What's the fuss with new pattern

After SSC has declared its new pattern for CGL 2016, students are getting confused more than ever before. Although, notifications of SSC are very clear on their own. Still, I have seen teachers spreading rumors. Then there was an article of SSC-Tube which I read few days back. And Unacademy released a video about the same. Instead of clearing the stuff, they have actually provided with their own biased strategies, which I find flawed to large extent. So, here I am trying to help students somewhat.

1) Not much has changed

• Pre (Tier-I) is still of 200 marks
• It's sections are still of 50 marks each
• Mains papers are still of 200 marks each
• There is still 100 marks test on your communication skills.

2) What has changed

• Instead of 200 ques, you will get 100 ques.
• Instead of 2:00 hours, you will get 1:15 hrs

3) How does it affect? What does it mean?
Earlier, you were supposed to solve 200 questions in 120 min, i.e. on an average 36 seconds per question. Now you get 100 questions in 75 min i.e. 45 seconds per question. This is an advantage in time. But wait ! There's more.

Suppose two intelligent candidates P and Q. Both will clear the CGL and both will get job. Both have same knowledge. However they have different time management. P has both practice and knowledge, but Q has only knowledge with no practice to manage time. It will affect his rank, and post preferences as follows:

Old style: I am assuming that maths questions are always correctly solved, so that you eliminate all negative marking in maths. P attempts all 50 questions of maths correctly. Most time consuming section for unprepared candidate Q is mathematics where he can attempt maximum 35 questions in limited time, although he could solve all question if sufficient time was given. So, we have a gap of 15 marks. Next is GK. Both get around 20 marks including negative. English section brings around 35 marks each for both candidates, if both are at par with knowledge. GK and English are not much time consuming. Reasoning takes a fair share of time, but less than Maths. So, P gets 45 marks and Q gets 40. Overall, P is at loss of 20 marks from Q.
P = 50 + 20 + 35 + 45 = 150
Q = 35 + 20 + 35 + 40 = 130
So, you see that GK and English do not matter much. Still, English will be given some importance because Tier-II is waiting ahead. This puts GS at lowest priority.

New style: Now each candidate gets 15 minutes extra advantage. But P can't take use of it, becayse for him, time was not a problem. He had the limitations of the maximum he knows. But for Q, this is a leap. He was not short of knowledge. Time was the only problem. He can solve at least 10 questions in 15 minutes, which means 20 marks extra.
P = 150
Q = 150
So, new pattern removes time-barrier for most of the intelligent (but lazy) candidates. This is the loss to hard-working guy. So what should be done?

GK !! Yes that's what can be enhanced. This patterns emphasizes that now you focus on GK too. Lazy Q will read a GK book, get 1 question extra (and 2 marks) and hard working will be just depending of 50 marks of Maths.


Remember that in sufficiently given time, anyone will get 50/50 in maths. Barrier is only GK. So now master this section also to improve your chances.

4) A loss to those who guess the answers
Earlier, guess work would give you either +1 or -0.25. So, if I do it right and you do it wrong, we would be at a difference of 1.25 marks. But now it is +2 and -0.5. So wrong guess and right guess would create a difference of 2.5 marks.
Also, don't fall in trap of those who says that there is 25% chance of getting is right. That is the case only when guess is purely like 'akkad-bakkad-bambe-bo'. But in reality, there is always some preconception which will affect your decisions in guess. Your guesses are always under influence of some sort of bias. And examiner knows that too. Options are deliberately made in such a manner that you choose wrong answer with confidence. Your brain is highly prone to influences. And under such biased situations, you are never at 25% chance of getting it right.

5) What does it mean when SSC says that Tier-I is qualifying?
Simply put, without clearing the cutoff for Tier-I, you will not be allowed to sit for Tier-II. But normally when we say 'qualifying' it means that marks obtained in that paper should not be counted while generating merit list. But SSC-CGL Tier-I is not 'purely qualifying'. It is necessary to clear its cutoff, as well as its marks will be counted.
Example: There are four candidates, P, Q, R and S.
Let us assume that out of 200 marks exam in Tier-I,

'P' = 150 marks

'Q' = 111 marks

----------Cutoff is 110----------

'R' = 109 marks

'S' = 085 marks

Here, R and S, both are disqualified. They are both equal and they need to prepare again and try next year (if age limit also permits). But P and Q are not equal. Although both cleared pre and both are allowed to sit in mains, but difference of 39 marks have to be covered by Q in mains and essay combined. Only then, he will get better rank (and better job) than P. Extra hardwork done by P is not wasted. He is at advantage from the begining. (And it is very hard to cover in mains, because all those who sit in mains are equally capable of getting high score if they study hard enough in the time before mains). So, each single mark in pre (and mains) is highly important.

