Inside the Topper factory: Bansal classes in Kota
Comments to my last blog on Topper TV have been a bit emotional. On the one hand there is SR who feels “the idea shouldn’t be to coach them for exams but rather to teach them something”. However he goes on to add that Topper TV is obviously catering to the prevailing system and that is topper oriented.
Yeah, otherwise it would have been called Knowledge TV, right?
Ram (who is perhaps associated with the venture?) wants to know why I could not make a comment on the content of the show, instead of the presentation.
The show is about learning science, and not acting. The IIT Professor she picks on is an expert in his field, and not in acting. The anchors tried to teach for the first time at a very lower level and under 1000 and one odd restrictions imposed by the TV channel (e.g the “red shirtâ€).
The impression I got on the content was a televised version of what’s in the textbook. No great innovation in making it easier to understand or remember. But hey, those of you who’ve actually attended such classes (in school and in coaching) are welcome to add your more informed opinions to the debate.
I just felt a lack of passion, and connection with the student. Maybe it’s just the initial stage fright of being on national television?
I would only like to add that teaching is an art. The best teachers need not be highly regarded academics, or from IITs. The best teachers are those who know
their subject AND communicate it interestingly and effectively. And a teacher who changes lives is one who exudes passion, and a sense of empathy.
Anyhow, inspired by this whole topper business I am putting up a piece which looks at life @ India’s most successful topper factory - Bansal Classes in Kota. It’s based on a long chat with my cousin who spent 3 years at Bansal’s (2004-7) but did not make it to IITs (well, technically he did on second attempt but with a rank of 4000 plus he could not get an IIT seat). He is now in BITS Goa and has no regrets.
Thought this just might help some of you considering studying @ Kota or curious to know wahan aisa kya khilate hain 
I for one found what it all quite fascinating!
Lastly, I have not made any value judgements - about whether coaching classes are a good thing, bad thing etc etc. It’s all from the horse’s mouth, relayed to you ‘as is’.
What they really teach you at Bansal classes
- Rashmi Bansal
As such no school syllabus teaches you to think along lines of competitive exams. For that you have to join a coaching class and today, Bansal’s is the most preferred.
Why? Because in all 1538 Bansal students got selected in IITs in the year 2007. The secret of their success is ‘pre selection’. Admission to Bansal classes is based on an entrance exam after class 10. There are 2 exams - the first is around April 15th, just after the 10th Boards. This exam is called ‘Bullseye’.
The second entrance is in the first week of June. This exam is called ‘Acme’. It is better to give the first exam, as you will have a 2 month advantage and also, first batch students get the better teachers. Second exam is of course an option for people who have missed the first one.
Majority of students who make it to Bansal’s are from CBSE or ICSE board. In my time barely 2 students from state board made it! But even for CBSE students the Chemistry portion is tough as what we are taught in school is not enough.
Yes, there are 15 day crash courses to help you get into Bansal classes such as ‘Garg classes’. Not only do they coach you for the Bansal test, they teach you 2-3chapters of their study material so you can score better in the first few weekly tests. Yup, it’s one hell of a competitive environment.
You see the ‘merit rank’ that you get in Bansal entrance determines which batch you get. The top rankers are part of the ‘elite’ batches which get the best teachers. Of course the ranking has to be maintained by your performance in weekly tests. You get a cumulative ranking based on scores of past and present tests. Those who scored less in the entrance and therefore got a lower batch do have a chance to move up.
But in general, the elite batches have an edge. The catch is you don’t know what rank you’ve got until you’ve paid your fees in full. By which time it’s a fait accompli.
Aspirants can take heart from the 2007 topper Achin Bansal. He is a fresher who joined in S4 batch, which is one of the lowest. But he had worked his way up to A1 batch by class 12. It’s rare, but it can happen!
The Grind
There are two kinds of students - freshers and ‘droppers’. Freshers are those attempting JEE for the first time, droppers are those who are repeating a year to give it again. Some join Bansal’s dropper batch directly and for them there is an entrance test called ‘Sterling’.
In the past people would drop upto 3-4 years and keep trying for JEE. Often they repeated to get a better rank. But with the new rules you can only give JEE twice.
