[Reader-list] Shame on IITs

[Tapas Ray]

Kshemendra,

Thanks for your response to Prabhakar. I will forward it to those folks. 
Your "disease" is a desirable thing, I think. That's the whole point of 
having a discussion forum in the first place. That's what I thnk anyway.

Tapas


Kshmendra Kaul wrote:
> Dear Tapas
> 
>  
> 
> I think I am getting afflicted by the "I too want to say something on 
> this topic" disease.
> 
>  
> 
> (I am not an IITian. I tried but did not make the mark in the JEE.)
> 
>  
> 
> The 'reservations' policies also has much to do (I think) with " there 
> is a demand, let us ensure shortages and then dole out favours with a 
> pay-back". Applied to  Education, it is one of the current day scenarios 
> of the earlier 'licence raj'. The motive now might not be 'money' but 
> the doling of 'politicised favours' towards targetted 'vote banks'. 
> Creation and/or continuation of 'shortages' serves the purpose well.
> 
>  
> 
> The simplest solution for cutting through any discussions over or the 
> need for  'reservations' is to expand the availability of 'educational 
> opportunities', be they schools, colleges or Institutes of Higher 
> Learning (such as IITs).
> 
>  
> 
> Intrestingly, two of (what I call) 'critical needs' of any country 
> namely easily and affordably accesible Education Environment and Justice 
> Environment are the cheapest to establish as compared to any of the 
> other 'critical needs' (Health, Security etc). Yet in India ......
> 
>  
> 
> Kshmendra
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> 
> --- On *Sat, 7/19/08, Tapas Ray /<tapasrayx at gmail.com>/* wrote:
> 
>     From: Tapas Ray <tapasrayx at gmail.com>
>     Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Shame on IITs
>     To: "sarai list" <reader-list at sarai.net>
>     Date: Saturday, July 19, 2008, 4:15 PM
> 
>     Only one person out of the hundred-odd I reached, responded. Here it is.
> 
>     Prabhakar Singh wrote:
>      >
>      >
>      > There should not be any kind of reservation anywhere.Necessary economic
>      > support and required facilities may be made available to the
>      > disadvataged,physically challenged and poor people without linking it to
>      > any cast,religion,sect,region and gender so that they are able to rise
>      > and the requirements of admission to any institution or course or get
>      > suitable opportunity or employment.Let us be reasonable not sentimental
>      > on this issue.This is not an issue of debate at all but the vested
>      > vote-bank interests of politicians has made it an issue of debate to
>      > divide the society on cast lines and enjoy the booty of power.
>      >
>      > Prabhakar
> 
>     Tapas Ray wrote:
>     > Ranjith,
>     > 
>     > Let me tell you upfront that I am an IITan, so that you know the context 
>     > of my response. However, I have not been an engineer for a long time. 
>     > That said, I have a couple of things to say.
>     > 
>     > One, I think you should tell us what you mean by 'IT koolies'.
>     That 
>     > would clarify your thoughts not just on the reservation issue but on the 
>     > broader issue of what role the IITs should play, if they are playing it 
>     > now, and if not, what they should do to close the gap. I wrote an 
>     > article along these lines in The Statesman a few years ago, and will try 
>     > to dig it up if anyone is interested, which I think is unlikely. But if 
>     > someone is interested, it would be good if s/he would let me know 
>     > whether I should post it on the list or email it to her/him.
>     > 
>     > Two, if your use of the phrase 'IT koolies' expresses contempt,
>     which I 
>     > think it does, it would be helpful if you would explain what is 
>     > contemptible about being a 'kooly/ie'. I do not think there is
>     anything 
>     > bad about carrying someone else's load, or pulling someone else's
>     weight 
>     > as rickshaw pullers do. They are putting in honest labour to earn a 
>     > living, and are workers like other workers.
>     > 
>     > Unfortunately, I will not be able to take part in this discussion beyond 
>     > this post for some time. But I will see if any of my IIT friends would 
>     > be interested in responding.
>     > 
>     > Tapas
>     > 
>     > 
>     > 
>     > Ranjith Thankappan wrote:
>     >> hi
>     >> Few days back Manuwadi director (former) of IIT Madras made a comment 
>     >> “'HRD minister has injected AIDS into IITs” (Please visit this
>     link 
>     >> for news 
>     >>
>     http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Mumbai/HRD_minister_has_injected_AIDS_into_IITs/articleshow/3176486.cms)
> 
>     >>  
>     >> these are the kind of "meritorious" Directors available to
>     IITs. No 
>     >> wonder IITs produce IT koolies for the developed world and degraded to
> 
>     >> the extent of brahmanism. what a shame!!
>     >> regards
>     >>
>     >>
>     > 
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