5) Why essay is so important?
When Government of India decided that there will not be any interviews now onwards, SSC must have thought of this idea to check communication skills anyhow. Essay is seperately qualifying on its own. So, earlier, if total score of Pre+Mains+Interview were 150+350+0 = 500, still you would get the best possible ranks even after zero score in interview. But if you get the same zero score in essay, you wont be able to get any rank. Whereas anyone with marks like 130+320+40 = 490 will get a very nice rank. So take it seriously. Interview did not have any cutoff. You can't say 'interview mein nikaal diya'. But essay will have its own cutoff. So, now if you are not good enough in essay, you can say 'essay mein nikal gaya ladka'. 😁
Moreover, essay will not be like school's English exam of 'write essay on my best friend'. You are going to become govt officers. You are supposed to act like one. It will be like 'write your views on GST bill' or 'write why Polio eradication is difficult in developing countries'. I hope I have made my point, that you need a fine awareness of the world around you. For this, you may refer some examples from CAPF written exam also. I believe, CGL esaay will also follow similar pattern. However no one yet knows for sure because this is first time that essay is being introduced.

6) AAO and Statistical Invetigator
For Statistical, you need special degree. Otherwise you will not be treated qualified. But for AAO, special degree will only be a convenience for the post, but there is no special qualifying degree needed. Everyone eligible for CGL can also give exam of AAO.

7) I filled for AAO / Statistical, but I don't want to attempt its exam now. Will I get disqualified?
No! You will still remain a candidate for all other posts. You will just get zero marks in these 2 papers, which makes you disqualified for only these 2 posts.

8) If I clear AAO / statistical, are other posts still open for me?
Yes ! Your post preferences will be asked* during your document's verification after you have cleared Tier-II also. There, you can opt for all the posts.

Let me know if I left any part of this issue untouched. I will be happy to help.

* Asking fresh post-preferences is not a rule. SSC can completely skip this step if it wants to do so. Till now, they have been giving this option to freshly fill preferences because SSC knows that no-one is well aware of the posts while filling the form for the first time. Still, i would recommend that you choose your preferences with open mind even while filling form. Don't depend on this convenience that you will be asked again.

Draupadi and Moon

The phrase 'chaand sa chehra' meaning  'a face like the moon', appears pleasant to most of the people. They compare the glow of human skin with the bright and beautiful looking white moon. But for me, it is the opposite. Moon is not white.

I know that moon has patches, and I know that you know that too. This gives birth to another phrase 'chaand mein daagh hai'. But I am not talking about that. I am actually talking about the color of moon.

The real color of surface of moon is almost black. I found it hard to digest first time, but all the sources I have ever read say that it is close to the color of burnt wood, ash or coal. It appears bright white to the we, the intelligent life forms on earth because of immense reflection of sunlight. Moreover, it's light isn't cool. Light has no temperature. It is mostly the IR that heats objects, and I strongly believe that moon also contributes in shooting some of solar IR radiations back to earth.

So, when I think of moon, the only face I can compare it with is that of Draupadi. Yes! The wife of Pandavas, and the chief female protagonist of Mahabharat. Many people don't know that true skin color of Drauapadi was black, or more like dusky. A real dark dusky. But people want to imagine her as the ultra light toned complexion lady, after whom the story revolves. She was beautiful indeed, yet dark in skin color.

So, the Moon (with capital 'M') and Draupadi have so much in common. Both  beautiful, both black, and people incorrectly believe that both are fair in color.

So next time you talk of Rihanna, you can aptly say she has a beautiful 'chand sa chehra'.

A dialogue with sadhu baba

Baba was sitting on the dry sand, with a puppy. The puppy was crippled with a leg. I was standing next to them with my backpack waiting for someone to receive me.

He: My puppy is hungry. Give me ₹5 so that I can feed him.

Me: How do you manage to survive your own life?

He: Worse than even a prisoner

Me: Why so?

He: I don't even get to eat many times.

Me: Do you have to sleep hungry any day?

