Student Stories: Articles by current Engineering Students

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Engineering streams to show their worth at IIT Tiruptati's Inter-disciplinary sports meet

         IIT Tirupati's  first inter-disciplinary sports tournament was flagged off recently. The tournament, will have the four engineering disciplines (Civil, Computer science,Electrical and Mechanical) competing against each other in a series of games.

The tournament, which started off with volleyball matches on Monday (29.02.2016) has been scheduled for over a month considering the exams and other academic activities which were also planned around the same time.

         IIT Madras, the mentor of IIT Tirupati, in known to conduct sports competitions among hostels too. Taking into consideration the fact that there aren't multiple hostels at present in IIT Tirupati, it was decided to conduct the tournament among the engineering branches.

This tournament has primarily kick-started the sports activities at IIT Tirupati. Also, it will give the institute a chance to select players for the next Inter IIT sports meet. IIT Tirupati and IIT Palakkad weren't able to enroll for the games of Inter IIT sports meet 2015 at IIT Madras, because both the institutes started functioning  after the board meeting of Inter IIT. The sports meet was later called off because of the Chennai floods.

         The inter-disciplinary tournament started with Volleyball, followed by  Cricket over the weekend. Various other games like Football, Kho-Kho, Badminton, Basketball and indoor games are also part of this event. The tournament will end with a grand Sports Day sometime in the first week of April.

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The unexpected trip to Daman

On a sunny Sunday morning in the hostel, when I surprisingly woke up at 7:30, a strong feeling of taking a break came over me. It was natural after a long strenuous week of examinations.

I hopped out of my bed and woke up four of my friends explaining to them the further course of action. They agreed readily along with other two, who I caught up with at breakfast.

With a single bag and our spirits, we started off for the railway station in two auto rickshaws. An express train was ready for departure on our arrival, so we boarded it despite another option we had which would have been 20 minutes later.

Our destination was Vapi from Surat - an hour and half long journey. Along the way we had both moments of laughter and silence and by noon we were at Vapi.


We took a taxi to Daman bus stand which was twelve kilometres from the station. Right opposite  the taxi stand nearby, a colourful market stole our attention. It was a well-set market having a plethora of goods and accessories- from electronics, garments, chocolates to fashionable items.

At a walkable distance was a mini-port and an old fort called Jetty fort with a functional church inside it. The walls and structure of the fort reflected its reclusive nature as did the 'rotten' jail inside it. Anyway, we couldn't stop clicking pictures.

After flinging flat-faced stones onto the water surface at a seaface close-by, we rejuvenated ourselves with non-vegetarian delicacies. Now the final spot on our list was the famous Jampore beach on the other side of Daman, called Moti Daman.


All of us were disappointed on arrival since the tides had receded. We had to walk barefoot for a long one and half kilometer before water reached knee level. It was a novel experience to walk in the mushy sand and for so long. With the sun drowned into the sea, we also receded back to dry land.

In a mad rush, all of us squeezed into a single auto to reach the station on time. Memorable moments throughout the day took a permanent seat in our memories during the return journey. It was not a day well spent but a day well lived.

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Intra-college athletics event at IIT Patna brings students together

To build and develop a culture of sports in the college, IIT Patna is currently hosting a few events in athletics and sports. These include badminton, table tennis and football. The spirit, together with the energy that fills the atmosphere as the five teams (the four BTech years and MTech + Ph.D.) compete with each other, is incredible.

I was witness to all the matches of the TT tournament. Being a decent TT player myself, almost managing the cut in my year's team, I could truly appreciate the heat and ferocity with which the players were playing. I could feel the pressure on the players as they hit every single shot of every single rally, with the crowd roaring and cheering in delight, at the beautiful game.

It is a similar story for every other game and athletics event. I am on the football team, and playing for and representing our year is a lot of fun. It gets even better when you are not that good a player. The matches are not of the usual one and a half hour duration, but of 50 minutes. A few matches remain in the league stage and we are fighting hard to secure a place in the final. The thrill of your friends rooting for you as you play is unrivaled. Beating the best team in the tournament so far, comprehensively, was the biggest moment for our team. We are looking forward to reaching the final as I write this. The 4x100 m relay was the talk of the college as the third year displayed an immense presence of mind and concentration, with all the four team members dashing like thunderbolts, bagging the first prize. 

