Exam days still going and a few more to go. Before I go further on actual blog topic, a small story to share.

“Being a Superman” story 😉

Recently it rained quite heavily in Radaur and I was trapped in a situation where stairs to my room got in touch with live grid electricity due to a badly insulated wire joint.  Stairs are made of metal and that brought this dangerous situation. I was informed about “current in stairs” from someone living in neighbourhood who accidentally touched stairs while it was raining.

Next, I had to get down from there to go to my home. There was just no other option, and waiting for an electrician to figure it out was impractical idea. There was no option of turning down main power switch since leak was before switch in main line. At this point I gave some engineering thoughts. 

When one can get a “electric shock”? -> When current passes through the body.

Since human body has fair amount of flesh, practically it has significant amount of resistance to offer in flow of current and thus for current to pass through body there needs to be “potential difference”. I gave a thought and considering fact air was dry at that instant, there was a relatively low possibility of moisture acting as low potential point. With that thought – I put my hand on stairs and felt slight shock on hand + leg which was still on wet ground. I quickly jumped completely on to the stairs and put both hands on metal. And as I expected (though doubted) – I did not got any further shock. And I was still alive too! 🙂 

I came down the stairs (while my neighbours must  have thought that I was planning a suicide after being tired of boring exams & even bad result!) 🙂

As soon as I reached last stair, I saw another dangerous point. There’s a step-down transfer just next to it (less then 2m away) and it is quite well grounded with 4 metal rods buried deep inside the ground. Ground was still wet and there was a high risk of ground being at zero potential (while me being at 220V) and that would be good enough to give a amazing shock. With few seconds of thinking I figured out best way would be to jump out of stairs to ensure I touch ground with zero potential. And all that went well. With just minor shock while getting “on to” the stairs, I safely got out of my scary room. 🙂

The main post…

Anyways coming on to more serious issue – “Multi-dimensional effect of corruption in college/education system“. In recent times there have been multiple paper leak reports in newspapers for Kurukshetra University. Here’s one report (in Hindi) from today’s newspaper about DSP and Digital Electronics exam:

Based on amazing lecture of Dr Subramanian Swamy about “Multi-dimensional effects of corruption” – we can deduce some multi dimensional effects from corruption/cheating cases and unfair means in college system.

Just like corruption isn’t simply related to one person bribing other but rather has a broad impact from security of country to political stability, from economic stand point to sub-standard utilization of resources, in very similar manner these “paper leaks” etc aren’t just about someone cheating and passing exam but rather extend their effect in multiple dimensions. Being a student myself I am aware of such leaks and have a fair understanding of how system behind such leaks works.

Some of multi-dimension effects of paper leaks are:

1. Paper leaks have significant money involvement as paper are leaked around their  origin at very high rates in ranges of $1000 or so. Students who have link to such “sources” often pay such heavy amount and recover few x times by re-selling off the exam.
2. Most of students who are involved in such reselling at a higher rank in chain make as much as $500-1000 over a night by simply distributing digital pictures of leaked papers.
3. After getting original paper in hand, students get a nice opportunity to go with well prepared “slips” with exact answers to 8 simple questions for a 100% attempt rather then carrying slips based on assumed questions.
4. Students who don’t get their hands dirty with such leaked paper tend to fail in exam since their “fair” attempt is way too below the average/topper’s attempt.
5. Student’s who successfully pass exam in such way completely ruin the value of education and they eventually turn out to be a “B.tech degree holder” then “Engineer”.
6. As count of “B.tech degree holders” increases – society (friends, parents, relatives etc) increase their pressure on real possible “engineers” and they sooner or later turn their head down and become corrupt.
7. More number of B.tech holders Vs less amount of real engineers degrade job market & causes problems for everyone including “real engineers”.
8. Students who make $500-$1000 over night by selling leaked paper make best use of that money by spending it on drinking, drugs, (and even putting in IPL match fixing!) further degrading environment.
9. Each “successful paper leak” follows atleast half a dozen of “fake paper leaks” and tends to ruin those exams.
10. Our society end up in having “B.tech holders” as “engineers” in various Govt. jobs and we get degraded infrastructure everywhere.
11. More students opt for “B.Tech degree” since they learn from seniors on such backend management.
12. (Classic one) Degree holders are looked upon as “educated people” in society & even if they don’t get a job or they do not opt for an engineering job, they surely secure a good rank in “arranged marriage system”. 🙂

Interesting fact is that Kurukshetra University never writes “Fail(ed)” in result, they always mention – “Re-appear” which gives “Not this time, but good luck next time” sort of feeling.

Time for me to end this post and get ready for next exam.