Last night, I was staying in office till 4 am. I admit, I spent my most of the time in office but it can't be interpreted that I am workaholic. I stay in office not because of work but its more of need to stay with my office desktop. It has internet connection which I can't even dream of getting at my home (In India, even bullock carts are faster than internet connection through phone lines). I am addicted to comp and net, since my college time, so, its not hard that I prefer my lousy room than my cubical.
Today morning, I had a meeting with my boss at 10:30 am. I was just made it in time. Meeting's subject was my future, what else may be boring than that. I was planning to put my papers, thus, it was my boss's game to delay it as possible. We talked on all the issues I have. To my utter surprise, it was one of the most polite discussion I had with my boss. It's really true that when you are leaving, your boss put his/her best foot in front. I didn't have that many problem with this as I was all set to leave and that too with solid good reasons. Talk came around after covering work, office culture, company culture, opportunities in company, futuer goals, ethics to my attitude and academic background. Campus placements had just finished in B-schools and media was all gung-ho with the high salaries. My boss had a point of view that this is unacceptable that one guy is getting such a huge salary. Damn, his common sense, my boss is just quick enough to read numbers and read headlines but he simply failed to read the background of that mammoth salary guy. Boss, though being trying hard to be polite spared me with his thoughts on B-schools but didn't miss to point it out that you should judge yourself with your performance, not the institute.
When people crib about B-schools and high salaries, its more of issue of person's frustration of not having it in his/her pocket. Most of the people aspire to study in these schools, still, these same people start criticising when they find themsleves, not lucky enough to get through. In industry, people give very high value to certifications and work experience in strongly reputed firms. Work experience of a techie, worked in 'Google' for 2 years is considered better than 2 years experience in some other IT company, say Infosys. Previous company's brand makes all the difference as people expect techies to be more professional and intelligent, if he/she worked in 'Google'. The attributes associated with the firm's brand, add up with it's employees credentials. Not only that firm's follow certain practices to have such a brand, they also have strict procedure for selection. Its same for academic institutions. They build their brands with certain strict practices, be it selection criteria or be it academic rigours. If you can survive the rigours of study in an IIM, you can handle the pressures in industry very easily.
Another point, my boss was hard on was that all IITians should do PhDs and all those who do MBAs after IIT are wasting governments precious investment in these institutes. This was simply enough to give my kind of guy a stomach trouble. People consider IITs as hardcore R&D institutes, though it is far from reality. People compare IITs with other indian engineering colleges. Many of these engineering colleges are run in single small buldings, have only graduate students as faculty memebrs, have few flask, tools in small rooms to show for a laboratory. Compared to this, IITs with their huge, lush green campuses, with highly educated faculties with rich experience and accolades, large laboratory halls are dreamlike. True that IITs have far better facilities than any other indian technical institute. Government has spent a lot in IITs. By a common man's point of view, it may appear that IITs are worldclass high tech research institute. But the truth is that IITs don't stand even in comparison with world's top technical institute. Though they have great faculty, great students and large campus, but a great techincal institute also requires high-tech machinery in their labs, testing tools, cutting edge techincal equipments. Sadly, all these require even more money which our petty politicians can't let go beyond their bank accounts. Building these kind of equipments, also need a complete industry back up, where new research can be utilised in economical way and high end technology research can be justified. Again, in India, in the name of technology, we have calling centers, IT body suppliers which instead of developing new products are just happy in serving western corporates. Students entering in IITs are just another kids with little bit better academic performance on the average. Thanks to our society and strong parental control, most of the kids dream of either doctor or engineer. Segregation brains start from school. First preference for most of the students, after their secondary board exams remain 'science', those who were not that lucky to score higher marks in board exams end up in other streams. Here, there are always few courageous students who choose to take other streams, inspite of scoring high. Some have family limitations or particular sub-society's negative preference towards going away, thus they also end up in 'Arts' or 'Commerce' streams. 'Commerce' stream, I guess is most lucky here to get many students who choose it by their first choice, as it is neither considered easy like "arts" nor it is attractive anough for indian parents to push their children in it. Next step of filteration takes place through higher secondary board exams and entrance examinations for different engineering & medical institutes. Medical profession has recently been loosing its steam as most of the doctors end up in small town with meek government salaries. Recent industrial growth has also spawned a better opportunity space for engineers. Preference for secure career and higher pay check make most of the high academic performers in engineering institutes. Even among them, IITs stand out, as I said previously, 'dreamlike'. Lucky few who make it to IITs are protected by the campus walls from the rumbling day-to-day common life. Four years, students chase their dreams, enjoy their time and some even get spoiled by freedom of mind. Though, IITs are not doing much of work in research but they provide a great step stone for students who jump in the plane and fly to greener pasture of US. US, with its great education institutes harvest this brain crop with gusto. Most of the IITians who have interest in research, end up in US universities as these provide much better opportunities and have much better facilities than what an IIT can't even dream of. Some, who are idealist or just don't have any interest in research either end up in industry or top indian B-schools. Strict selection process of these B-schools even filter out this crop. After going through these many filtering nets, when people end up in industry, they are asked that you don't have experience. Bullshit!!!
