The need for Intellectual Stimulation

All IITians have, do and will cherish a part of their lives which they wish, never comes back and there are no prizes for guessing this one…the two gruelling years when they prepare for the IIT-Joint Entrance Examination. In fact, some even start preparing at the very tender age of 12. But out of all the three lakh candidates that prepare annually for this exam, there is one thing that separates the so called CREAM that actually make it to these 15 prestigious institutes all over India…It is their INTELLIGENCE.

According to psychologist Alfred Binet, who is credited with the invention of the IQ test, intelligence is defined as judgement or practical sense and is the faculty of adapting one’s self to circumstances. Linda Gottfredson however defines it as the ability to deal with cognitive complexity. However hard these words may sound, well, the basic idea underlined by all of them is “DUDE, USE YOUR BRAIN!!!”

Coming back to the story of “us-IITians”, well, we are just on top of the world once we are inside one these IITs, and then starts, what I would like to call – SEVERE ACUTE VOMITING SYNDROME or SAVS. From the first day of the semester to the penultimate day before the exams, the night canteen and the computer centre and the gymkhana are the places of highest demographic density. Everyone is happy and effusive laughters from all nooks and corners of the dorms characterise the scene till very late into the night. Well, little do these angels know what is going to befall on them as the morning sun starts to dart its rays tirelessly on us as we prepare to endure the final day before the examination week.

The next day is what I call – THE DARK NIGHT. All souls turn into languid creatures, slouched in their beds or chairs, looking listlessly and lackadaisically into their books. The aforementioned bastions of student enjoyment turn deserted. Ram, Rahim and Christ are bombarded with telepathic calls and are offered the most tempting offers(SUPARIs) in lieu of helping the students to “at least pass”.

The next day is what I call – ARMAGEDDON. It is the time when our SAVS affected victims show their symptoms-Regurgitate and vomit all what was assimilated over the past 12 hours. And then, we loop…GOTO PARAGRAPH 3(Bad Programming Practice by the way of using GOTO in a loop.)

The point of the above description is that, students aren’t equally motivated to study all subjects. Most of the times, the priority is given to the result and not to the process. And that is why, although India is one of the leading countries manufacturing theoretical researchers, we lack both in manpower and infrastructure in applied research.

The IITs enjoy the privilege of hosting some of the most brilliant and effervescent minds in the country. And on top of that, they are inducted at a tender age of 18 where they are at a prime of their minds creative potential. The most definite way of tackling this problem of academic laziness is the creation of an INTELLECTUALLY STIMULATING ENVIRONMENT. All students must be charmed and drawn to pursue their field of interest. A first requirement in the achievement of the above is hood quality faculty. The faculty must not only be academically sound, but also behaviourally vibrant and dynamic. He should encourage creative discussions and comments in the classroom, lace his lectures with active demo sessions of practically working parts, outline caveats for various theoretical derivations he carries out and also comment and demonstrate the practical applications and limitations of these theories. He must ideally reach out to every person, if not personally, but at least at a level where the student does not study a particular subject because he wants to pass but for gaining sound insight into the subject area.

As we know, it is impossible to clap with one hand; the students are equally responsible for the maintenance of the academic environment in the institute. One of the foremost requirements on the part of the student is his discipline. Discipline outlines the character of a person and the character is the spine on which all other qualities stand. Second is his conviction and respect to his “Guru”. As the Vedas dictate, our life has five Gurus in all- Father, Mother, Academic Teacher, Soul mate (Friend) and the Spiritual Teacher. Also, the duration of our life may be classified into four distinct mutually exclusive periods called the “Ashramas”- Brahmacharyashrama, Grihasthashrama, and Vanaprasthashrama and Sanyasashrama. The Brahmacharyashrama is the period where we as students must be completely devoted to academics/career building study (ex. In today’s context, maybe sports) and must be “at the feet of our Gurus”. Students must form active groups of various types (ex. Physics/Chemistry forums, etc.) and arrange brainstorming sessions on various issues and problems in a particular subject area. Students may undertake small scale projects under a faculty advisor to examine the depths of the subject under study. Students must be encouraged to do research in various subjects of their interest as research is the base of all technological progress.

Well, the above article outlines the need and the solution for building an environment where there is motivation for the faculty and the student. Both efficiently balance and monitor the progress and working of each other. However, as it said, ECONOMICS IS NOT MADE FOR THE EXTREMELY RICH AND THE EXTREMELY POOR. So, the above methods only outline my views on the subject. Needless to mention, this newsletter is being read by some of the brightest minds of the country and they themselves are capable of suggesting better and efficient methods of making IIT GN stand apart by means of our academics.