He: Many times every month. Sometimes even two days pass without eating anything.

Me: Then why choose such a path?

He: It has been long time since I left home. Now nothing can be done?

Me: How long?

He: 15 years have passed.

Me: And what was your age when you left?

He: I was 30 then.

Me: Did you have family?

He: I was married. I had two children, both boys. One was in 7th class and other was in 9th.

Me: Then why did you leave?

He: I was a  scrap and junk picker. I used to drink. My wife did not like it. She used to beat me whenever I come home drunk, which was almost always.

Me: And do you get to drink now? (with a smirk)

He: I beg in the whole town. By the end of the day, I make around  ₹100, and sometimes even ₹200. Then I can drink any brand I want.

Me: And you said, sometimes you have to sleep hungry?

He: Every day is not same. A good beg comes once in a blue moon. Mostly I get around 80-100 Rs. a day.

Me: Do you think you made a mistake leaving home?

He: Of course. I regret all the time. But what can be done?

Me: Won't your kids take care of you? You can go back, and apologise.

He: They will not even let me enter the house. They won't behave as my kids anymore. They are the mother's.

Me: Why stay in this hot region of India? Why not leave for Haridwar. You might earn more there.

He: You think so. But I have been to all parts of India. I earn more here. There, other baba are well established. They have the market.

Me: And why not go to metro city. Here in this small village must be difficult to live.

He: In many cities, beggary is crime. I tried in Delhi, Ajmer, Kanpur etc. No place makes survival easier, except where your mother tongue helps. People here think I am 'Baba' by choice and wisdom.  Only I know I did a mistake.

Me: Good luck. My car has come.
(And I left)

138

I was travelling from Bhiwani to Jatusana for an audit tour. Train was almost empty and I was alone in my berth. I was looking outside the window, and as I turned my neck back, I found a drunken man sitting on seat in front of me. He had some potato-mesh curry and some 'poori' in a use-and-throw pans. He had spilled most of it it on the seat which left the seat unusable. Not eating more than a single morsel, he threw the rest of it through open door, with his shaky legs and came back sitting on a clean seat. I asked him to clean that seat he ruined. He didn't reply in words. Instead he started making strange gestures. I believe that neither he was with ticket, nor he bought that food with his own money. It must have been given to him by some vendor in sympathy. I again asked him to clean it and again received the same reaction of weird gestures.

Could I clean it for him? Yes.

Should I clean for him? May be! After all it is railway property, which eventually belongs to us. And there seems no shame.

Did I? No. Because I was all dressed up for my duty with washed clothes, and I had no such cloth or newspaper which could be used to clean. So, I was incapable to do the task owing to lack of resources, even if I wished to. "I can't clean it with my shirt" I said to myself.

Then I thought of calling railway helpline. Are they of any use? Well it is time to see. I took out the ticket. It says "Passenger helpline no. 138".  I called 138, and IVR said " This number can not be reached right now. Please call again later". I tried 3-4 times but all in vain.

Some time later, that man was gone. Later Ticket Checker came and asked for my ticket. After taking my ticket back, I said "Sir, call to 138 doesn't go through".

TC: Why do you need to call 138, sir?
Me: A drunk man made this mess (pointing to the curry-spilled seat).

Meanwhile another TC came in. They both sat on clean seats.

TC 2: It's not 138. It is 139.
Me: But the ticket says 138 (Handing over the ticket back to him)

He looked at it and returned.
TC 2: Oh yes! 139 is for enquiry.
TC 1: Ignore it sir, what could we do to a drunkard? You are an educated man. Even if Police were to come, they would just drag him out of the coach. Nothing much could be done.

Then they left.

After that, at every station, people kept entering the train, looking at that seat, starting to blame and guessing, and moving to next seats. " Koye besahoori khinda gi" (some ill-mannered woman spilled it)

And only I know the whole story in the entire coach.

Experience of Installing Custom ROM

I was sick of Stock OS of Zenfone Selfie provided by ASUS. So, I decided to flash custom OS, the Cyanogenmod on my phone.

Tools I used:

1. CM13 .zip file by NIGHTLY
2. TWRP recovery .img file
3. ADB + USB Debugging
4. GAPPS .zip file
5. Bootlocker tool

Risks I took:

1. I knew that rooting device would mean losing warranty on my phone. I anyways go to Nehru Place in case of any problems. Who does even go to company?
2. I was doing it for the first time. So, that means if I do anything wrong, I would cause bricking the device.

