'Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?' 'That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,' said the Cat. 'I don't much care where --' said Alice. 'Then it doesn't matter which way you go,' said the Cat. '--so long as I get somewhere,' Alice added as an explanation. ~ Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
I thought the article was very well written. A nice perspective interwined with a good blend of humor.
I find myself in agreement with most of what Rashmi says. There is no doubt that studying in IIT is an experience that probably has little parallels in India (speaking from personal experience), but it is also true that not every IITian is as "smart and creative" as the world thinks he is. There are ofcourse exceptions, but the majority, including myself, I consider are just average Joes who cleared that exam that day. But what IIT teaches you more than anything else is the "self-confidence" that anything is possible. Once you have that, even if you are an average Joe, you are likely to succeed more than anyone who lacks that confidence. Other schools dont teach that.
I would admit that I have come across many non-IITs during my doctoral work and subsequent MBA (Wharton) who I think were better than many of my classmates back in IIT, which only goes to show that the other non-IIT schools are equally good, if not better. So what matters in the end is the "individual" and not just the institution brand. We do find lotuses in the murkiest of water, so smart people are everywhere.
Quality of the product alone is just insufficient to make a brand value. IIT's and IIM's have both quality as well as quantity. And it is the number that has generated superior brand value for IIT's and IIM's over institute like BITS Pilani/ IT BHU/ NIT K.
All said, so far as India is concerned, IITs and IIMs are the straight routes one takes to sure success bcos of its brand. Any other institute to come in the same league should have a powerful brand as IITs and IIMs, whcih was not being seriously done by other institutes. The current institutes that can aim for such a brand may include BITS-pilani, IISc, some NIT's and other private institutes. As these institutes failed to build their brand as powerful as IIT and IIM, the onus is now on students to make the "extra" effort of compromising their ego and trying to overcome their mental fixation to the most valuable brand. The best way to go forward is the institutes start with branding and slowly diluting the numero-uno status of the IITs and IIMs and make their names sexy and appealing. In my opinion, SP Jain kind of institutes are already doing it.
An excellent article, I must say. Enjoyed reading every bit of it though I don't agree with every word written therein.
There is a difference between IITs and other colls and yes, maybe the diff is not as huge as ppl claim, but there is a diff (in my opinion). I will soon enter my final year at btech iit and the views on "interest" is something which was well covered in the article. If you are fuzzy, then you might have problems, but then you need to be a little fuzzy, else there is no challenge. It is better to look at whats good in ur stream rather than looking at other streams. And yes, if u r good at ur field, u r done, nothing else matters.
Also, the whole hungama abt brand IIT shud be attributed on media and its affect on parents in general. One shouldn't get totally carried away with the brand name. Also, if u don't really have the aptitude for JEE, u can very well try for other things and for all u know, u'll end up somewhere where u will be happy and satisfied. But i believe ppl now know enuff abt BITS, NITs etc so that they don't go all out for IITs alone. With enuff knowledge, this whole fancy abt IITs might just go away in the near future.
The author seems to hover round some english language words like " Ivy League"....how does it matter if stan or mit is not Ivy League they r accepted best all over... In Indian perspective also Presidency , Xavier's , Stephen's BITS pilani alll r good...but IIT s r accepted as the best...the author seems to try to hint IIT s are not the best.....but gives no subsatntial point other than pointing to IVY LEAGUE example.....
I tell u IIT s give u a life long security even for the mediocre..(consdering most come with good job in mind,...some go ahead in research and high management and make difference to soceity...)..so if the parenbts or the students themselves want to pine for it why not??? even if u learn COmp Sc from RECs you will have to be satusfied with Infy or TCS( both very bad payers...) ..even a very ver average IITian can easily nake there ...and not from Comp Sc....any small or so called bad branch..so why not associate with a BRAND...wats the problem.?