The best part I like about these intra-college games is how they manage to bring the whole student community of the college together, and how they serve as perfect ice-breakers between the students of different  years.

Playing against your seniors, or your juniors for that matter, helps one  create a friendly bond against one another. Even though the rivalry during the games is intense, one cannot deny the fact that at the end of the day, everyone is a winner. That also shows in the clean hugs and handshakes at the end of any game, because "when the one great scorer comes to write against your name,  he writes not whether you won or lost, But how you played the game."

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Two Indian state govenrments, Haryana and Odisha abolished the diploma entrance tests (DET) in successive weeks last month. DET was conducted every year as admission tests for various diploma courses such as pharmacy, engineering and technology, hotel management et al. The decision by these two states to ban DET was mutually exclusive. But, the underlying motive was common:  to encourage vocational education in these fields in the states.

The marks in the qualifying examinations will be the yardstick to get an admission in these courses. The working rule for lateral entries (LE) for the three to four year diploma courses will continue. Class XII with vocational training or class X with ITI or equivalent courses can seek admissions through the LE scheme.

The Skill Development and Technical Education (SD&TE) ministry of Odisha has made it clear that the DET system was removed to facilitate more easily available vocational education to the needy. There is a towering 49000 diploma seats in 121 colleges in the state with around 16 percent of seats offered in government-run colleges. Last three years have witnessed a vacancy of around 60% of these seats. The education ministry has held the strenuous DET responsible. The state government advocated of more frugal methods for these admissions. It added that the new admission process will be simpler for applicants.

Haryana education ministry has also stated that these tests were time consuming and costly. The new admission process in place is designed with the ease of applicants and guardians taken into consideration.

With the new admission system in place in these two states, it can only be hoped to get more admissions into diploma courses. Diploma courses also act as a platform for LE in many undergraduate courses offered by government-run institutions across the country. If the intake of the diploma colleges in these two states shows significant growth over the years, the number of LE applicants for undergraduate courses will also improve. These diploma courses impart basic vocational skills to students at very low costs. The increase of diploma students may therefore prove to be a viable aid in the process of abating the problem of unemployment.

The very simplicity of the new admission process can be epochal in carving out the future of those students who are left out by the arduous DET system. With the new system, more students from remote corners of these states can reach out to better education. Although,  there is another belief that a single examination cannot be held as a yardstick to someone's knowledge and with qualifying degree marks as a criteria, there might be few cases where the new system might be put through the wringer. With every coin having a flip side, only time will tell us what the current change will deliver!

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It's about time: JEE Mains 2016 is here

Dreams are at stake. Around 15 lac students are gearing up for probably the biggest event of their lives, the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE).

Some 2-3 years of dedicated hard work is put to test on two days in the names of JEE Mains and Advanced to find the top minds of the country. From 15 lacs students, finally some 10,000 get admission in the prestigious IITs and NITs.

Stepping in class XI, no one really realises the decisions they have made. Getting into an IIT or NIT can change one's life like anything. That's why getting in there is so tough. The first exam JEE Mains generally takes place in the first week of April after the XII board examination. For many years, the examination pattern has remained the same comprising of 90 multiple choice questions with negative marking and total of 360 marks. It is a 3 hour exam which generally contain questions of board exam level. This exam is the deciding parameter along with board percentage for selection into NITs.

This year 2 lacs students will qualify this exam and will be allowed to sit for JEE Advanced which is scheduled for May 23 this year. JEE Advanced comprises of two papers over 6 hours with 3 hours for each paper. The pattern is not predefined, it changes every year. Last year, IIT Bombay, the paper setting institute introduced a whole new pattern with a dreaded marking scheme of +4 , -2 for the multiple choice questions. The patter came as a shock to almost all of the student fraternity and teachers as well. But, as said earlier, getting into IIT isn't easy at all. In accordance to the JEE Advanced scores, students are given admission into IITs.

So, only one month remains before JEE. Now is the time where you have to know exactly what to do and what not. It's time to summarise and pack up, not to start a new topic. Practice is very, very important, so you need to practice more and more questions regularly. Also, JEE is not only about accuracy, it's about speed too, so always practice under time constraints.

