So, Scrolling down my Facebook feed I stumbled across this post : Confession #279 which is a very lengthy written post about certain decisions in Insti life, which has gathered a lot of attention and agreement.
I do not tend to disrespect the writer for the opinion, But very honestly I find it extremely biased, and just because I love IIT Bombay and the people there – I wish to reply very much point by point to it. Hopefully unbiased.
I agree with a 5% of the point and will very respectfully appreciate it during this reply. So please go ahead and read carefully.
I am really scared writing this, because I don’t want anyone to take back a wrong message. So please read till the very end.Please read with an open mind. That would be the only request 🙂
Hope this Helps.
Opening Paragraph, below mentioned is an overview, Hence I will allow this blog to answer every issue in this.
I have seen quite a few of you now wondering about PoRs, FRs, or other things that Insti has to offer. I have been here for a while now and have seen the best and worst this Institute has to offer. Most of us come here after being in seclusion from everything for at least 2 years and enjoy the sudden freedom we get. We tend to forget the thin line between enjoy and misuse. We suddenly have all the independence over making choices we always dreamed of. You have a wide range of things to chose from. Get associated with MI/ TF/ or Cult or Tech or Sports. You want to explore yourself, your freedom, this Institute, Mumbai and the plethora of activities this place has to offer. Since most of you were studying for most part of the previous two year, studying again isn’t exactly your first instinct. You see people doing all sorts of “cool stuff” which may vary from dancing to photography to playing ball. You are exposed to the achievements, ambitions and dreams of other people, people branded as “machau”. You make your own wishlist as a subset of these. You wish to be like them. You look up to them. You tend to ignore academics in this new found quest of yours to be Machau, to be cool. Nobody wants to be called Maggu. By the end of first year if not first semester, several of you end up screwing your acads. You start consoling yourself ,“Fine Acads is not my thing, I will excel in extra curriculars”. The Institute has various herd races to offer and you try to run them to excel or get one ups over others. Most people you’ll see around you are running for PoRs now. Two months down the line people will run around like hens for minors. Two further months people will run around making an impressive resume and getting an intern and these races continue up to your fourth year. I will try to address few things here:
(As I mentioned, will reply to everything, I promise)
Jumping to the next paragraph:
PoRs: Second year PoRs amount to shit. Councils will try to sell you these saying how significant they are for your life. Nope they aren’t. They do so because it’s you guys who primarily form their foot soldiers. Managers, CGs, Secys can’t go on doing all the labour by themselves. Guess where the labour comes from. Third year/Fourth year PoRs do have some value but again not something to die for. As you enter second year the courses will become a tad bit harder than now, you will need some time to adapt to these. You need time for that too. The point being don’t take a PoR just to look cool or just because someone else you know is taking or just because they would add a lot of value to you. They won’t. They have little benefits. They prepare you better for third year PoRs and give you an idea of efficient time management. If you are really interested in working of/with some Institute body, be a part of it but not at the cost of your academics. You will also have to factor in your second year academic load before you choose to take up a PoR.
Reply: I am not saying a POR is necessary, But I would disagree that second year PORs are shit, super honestly. I can agree that few people may have had a bad experience because of a bad manager or a wrong choice but that doesn’t make the PORs bad. If you compare with a lot of other places and institutes, getting a responsibility of even that magnitude takes a lot of struggle, a lot of politics etc. We are super lucky that Insti offers such an early opportunity to work in a team, to be able to manage time and to socialize and learn something new. The few who do it for the fact that it would help them in the third year POR are the ones and the only ones who are actually at loss.
Secondly, calling second year undergrads as labor would be the worst image to portray. You go in any big organisation ( even the big companies mentioned ahead in the blog), hierarchy and delegation will exist, that is how a big organisation can sustain its scale. The term *Ghodagiri* might be loosely used sometimes but the point is understanding the grind at the very base level helps you take decisions and make strategies later as a leader. And you can go ahead discuss and suggest those ground reality issues with the leader in that team, any true / nice person would acknowledge it.
Saying, that the POR will not add value to you is actually pretty sad, it really boils down to what you did and with what motivation and what thoughts did you take up a certain POR.
I walked out of RANG Convener-ship interview saying I take back my application because my seniors in the interview room very honestly confronted what would be expected, they tried to understand what I expect to learn and if the two will match. A week later, I applied for a Design Convener-ship because thanks to those interview discussions I got some clarity as to what I would enjoy & learn in. And everything I learnt along with design and management has come a long way there after.
