This had long been apprehended by all concerned– in India and abroad. It is unfortunate that students are clubbed 4-in-a-room and have to go to overcrowded classes in the morning cycling through the crowded roads without having proper breakfast because the mess is jam-packed. The heart of the problem lies in the fact that we are Indian.

“If stories about the increase…are giving you jitters…” – from our April ’07 issue

“A new….is being planned…”  - often makes an appearance“The increase in student strength on campus this year has created its own challenges.”  - from our August ’09 issue

“If stories about the increase…are giving you jitters…” – from our April ’07 issue“A new….is being planned…”  - often makes an appearance

Rather than harp on the visibly apparent problems thrown up by a rapidly expanding student population, Prof. N. Dhang prefers to accept the fact in all its reality and prepare to meet the challenges that will undoubtedly present themselves. As head of the Civil Works Department which carries out all the construction-related tasks, he’s made available to The Scholars’ Avenue a comprehensive and detailed master-plan of all intended expansion projects. A vision of the future: in one place, in one map, for all to take note of.  Agreed, it’s only a blueprint with artists’ impressions and there aren’t accurate deadlines set for each of the projects, but the very scale is impressive: from a Nalanda to complement Vikramshila to new circulation routes that could expand our conception of a world of 2.2 kms. Furthermore, a plan laid down also becomes a plan that we, as a well-informed campus community in general, can expect and demand results from.

To be sure, there are still areas that remain fuzzy, for example the idea of a food court. Over the years, we’ve seen its location being juggled between the PAN loop and behind the Gymkhana and its form vary from an eatery to a three-story plush hangout. Or making Jnan Ghosh SF-friendly (with the help of a concrete stage, for one). As per Prof. Dhang, the student body coming forth with suggestions or specific opinions on the matter could make a difference, and he is interested in presenting his ideas to them and receiving their feedback. Prof. Dhang was in fact eager to see these designs disseminated among people of the campus.

And what is his take on the labour problem? “It’s a myth. One must not make up his or her mind that it is something which cannot be solved. The work in RP, Azad and MT halls being completed on time is proof that with effective management, these problems can be solved.”

Student Activity Centre North

Come Dec 2011, and IIT KGP (in commemoration of its diamond jubilee) will be the proud host of the 46th Inter IIT sports meet. And what the Bird’s nest was to the Olympics at Beijing, this SAC will be to KGP. This center will sport (yes, pun intended) a squash and a billiards court, a yoga room and a multi-purpose hall among others. The master plan reeks of an international design with a renovated lake and a promenade to boot.

Completed by: Jun 2011

BR Ambedkar hall of residence

Coming up on the eastern borders of our campus, this hall is all set to usurp MMM when it comes to size. With a total floor area of 24 square metres and a capacity of 2000 students, this hall embraces smart architecture ensuring a quadrangle for every wing.

Completed by:  Nov 2011

Lal Bahadur Shastri hall of residence

With construction in full swing and the basic structure completed, LBS will hopefully keep its date with the completion deadline. It will house 480 rooms spread across 13 blocks and can comfortably accommodate 2000 of us. Intelligent floor plans adopted here will ensure optimum open spaces between the blocks and will aid an airy and well lit environment.

Nalanda lecture complex

This will be the first in a series of projects in what is being developed as the “south campus” of IIT KGP. The master plan provides for 4 blocks with a gross seating capacity of an unbelievable 34,080 students! Plus, Netaji and Kalidas get a new sibling. Presently though, under the first phase of construction, a block to seat 9600 students comprising of 60, 120 and 240 seater lecture halls is in the initial process of construction. The first block is due by July next year. To make for the construction, the NCC office will be shifted to a location outside DVC gate.

Chanakya hall of residence

Three  6 storied blocks, a central food court and sports area, solar heating and lighting, rain water harvesting and fully green construction. 400 rooms and 50 studio apartment. Mammoth, huh? As part of an experiment, the Hall is being planned to function on the build-operate-transfer principle- put to practice already in National Highways- wherein a contractor manages the place for a lease period (generally 33 years).