You should not over stress yourself, try to at least get 6 hours of sleep daily. Shortcuts and tricks will surely help you but knowing the conventional method is important too because JEE isn't tough, it's TRICKY. It is designed to bring out the best of you.

Also you need to analyse the questions well, you should know which questions to attempt first and which not. While attempting paper, one should precisely allocate time to each subject and also leaving some time for the end analysis. Most importantly, one should be confident while attempting the paper and have a positive attitude constantly. Remember, it's tough but achievable. Work hard and you are sure to succeed.

This article is part of PaGaLGuY's innovative internship certification programme for engineering students. Currently, two such programmes are on - one is an Internship in Creative Writing, and the other is a Certification in Digital Media. If you are interested in partaking and bagging a certificate, besides learning the nuances of effective writing, write to us at [email protected].

Note: This article about IIT Guwahati has not been written by the PaGaLGuY Editorial Team. Readers should research and verify the claims and judgements in the article before reaching a conclusion.

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Installation of 4i Lab at IITG will bridge gap between concept and realisation

IIT Guwahati, in a bid to match up to its counterparts and improve the ambiences of the studetns working in technical projects, has proposed the establishment of 4i-Labs at the New Students Activities Centre of the college. The 4i's correspond to the 4 stages of development of any kind of tech product - Innovation, Integration, Incubation and Implementation.

The 4i-Lab was an initiative at the Indian Institute Of Technology, Kanpur. It was built to provide a central facility for concept design and product realization. It is expected to be of great help both for professional course requirements and industrial consultancy.

Being one of the most sophisticated and advanced facilities in the college, it includes high-end technology like the Laser Engraving and cutting machine and the Rapid prototyping machine.

The 4i-Labs at IIT Guwahati, expected to start by the July-Nov 2016 semester will provide a huge oppurtunity to  students  in the campus for developing their ideas and working on them to improve them. The 4i-Labs will be a two-tier system including an ideation and an innovation room, equipped with all the essential equipments. Planned to be an open space with Google Office like ambience, it is expected to be a great place for the students to learn and develop their skills under the guidance and mentorship of the experienced faculty of the college.


The Robotics, Aeromodelling and the Electronics Clubs are most likely to be the most benefitted of the lot in the campus.Being an extremely important and advanced workplace, the 4i-Labs will have strict guidelines and will probably work on the Principle Of Least Authority for all the students.

The 4i-Labs will surely play an important role in the activities of all the clubs under the Technical Board of IIT Guwahati in the coming years. It will also contribute in buoyating the rank of IIT Guwahati among the fellow IITs and enhancing the participation of the college in Technical matters.

This article is part of PaGaLGuY's innovative internship certification programme for engineering students. Currently, two such programmes are on - one is an Internship in Creative Writing, and the other is a Certification in Digital Media. If you are interested in partaking and bagging a certificate, besides learning the nuances of effective writing, write to us at [email protected].

Note: This article about IITP Patna has not been written by the PaGaLGuY Editorial Team. Readers should research and verify the claims and judgements in the article before reaching a conclusion.

This article is part of PaGaLGuY's innovative internship certification programme for engineering students. Currently, two such programmes are on - one is an Internship in Creative Writing, and the other is a Certification in Digital Media. If you are interested in partaking and bagging a certificate, besides learning the nuances of effective writing, write to us at [email protected].

Note: This article about IITP Patna has not been written by the PaGaLGuY Editorial Team. Readers should research and verify the claims and judgements in the article before reaching a conclusion.

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The act of putting together words like 'technology' and 'human values' would seem quite paradoxical at first glance. But if you dwell on these two words, you will realise that the two go hand-in-hand. So, why are  'human values' not part of learning at technical institutes in India? Lucas Introna, a philosopher, backed up this approach adopted by these institutes (of not teaching human values) by arguing that educators thought that 'the traditional sources of moral knowledge such as religion, community and family' should be the agencies to impart human values. But as time progressed, Introna pointed that the credibility of these traditional sources began to get challenged. As a result, a need was felt to reconsider the way technical education was being imparted in the institutes.

To cater to this, courses on 'engineering ethics' as a subject started getting offered. But it was soon realized that these courses on 'preventive ethics' were not effective. 