In class 11 - which consists of ‘freshers’ , the topper batch is P1, followed by P2 and so on upto P6. At the next rung are batches Q1 to Q6, similarly R and then S (upto S6). That is 24 batches of freshers in all. Then you have an additional 9 batches who join through the 2nd test are numbered from J1 to J9. In 12th standard the batches are numbered A1, A2 and so on with A 1 being the cream of the class.
Before 2007, more droppers used to get selected than freshers. Now that you can’t keep giving JEE, the ratio has improved.47% of selections were freshers and 53% were droppers. Among freshers, most of those selected were from the top 6 batches ie A1 to A7. In batches after that only 2-3 students got selected. There are 75 students in every batch.
Fresher classes start at 2-2.30 pm because officially morning is ’school timing’. Of course no one attends school, we use that time to do homework of ‘DPPs’ (Daily Practice Problems). The toughness of these problems rises to maddening heights. Of course now that JEE pattern has changed solving these problems is not so important, now many students don’t take them as seriously.
Droppers have no school issue - they study all day. Classes start at 8 am, batches are named X, Y and Z (there were 8 batches per series in my time!)
The Teaching
The main thing is mental toughness and keeping yourself motivated. If you fall behind, you fall behind. You may be lucky and find a sympathetic teacher but mostly you’re on your own.
There are all kinds of teachers.
For example there was a Physical Chemistry teacher who was a 25 yr old Chem Engineer from IIT Bombay. He was rumoured to earn Rs 1 lakh a month and they’d also given him a Tata Scorpio. Last heard he had left Bansals to pursue a course in fashion design having obtained an AIR 2 in a national level entrance exam. (yeah, ironic isn’t it!)
Also one of the ‘maverick’ but good teachers, like Mr.Narendra Awasthi aka “Sodium” who taught Physical Chem has left (current whereabouts not known). Mr Jeevan Jyothi Agrawal aka “JJ Sir”,an excellent and extremely committed Maths teacher as well as a good human being, has left to teach at “Allen’s”, a very famous medical coaching institute at Kota. He was the one from whom I received max guidance during my 3 yr stint.
So quality of teachers and teaching keeps changing.
Teaching method is quite informal. There is an a/c in the class but it’s never switched on. It’s only a showpiece. Also, the original Mr Bansal only teaches Maths. His brother manages the admin.
A roaring business
When I gave the Bansal exam in 2004, 5000 students took the test. Of which 2000 got in. Now they are taking in more students. Currently there would be around 10,000 students in Bansal classes. Of which 2800 would be ‘droppers’, 3000 would be the class 12 fresher batch and rest would be class 11 freshers (3800 or so in number).
Earlier there were 75 students in a batch.Now we have 85 to 90 in the topper batches and 120 to 150 in lower batches. They have 2 buildings in which classes are held. The new one has classrooms where 150 students can be seated.
When I joined 2 years back the fees per year were Rs 35,000 p.a.. Then it became Rs 50,000. Now it is Rs 60,000. Which means an estimated turnover of Rs 60 crores. Two years ago their official turnover was Rs 18 crores. And I forgot, they have a correspondence course called ‘Locus’ as well.
Bansal’s main centre is Kota - that’s where close to 1400 of the 1538 selections are from. There are only two ‘branches’ - Jaipur and Ajmer. Of these Jaipur is bigger and more preferred (had 154 selections vs 8 in Ajmer). Jaipur and Ajmer branches are generally offered to those who don’t make it to Kota.
Incidentally, the 1538 selections includes 60 SC/ ST students as well.
Bansal selection break up:
top 100 JEE ranks: 32 students
top 1000 JEE ranks: 250 students rest rank far lower.
My rank was 4800, there were 860 Bansal students above me, Of course at 4800 I had no chance of admission to an IIT. I eventually joined BITS Goa.
The only other JEE coaching class of any repute in Kota is Resonance. They take in 10,000 students and boast of 800 selections but there are hardly any in the top JEE ranks. Also only about 450 of the selections would be through classroom coaching, rest are people who are in Bansal or other classes but took up one test series from Resonance.
Most students give both Bansal and Resonance entrance tests and prefer Bansal if they get both. Resonance tries to lure you by offering scholarships. They have a hostel called ‘Lakshya’ where they offer some of the toppers a free stay, provided they keep up their performance . Resonance has hardly any selections in the top 100 but many in the top 1000 (includes both classroom and test series). There are also institutes like Career Point and Insight.