I find the conclusion of the post slightly diplomatic after saying so many extremes about PORs in general- The conclusion I would like to propose is that as far as Team Building – Time Management – Dealing with academics is concerned – That learning lies in every single thing that you will take in addition to your academics. Sports at IIT Bombay, Tech Projects, Projects with profs, a Simple Serious Hobby – anything that you enjoy doing with your heart and put in the time and dedication will bring you learning of all these verticals.
So conclusion being, PORs are not shit, they do add value – The only decision you need to consciously make is if that’s the thing for you to do. Do groundwork, talk to people who have done & not done it and make a thoughtful choice.
Not thinking what and why you are doing stuff, is what can be a really shitty idea.
Next paragraph,
Extracurriculars: Extracurriculars are well “ EXTRA”. They only matter beyond your academics. You are here for one thing: Getting a Bachelor’s degree. Just remember one thing all companies, univs etc that come to recruit you judge you on your CPI not because CPI reflects superior intellect or intelligence. It just reflects one thing, “You did what you were supposed to do here.” Maintain a decent CPI 8+ for company jobs and 8.5+ for Univs. I am not asking you to become a bookworm totally and leave everything else. I am not asking you to be a total nerd. Extremes of everything is bad. We fail to realise it. If your CPI is below 7 or 7.5 avoid these Extracurriculars. Spend a sem getting your grades up to the mark. This is something that DoSA told us in his first briefing after we came as freshmen to the Institute: Consider Academics like ‘1’ and Extra curriculars like ‘0’. The zeros will only matter when they are behind 1 not in the front. Something I realise today was one of the most true advices I have been offered in Insti Life.
Ouch. This one needs so much clarification, part of which will be in the next paragraph’s reply. So please stick with me.
We have been raised so & this paragraph is a living proof of our obsession with the idea of everything else from academics being EXTRA. Everything else, every other talent is always saved for family functions to flaunt to random relatives. Very few parents and slightly better now because of all the platforms, have respected and given importance to a child’s individuality, and allowing them to develop and work on their gift.
You are here for one thing: Getting a Bachelor’s degree.
Firstly, and slightly *on a Lite Note* : Even that idea is wrong, the college isn’t a certification office, its an educational institute- at the least say: You were here to be an engineer / learn engineering.
Now, replying to this, I want to highlight the fact that a tremendous amount of students who end up being in IITs are kids of parents who wanted them to be in IITs, not everyone exactly wanted to go to an IIT or become an engineer. Its just we are a risk averse & engineering obsessed society with lack of awareness for everything else and hence this looked like a safe bet so we were put into academies we might not want to go to, to get into another academy that we might not want to go to.
Even with little exposure to any more opportunities I didn’t want to be an engineer, I wanted to do Architecture, but my science and math scores were too promising for everyone to convince my parents that Engg. would be the thing for me. I bought it then, because wasn’t very mature or sure at that time. Here I am. Doing nothing related to it. Thank you Degree!
I dont know how or what companies exactly see, I agree they take CPI as an indicator. But for a moment just look around and understand for yourself too- there are some amazing and intelligent students who might have low CPI also.
And I feel sad that these companies might not select them thanks to the CPI Mentality.
CPI and Understanding do not have a 1 to 1 correspondence. Repeated questions, Tricks, Questions from Tutorial or absolutely anything. I am shameless enough to say, I was a straight 9+ till 6 consecutive sems including 4 POR Sems but my understanding was really terrible except a few courses that I enjoyed. Hope that breaks the CPI Myth.
Very sadly, I would agree that at one point I have myself propogated some sort of CPI agenda but I guess with the last 2 years of learning, I would not miss to acknowledge & correct a mistake.
Why the masses seem to be convinced with the idea of maintaining an avergae , “atleast 7.5+ rakhle etc ” is again because of a very risk averse attitude, and while that makes sense when you have no clear direction. Please, don’t let it stop you.
Be safe, from the ‘be safe ideology’
I respect the Now DoSA a lot for I have seen him stand with us on a lot of things. But if I had to have a take on that statement I would say : “Find your 1, or actually 1s – That’s your passion, your dreams, your ambitions” & “All the hard work, every single effort you take in that direction is the 0, that follows it”
Picking PORs, Adding resume points, Having a whatever certain CPIs are all 0s, You need to place them after your very personal 1s. And, till the time you find your 1s, try a lot of stuff, collect some 0s that feel good, feel right and positive. But its only with the 1s that it would all make sense.