Knowledge in technical education sans human values is very well exemplified by what happened with Japan during World War II. So it seems like it is necessary to build moral values in our future engineers in order to keep a check on inhuman use of technology. But how can this be achieved? Can a subject so subjective and subtle such as 'human values' be taught in the institute? Or should we go back to our traditional sources to take care of this? The answers to these questions are definitely not easy to arrive at. 

In an unique attempt, IIT Gandhinagar is trying to approach this problem. Prof. Raghubir Sharan, Professor at IIT Gandhinagar, offers a course titled, "Technological Progress and Human Values". Prof. Sharan says that the debate between 'technology' and 'human values' is quite akin to that between 'science' and 'philosophy. He further adds that the gap between the two can be bridged only if we try and reflect upon where in our endeavor of technological progress, we digressed and went on to create an 'unsustainable' form of development.

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These arethe best days of my life

Every engineer feels nostalgic when he thinks about his life at college and I am no exception. Back in 2012, when I joined Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology (MANIT-Bhopal), I was a naïve student. My first year at MANIT had many memorable experiences like being ragged by seniors (only fun nothing serious) and making some really good friends who are like a backbone to me still today. They support me both in times of happiness and sadness.

I still remember the day; when I entered my second year when I felt the pride that I too was a senior. In these four years, apart from studies I met people from all over India which helped me learn about their diverse cultures and also a little bit of their language.

The best part of college is the freedom it provides you. I feel that never in my life again I will be as 'unbound' as I was in my college. My life as hosteller for these four years is something that I will miss after leaving college. From my personal experience, I can say that a hosteller always has an extra bit of freedom which a day scholar cannot exercise. However, everything isn't easy at hostels; one should try to adjust to the food and facilities provided at hostels. Especially, when it is a hostel run by a government college, you need to be adjusting more because of the lack of facilities. Moreover, I can confidently say that those who could survive at MANIT can survive anywhere.

When I look back at my college life, I had many cheerful experiences and also had some sad ones. But, all those experiences were very helpful in shaping the person whom I am really today. From my mistakes, I learnt to accept the consequences and be careful not to repeat them again. Most importantly in these four years, I have learnt to adapt myself to the situation.

I have nearly 60 days of my college left and as each day passes on I feel nostalgic knowing the fact that my college life is coming to an end. In these last few days of my engineering, I would like to spend my happy and precious moments with my friends and enjoy each and every single day. For a student, college life comes only ones in his life and I feel that one should enjoy this period of life as much as possible.

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"360 minutes hain tumhare paas!" 90 questions, 360 minutes, 4 minutes per question seems quite an ordinary task but in reality it's not. JEE Mains is one of most eloquent way of summarising two years of Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics in a small booklet. JEE Mains is the primary step to enter an IIT/NIT/IIIT. The paper consists of 90 multiple choice questions with single correct answers. The level of questions is as same as the NCERT level with some questions being a little tougher. The paper covers almost the full 2 years course with questions ranging from basic mechanics to advanced rotational mechanics. Cracking JEE Mains requires at least two years of dedicated as well as systematic preparation. Normally, the paper consists of about 25% of questions that are easy, 50% average and rest 25% difficult questions. Holding on to your nerves is very important during the exam.

Speed and accuracy are the biggest factors to be taken care of. High speed with less accuracy is very dangerous, it can ruin your result. Also one needs to approach every problem differently with separate processes, don't hurry and think twice before marking an answer. Filtering out problems during the exam is also very important as it helps to save time. Filter out all easy and average problems and attempt them first so that you can have enough time to tackle the tough ones. Also it is advisable to attempt theoretical questions before going for numerical problems. Tricky questions are part and parcel of JEE Mains. Examiners try to trap students by playing around with questions and options. So read the questions carefully to understand what is required and the options with great concentration too. All said and done, with hard work and systematic preparation, one is sure to crack JEE Mains.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Sf5qnabULI

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TechEvince : The Annual Technical Exhibition at IITG

Every year, the students at IIT Guwahati explore the vast technical oceans and create the most extravagant and technically advanced projects. The various clubs under the technical board of the Student's Gymkhana Council at IIT Guwahati contribute whole-heartedly to this list. However, projects do no good if they are just kept in club rooms. With this in mind, TechEvince was introduced to provide all the clubs with a platform to present their creations so that the students can be appreciated for their technical proficiency and the hard work they put into making their projects.

