What EdUcAtIoN SyStEm has given me !!!

There have been lot of jokes and sarcastic remarks on our education system and its importance in our professional lives. Even today while browsing a page on facebook, i came across a post: "Sometimes I just want to go back to school, attend a class and abruptly shout - KYO PADHA RHE HO. YE KYA ***** KAAM AAYEGA?" 

While it may be true for some, but it may not be a general statement which holds a universal truth. There's a saying that - "A teacher can only teach students as much as they are ready to learn". A teacher imparts same education to all the students but still some of them become toppers in the class while others fail. Why?

I am not saying that my views expressed below are universal truth but these may be felt true by a lot of us who will spare time to think about it. So, today after reading the above said post on facebook, I thought of sharing my experience about - What our education system has taught me & how it has helped me in my personal & professional life.

ABILITY TO INTERACT PROFESSIONALLY is something that I had learnt during my school days. Interacting with the teachers, with classmates and friends and with the other staff members of the school was the first experience I gained in my school, that is still helpful in my professional & personal life.

HISTORY is one of my least liked subjects. And sometimes I wonder if it was really necessary. But if we think deeply, it was one subject that had potential to influence our moral values. The feeling of patriotism and unity & the importance of freedom was something that history has taught us and has ingrained in our values itself

LANGUAGE - be it Hindi or English or any other regional language is taught in our schools that we use for our whole life. But being a part of our daily routine, we forget its importance in our life and the fact that our schools only had taught us how to read & write. 

Coming to the professional studies (like engineering/MBBS/MBA etc.) it may seem wasteful and useless in our jobs, but are they totally meaningless? If that be the case then why a company specifies to have degree in mechanical engineering or MBA in finance and not have general demand that any graduate can apply (like in banks)

What I had learnt depends on how I view it. The engineering course had provided me with the first opportunity to visit a manufacturing facility and see how things happen in the industries. I learnt that how the small components we see in the machines & the vehicles are manufactured with precision and my course helped me to understand those operations. The course may not have taught me how to operate a lathe machine, but thats not what I as an engineer is supposed to do. I need to be able to read the drawings and understand the design and implications of any deviation or change.

In short if I say, a whole building can not be built in a day. Our education system does the work of laying the foundation for us to build upon it. How and what we build over it is upto us, but to blame that the education system is useless and good for nothing is not justified in my personal opinion. There is always a scope for improvement in all fields and our education system is no exception. But it doesn't means that the present system is scrap. Please respect the System that has enabled us to become what we are today.  

25 facts about the Great Pyramid of Giza

The Great Pyramid a true masterpiece and has rightly earned the title of a “Wonder”. It was built with such precision that our current technology cannot replicate it.  Historical analysis shows that the Pyramids were built between 2589 and 2504 BC. There are so many interesting facts about this Pyramid that it baffles archaeologists, scientists, astronomers and tourists. Here are the facts:

1. The pyramid is estimated to have around 2,300,000 stone blocks that weigh from 2 to 30 tons each and there are even some blocks that weigh over 50 tons.
2. The Pyramid of Menkaure, the Pyramid of Khafre and the Great Pyramid of Khufu are precisely aligned with the Constellation of Orion.
3. The base of the pyramid covers 55,000 m2 (592,000 ft 2) with each side greater than 20,000 m2 (218,000 ft2) in area.
4. The interior temperature is constant and equals the average temperature of the earth, 20 Degrees Celsius (68 Degrees Fahrenheit).
5. The outer mantle was composed of 144,000 casing stones, all of them highly polished and flat to an accuracy of 1/100th of an inch, about 100 inches thick and weighing approx. 15 tons each.
6. The cornerstone foundations of the pyramid have ball and socket construction capable of dealing with heat expansion and earthquakes.
7. The mortar used is of an unknown origin (Yes, no explanation given). It has been analyzed and its chemical composition is known but it can’t be reproduced. It is stronger than the stone and still holding up today.
8. It was originally covered with casing stones (made of highly polished limestone). These casing stones reflected the sun’s light and made the pyramid shine like a jewel. They are no longer present being used by Arabs to build mosques after an earthquake in the 14th century loosened many of them. It has been calculated that the original pyramid with its casing stones would act like gigantic mirrors and reflect light so powerful that it would be visible from the moon as a shining star on earth. Appropriately, the ancient Egyptians called the Great Pyramid “Ikhet”, meaning the “Glorious Light”.  How these blocks were transported and assembled into the pyramid is still a mystery. – http://www.gizapyramid.com/general.htm
9. Aligned True North: The Great Pyramid is the most accurately aligned structure in existence and faces true north with only 3/60th of a degree of error. The position of the North Pole moves over time and the pyramid was exactly aligned at one time.
10. Center of Land Mass: The Great Pyramid is located at the center of the land mass of the earth. The east/west parallel that crosses the most land and the north/south meridian that crosses the most land intersect in two places on the earth, one in the ocean and the other at the Great Pyramid.
11. The four faces of the pyramid are slightly concave, the only pyramid to have been built this way.
12. The centers of the four sides are indented with an extraordinary degree of precision forming the only 8 sided pyramid, this effect is not visible from the ground or from a distance but only from the air, and then only under the proper lighting conditions. This phenomenon is only detectable from the air at dawn and sunset on the spring and autumn equinoxes, when the sun casts shadows on the pyramid.
13. The granite coffer in the “King’s Chamber” is too big to fit through the passages and so it must have been put in place during construction.
14. The coffer was made out of a block of solid granite. This would have required bronze saws 8-9 ft. long set with teeth of sapphires. Hollowing out of the interior would require tubular drills of the same material applied with a tremendous vertical force.
15. Microscopic analysis of the coffer reveals that it was made with a fixed point drill that used hard jewel bits and a drilling force of 2 tons.
16. The Great Pyramid had a swivel door entrance at one time. Swivel doors were found in only two other pyramids: Khufu’s father and grandfather, Sneferu and Huni, respectively.
17. It is reported that when the pyramid was first broken into that the swivel door, weighing some 20 tons, was so well balanced that it could be opened by pushing out from the inside with only minimal force, but when closed, was so perfect a fit that it could scarcely be detected and there was not enough crack or crevice around the edges to gain a grasp from the outside.
18. With the mantle in place, the Great Pyramid could be seen from the mountains in Israel and probably the moon as well.
19. The weight of the pyramid is estimated at 5,955,000 tons. Multiplied by 10^8 gives a reasonable estimate of the earth’s mass.
20. The Descending Passage pointed to the pole star Alpha Draconis, circa 2170-2144 BCE. This was the North Star at that point in time. No other star has aligned with the passage since then.
21. The southern shaft in the King’s Chamber pointed to the star Al Nitak (Zeta Orionis) in the constellation Orion, circa 2450 BCE The Orion constellation was associated with the Egyptian god Osiris. No other star aligned with this shaft during that time in history.
22. Sun’s Radius: Twice the perimeter of the bottom of the granite coffer times 10^8 is the sun’s mean radius. [270.45378502 Pyramid Inches* 10^8 = 427,316 miles]
23. The curvature designed into the faces of the pyramid exactly matches the radius of the earth.
24. Khufu’s pyramid, known as the great pyramid of Giza, is the oldest and largest, rising at 481 feet (146 meters). Archaeologists say it was the tallest structure in the world for about 3, 800 years.
25. The relationship between Pi (p) and Phi (F) is expressed in the fundamental proportions of the Great Pyramid.

Future Technologies - Hydroponics

This is the science of growing plants in water and liquid fertilizer in a greenhouse instead of a farm's field. This method could produce better fruits and vegetables, and it's been around a long time since World War II. The only thing that's prevented its adoption has been the high cost of energy. 

New technology, some of it interestingly enough developed by illegal marijuana growers, is making it viable again. One advantage such operations have would be lower transportation costs; food could be grown in warehouses and other buildings in large cities and provide vegetables all year long. Another advantage is that hydroponics does not require pesticides or herbicides, so it uses fewer chemicals and is healthier. There is no risk of cancer or other side effects caused by pesticides because none of them are used. It could also be used to grow large amounts of food in areas where extra land is not available or cropland has been exhausted by over farming. If energy costs are kept down, it would be competitive with food shipped over long distances. 

Hydroponics is already being tested in the U.S. A company called Gotham Greens is pioneering hydroponics in New York City with a large scale greenhouse in an old bowling alley in Brooklyn. It produces organic lettuce and basil for sale to the city's restaurants. If energy costs can be kept down, this could be the agriculture of the future. One technology that could do that is cold fusion. If crops can be grown 12 months a year in a climate controlled greenhouse, how will traditional farms compete?

