How to survive the 'Indian Education System'

This is in relation to a Facebook note by Asmita Mishra.

We have all heard and read a lot about how the Indian Education system, well, for the lack of a better word, sucks.

Everyone has different views on how we can improve it. A lot of good ideas have come up. We have even advocated copying the American System. All this because it’s more practical. 3 Idiots highlighted that fact. F.A.L.T.U. did the same. Hell, even our parents thought so when they were young. However, somehow something changes when people grow up. Our parents are now staunch supporters of everything that helps in getting good marks. Extra classes, tuitions, a plethora of tests and even compulsory attendance. Good marks are supposed to be directly proportional to success in a person’s life.

So, all the people who are studying, agree that we need to change the system. Absolutely. I agree. The problem with that is that there have been no major reforms in the way students are taught. We have failed to make changes. So what do we do now? Well, if you can’t beat them, then join them. But what about your views you say? You don’t have to let them go. Keep them. How?

Why can’t we be both, the student who works hard to get marks and the student who works hard to learn and understand?

I try to do it. Here’s how.

We know that parents have expectations from their children. They have like a level of marks that they expect from them. Try to achieve that level. Keep them satisfied. It will be difficult but try to stay at a level where they are not ecstatic about your marks but neither are they disappointed. It’s a thin line. I know. Still make sure you keep spare time to do the actually learning.

Now to the part which matter. Read as much as you can. Implement it in real life. Relate it to things you do. That’s how you learn things. Don’t restrict yourself. Learn whatever you want. It’s okay as long as you like it. Try to include the real learning stuff into the syllabus. Choose project topics wisely. Choose internships accordingly.

It’s not that tough. You just have to learn how to juggle between the two. It will become simpler as time passes.

When the frustration with the education system reduces it will make you happier, smarter and more curious. It will make the wait for the reforms more bearable. Try it.

Cheers

Seth Godin: The New Age Marketing Guru

Just a few days back I found about Seth Godin. He is a the founder of Squidoo.com, a best selling author, a very frequent and amazing blogger and a speaker.

All this might sound a bit too clichéd. Well I am not very good with adjectives. I can only say that once you start reading his blogs/books, you will love him. If you have a flair for marketing or are just generally interested in how the world around you works then he's the man for you.

He has written a lot of books. His latest book, Linchpin, hit the Amazon Top 10 on the first day and became a New York Times bestseller.

The man has got substance to go with his unusual but efficient style.

I am a fan.

Check out his work on his website: http://www.sethgodin.com/sg/default.asp

Subscribe to his blogs. They are informative and entertaining at the same time.

He has uploaded free ebooks on the website. Read them all if possible. I have already read two and I they were pretty good.

He might not be the best marketing guru out there but I am pretty sure that he is one of the few very good ones. Original ideas and a 'funky' style work very well for him. The best thing I like about him is how he observes everyday actions and thinks of a theory out of them. It's just brilliant.

So what are you waiting for? Go read and implement.

Cheers 

Wikileaks and Batman!

Airtel's New Logo: Pass or Fail ?

Airtel released a new logo recently.




It also announced that it had crossed 200 million customers.

The company says that the Logo is modern, vibrant and friendly. All the letters are in small caps which is supposed to suggest the need for humility. Here's the official declaration by the company. A.R. Rahman also composed a new signature tune for the company.  The Logo cost the company Rs. 300 crores. I mean the total cost for promoting the new logo is Rs. 300 crores.

I personally think its not worth it. The logo is not even good, leave alone great. I'm not the only one who think so. Almost all the people I have talked to think its not good. It definitely is not worth 300 crores.

There is also a large group of people who believe that the Logo is a combination of Videocon's Logo and Vodafone's colour scheme.

So the only thing left to say is, does the new logo pass or fail ? 

Is it really worth 300 crores? 

Does it improve Airtel's image or does it diminish it? 

If your views are contrary then please let me know. 

Cheers

A

What Ratan Tata did for the Mumbai Victims

Hey, we all know about the Mumbai bomb blasts. We also know how the Government has handled it till now.

What we don't know is that Ratan Tata has done something for everyone affected that no one else has.

Here is the list of things done by him. I got it from a link posted by my friend Madhuri on Facebook. Here is the original note.

1. All category of employees including those who had completed even 1 day as casuals were treated on duty during the time the hotel was closed. 

2. Relief and assistance to all those who were injured and killed 

3. The relief and assistance was extended to all those who died at the railway station, surroundings including the “Pav- Bha ji” vendor and the pan shop owners.

4. During the time the hotel was closed, the salaries were sent by money order. 

5. A psychiatric cell was established in collaboration with Tata Institute of Social Sciences to counsel those who needed such help. 

6. The thoughts and anxieties going on people’s mind was constantly tracked and where needed psychological help provided. 

7. Employee outreach centers were opened where all help, food, water, sanitation, first aid and counseling was provided. 1600 employees were covered by this facility. 