First Year Laboratory

Will house, as the name suggests, all first years’ laboratory classes, excluding the Chemistry Lab. Now before you go “Where’s my Arena?” let us inform you that for now, a patch of land chosen in the vicinity of RGSOIPL might serve, after an amount of grooming, as the grounds for KTJ’s nerve-center.

My way or the highway! - A word on circulation

What with the outermost reaches of our (huge!) campus being reclaimed from the wild, the need arises for a new set of ring and arterial roads. For most of us, it would be alarming to even visualize how traversing an almost 8km ring road would be! But then, you would have a separate walkway, a pathway for cycles exclusively and a section of the road for motorized vehicles.

So what is the precise meaning of this term which is oft used so unwittingly? Or a more relevant question, in the present scenario, would be-What exactly is ragging perceived to be? Is it a ritual firmly rooted in the belief system of students and a reflection of a deeper malaise plaguing the society? Or is it a term being misused and more often than not, being clubbed with villainous criminal activities? Is it a euphemism being used to shield hideous, condemnable acts taking place on college campuses? Or is it one of those propitious, if not amiable, platforms for healthy interaction with the college seniors? The argument is certainly not, by any means, an easy one and its numerous dimensions, of varying complexities, has made it even more necessary to warrant it a profound deliberation.

“What’s happening today is not ragging. Let’s not get our terminologies wrong here. It’s sadism. It’s gross sexual harassment. And nobody is saying that this is correct. However, we are creating confusion here by terming it as ragging.” says Mr. Jug Suraiya, Associate Editor, The Times of India.

It’s a sentiment that is being resonated by a considerable section of the youth today. Bringing reprehensible acts of iniquities under the ambit of ragging is, it seems, undervaluing the heinousness of the crime. And at the same time, it is generating a grey area of legitimacy where even a mild ragging offence is being dealt with in an over-stringent manner. Preetam Kumar, General Secretary, Azad Hall of Residence is echoing a similar predilection.

”There should definitely be a blanket ban on ragging. However, authorities are, I feel, putting a clamp on everything under the pretext of ragging. We try to bring out the talent in the students of our hall by advising them on a number of things which help them in pursuing their interests. However, the current atmosphere of mistrust and uncertainty has discouraged a lot of seniors to even talk to juniors. They are not even ready to come near them fearing action. This will, I fear, permanently increase the distance between consecutive batches and destroy our age-old hall tradition where students of all batches used to live, like a family, in perfect harmony.”

The law, howbeit, does not appear to be making a distinction between the barbaric incidents which have, to be honest, quite annoyingly managed to repeat themselves, and certain acts which a lot of us like to term as ‘mild ragging’. This leads us to another thought-provoking question-Is there such a thing called harmless ragging? It’s, according to many, a tradition which has been around for several centuries. A tradition which helps in forming closer everlasting bonds and in turn, providing a congenial, family-like environment especially in  colleges having on campus accommodation. More importantly, says Preetam Kumar, it assists in personality development of the students making them more adept in handling the outside world.  Are these strongly embedded notions a mirror of the ground reality? Or are they just judgmental speculations being passed off as fair play?  Dr. R K Raghavan, Chairman, Anti-Ragging Monitoring Committee and former director, CBI, is quite clear about his views. “It’s like trying to make a distinction between good Taliban and bad Taliban. The Supreme Court has quite categorically defined ragging (see box) and its implications. The menace has to come to a complete stop.”