Problems I faced:

1. Initially I could not find correct GAPPS for my phone. I knew that Selfie is not Intel based as other Zenfone 2 are. So, it had to be ARM type gapps. Still, I downloaded both types in case I did something wrong. I flashed both one by one.and both failed. Then I realised that Snapdragon 615 was a 64-bit processor and then I downloaded the correct one.
2. I was confused which file to download because most of the tutorials were for Zenfone 2 and not for selfie specifically. Many TWRP files confused me.
3. ADB did not work once. Later I copied the img to the same folder as ADB (sdk>platform-tools) and it worked fine.
4. The error "unfortunately setup wizard has stopped" kept popping. It left my phone unusable. I realised the step where I did the mistake. I and did the steps of flashing all again correctly.
5. Still phone got stuck in a boot loop. I took out of battery and reboot. It worked fine.

Precautions I took:

1. I made sure I had TWRP installed as soon as possible after unlocking bootlock.
2. I kept reading and reading all the sources, and all the abbreviations, details over and over again before starting any step. I watched at least 20 video tutorials too. And they varied from each other which confused me even further. I did not start until I was sure what I had to do in the whole run.
3. I took full Nandroid backup on phone as well as PC
4. I figured out how to hard reset if anything goes wrong.
5. I read extensively how to prevent bricking, and if possible how to do the unbricking.

Result:

Now I am running Android Marshmallow on my Zenfone Selfie with no bloatwares, and around 2gb RAM vacant. I have the nano-package of gapps so it saves space. It is so smooth and fast now. I am happy I learnt so many new things today while doing this procedure.

PS: I am having a wide-wide smile on my face.

सर आप थोडा बहुत लिखवा दिया करो

Teaching Physics in SSC batches is like a collateral damage. एक SSC batch में हर तरह के students होते हैं|

Level of education wise - 12th वाले, Graduates, Post Grads,, 

Subject background wise - Science वाले, commerce वाले, Humanities वाले, polytechnic किये हुए, Army retired and serving भी

Family Background wise - Rural, Urban, semi-urban, Rich families, Economically struggling families

अब इन सारी permutations को आपस में मिला लें, तो एक ऐसा हुजूम मिलेगा जिस में हर individual student को साथ ले कर चलना एक teacher के लिए challenge हो जाता है| लेकिन मैं नहीं मानता कि ये challenge और किसी भी subject में इतना ज्यादा होगा जितना कि Physics में|

इन सभी को इतिहास पढाना है, कोई दिक्कत नहीं - सभी समझते हैं कि जब teacher बोले कि सन 1191 में एक युद्ध हुआ, तो क्या imagine करना है| इस statement को समझना मुश्किल नहीं है| याद रखना या ना रखना किसी student के लिए challenge हो सकता है, लेकिन teacher के लिए समझाना मुश्किल नहीं है|

Geography पढ़नी है? Voila! जितना मैंने पढाने वालो को देखा है, वो concept में कम, और facts पर ज्यादा focus करते हैं| लेकिन फिर भी किसी नए student को समझाना बहुत मुश्किल नहीं होगा| Indian Geography में तो facts ही facts हैं| इस पहाड़ कि सबसे ऊंची छोटी ये है, उस जगह कोयले कि खदान हैं| Physical Geography में भी कोई अधिक कठिन काम नहीं है| ज़मीन सरकी, पहाड़ बने, हवा आई, मानसून गया etc etc.. | आखिर complications तो हैं ही नहीं|

रट्टा मारने वाले हर subject में यही हो रहा है| चाहे Bio हो, चाहे Polity हो| अगर मैंने किसी subject को Physics की भांति Logical होते हुए देखा है, तो वो है सिर्फ Economy| लेकिन वो logic भी कोई ऐसे भयंकर नहीं हैं कि students की diversity किसी तरह की परेशानी बन सके| परेशानी concept खुद हो सकता है, लेकिन वो हर student के लिए similar होगी, irrespective of his/her background| उसे सभी समझेंगे, या फिर कोई भी नहीं समझेगा|

अब बात आती है Physics की| एक simple example लेते हैं| मान लीजिये मैं क्लास में यह वाक्य बोलता हूँ: - 

                "Pendulum की acceleration, उसकी extreme position पर maximum होती है"

