After a really really long hiatus, I am back here to write a bit about the semester gone by and with it half of my final year. It has been an eventful journey. With the reopening of college in August, we were suddenly put into the limelight of being the senior-most students, the know-all omniscient creatures that have the answers to life, universe and everything. But for most of us, fourth year started off with sadness at not finding the familiar faces that we used to look up to, discuss stuff and seek advice from. Gone are those people who showed us the way when we were a newbie in this great college, embarking upon the adventure of college life. Looking dispassionately at the hoards of kids who join in, one can't help but look down at them with a little disdain. But over time, I guess, when you get to know them, you realize they aren't so bad after all.
This semester was largely about placements, the crazy monsoons, the commonwealth games, and the MBA/MS junta scurrying to find their dream destination for a Masters. I, for one, get really annoyed with the coaching institutes peddling their courses as if its the stairway to heaven and then some. It's all a sham, taking money from kids who are often as confused as one will ever see anyone to be, and who join it in the hope of getting some clarity into what they want to do in life. Of course, most, if not all of these institutes are too good to be true, and if I were to pick the only motivation that I had to give MBA entrances this year, it was to show these institutes the finger and prove my point. Whether I have succeeded at doing so, time shall tell.
Though many in India consider an MBA to be that singular thing that puts your career progression graph from slow track to fast track in two years, I beg to differ. Because of most of these CAT coaching institutes promising magical results, it has increasingly become a case of hard-working wannabes being pushed into doing one, and coming out as an arrogant pseudo-biz savvy executives who "have arrived", all thanks to an MBA!
I have seen, defended and been on both sides of the argument as to whether doing an MBA straight out of graduation is the way to go or not, but keeping this argument aside for a moment, the central argument that finds flavor with me is that you should not use a crutch to achieve this goal. Far too long, we have been spoon-fed by tuition's and coaching institutes and what not. There comes a time when you have to draw the line, the so-called Lakshman Rekha that tells you it's time to take on something on your own. You do this by outlining what you want, and how you are to get it, and then proceeding to ensure those outlines are met.
Many have a common excuse that they are lazy, confused and need a tough regimen to push them into working for getting through to an MBA, in turn giving credence to the Theory X by McGregor. But IMHO, if you aren't that motivated to prepare for an MBA, it's very probable that it's not the right choice for you, just yet.
But the arguments can go on and on. The mind can, most certainly, rationalize pretty much anything and everything. So there is no way of looking at it in black and white. Who knows, after all this rant against MBA's, I might cross over to the dark side like our senior and BDFL to the QC, Debasish.
Coming back to the 7th semester. (Yes, that is what this post was about!) Placements were by far the single most time-consuming thing in the entire semester. Being in the PlaceComm is a huge responsibility. One, under whose weight, I have many a times lost my cool in this sem. But placements of this batch have been one of the best till now, and hopefully will continue in the same way. The job is a demanding one, intensive in terms of time as well as effort, but not always bearing fruits to the extent to which it would be expected.
Quizzing has been going on as usual. MoodI awaits us this time around, and an entire contingent from the QC will be there. The juniors show promise in their numbers, and I do hope they continue to make NSIT proud in the years ahead. The most memorable quizzing moment of this season would have to be at BVCOE, winning back the Vikram Sarabhai Rotating Shield Quiz Competition for a third time, out of the 4 times it has happened since its inception.
The end semesters, which concluded 3 days ago, were a class act. Having arguably one of the shortest semesters ever, owing to Placements and the Commonwealth Games, the exams befuddled, confounded, foxed and flabbergasted even the very best (read DR's), let alone us poor mere mortals.
I think it's been a fairly long post already. Especially my rant on MBA. Should write on something better. Anyway, Peace. More to continue later.