There are barely 300 girls at Bansal classes. ie around 8-9 per batch. The front row is reserved for them.
There are a lot of students in Kota from UP and Bihar. Mr V K Bansal is not very pleased with the Bihar students. A couple of years ago they burst a rassi bomb in one of the toilets, But it must be said Biharis are generally intelligent, good in Maths.
Life in Kota
Bansal does not have any hostel facility. This means booming business for private hostels and PGs. A room close to Bansal can cost Rs 4000 p.m. And this is a tiny room converted from a kitchen. You can get a better room in Vigyan nagar for Rs 2000-2500 p.m. and Talwandi for Rs 1500 p.m. But living in Talwandi wastes time as you have to cross a highway and the signal does not work there.
Yeah, every minute counts!
Hostels are more or less the same. They charge Rs 6000 p.m. for lodging, food, washing clothes. Food starts out ok then deteriorates.Many survive on Maggi - they keep a gas in the room. There is a hot water problem in winter. Often the solar panels don’t work. Then people skip baths or heat water with a rod.
On Sundays the mess has a holiday. The only decent restaurant close by is Eatos. Many prefer to eat at thelawalas or then at places like Saat Handi, Maheshwari etc further away. There is a new trend where sometimes mothers come and stay with the kids to ensure they have no ‘food problems’ and can concentrate on studies!.
Bicycle theft( from landlord’s homes, hostels and even parking lots of coaching institutes with security guards is a very common phenomenon). Students are therefore advised to buy second hand bicycles only which are readily available everywhere.
Then there is the issue of attending ’school’ . Most people join DAV public school - they actually ask for your Bansal admit card at the time of admission. Of their 400 class 12 students, 350 are from Bansal. Of course they are phantom students and they populate imaginary divisions. We only go for practicals once in a while. You wake up in 12th class around Jan-Feb and cram for exams.
Occassionally there are CBSE ‘raids’. But you generally come to know in advance and rush to school, complete the books etc. Another school called ‘IL’ was raided and shut down Now the school is derecognised but Bansal has taken over the building and holds classes there!
Due to these raids no CBSE school is ready to give fraudulent admissions so people are increasingly opting for Rajasthan Board or National Open School.
Perseverance is most important. Living in Kota on your own, many deviate from studies also. There are lots of net cafes, pool and gaming parlours. The non serious types spend 2 years doing masti, roaming on their bikes and bunking classes.
Other Coaching Classes
In Hyderabad Ramaiah is the most sought after class. They take 150 students, of which 130 students clear JEE. They have stringent rules, including studies from 4 am! Classes like FIIT JEE are known more for correspondence material than classroom now. Even Bansal students join for correspondence and then the names overlap in the list published by different classes, Brilliants is a similar story,
Mention must also be made of Vidyamandir Classes based in Delhi. It is run by three brothers and takes in the creme-la-creme of students in Delhi and adjoining areas like Faridabad and Gurgaon.The focus is mostly on self study and classes are held only twice a week for which students come from as far as Faridabad.
The entrance test is the toughest of any JEE coaching institute in India as they want students who can do everything on their own. 140 out of 160 VMC students clear JEE every year. For those who don’t make it, their study material is freely available in the market for couple of 1000 bucks.
But obviously with all these classes it’s more about PRE selecting students who are likely to succeed.
And here’s a newsflash: At the end of the day IITs call upto JEE rank 7200 for counselling and classes can claim all of these as ’selected’ candidates. The last decent course ends around rank 3500.
Therefore the numbers claimed as ’successful candidates’ by coaching classes is far higher than those who actually get an IIT seat.
Another point to note: One disadvantage of studying at Bansal is you can’t compete for your home state colleges. Your ‘home state’ becomes Rajasthan as that is where you gave your board exam. So getting into a good college through AIEEE score (where state rank is considered) is next to impossible.
Lastly, in the last one year Bansal’s has increased the intake substantially. The toppers come there anyways, there’s no harm in admitting more and letting them live the dream. Why give other coaching classes any business?
Disclaimer: Although we share the same last name I am in no way related to Bansal classes!