Organised by the Technical Board of the college, TechEvince is one of the more important events in the abundantly loaded event schedule of the college. Still in its early years, it aims to put on display the technological advancements made by the institute till date and to give recognition to the Tech-savvy student fraternity of the college for contributing to successful projects displayed every year. Also, the best projects from the inter - hostel technical competition of IITG, Kriti, also make it to the list of displays at TechEvince. Apart from putting the projects on display, it also encourages the students to work harder in their respective fields and create better and more sophisticated projects.

TechEvince 3.0 - Dream Explore Invent, was organised on the 20th of March, 2016 and provided every tech enthusiast with a great learning experience. This TechEvince also provided the observers with some engaging gaming interactions and smart gadgets. The Prakriti Cub of IITG came up with some eco-friendly projects of their own to contribute their part for the environment while the automobile club will be displayed a unique automobile, the Effiycle - designed fully by its members. The Robotics and the Electronics Club had multiple projects on display at this exhibition. Thus, uniting all the technical clubs of the college under one roof, TechEvince 3.0 was by far the biggest and the best exhibition by the students of IIT Guwahati till date.

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"Every new beginning comes from some other beginnings end." Beginning of college life comes from the end of the school life.The transition from school to college is a big one. It changes your life completely and determines where you going to stand strong in the future. College life is more about freedom, fun and friendships. However,it brings along with it a sense of competition  self dependence and responsibilities. Like every other teenager, I too was very anxious on the first day of my college. Along with the excitement, there was a sense of nervousness also as all my friends secured admissions in different colleges and I was the only one to be in NIT. So,it was a whole new atmosphere for me. As soon as I stepped into the college, memories of the first day of my school came back to me, How i cried that day to avoid going to school.

No matter how much you grow up,the heart is still the same.The first few days were a bit boring for me. I have a reserved kind of personality. So, I was a bit hesitant in talking to those unknown faces. I roamed around the college gradually, those anonymous people became familiar to me and we turned to friends.

 Our campus is a big and all of 150-acre, with greenery spread all around and It was much bigger than my school where I had spent 10 years of my life. Classes started, teachers came in,taught us and went away.It was not like the school days where teachers used to 'restrict' us like parents normally do.

How strange it was - we used to get irritated by restrictions during school days and now we miss those bindings. But as the time passed, I got habitual to my college routine.

Every phase of life has its own charm and importance. School life had its own importance. And now, college life will play its own part. It has started on a good note. I hope to enjoy and learn a lot from this phase

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Maffick fever grips MANIT, Bhopal

Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology (MANIT), Bhopal, organised its annual cultural fest,Maffick, from March 18-20. The theme for this year's fest was 'Revival of the Lost Arts'. This theme was explored in various competitions held in the city across three days.

The fest was a big draw among students who had come from all over the country to participate, making it one of the biggest college fests of Central India. The interesting line-up of competitions in different categories such as dance, music, lifestyle, sports, dramatics and art kept the students engaged and thoroughly entertained. So while 'Bodyrock', 'Dance Fiesta', 'Dance Doubles' and 'Band Baja Baaraat' were for dance enthusiasts, 'Swarangan' and 'Anahad' were a crooner's delight. Others who wanted to set the ramp on fire headed for 'Panache' and then there were youngsters with oodles of oomph and attitude who made a beeline to be crowned 'Mr and Miss Maffick'. 'Maffick Riders' was the first choice of Daredevils who participated in the competition for that ultimate adrenaline rush. And then there were 'Maffick Mania' and 'Movie Making' for budding filmmakers to capture the moments of the fest and weave a beautiful story for keepsakes. Those who wanted the crowd to pause for a cause preferred to take it to the streets through 'Nukkad Natak', thumping their drums, singing, dancing, acting and leaving the crowd asking for more. 'Rajneeti' was a platform for budding youth leaders who got an opportunity to woo their followers.  

The fest also saw many power-packed performances by renowned artistes including EDM Night by Anish Sood and live performances by Gajendra Verma and his band. The ICC World T20 match between India and Pakistan was streamed live to a packed house on the penultimate night of the fest. India's astounding win over Pakistan gave a reason to students to celebrate and party through the night.