That’s about CPI. Now next,
There is this Anti Maggu sentiment in the Institute that I feel is suicidal. You will have to be Maggu at some point of time. At the end people who were branded as Maggu in their 4 years end up with most high paid jobs or end up in great Univs after those 4 years. ← Something that most of us are here for. Look at Govind Lahoti, Satwik Deb Mishra, Himani Mehta, Vishnu Nair, Chandra Maloo and the list goes on. These are the actual Machaus. One thing I have come to realise is the people branded as machau are the least machau ones.
Also, Department Rank matters a lot. Period.
I don’t intend to apply that people with CPI Below 8 have failed or end up with bad jobs and Univs or have no career ahead. I am just asking you to prioritize Academics which is something most freshmen are told not to.
Agreed, there is some Anti Maggu sentiment but I guess it is mostly driven from certain people with a wrong mindset who propagate that. And I guess, even sane people who do not identify themselves as maggu do not appreciate these people.
In fact, picking from something very nicely and correctly highlighted by Pragya in the comments, “The same people who keep making fun of the ‘Maggus’ run to those maggus only, right before exams for doubt clearance/ class notes, and then it repeats again. If you love studying, don’t give a fuck about what anyone is saying about you”
Would highlight two things here,
a. I have been super thankful to all the hardworking academics loving people who have helped me sail through, the 9+ CPI for 6 Sems with 4 POR sems – Statement I owe to so many of these friends, and I think it takes a real loser to demean anyone who is following what they like. I have always respected them, and have helped them in whatever way I would to thank them enough.
A very nice friend – Alok: One of the brightest, but not the highest CPI who has given me 7.30 am crash courses to mid-sems while I was doing something I valued a night ago. Helped him back in placements with his speaking skills and interview prep. Respect what others are good at , just share whatever you are best at, Insti is not a competition – being the best version of yourself is.
b. I loved how she exactly made the entire point so straight and clear – “If you love studying, don’t give a fuck about what anyone is saying about you”
From Point B. I go ahead making this super strong point.
Look at Govind Lahoti, Satwik Deb Mishra, Himani Mehta, Vishnu Nair, Chandra Maloo and the list goes on. These are the actual Machaus.
Well, I have known 3 of these personally, and you know what makes them what has been titled as ‘machau’?
I quote again,
“If you love studying, don’t give a fuck about what anyone is saying about you”
I dont think anyone who knows anyone of these even decently, doesn’t know about their non-academic pursuits too which too they have done very persistently.
What makes them stand out?
Finding, being sure and believing in what is their Personal 1s & then putting all the damn 0s needed to reach where they are.
At the end people who were branded as Maggu in their 4 years end up with most high paid jobs or end up in great Univs after those 4 years.
Ouch, again! Let me give you a few examples straight, before doing any Talking.
Badri Chavan : TVF | Rajan Raj : Blacksalt Films | Chirag Gander : The Minimalist | Gaganjeet Singh : Emotional Fulls | Pranay Surana : Flyrobe | Abhisha : Sandbox | Aman Bansal : 4thie + Investment Associate | Rohan Rathod : Trader | Utkarsh Raut | Rahul Jain : NID and, the list goes on
And there are infinite people who are not here in this list but are in the same criteria, this is just a bunch of people I can recall in this urgency to reply.
I wanted to write this blog, asap so squeezed out a moment with Rohan Rathod, to discuss about – Most high Paid Jobs.
CPI: ~6 | Branch: CS, IIT B
He did not flaunt it, I asked him to set a context for understanding.
You know one thing that is common in examples given by both, me and the post ?
They did what they fucking loved, and worked absolutely hard for it.
Given the ending of the paragraph, is targeted to Freshmen, For them the message would be that IIT Bombay has way too much to offer, start with trying things, THINK about them, go ahead and take the next LOGICAL step and so on. Find your 1s. The institute offers a huge variety of inter disciplinary and non-academic opportunities for your to try and learn.
One key takeaway from Insti: Its the best Testing ground.
Small Personal Example, while I maintained a pretty good CPI which was something I liked and knew exactly why- Helped me keep my parents onboard. I also did so much more, today I have got an exception to be hired into Sales & Marketting at HUL- A field of work the company recruits only from B-Schools. Reason? Everything that I did, spoke volumes of my interest and the effort that I had put in that direction. Take back? Do something that you like, enjoy and feel motivated to do.