8. Every employee was assigned to one mentor and it was that person’s responsibility to act as a “single window” clearance for any help that the person required. 

9. Ratan Tata personally visited the families of all the 80 employees who in some manner – either through injury or getting killed – were affected. 

10. The dependents of the employees were flown from outside Mumbai to Mumbai and taken care off in terms of ensuring mental assurance and peace. They were all accommodated in Hotel President for 3 weeks. 


11. Ratan Tata himself asked the families and dependents – as to what they wanted him to do.

12. In a record time of 20 days, a new trust was created by the Tatas for the purpose of relief of employees.

13. What is unique is that even the other people, the railway employees, the police staff, the pedestrians who had nothing to do with Tatas were covered by compensation. Each one of them was provided subsistence allowance of Rs. 10K per month for all these people for 6 months.

14. A 4 year old granddaughter of a vendor got 4 bullets in her and only one was removed in the Government hospital. She was taken to Bombay hospital and several lacs were spent by the Tatas on her to fully recover her.

15. New hand carts were provided to several vendors who lost their carts.

16. Tata will take responsibility of life education of 46 children of the victims of the terror.

17. This was the most trying period in the life of the organization. Senior managers including Ratan Tata were visiting funeral to funeral over the 3 days that were most horrible. 


18. The settlement for every deceased member ranged from Rs. 36 to 85 lacs [One lakh rupees tranlates to approx 2200 US $ ] in addition to the following benefits:

a. Full last salary for life for the family and dependents;

b. Complete responsibility of education of children and dependents – anywhere in the world.

c. Full Medical facility for the whole family and dependents for rest of their life.

d. All loans and advances were waived off – irrespective of the amount.

e. Counselor for life for each person

B. Epilogue

1. How was such passion created among the employees? How and why did they behave the way they did?

2. The organization is clear that it is not something that someone can take credit for. It is not some training and development that created such behaviour. If someone suggests that – everyone laughs

3. It has to do with the DNA of the organization, with the way Tata culture exists and above all with the situation that prevailed that time. The organization has always been telling that customers and guests are #1 priority

4. The hotel business was started by Jamshedji Tata when he was insulted in one of the British hotels and not allowed to stay there.

5. He created several institutions which later became icons of progress, culture and modernity. IISc is one such institute. He was told by the rulers that time that he can acquire land for IISc to the extent he could fence the same. He could afford fencing only 400 acres.

6. When the HR function hesitatingly made a very rich proposal to Ratan – he said – do you think we are doing enough?

7. The whole approach was that the organization would spend several hundred crore in re-building the property – why not spend equally on the employees who gave their life?

This is NOT COVERED BY Any NEWS CHANNELS !


Ratan Tata. Respect.




Cheers


A

My views on Flipkart

Flipkart: The store at your door.

It is a website which sells books, movies, music, games and mobiles. Their tag line is "The store at your door."

First of all I have to admit that I am mighty impressed by the service given by Flipkart. I had ordered a book named Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. I got the book at my door step in perfect condition, with the option of cash on delivery and above that there was a nice little bookmark in it. Their system is like clockwork. They already have a lot of books and they try to add books based on your suggestions too. They have an easy to operate website and numerous check and balances to see to it that their customer is satisfied. They even called me the day after my book was delivered. I have not seen such a high level of service in any online website. 

Inspite of all these awesome features I personally think there is some room for improvement. These are not exactly problems with the service, they are just improvements. It is what you call the icing on the cake. Although this cake already has some icing, the suggestions might make it even better. :)

Suggestions:

• I can see that the website has a gift voucher system. I think what would be even better is having an option to send a book as a birthday gift. If I want to gift a friend a book I cannot send it by just giving his/her address as the delivery spot because the box that you send the books in keeps the book safe but looks very clumsy when you get it for a birthday gift. So if we had an option of sending a gift wrapped box which does not have the price of the book written on it then it would be perfect. If I am staying in Ahmedabad and I want to send a gift to a friend in Bombay then I can do it easily. It's so much better than having to courier a book or a mobile phone on our own.

• The website doesn't let you choose the time of delivery. It is sometimes inconvenient for the customer to not get the book on time just because the courier guy came in that three hour period when the customer had gone out. If we could have an option of mentioning the timings during which we are at the delivery address it would be more convenient for both us and the courier company. 

• There are so many students in India who don't even know that your website exists. They buy books from stores and pay more for it. I think that if you they find out that there are books available online that too at a discount then they will pounce on you. Send a small poster or something to all the big colleges across the country. It will be the cheapest and the most effective marketing trick ever. I have seen websites grow because of it and hence suggesting this.

Well I don't have anything else to say as of now. You guys are doing a great job and I wish you continue with it. The above suggestions are just something that I have been thinking about. Hope this helps.

Flipkart can be found at their website, facebook page and twitter

Cheers

A