Social tolerance for ragging has, in a way, blinded us to the unfolding reality of today.  The spike in the number of incidents, nationally, seems to create the impression that harmless ragging, inevitably, will lead to its more lethal form. “There will always be one or two students who would derive sadistic pleasures by torturing their juniors. There’s no way to ensure that these things will not happen unless a ban, in an absolute sense, is imposed.” says Professor Kanchan Chowdhury, Head, Cryogenic Centre. It’s uncanny to witness the number of silent heads which nod in unison when confronted with the question if a total ban is crucial to prevent those sporadic yet fatal incidents arising out of this phenomenon.

The seat of judgment has spoken and spoken in clear terms. The laws may have become astringent and from a moral perspective, a little unjustified. For some, the laws might be seen as tyrannical which is cruelly infringing upon their personal space. However, this should give us all the more reason to proceed with caution and restraint. The administration needs to recognize the fact that they will also be held accountable if they fail in implementing proper safeguards and preventive measures. Seniors will have to accept the fact that a case of ragging, mildest to the slightest degree in their calculations, can bring about a punishment (see chart) they had never asked for. The fear expressed by a lot of alumni and seniors alike, is that a tradition which they like to term as harmless, is becoming extinct in the present circumstances. Well, traditions (good or bad) have to be shown the door when they begin to carry an excess of unwanted baggage. Besides, it would be a somber, harsh and premature obituary of the visions of the founding fathers’ of our nation if we, as a civilized and developing society, are not able to come up with a better, friendlier and more cultured alternative.

That JEE 2010 might have unwittingly resulted in random selections is not an unjustifiable concern. The situation could not have been salvaged by any degree of corrective measures, the assurances of the JEE chairman, and Mr. Sibal, notwithstanding. All this at a time when everybody is complaining of the deteriorating IIT standards. 

“I can’t tell at the moment what the nature of remedial action will be, but I can assure the solution is available; it is inbuilt into the system. There will be substantial justice for the students.”

As if this was not enough, an unapologetic denudation of the same system revealed clandestine quotas and other skeletons in the IIT closet. And another nail was driven into the coffin.

A flawed system set for overhaul cannot be a surprise then. It is ironic, however, that Sibal et al. are high on an aptitude test that America wants to scrap (read the SAT). Of all the hare-brained schemes, it is hard to imagine how such a standardized test can predict performance equally for wildly different curricula and socio-economic backgrounds, especially in our country.

An issue that no one seems to care a hoot about is the imminent merger of engineering and medical tests, the AIEEE and the AIPMT. Such a combined examination will be cruelly indifferent to the plight of all those who prepare for both the disciplines in a bid to keep their options alive.

While the system decidedly needs a revamp, discarding it altogether would be a shame, and is not a solution. A much beleaguered Sibal might have discovered this by now, badgered as he has been by alumni across the globe.

“To abolish the JEE would be tantamount to finding a key ingredient of a winning formula and removing it. There is no scientific basis whatsoever for doing this, no scientific evidence whatsoever that the Global IIT brand would be improved, and no scientific evidence whatsoever that any generally accepted objective would be achieved.”

If the existing JEE system allows abuse, then what is essential is to plug the loopholes, and not simply throw our baby out with the bath water.

Venue: Veggies

For details, please contact: +91 9874194346  (Mr. Gopinath)

DAAD  is an association of higher education institutions and student bodies of the Federal Republic of Germany for promoting international academic co-operation with Germany through the global exchange of students, research scholars, professors and scientists. DAAD has been working in India for over 40 years, providing fellowships and research grants, supporting guest lectureships and helping to establish university collaborations.

The seminar will consist of a basic DAAD presentation about different programmes and funding, followed by an interactive session with DAAD scholars (present in the campus) and a quiz about Germany. People from DAAD India, New Delhi will come to conduct the seminar. There will be elaborate discussions on the application procedure  for DAAD Scholarships to pursue Summer Internship (especially for 3rd year & 4th year(dual degree) students), Project Work (for Masters Students), PhD, Post Doc., Summer Job etc at Germany.

For any further information contact Mr. Subhro Das  at amb.s.das@daadindia.org or subhro.taurus@gmail.com.