Next up,
Other thing: Smoking up, Alcohol, TV shows and Facebook are the most fatal. No. of TV shows you have watched doesn’t reflect your degree of coolness but the amount of time you have wasted fooling yourself. Again, if you do it all in a limit, it’s okay. Excess of these will destroy. You will always keep looking for new shows to watch or new company to drink with. Most of us waste our weekends in these. If you really want to gain something out of these 4 years, keep an account of how you utilised/wasted your weekend. Try to utilise most of your weekends developing skills that will help you beyond academics. Have fun too. Once in a while watch any event in Convo or maybe participate in one or a movie in theatres over the weekend.
Okay, so to this one, I would not reply – But give a filtered unbiased view. About Smoking up / Alcohol – I would say I am not wise enough to preach on this topic. Just that, Please THINK and make your choices- Even if you go wrong the first time you are in a position to correct yourself.
About TV Shows & Facebook, firstly I am amused with the extremeness while usage of the words! Just know / think of WHY – & – WHAT are you doing. I have run 2 pages on FB. Studied FB and interaction on social media which has helped me in a lot of (paid) projects & also given me a refugee when I wanted.
Its all about Self Awareness really, If you spend half of the time that you spend bothering what anyone else will say / what would look best on a resume- and put it to thinking about what something means to you; Life would be much happier if at all not sorted.
Up Next,
And finally FRs:
No path to success has ever been failure free. Yes, FR aa Gaya. Yes, hag diya life mein. But this doesn’t mean life is over? Or there is nothing more. NOPE! This is nothing to be ashamed about. This is just one hurdle extra that you will have to jump over. Just learn from the experience and move on. Promise yourself that you won’t let it happen ever again.
And remember: “ Why do we fall Bruce?; So we can learn to pick ourselves up again”.
Perhaps the littlest part that I is not biased and very much true ( Post the Strike-Out)
Would simply add- There is a difference between the statement – “I failed” and “I am a failure”, the difference is super understandable so would not elaborate. I would be super thankful if you have even reached this far on this post.
Even if it happens again, think why & what went wrong, learn and grow over it.
Last bit, bear with me
But agar bura lag Ra hai, Cry it all out once and for all.
This is one statement, I would say is Flawless.
I once wrote– “Crying is like your heart taking a Dump”
Don’t hold it inside, it is okay to cry – Infact its beautiful and liberating. Honestly, I had an entire semester of literally lying in my bed on an afternoon and just crying, it has in fact been the time that I have come in terms with myself and have understood my biggest insecurities.
Talk to your friends/family. Talk to your parents. Daatenge? No problem, but nobody else in the world can offer more emotional support than them. Most of us ignore our parents willingly or absent mindedly. Talk about your problems to them. Yes doesn’t matter if they are an IITian or just 8th pass they will know something you don’t. They are experienced and must have faced something similar! And if not they will offer you moral and emotional support that is something way too important to get through these four years at Insti.
Don’t want to declare something about this, which is actually a very personal choice of what and whom to share with. I ll just Add my opinion.
I do however agree that we often willingly / absent mindedly push our parents away. That is something that one also corrects back when this realization hits and I guess its okay to learn the hard way sometimes. What I want to add here is just the fact, do not restrict your go-to people. We need to respect the fact that we are actually decently far from our homes, and how distance dynamics and parents dynamics work.
But, Sometimes no talking on the phone can help you so much, as much as a Hug from a dear friend can. I have literally squeesed my best friend Mukul in a Hug; around 3 – 4 times during insti life which were actually one of my low-est feels moments.
I have sat and cried in front of 2 seniors: Chirag Jha & Mayuresh Patole about my insecurities related to specifics of work. I have sat and ranted out in front of my go-to logic buddy Nishit at times of insane confusion. I have had infinitely long walks with my friends Sonali & Aditi just because I didnt want to be alone and just wanted someone to talk and discuss life as a whole, I have spoken out all my ideas to my friend Suyog, Somesh & Deep just to actually think out loud. And I don’t know what I could have done without all these people and all these moments.
I would not disagree, Yess! Keep your parents in loop, share things to them, educate them on topics you think they don’t understand, learn from their experience. They definitely will be a big support system all through.
But also the fact, that it is indeed again about self awareness, try to know yourself more and treat yourself accordingly to that situation. Do not restrict who you go to or want to talk to , to make your self better. Try and find out your people. Who you can trust and share. Do things how they feel best for you, to you.
.
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Having pretty much addressed everything discussed, I would just conclude and not by generalization but by the exact one thing I want you to take back. Which has accidentally become a 3-liner-poem.
.
Fear little Less, Try little More
Find out your 1s
Suffix the 0s
Thanks, Hope this helped.
Molabocha 