A little off topic post today, its about education and academics, feel free to agree or disagree.
We had Kapil Sibal come across with a good proposal to raise the bar for IIT entrances to 80% in class 12th examinations. His comments were criticised heavily by leaders mostly from 4-5 backward states who claimed that their state boards actually give lesser percentages hence attaining 80% was tough. I could not disagree more. 80% is very easy to achieve in boards even for decent students, let alone the bright ones who are IIT material. What these people are worried about is that with these so called aspirants forced to study for school also, they might not be able to edge past the bright minds who actually deserve that IIT seat more than a person who just beats the system.
The 80% rule if it comes into affect will solve more things than the 2 year limit to JEE did. These days majority of the JEE toppers are from Kota and there is a good reason for that. These students arent exceptionally bright or gifted, but yes they are extremely hard working (I am sure we are mature enough to know the subtle yet very apparent difference).
The industry in Kota works as follows, the coaching centers have tie-ups with local schools who are somehow affiliated to CBSE(God knows how). Anyway, these students don’t even have to goto school for a single day and spend every living hour either eating, sleeping or studying for the IITJEE. Now most of these students are those who have sold off a lot of property in order to afford the 2 lakh rupees they need for a 2 year course. The problem is not with these students getting through the JEE exam. The problem is with the mockery that has been made of 11-12th class education.
11th and 12th class are supposed to be the specialised years in school, in major good schools a lot of emphasis is put on performing in these classes in order to succeed in life. But what the Kota system essentially does is that it provides the students with a short cut, the students are told to skip school and just study for the JEE thereby giving them an unfair advantage over possibly brighter students who might have been involved in their school academics as well as the JEE. Everyone knows these schools are fake, everyone knows these schools are flouting rules but still no action is taken. for these ‘special’ JEE students, no classes are there, no attendance requirement is there and no practicals are there. Only requirement is to mug up the guides in the market in order to get 60% marks in final board exams, all other exams may be optional.
By ensuring an 80% cutoff for the JEE, these schools will no longer be allowed to make a mockery of our education system. Equal emphasis on the boards and entrances would ensure that the hard working and bright students get through and not only those who chose to take shortcuts or go around the system. The coaching institutes are to blame for this mess and the only way to salvage the JEE is through the shutting down of these coaching institutes only.
This post is not a personal attack and please do not take it in that way in case you fall into the above category, its an attack on the system.
So if you are in India and want a black Friday deal, just ring up your relatives in the US and ask them to buy the stuff you want. They can bring it to you when they are coming to India 