The fest was a big hit among students and the organisers need a pat on their backs for a successful event like Maffick 2016.

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SANSKRIT CELLS IN IITs: UNFOLDING MYSTERIES OF ANCIENT INDIAN LITERATURE

The education ministry has come up with a 10-year roadmap for developing Sanskrit language. Premier institutions for engineering and scientific studies, including IITs, will have a Sanskrit cell to help study ancient Indian literature. This cell will help students explore the depths of Indian literatures related to their faculty.

In a meeting last month, the panel set up by the ministry has come up with few suggestions. The panel suggested the formation of Sanskrit

C

ells in the institutes of national importance. This panel is headed by a retired IAS officer N. Gopalaswami. Gopalaswami is a Padma Bhushan awardee and former Chief Election Commissioner(CEC) of India. The panel emphasised the need to fathom the profoundness of ancient Indian literature. This cell will also facilitate the in-depth study of science and technology in Sanskrit. These colleges will also offer internships in Sanskrit language which will be included for credits in the regular course work. IIT Delhi has taken a lead in this educational saltate. The panel hinted at embodying Sanskrit as an optional subject for undergraduate studies. It was also connoted to establish model Sanskrit medium schools across the country in future.

Ancient Indian literatures are treasure-chests of knowledge in various fields. To name a few, we have Siddhanta Shiromani, Atharavaveda, Vaisheshika Darshana, Bhagavad Gita, Ayurveda, Charaka Samhita, Arthashastra, , et al. Scholars across the globe reach out to remote corners of Indian subcontinent to learn art forms and scientific methods practiced by the locals. Nalanda University, the oldest university in the world has always attracted scholars for centuries. And now, archaeologists are still trying to study this epitome of Gurukula Culture and the time-flow of its associated knowledge and culture. It has been proved that many equations, theorems and concepts that are believed to be discovered somewhere else were already been etched in these literatures centuries and even millennia before the western world actually came to know of them. Harappan civilisation had also established in those days, many landmarks for other civilisations to follow. It is believed that these ancient scriptures could prove to be instrumental in the progress of many contemporary inter-disciplinary studies.

For engineering students it is a new avenue to look at. Who knows what young Indian brains could unravel while swimming through these colossal oceans of knowledge? This endeavour has no down side though. As already established by researchers, unfolding the mysteries of these scriptures will only broaden our horizons. But, even at the least, we will be able to connect to Indian culture.


We will perceive the economic stands, medical advancements, scientific systems and art forms being practiced at those times. Even for a pessimist how could there be a scope to take a cynical stand in this regard!
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Humility: A virtue or a vice

We pay far too much importance to the false and borrowed virtues such as humility that we forget the real and self-generated virtues such as self-esteem. Humility, according to me, is a mere deception, and not based upon the reliance of one's power to think with reason, unlike self-esteem. An honest and a smart man must assert his self-worth, and if he is on the truth's side, he has got every right not to be humble.

Precisely that was the reason the great German philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche, who was also the proponent of Egoism, once famously remarked: Egoism is the very essence of a noble soul.

When we use the word boss in our daily routine to address an auto-rickshaw driver, or a subordinate in the office, or our servant at home, we know deep within that we are the ones who are superior to that person. We might try to project ourselves as a humble being, but, the fact of the matter is that we don't understand true humility, which is nothing but being in sync with the truth. Even champion athletes of almost all sports (save for Boxing) applaud the skills of their opponents or their teammates. Actors on big stages try to prove in their speeches that they are down to earth individuals, but deep within, they all know that they are no Average Joes or Plain Janes.

An actor or an athlete has the moral responsibility to project himself as a role model, so I honestly don't care much whether he presents the humble side of his nature or the arrogant one. But when a politician doesn't speak the truth and tries to project himself as the Messiah of the masses, I certainly do. A man who just uses humility to hoodwink the society is a coward. He is not brave enough to assert his right to existence.

One must try to seek the truth (humbly) by reason, and then should discard the rag of the vice which you call a virtue: humility. An honest man doesn't need humility. Truth alone will suffice.

We must fight for our happiness and, also, not ask someone else to sacrifice his happiness for us. If reason drives us, we would never destroy someone else's right or freedom.

