Back again :)

So I am writing after a long long time
I have been thinking of writing down for the past two months I suppose.. .and I have a long list of things in my mind to write about.. let’s see if I remember all that and am able to write it down

** Added later : All three blog posts are not about the topics on which i wanted to write so my list is still pending and will be completed in November ; I have promised it to myself

Open Book is not cheating

The thought of writing this blog came to my mind while I was writing my last exam today ;
There were discussions going on in class while examination was going on and the school teacher shouted back : “Cheating ke liye kitaabein de to di hai, aur kya chiaye ”(You have books ; what else do you need to cheat)
And I wanted to write on this topic at that very moment ; which is this that open book examination is not cheating ;
People have this tendency to smirk and reply back “oh Its an open book exam “ and what is the benefit of examination if you are provided with books ; and I completely fail to understand why people still live in the world where examination equals memory power ;
Examination is to examine whether you posses the knowledge or the right skill ; and whether you have understood the subject by heart ; so in life whenever you encounter any such thing ; how will you react ; and to the best of my knowledge I think books only help us in proving that yes we know it right ;
Critics of Open book forget that in practical life you are provided with best of all the resources you wish to access;
What is required is a thorough understanding of subject ; concept ; logical flow and the correct aptitude towards the subject and not how well we are able to memorize the words in book and produce it back ;
There is nothing wrong with referring to a book and mind you after giving four exams I can bet in saying that you cannot afford to study the book for the first time in exam ; you can only take advantage of an open book examination if you have thoroughly gone through the book ; know what is the flow of thoughts and contents by your own index not by the book’s .
Teachers who set the paper are not fools. They realize the difference and hence the paper;
Yes you are a bit more relaxed ; less pressurized as you know the book is with you ; and your creativity while writing long essays goes for a toss as you always think that the book has better answers :P

My first semseter again :)

So Semester ends and I am a happy happy soul today.

It’s such a relief when you realize that your exams are done and you enjoy some break ;

Today while coming back from my exam centre I thought of writing down my entire first semester experience which has been amazingly wonderful till now.

Studying after a long time has been fun and hectic. Although my close friends would not agree on the fun part because they know how much I bug them just before the exam night when I know nothing and panic bug settles inside.

So studying again after a sabbatical of exact two years has been associated with a lot of enthusiasm ; brimming excitement to meet new people ; and then I almost overflow with joy at times realizing that after the end of this course I would be awarded with an MS degree ;

Practically I don’t have much expectations from this degree as such or what this degree does to my CV but had I not been doing this course I would have crossed two more years of my life ; value adding nothing to my life so I am more than happy adding something to my life ;

First Day:

So I have missed the most fun part of my course which is that my classes are held at India Habitat Centre, Lodi road J Ye YE

Well I started writing about IHC and it seems it is material for a separate blog post which you can find here.

So I reached the place with slight nervousness ; enthusiasm brimming to meet new people and the joy of starting something new in my life; First day was just a inaugural session and my joy doubled when I realized the constitution of my class;

I think that is with any post graduation course ; my batch has people varying from different backgrounds : software engineers to civil engineers ; engineers to academia ; top class executives to one year experienced ; from Army colonels to Writers ; from Chartered Accountants to speakers;

The batch is rich in content; in experience and most of all in people :)

It becomes a lively session during the classes when there are discussions going around; people interpret things according to their experience and ask questions;

So overall I am enjoying the course; loving visiting IHC ; relishing food at Eatopia ; and basking in the glory that I am doing MS :P except that examinations get too hectic ; Have to give 4 exams in two days and at those precise moments of despair and panic I wonder why on earth did I join this course ;

IHC My new Love :)

The Place is just Awesome and whenever I visit the place I fall in love with the place again and again , all over :)

It’s so damn calm; serene ; soothing and gives you such a nice feel ;

This blog is about IHC : the place which I am visiting too often these days :)

As I enter there are colorful fountains on both the sides which are operated in the evening only; there are tall long trees giving a peaceful aura which make you love the place;

The place is an architectural marvel ; even in months of July when you pass the centre of IHC a cool breeze welcomes you ; and you feel so refreshed ;

IHC is one of the reasons that I long to attend my classes apart from the fact that I enjoy half of my sessions and sleep through half of them :P

There is a nice amphitheatre just in front of my building ; the one where Rang De Basanti was shot and on weekends (just the precise time when I have my classes )there are plays and play rehearsals going on;SO sometimes in the evening claas the background music of play flows into our years and I get excited to get down and have a look;

Another attraction is Eatopia : the food court where we lunch and gossip and share information about each other ;

There is a lotus pond with big red fish inside just outside the Stein Auditorium;

You can sit quietly on one of stairs ; or anywhere in the compound and silently do anything ; observe people ; write some stuff ; paint ; do poetry ; chat with friends or just sit silently with your counterpart ; or may be do nothing ;

There is American Diners on the other side where the elite are either entering into marital bliss or getting engaged and you can be a mute spectator to the pretty females walking around clad in designer lehengas and sarees

There are exhibitions going around ; art photography ; everything

Life becomes so relaxed and at leisure when you enter IHC ; Life outside is running at a different pace ; at a pace where everyone is running blindly and does not have time for himself lest for anything else and as I enter IHC time seems to stop for me

I want to just sit there; be a part of the building and stand still; be a silent observer to everything.

I wonder.....

I wonder whether my present will serve as some inputs to my tomorrow...
I wonder whether my today will contribute in my purpose for life...
I wonder whether I am wasting time and may be i will have to begin agresh again....
I wonder for how long will it go...
I wonder for how long will I be able to hold on....
Life seems drab... and a questionmark....

There are times when life is hectic...You just hop along the life's path.....

You just immerse yourself in the work... keep going the way life expects you to....
There are times when you don't think before doing and don't relate things to the purpose of your life... Just keep on doing stuff.. because you are expected to...
You associate your daily routine to be your life's objectives and keep on doing the chores without thinking.....

And suddenly in a moment of loneliness you reflect upon life's course and at that moment precisely panic sets in.

Sometimes I realize that I am running away from things in my life by just being busy and by giving excuses to being busy in work so that I dont have time alone and I dont have to face myself alone....

Loneliness is scary and gets scarier when you are realize that the things which you are doing are not related to your purpose in life or at Worst you dont know what is the purpose in life...

I have met and heard my other freinds speaking so....
And I conclude that we all pass this phase in life... and One day we all will read these pages of my blog as some memories... reflect upon these times and feel mature ; proud and satisfied :)

**Well these are some lineswhich I just felt like writing.... this blog is not edited... You might find some thought process missing... The are just random thoughts...

ऐसे ही...

तुझसे नाराज़ नहीं ज़िन्दगी, हैरान हूँ मैं
ओ हैरान हूँ मैं....
तेरे मासूम सवालों से परेशान हूँ मैं
ओ परेशान हूँ मैं....

जीने के लिए सोचा ही न था, दर्द संभालने होंगे
मुस्कुराऊँ तो, मुस्कुराने के क़र्ज़ उतारने होंगे
मुस्कुराऊँ कभी तो लगता है....
जैसे होंतोंं पे क़र्ज़ रखा है
तुझसे ...

आज अगर भर ई है, बूँदें बरस जायेंगी
कल क्या पता इनके लिए आखें तरस जाएँगी
जाने कहाँ गम कहाँ खोया
एक आंसू छुपके रखा था
तुझसे ...

ज़िन्दगी तेरे गम ने हमें रिश्ते नए समझाये
मिले जो हमें धुप मैं मिले छाँव के ठंडे साए