February 28th, 2008 at 1:30 pm
I had been a part of the Bansal industry and right now Im writing from an IIT Hostel.
–one important thing missing from the freshers batch students is the school life which is anyways a part of life when we learn many things.
–I lived for 1 yr in ‘04 and at that time the scenario of resonance was not to show selections from double the selected. I donnu thse days.
February 28th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
Reading this brings back memories of the time I was slogging it out for IIT-JEE. I had joined the money-guzzling machine FIITJEE and the experience was a bitter one. First attempt I got a rank of 4000+, became a “dropper” or “droppie” as we were known in those days… prepared on my own for a year and got a rank of 1983 in IIT-JEE.
I still regret those hours and hours [and money!] that were wasted at FIITJEE.
Now I have nothing but venomous hatred for coaching classes.
February 28th, 2008 at 1:43 pm
HAHA! old memories! I for one had a roaring time at Bansals, bunking classes (I’m very thankful for that, I discovered books!) and spending time in the company of friends.
In my time (2000-2002) there were only 8 batches and that was a 100% increase over 1999!
But as you said, VMC still rules the roost for all the serious aspirants.
February 28th, 2008 at 4:54 pm
Rashmi,
Thought I’d point to you an article I had written for The Indian Economy Blog on this topic: http://indianeconomy.org/2007/07/05/iit-foundation-foundation-for-what/
The Narayana group of institutions in Hyderabad has introduced a seven-year integrated IIT Olympiad program for students aged 11!
February 28th, 2008 at 7:11 pm
Well, the first part of the article did voice your opinion and yes, we do not need an IIT prof to teach to students so that they get into IIT. Infact that would be wasting the profs time for money.
The second part of the article had very little of your opinion which is what we look for… and it was all a revision of the information we guys at IIT get to know… hmm.. and hearin of Bansal and FIITJEE just makes me so sick… massive commercial structures selling out hopes… not even education, how do you explain separating students based on merit.
Why should better students get better teachers. When you’ve taken in a student with the responsibility of imparting education, why the classification.
I hail from Hyderabad, and the situation is simply rotten. Every parent wants their kids to study at IIT and irrespective of his/her interest/calibre ,they force them to work so hard. Imagine a 7th class kid being “coached” for IIT, Narayana,Sri Chaitanya have “integrated” schools which leave kids at 8 in the night!.
They are deprived of their childhood. Probably I’ve deviated frm the subject.
Final words: Large coaching institues like Bansal, FIITJEE ,etc are institues more interested in making money than teaching your kids. Parents MUST note this.
February 28th, 2008 at 7:35 pm
No idea how much time you took to write this post…but literally i took ages to finish reading it..
On a serious note, This irregular coaching has been regular all over AP (Andhra Pradesh) for quite some time. Every place will have corporate collages at least 10 times number of engineering collages present..
And the worst part is number of suicides out of pressure increasing every year.
February 28th, 2008 at 10:17 pm
very well said Rashmi ….u really reminds me my old days ….i joined bansal as a fresher in 2002 and right now i hv completed my b-tech ……..i could recall those days when even a single min. used to value a lot for us …..that was the best effort that bansal classes made us to put to make ur dreams come true ..!! i really owe bansal classes for that ..
February 28th, 2008 at 10:25 pm
That’s an awesome post - gripping till the end :P. The twist in the end though was the ‘Disclaimer’
FIIT-JEE - ahhh…old memories die hard! cramming, studyin, competition, ‘eh, that fellow is only a bloody mugger ya..no intelligence’ comments…been there, done that, thankfully through it!
Integrated IIT for age 11 students…kiddin me! hearing all kinds of things nowadays…I gotta write a post on this!
February 28th, 2008 at 10:51 pm
this is not regarding any single blog…its basically a general comment….one thing i have noticed about your posts is taht they are very very very long..but its fun to read you, tehy are informative and everything…. its fine becoz u r into this profession and you write really well but stange thiing is teh comments dropped at your posts are equally long (on teh scale of comments)….but it gives amateur bloggers like me quite a good read…..love reading you….
February 29th, 2008 at 10:18 am
Hi Rashmi
A really nice article. This article reminds me of PC Thomas coaching classes in Thrissur where people are given coaching for the Kerala Engg Entrance Examination. Most of the things said in the article are also found here. Eg Topper batches, Huge competition for getting admission in schools. Only difference is that it is not IIT coaching. This is because people believe that it is too tough to get into an IIT. But now the trend is changing.