To love is to value. Only a rationally selfish man, a man of self-esteem, is capable of love because he is capable of holding firm, consistent, uncompromising, and unbetrayed values. The man who does not value himself, cannot value anything or anyone. Furthermore, only a man who values himself can give value to others. Only such a man is capable of love.

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Technothlon gets bigger this year

 The international school championship, Technothlon, was started by students of IIT, Guwahati, in 2004 to 'Inspire Young Minds'. This exam served as a medium for IITG students to interact with their juniors and help them in developing their analytical and logical skills.

What started with barely 200 students and that too only from Guwahati, will see students from 300 cities participating in this edition of Technothlon. It has become the biggest examination conducted by any student fraternity in the world and owes its success to the hardworking group of students who make it happen every year.

Every year, more than 150 students from the Technothlon team visit schools in their respective hometowns to spread the word about the championship and call for entries. Another team designs the question papers for the first phase of Technothlon. After this, they organise the exam in more than 250 centres across the country and evaluate the answer scripts of the participants. The top 50 teams from each of the squads are selected and invited to IITG during Techniche - the annual techno-management festival of IITG. The winning teams participate in various on the spot contests and logic wars to win the competition.

In the last 12 years, the annual international school championship has shown remarkable progress. It keeps reinventing itself by introducing innovative initiatives to engage students. A noteworthy initiative of Technothlon is LED - Learn Explore Develop in which IITG students visit various schools, meet students and present a plethora of simple yet interesting experiments while trying to demonstrate principles of science. This way they can help the students understand the concepts of science by giving them the much-required support and guidance.

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Be aware while choosing career/Ignorance isn't bliss in career choice

It is a make or break time for Class 12 students and JEE aspirants. According to statistics, more than 14 lakh students appear for engineering exams every year. That means our country produces 10-12 lakhs engineers every year, but not everyone gets a decent placement or job or gets a job matching his or hers expectations. But why is this problem arising?

The cause is a lack of awareness among people about this profession. People don't know what engineering is all about. If you ask or conduct a poll among engineering aspirants, 90 per cent of them will opt for it as a career, but when asked the reasons for choosing it, only a few would be able to give a satisfactory answer.

Ignorance is certainly not bliss when it comes to making a career choice. If we are unaware of what we are opting for as our career, then how can we be certain about our success? Only knowing about engineering will not get the job done. Engineering has many streams - Computer Science, Electronics and Communication, Mechanical, Textile and much more. We should know about each and every stream and then choose the appropriate one according to our interest and aptitude. Most of the students opt for either computer or electronics engineering as these two streams guarantee ample job opportunities and high packages. But are they even interested in these streams? Just because others are opting for it, they choose them as well. As a result of lop-sided choice, they end up becoming engineers sans knowledge.

Our problems arise from this point. Armed with an engineering degree, he/she will neither accept jobs which are not up to one's expectations nor sit at home. They decide to go for higher studies.

In a recent interview, our Human Resources Development minister spoke about the deteriorating quality of engineers - only two per cent of total engineers produced by our technical institutes are employable. One should have ample knowledge about the profession before choosing it. They should also know enough about the stream and then choose it.

I would advise JEE aspirants to choose engineering as a career only if they are seriously interested in pursuing it and choose streams only after properly researching about it. Use the internet and gather as much information as you possibly can. Consult your elders. Go for career counsellings. This will help you make your future better, rewarding and interesting. The chances of success will be higher. The quality of engineers produced by our prestigious institutes will also improve.

All the best!

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Research Conclave at IITG nurtures and inspires young minds

The second edition of Research Conclave, a platform where academics, industries and start-ups come together and create wonders, was inaugurated by eminent scientist and Padma Shri awardee Prof KL Chopra at IIT Guwahati on March 17, 2016. Organised by the Student's Academic Board of IIT Guwahati, the Conclave aims to nurture and inspire young minds towards research, innovation and entrepreneurship. It intends to bring the integrity of students towards both industries and academia to redress research challenges, concerns of the student community and upcoming entrepreneurs.