अब यहीं पर students में difference आना शुरू हो जाता है| हिंदी वाले तो पगला गए| तो फिर इसी को हिंदी में बोलना पड़ता है:

"किसी दोलक का त्वरण, उसके नितांत बिंदु पर सर्वाधिक होता है"

आधे वो, जो science पढ़ चुके हैं, वो सोचते हैं कि क्या basic सी बात बता रहा है| ये तो हमें आता है| और वो उठ कर जाना शुरू हो जाते हैं| उनके लिए class में कुछ productive नहीं हो रहा| और वो अपनी जगह गलत भी नहीं हैं|

आधे वो, जिनका नाता Physics से 10th class से ही छूट गया था, कई साल हो गए, वो सोचते हैं कि acceleration क्या होती है? Extreme position क्या होती है? अब acceleration समझाने के लिए उनको पहले velocity समझाओ| फिर इतने में से कोई चिल्लाएगा "सर, speed और velocity में अंतर बताइए"| हालांकि उसे आता है, और मैं एक बार velocity समझा दूंगा तो वो अंतर अपने आप clear हो जायेगा, पर कीड़े करने के लिए पूछ रहा है| फिर मेरे पास option है कि मैं उसी पल उस का जवाब दूँ, या ना दूँ| अगर वहीँ जवाब देने लग जाता हूँ, तो lecture बड़ा ही random जाने लगेगा| और 10 students उठ के चले जायेंगे| और अगर जवाब ना दूँ, रुकने को बोलूँ, तो भी 5-6 तो उठ कर जाने ही हैं, ये सोच कर कि teacher को आता ही नहीं|

अब एक समाधान ये है कि मैं हर चीज़ को शुरू से उठा कर चलूँ| अपने शब्दों को इस तरह से manipulate करूँ, कि कम शब्दों में अधिक लोगों को समझ में आये| ना science वालों को ये लगे कि level ही नहीं हैं, और ना ही non-science वालों के ऊपर से जाये| उसके लिए board पर diagram से समझाने के अलावा कोई option नहीं बचता| मगर इसके लिए वक़्त चाहिए| ढेर सारा वक़्त| उस में मैं एक-एक पहलु को छू सकता हूँ| मगर फिर Paramount ने मेरे सर पर बम फोड़ दिया| "सर हम इस छोटे से subject को 30 hours allot नहीं कर सकते| 6 marks का ही तो आता है| अपना syllabus 20 hours में ख़तम कीजिये|"

फिर मैं कुछ syllabus उड़ा देता हूँ| Thermodynamics में से अब Triple point नहीं करवाऊंगा| Gas laws भी उड़ा दिया| Optics में से Reflection, refraction, image formation by multiple mirrors उड़ा दिया| Motion में से Work, Energy उड़ा दिया| अब ये वो topic चले गए हैं, जिन में से भर भर के questions आते हैं| 

यही condition फिर Geography, History, Polity वालों पर भी लगाईं गई| कि सिर्फ 6 marks का आता है| Hours कम कीजिए| और उन teachers ने उल्टा सवाल पूछा "कि वो 6 marks का कहाँ से आता है? syllabus तो पूरा ही करवाना पड़ेगा"| उन लोगों कि चल गई और मैं इस बात से अनभिज्ञ, एक वफादार सेवक की भांति आदेश का पालन करता रहा|

फिर एक दिन मेरे register में CEO का एक note मिलता है "We can't allow 20 hours to this subject. Finish your syllabus in 15 hours. Or else, you will not be paid for extra hours". अब और syllabus काटो| अब Motion में से Newton's laws भी निकल गए हैं| सिर्फ gravity और projectile ही करवाई जाएगी| Waves का अब कहीं नाम भी नहीं लिया जायेगा| Sound में से echo, doppler's effect बाहर| सिर्फ speed of sound करवाऊंगा| Thermo वाले chapter में से अब सिर्फ specific heat, latent heat, and temperature conversion होगा| Melting of ice नहीं होगा| और ये सब students को महसूस हुए बिना|