February 29th, 2008 at 12:58 pm
Well… I have been a reader of ur blog since long… nd since u had loadsa comments … so generally I skip commenting.. But this time.. since u wrote smthing which is very close to my heart coz I have been thru this phase myself…
Well I have certain facts which I want to tell u… ( nd I m an ex-bansalite…nd cleared IIT-JEE as well ) .. nd blv me its pure experience:
1. Bansal Classes has just become a brand while the education standard have been falling gradually…
2.Teachers r not bothered about students.. No personal attention…
3. The whopping result is just an outcome of the entrance test which is so tuff that once u clear it u r exhibitin 75% potential to go thru JEE
4. Teacher’s stability at Bansal is strictly under question
5. The Type of students that other coaching institutes like Resonance nd Career Point takes lags far behind that of Bansal… to be very frank bansal take away the cream … nd they get the fat free milk… The result they produce out of it are outstanding… nd hats off to them
6. Bansal Classes course material is not revised propoerely ( I donno about the recent times .. in my times it was like this)
7. Bansal’s attitude is ” Go away looser … He is the topper”
Nobody sees the more important psychological aspect.. ( just Rembr Ishaan awasthi from Taare Zameen Par )… Kids leave their home for the very frst time and such n attitude at the place can really deteriorate the budding talents..
Nobody motivates u .. u r on ur own.. other than that.. leave apart the usual insults the students hav in classes when they ask smthin from the teacher..
Its just ridiculous… Here stood me well ahead of those people who got a better AIR than me .. just bcoz my institute gave me great oppurtunities to learn nd apply… Havin a job pkg tht comes in top .1% of IITs
Kids need care nd motivation nd Bansal factory clearly misses that… Wish I had a better time at Kota …
February 29th, 2008 at 8:29 pm
so what else is new.. and its always ironic that the small or made fun of places like kota or bihar give the IIT topper..must be nostalgic for a lot of folks here..
February 29th, 2008 at 9:07 pm
One strange observation, all the comments to this post are against Bansal Classes!! But as a follower of efficient market, I fail to understand why thr business is thriving like this? (Thr were abt 250 students in class 12 at our time in 2000-01 and 125 in 1999-2000). I’ve my doubts if someone can ride on this much amount of growth just on the basis of a brand (as ppl suggest tht thr’s no gud faculty or lack of attention)!
March 1st, 2008 at 2:34 am
Good stuff to Know about Kota and Bansal Clasess…but a clear biasness towards Bansal Classes (understandable since u had been there) but not very honest for other institutes….look at Resonance and its hard work in just six years…Whatever the results Resonance has produced…they publish it atleast honestly. You can see the complete list of Resonance results since their first result in 2002 to 2007on its website http://www.resonance.ac.in with clear breakup of classroom and distance learning. No other institute has ever dared to do it in the public interest (ask your Bansal Classes to it same on their website…I guess it is not that much tough and a costly affair to do that on website). And just to remind you…Resonance had 6 ranks in (Best as AIR 14)Top-100 of IIT-JEE 2007 from the socalled fatfree milk. Another, 6 ranks from Distance Learning Programmes (only one was from Bansal Classes’ students rest of the 5 are from different parts of the country) Bansal Classes is great OK but you cannt simply undermine the efforts of other institutes and specially like Resonance. Further 481 selections (in IIT-JEE 2007) from classroom coaching is not a simple task….no other institute except Bansal Classes in India has such a big result from one location..(minus 17 students from its just started Jaipur centre)….and giving scholarships to deserving students is never a bad thing….ask those who have got it…and finally most of the people hate coaching but when it comes to themselves or for their kiths and kins…they love to be coached….what a hypocrisy…..as far as teachers are concerned they are master of their subject atleast….just give the IIT-JEE test paper to the best of teachers to best of Govt. (KV and JNV) and pvt. schools (DPS etc…) and see the results…you will understand the status/level of knowledge of best of the teachers teaching in these so called great schools…rn’t they made to prepare the students for competitive exams….as they fail to do it…coaching is flourishing….and what a big deal in fee….the coachings are charging about 60K per year at the max….these great pvt. schools are charging more than lacs a year…but no one is claiming…but love to see their child studying in these great schools….one more exmple of hypocrisy….coaching schools are making money..thats true…but ask those 100s of students every year who come from remote places and get selected in IIT-JEE…there generations are changed…..otherwise IITs used to be an elite group of some urban and convent educated students…now the situation is changing….who has contributed to this turn around…???…may be there are certain minus but it is with every system…and will remain so…lets be critical but not hypocrate….the truth would be more revealing…just go and explore on your own…if you really want to know it…word of mouth is good but sometimes misleading and biased…and even glorifying the past….so live in the present and explore it for a clear tomorrow…..carry on…its Manoj
March 1st, 2008 at 10:03 am
I don’t think leaving home … staying at Kota …
makes difference …
only in the bank balance of the parents …
the students who clears IIT from Kota can get selected from any where else. what they need is a little bit of guidance, thats it.