 The Conclave showcased ongoing research activities at IIT Guwahati as well those at nearby research institutes. Also, there was rigorous industry-academia interaction with participation from delegates from all over the country. In this Research Conclave, interactive sessions with entrepreneurs and start-ups were also pitched. The events were divided into four categories - CONNAISSANCE featuring lectures from various academicians and industrialists, SCIENTIFICIA exhibiting posters, model presentations and lab visits, ACAD-INDUSTRIE SYNERGY featuring interaction with industry delegates, start-ups and academicians and INNOVATEUR PLAT-FORME where start-ups were pitched and discussed.

 This year the Conclave witnessed lectures from eminent personalities such as Padma Shri Prof KL Chopra, Srikrishna Prabhu (General Manager, Wipro Infrastructure Engineering), Brahmeshwar Kumar (Manager-Environment, NHPC), Shirish Asthana (Director, MSME) and many others. The Conclave also had lectures by various professors such as Dr Ankit Garg, Dr Ramagopal Uppaluri, Dr Biman Mandal, Dr Karuna Kalita and Dr Arun Chattopadhyay, all of them from IIT Guwahati, and Dr Pramod Khambete from IIT Bombay.

There also were various competitions for students such as the best poster, best model presentation, etc. Winners won prizes worth Rs 50,000. Indeed, it was a great experience for budding researchers and industrialists.

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'Important' is not always 'Popular' 

The news about malnutrition deaths, farmers' plight and global warming fails to capture people's attention. Have you ever wondered why? Are these issues not appealing enough? Or are we obsessed with all things sweet and nice. Or are we apathetic towards real issues? Or is it a conscious decision of the media to avoid flagging these concerns?

Whatever is the reason(s), it is an undeniable truth that this is an alarming situation and there is a dire need to spread awareness about these concerns and challenges. Taking a small step in this direction, a US based non-profit media organization Fair Observer in association with the United Nations Foundation, organized Voices of the World Program at IIT Gandhinagar on March 19-20, 2016. The program was launched for training students in narrating captivating stories to a global audience on pertinent issues that are bothering mankind such as health, pollution, poverty and so on.

The overall focus of this two-day programme was to acquaint students with the tools of good journalism. There were highly engaging sessions on critical thinking, factual validation and rigorous analysis that are crucial for developing an impelling narrative. In order to take these 'not-so-popular' but highly vital discourses to the masses, there is a need to adopt a moral and pragmatic approach.

The CEO and the founder of Fair Observer, Atul Singh, who is also a guest faculty at IIT Gandhinagar, gave ample examples of 'good' as well as 'bad' journalism in the form of articles, audio and video. Further, he cautioned how the latter can dominate, prevail and shape the perception of the audience. He very aptly said, "Journalism is history in hurry" and, therefore, it is susceptible to lack of inquiry, rigor and credibility. Poor media literacy is giving rise to this scenario where 'mundane' becomes furore and 'important' fails to attract attention. Good media practices can help shed light on these 'important' yet unpopular areas. 

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Exams! Exams everywhere!

It all begins with an idea, a realization of sorts. Resilient, like a virus. Highly contagious. And that's how it starts. The fever, the rage, the feeling of powerlessness that turns good men selfish. But you never heard the bells ringing, the wheels of time furiously turning the tide against you. You were busy warped in a fantasy of your own making. A lie trapped in a bottle weaker than its own existence. But that's exactly how humans function. If you can't bear the weight of reality, hide behind the walls of wilful ignorance. But now the End is nigh. The shadows cast by your own indifference have unleashed upon you the demons that lived in its dark corners. And now you beg for forgiveness? Redemption is for those who fight, but you have already lost haven't you? There are always be those who saw the disaster coming long before it all began. They strived, they struggled. Minds, burning through time as you basked in the soothing shades of peace. Oracles of the time, they struggled, partly because they feared the apocalypse more than they loved the rest, and partly because they loved to strive. Some of them might even help you, while others indulge in mockery. Here you are, lying trapped in despair, facing a certain defeat. Your worst fears have come to engulf your sanity. What do you do? Give up? Let go? No. Remember who you are, remember who you were born to be. A warrior, not one without fear, but one who keeps fighting in its face. Never giving up. Realize that, storms come and go, what stays is the warrior, growing stronger with each battle he fights. Devote yourself to the ideal, for it cannot be destroyed. Embrace your worst fears: Exams. For you're more than just a man. You're an engineer. And engineers are forever.