After carring the burden of high expectations continuously to this age, managing to move in pace, leading the crowd, standing out, you are told that you haven't done well enough!!! Bullshit!!
Today morning, I had a meeting with my boss at 10:30 am. I was just made it in time. Meeting's subject was my future, what else may be boring than that. I was planning to put my papers, thus, it was my boss's game to delay it as possible. We talked on all the issues I have. To my utter surprise, it was one of the most polite discussion I had with my boss. It's really true that when you are leaving, your boss put his/her best foot in front. I didn't have that many problem with this as I was all set to leave and that too with solid good reasons. Talk came around after covering work, office culture, company culture, opportunities in company, futuer goals, ethics to my attitude and academic background. Campus placements had just finished in B-schools and media was all gung-ho with the high salaries. My boss had a point of view that this is unacceptable that one guy is getting such a huge salary. Damn, his common sense, my boss is just quick enough to read numbers and read headlines but he simply failed to read the background of that mammoth salary guy. Boss, though being trying hard to be polite spared me with his thoughts on B-schools but didn't miss to point it out that you should judge yourself with your performance, not the institute.
When people crib about B-schools and high salaries, its more of issue of person's frustration of not having it in his/her pocket. Most of the people aspire to study in these schools, still, these same people start criticising when they find themsleves, not lucky enough to get through. In industry, people give very high value to certifications and work experience in strongly reputed firms. Work experience of a techie, worked in 'Google' for 2 years is considered better than 2 years experience in some other IT company, say Infosys. Previous company's brand makes all the difference as people expect techies to be more professional and intelligent, if he/she worked in 'Google'. The attributes associated with the firm's brand, add up with it's employees credentials. Not only that firm's follow certain practices to have such a brand, they also have strict procedure for selection. Its same for academic institutions. They build their brands with certain strict practices, be it selection criteria or be it academic rigours. If you can survive the rigours of study in an IIM, you can handle the pressures in industry very easily.
Another point, my boss was hard on was that all IITians should do PhDs and all those who do MBAs after IIT are wasting governments precious investment in these institutes. This was simply enough to give my kind of guy a stomach trouble. People consider IITs as hardcore R&D institutes, though it is far from reality. People compare IITs with other indian engineering colleges. Many of these engineering colleges are run in single small buldings, have only graduate students as faculty memebrs, have few flask, tools in small rooms to show for a laboratory. Compared to this, IITs with their huge, lush green campuses, with highly educated faculties with rich experience and accolades, large laboratory halls are dreamlike. True that IITs have far better facilities than any other indian technical institute. Government has spent a lot in IITs. By a common man's point of view, it may appear that IITs are worldclass high tech research institute. But the truth is that IITs don't stand even in comparison with world's top technical institute. Though they have great faculty, great students and large campus, but a great techincal institute also requires high-tech machinery in their labs, testing tools, cutting edge techincal equipments. Sadly, all these require even more money which our petty politicians can't let go beyond their bank accounts. Building these kind of equipments, also need a complete industry back up, where new research can be utilised in economical way and high end technology research can be justified. Again, in India, in the name of technology, we have calling centers, IT body suppliers which instead of developing new products are just happy in serving western corporates. Students entering in IITs are just another kids with little bit better academic performance on the average. Thanks to our society and strong parental control, most of the kids dream of either doctor or engineer. Segregation brains start from school. First preference for most of the students, after their secondary board exams remain 'science', those who were not that lucky to score higher marks in board exams end up in other streams. Here, there are always few courageous students who choose to take other streams, inspite of scoring high. Some have family limitations or particular sub-society's negative preference towards going away, thus they also end up in 'Arts' or 'Commerce' streams. 'Commerce' stream, I guess is most lucky here to get many students who choose it by their first choice, as it is neither considered easy like "arts" nor it is attractive anough for indian parents to push their children in it. Next step of filteration takes place through higher secondary board exams and entrance examinations for different engineering & medical institutes. Medical profession has recently been loosing its steam as most of the doctors end up in small town with meek government salaries. Recent industrial growth has also spawned a better opportunity space for engineers. Preference for secure career and higher pay check make most of the high academic performers in engineering institutes. Even among them, IITs stand out, as I said previously, 'dreamlike'. Lucky few who make it to IITs are protected by the campus walls from the rumbling day-to-day common life. Four years, students chase their dreams, enjoy their time and some even get spoiled by freedom of mind. Though, IITs are not doing much of work in research but they provide a great step stone for students who jump in the plane and fly to greener pasture of US. US, with its great education institutes harvest this brain crop with gusto. Most of the IITians who have interest in research, end up in US universities as these provide much better opportunities and have much better facilities than what an IIT can't even dream of. Some, who are idealist or just don't have any interest in research either end up in industry or top indian B-schools. Strict selection process of these B-schools even filter out this crop. After going through these many filtering nets, when people end up in industry, they are asked that you don't have experience. Bullshit!!!
After carring the burden of high expectations continuously to this age, managing to move in pace, leading the crowd, standing out, you are told that you haven't done well enough!!! Bullshit!!
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