My mother never allowed me, go to Kota and waste my 2 years … i use to regret its before …
but now I am thankful to her…
March 1st, 2008 at 3:24 pm
fundoo post from your side although i have visited your blog the very fst time n i am too from bansal classes X-3 batch now in it-bhu
its the agony of time and for the sake of hard competition we students do not have much options and with out any further delay everybody wants to get in the bus and ready to withstand all the jerks about to come in their way
life in kota is cool just on notes but actually students do have much time for leisures, most of the time spends in coaching, classes and than self studies to grasp a very good rank and to perform much better than others coz just selection is not ok one dreams best it and the best branch and other have to compromise with what they get generally coz every can not be in fst 500, highly pressurised years
also city is not very much favorable , i felt the attitude of house n hostel owners weren’t very helpful and every body there is highly professional including landlords,messed, laundries etc
but still every year students in no are increasing so on and on may be its the demand of future…..
March 1st, 2008 at 6:51 pm
@aditya
man i agree with each and every word what u have written
bansals are higlhy biased one , and i was in x-3 batch nd they always gave spl attention to x batches and were not bothered about at all for y and z condisered as lower quality people
even best teachers have always been provided to toppers, the people who are intelligent enough with sure shot to clear jee exams and main idea to have more no of pupils just to increase their earning
once i had attended the lower batched coz i missed sum class and the condition was horrible very poor andextremely idiot teacher was teaching there who was not able to write the some popular chemical rxns
it was not enough even they were totally biased in scope of taking extra classes , teachers always used to give extra time to astute students but never even want to look on the face of weaker students
i guess it even worst than retailers just to increase profit inc no of student not quality
also they always take topper who surely going to crack the jee exams and as the popularity of coaching is increasing n desire to be itian more n more no of students r coming from every part of india, thats y even with continuous degradation of quality of studies no of selections are increasing, because students r doing well with their own efforts coz they can not waste their years and most imp its the main question of their future n career
if i would not be a lie that other institute r much better in terms of hardwork on students and facilities and nourishment they provide but they never get the proper students to adjoin them and always shows good result
if u see the condition a student always go for resonance or cp in case when either he failed in bansals exams or else he had taken a coaching in bansal in previous years but was failed in jee.
a person coming fst time to kota always has bansal as a fst choice and because of the weak mentality and shaky confidence of students bansal is earning day by day….
March 1st, 2008 at 11:20 pm
Hmmm.. First of all very sad to know NA(Sodium) && JJ Sir, left they were my favs when I was in Bansal, NA was a laugh riot while JJ Sir, as you have pointed out was such a gud human being, he was one of the teachers who guided me in real sense.
Well frankly speaking the only benefit you get by being in a coaching like Bansal is the competition you have with other people, otherwise you can as well study by yourself. Infact, I generally bunked the classes and used to study by myself.
One of the ill effect is once you degrade into a lower section then there is very less chance of you being able to motivate yourself and rising to an upper section…
Not even in Hyd.. I rmr even in lucknow.. when I left it in 2004, coaching from class IX had started no idea of the scenario nowadays…
March 1st, 2008 at 11:50 pm
I must say this, May be being nostalgic, u didnt actually realize the post was very very long. The ppl who hv already commented on this post cud also relate to it.(read: nostalgia).