Emerging Technologies - MAGLEV

A magnetic levitation, or Maglev train, uses magnetism to literally levitate right above a track. This enables the train to move across the ground at speeds of over 300 miles per hour using minimal energy and few moving parts. 

That means it provides high speed ground travel at little or no cost. A person using one would be able to travel from Las Vegas to Los Angeles in about an hour. The Transrapid combine from Germany has perfected maglev and built a 19-mile long maglev that carries commuters between Pudong International Airport and the Chinese City of Shanghai. A 10-mile long Maglev commuter line is under construction in Beijing. The Japanese government has given preliminary approval for the Chuo Shinkansen, the world's first Maglev bullet train, which would travel between Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya at speeds of 505 kilometers (313 miles) an hour. Current plans call for service to begin in 2027. Several other maglev lines are planned around the world, including some in the U.S. 

The effects of Maglev travel could be as disruptive as earlier transportation advances like cars. Maglev could allow a person to live in Altoona, Penn., or Rochester, N.Y. and commute to a job in Manhattan every day. It could also greatly reduce the cost of shipping and travel. The only thing blocking this technology would be the high cost of building Maglev lines. Several Maglev projects have been proposed in Germany, but cancelled due to costs. Successful lines in Japan and elsewhere could change that.

Developing Technologies - 3-D Printing

This could potentially be the most disruptive technology introduced since the personal computer. A 3-D printer is literally a factory in a box; a person puts in raw material, pushes a button, and the box makes an object. 

Today's 3-D printers make plastic models or metal parts for machines. They're called printers because they make three dimensional objects the way printers put images on paper. In the future, when you go to the garage, instead of ordering parts, the mechanic could look them up online, then download the designs into a 3-D printer that could make them. Huge numbers of inventors and engineers all over the world are working on 3-D printers. There are plans for printers that make food, clothing, chemicals, and drugs. A pharmacist using a drug printer could manufacture your prescription while you wait. A company named Contour Crafting even has plans to make buildings with 3-D printed components. If 3-D printing works out, the changes it brings could be vast. Instead of factories in China making our clothes and a vast transportation structure, there could be a machine in a shop at the mall that makes clothing. 

There's also a dark side to this; for example, how will gun control laws be enforced if anybody can download the plans to an AK-47 and make one using a printer?

As with every technology, this one will become a boon or a bane, only time will tell.

Scored low in exams? Its not the end of the world...

CBSE class X and XII results came out earlier this week. As a 90% aggregate becomes as common as kissing in our movies (no big deal) and cut-offs for good colleges become insane, we wonder if there is anyone who hasn’t scored amazing marks. In the loudness of the voice of few high scorers, we often forget about the majority of so-called mediocres who haven't made it into high flying 90% list. According to the report published in THE HINDU newspaper, only 6.6 per cent of students across the country scored above 90 per cent. That means if you are not in the list, don't get disheartened. The majority is still with you. 

Consider an average guy X, who scored something like 65% n board exams and was not so confident about getting a better college & a better job. Everyone, including his parents, relatives and neighbors consoled him that it’s not the end of the world and he has a bright future ahead. But did they really mean it? Did they actually believe their own words of condolence? This article is not meant to act as a balm to your low marks. The aim is to address the majority of the students who don’t get in the limelight because they are below 90%. But consider this:

1.      Marks are only one aspect of one’s capability – Yes marks are important. Higher marks help you get into better branded colleges, which in turn attract better branded companies, which in turn tend to give better compensation (salary). After all its all about money, isn’t it? And I won’t be giving examples of Ambani or so, and say that marks don’t matter. But if you are an average middle class Indian, looking to make his/her living by working for someone else, higher the marks, better the start of your professional career. But it doesn’t means that getting a little less marks is the end of the world. There are lot many organizations which can’t attract the top scorers from colleges and offer jobs to the mediocre talent. But trust me, in my short professional life of 7 years, no one has ever asked my marks after my first job. It’s what I have learnt at my job, and what I have achieved in job is all what matters.

2.       The game is not yet over – The only thing high marks indicate is that the student has the tenacity and perseverance to excel at something. Hence, I am not going to say toppers don’t deserve praise. But life is more than just tenacity and mathematics. Exams don’t test creativity, imagination, people skills and communication. In life these are what matter. And who says that Google or Infosys or HUL are the only companies offering settled life. It’s about what you are good at, what makes you succeed. Learn and improve yourself and do your job with honesty and sincerity. Opportunities will come over time, if you improve yourself. Not everyone can become Sachin Tendulkar of cricket or Lionel Messi of football. But it’s the team of 11 and the substitutes that make a team – CHAMPIONS.

