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.