But engg still remains the most popular career options in the country.
March 2nd, 2008 at 1:32 pm
nice article
http://myindia.blog.de
March 2nd, 2008 at 1:34 pm
Yes kids should study but not too much.
Myindia
March 2nd, 2008 at 9:11 pm
now wonder Chidambaram said Rajasthan is gonna have an IIT…ya, Andhra too…2 states that contribute most of the IITians
March 3rd, 2008 at 9:13 am
First timer on your blog
Rashmi, I find that your blog is more of a show-off of your knowledge than genuine attempt at discussing thing Largely this, I would say.
I also find lots of posts written just to draw people to comment here. Very commercial. Not one of those nice, genuine ones.
March 3rd, 2008 at 11:56 pm
Hi Rashmi, its a pity that the Rajasthan Govt has sent a request to the Ministry of HRD to set up a IIT at Kota..!!!! (when it was asked to identify a suitable place) We can actually raise a voice against it…there are afterall other cities in Rajasthan which have better facilities !!!!! Please publish an article in JAM magazine about it. The govt is myopic afterall !!!
March 4th, 2008 at 1:02 pm
hello
i appreciate ur writing i like it a lot.
thanks and regards
http://www.gadgetworld.co.in
March 4th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
Hi,
great article there. Even i had tried my luck with Bansal classes. I travelled all the way from guwahati to kota with just Rs. 2,000/- in my pocket and a cheque for 18,000/- in the name of bansal classes. I had cleared the screening with rank 4300, and had expected them to welcome me with arms wide open. But when i went in, there was a fat lady with gold-rimmed glasses. The way she talked to me … “how dare u ask about accomodation assistance? u’re not even admitted yet! first show ur screening card, 12th marksheet, 10th marksheet… then we’ll think about admitting you”. As if i was begging them to take me in. and all this while i was thinking that i was the customer here. I lost my temper, shouted at the fat lady, and joined resonance out of spite. At least the old buggers over there were polite. But even there i couldn’t take it for more than a month. Bad food, no sleep, depressing environment, no friends (everyone used to cram 15-16 hours a day). I quit and came back home. And i’m glad i did that. I studied on my own. Din’t make to an IIT ( rank 4677 - was getting mineral engineering in ISM dhanbad lol), but got 20th rank in my state and made it to a good REC.. Atleast i’m a normal human being today. I can’t imagine how can parents let their children go through so much tension and pain at such a young age. I’ll never do this to my kids i swear.
March 5th, 2008 at 9:52 am
If students keep coming, institutes like Bansal will continue to make money.
It is high time the students and their parents realise that there are things beyond engg., that JEE/AIEEE/any-damn-exam is not a question of life and death.
March 8th, 2008 at 12:42 am
but u know there are lots n lots of people i know, who left school after 10th to go to kota (i’m from rajasthan. so kota’s not exactly that far..) u know to drop for iit-jee..
or like some of them, joined the branch here..
n u know, some of them are here with me… in the so so so stupid engg college ( the one that i hateeee… the one that i didnt even coach for to get into)) and they’re also in the same collg.. i was so surprised when i found out.. so stupid missing out on your 2 amazing yrs of masti ki school life?? yes there are ppl who’ve got admission in bits and other prvt colleges and all… but iit,, very few make it there..i mean it’s dumb to go there unless you’re really reallllyy passionate about it…n yeaah if ur passionate abt it,, then u must be ready to slog it out.. and u hav to be intelligent.. just the thing to work hard isn’t all…
yeah but one thing’s there,, for the ppl who just join because of parents, peer pressure etc.. they do their masti alsoo…. so it’s like they’ve kinda found their means to chill out also there… from what i’ve heard..
March 8th, 2008 at 12:45 am
i guess the thing required to be able to survive in kota… is the ability to be REMAIN focussed , not get disheartened, not to be hav ur life dependent on ur test results etc and to be able to work really hard..
so even if ur not the intelligent types and u do have fun out there, you have to work hard.. so you do probably make it to some engg college ..(big or small)not that getting into an engg collg is a big deal these days…
March 21st, 2008 at 7:27 pm
That’s really cool, I really appretiate that.Indian Premier League is really the hot topic in today’s cricket.
visit aly’s blog for more information about Indian Premier League .