3.      Changing the aptitude – Work is not a burden; it’s a game you need to play. Play it to enjoy and the life will be a lot easier. Complaining regularly about the system will not help, it will only increase your stress and hence deteriorate your own health. Its difficult to believe but I have found it helpful saying – “Either change the system and make it better, or be a part of the system”

This is not written by a guy who secured 90-95% marks and got admission in IIT or IIM and everything was smoothly achieved. It’s written by a average guy belonging to same mediocre category, who has always believed in learning and to enjoy the life – personal & professional. Today, here I am; sitting with the guys from NITs and IITs doing the same work as I am doing and getting more or less the same remuneration. Yes, I had to sacrifice a few years of my life to achieve the same level, but in the end – the experience I had got from those extra few years have made me more tough yet flexible who can get settled more easily than these toppers of our education system.  

Scored low in exams? Some life lessons from a 76 percenter*

The CBSE class X and XII results came out earlier this week. As a 90% aggregate becomes as common as kissing in our movies (no big deal) and cut-offs for good colleges become insane, we wonder if there is anyone who hasn’t scored amazing marks. In the noise of high scorers, we often forget the lakhs of students who score in the fifties, sixties and seventies. We brand them mediocre. We offer them succour with a few articles that cite low scorers who became billionaires or movie stars and have headlines that scream ‘marks don’t matter’. Well, if they didn’t matter, why on earth would everyone be chasing them, is a question they don’t answer.

This article is addressed to those low scorers. It’s for that average guy X who scored, say , a 76% in his boards. X, the overweight kid who isn’t that confident and has become even less so after the results came out. X, whose relatives and neighbours come to console him with ‘it doesn’t matter,’ but deep down wonder if this boy will do anything in life. If you relate to this guy, or know someone who does, this article is for you. It isn’t a soothing balm for your low marks. These are some no-nonsense tips on what to do when you have scores that suck and people have given up on you. Here goes:

1 | You are not your marks

Yes, marks are important. They make life hell of a lot easier. High marks make people think you are smart. Colleges with a brand name let you come in. Companies with a brand name come to these colleges. They give you a job, which pays rather well. You can use that money to pay bills, get married, have sex, start a family, and produce kids who you will push to get higher marks and repeat the cycle of torment. This, for most people, is life -making it as predictable, safe and stable as possible.Indian parents particularly love this zero-risk appetite life, where a monthly cash flow is assured and kids are born and raised as per plan. They have a word for it -settled. Indians love that word. We want to settle, we don’t want to roam, have adventures and fly. Settle, or in other words, produce kids, work in office, watch TV at home, repeat for a few decades, die. Toppers find it easier to settle. Nontoppers take a bit longer. A delay in ‘settling’, the ultimate Indian dream, is just about the only sucky thing about low marks.

2 | The game of life is not over

These marks are in certain subjects, which are not exactly what leads to success in life. Sure, you study Maths and Science, but these are standard concepts, recycled and drilled into students and tested in the exams. The only thing high marks indicate is that the student has the tenacity and perseverance to excel at something. Hence, I am not going to say toppers don’t deserve praise. But life is more than just tenacity and mathematics. Exams don’t test creativity, imagination, people skills and communication. In life these are what matter. You build these skills through study or actual practice, and it is highly likely you will get somewhere in life. However, you must add hard work to it. Ask yourself, whether you had low marks because you don’t have aptitude for these subjects, or did you slack off ? If you slacked off, don’t do that again if you want to get anywhere in life. Take that lesson, and then build your communication, English and people skills. Learn how business works. Not everyone in India can get plum jobs, there are just way too many of us. Entrepreneurship is something a lot of youngsters will have to learn and try .

3 | Strive for excellence

In whatever you do, try to excel. Excellence in board exams can be measured through marks, but over time in life, the marks will stop. What will matter is what people think of you. Your reputation, your reliability, and your word will build your own mini-brand. Once that happens, people will stop asking about your marks, or where you studied. You will be the brand.

Nobody has asked me for my marks in a long time. However, you know the boy I wrote about above? Well, that’s me. I scored that 76% in Class X. I felt horrible then, but eventually I didn’t let it define me. It doesn’t matter today. After all, you still read this article, right?

*Article by Chetan Bhagat (Writer) in Times of India