फिर अगले महीने मैं अपनी salary लेने पंहुचता हूँ| और salary में से 1/3 कमाई काट ली गई है| मैंने पूछा क्यों? तो कहा गया कि आपके hours exceed हुए हैं| अरशद के पास list है| Physics को सिर्फ 10 hours allowed थे| WTF? मैं अरशद के पास गया| उसने एक printout दिखाया जिसमें नया नया rule आया है और हर subject के allowed hours लिखे हैं| 25 History, 25 Geography, 22 Polity, 20 Bio, 20 Economy और Physics को 10? जब मर्ज़ी कोई भी नया rule निकाल देते हैं? कोई survey etc करते भी हैं कि किसको कितना देना चाहिए? और कोई नियम फिर से बनाया भी है तो inform करना बनता है| ना कि printout निकाल के अरशद कि table के नीचे सरका दें|

मैंने सोच लिया था कि अब से syllabus 7hors  में ख़तम है| मैं management के पास नहीं गया| अन्दर से गुस्सा आ रहा था| अब नया syllabus ये था| Fluids का पूरा chapter ही नहीं होगा| कोई Archimedes, Pascal's Bernoulli, Surface Tension, Capillarity नहीं होगी| Kepler के नियम अब से नहीं बताये जायेंगे| Thermo में सिर्फ Celsius-Fahrenheit होगा| Electricity से Ohm's law, resistance, EMI सब निकाल दिया| केवल Electric instruments के नाम बताये जायेंगे| Optics को इस हिसाब से compress किया कि कम वक़्त में maximum efficiency निकले| मेरा Plan ये था कि अब students satisfy नहीं होंगे, तो वो शिकायत करने पहुचेंगे| फिर मुझे बुलाया जायेगा| और तब मैं कहूँगा कि ये सब आप ही लोगो का किया हुआ है| दुनिया में से किसी भी Physics के teacher को ढूंढ लाइए जो 10 hours में सब कुछ करवा सके| लेकिन kya scene है? 80-90% विद्यार्थियों को मेरे पढ़ने से कोई समस्या नहीं है? उल्टा compliments मिलने लगे कि सर! क्या मस्त पढ़ाते हो? मैं मुस्कुरा कर शुक्रिया तो बोल देता हूँ पर मन ही मन ये भी सोचता हूँ कि असली material तो पढाया ही नहीं| लेकिन फिर मन को ये बात चुभती थी| इसलिए मैंने अपने notes बनाये| वो class में बंटवाने लगा| उस के सहारे ज्यादा syllabus कम समय में होने लगे|

एक-दो समझदार students कि complaints आई भी, कि Physics वाले सर बहुत जल्दी जल्दी syllabus उड़ा देते हैं| और मैं चाहता था कि ऐसा कुछ हो| पर कुछ शिकायतों को तो जान बूझ कर management ने नज़रंदाज़ किया| और एक दो पर मुझे कहा गया कि ध्यान रखिये कि स्टूडेंट्स शिकायत ना करें| लेकिन मैं जनता था कि complaint तो आनी ही हैं| मुझ से गलती यही हुई कि मुझे भी दुसरे शिक्षकों की भांति management से भीड़ जाना चाहिए था|

 पहले मैं guarantee लिया करता था कि जो मैं पढाऊंगा उस से बाहर प्रश्न नहीं बन सकता| अब मैं "संभावना" शब्द का इस्तेमाल करने लगा| क्योकि students के साथ honest रहने का भी plan था| अब ये सब जो उड़ा दिया, वो सब कुछ मिला कर भी मैं 15 hours में ख़तम करता था| अब 10 hours में भी students कि complaint नहीं आनी चाहिए, ऐसा management उम्मीद करता है| फिर class में students पूछते हैं, कि सर पेपर में question कैसा आएगा? अब मैं क्या बताऊँ? कि SSC पूछती है कि "अगर Pendulum को एक गिरती हुई लिफ्ट में टांग दिया जाये तो उसका आवर्त काल अनंत क्यों हो जाता है?"

ऊपर से फिर एक दिन माया-चौधरी मुझे बुला कर बोलती है कि आपकी complaint आई है कुछ students कि तरफ से, कि जितना आप करवाते हो उस से उनके exam में questions solve नहीं होते| 

अब मुझे गुस्सा चढ़ना ही था| अप आपको questions भी करवाने हैं? उसके लिए वक़्त दीजिये| या तो students से questions करवा लो, या फिर अपने घंटे बचा लो| 

तो वो कहती हैं कि अपने पढाने के तरीके में वो कला लाइए जिस से दोनों काम हो जायें| इसका मतलब ये हैं कि आप एक अछे teacher नहीं है| ऐसा कीजिये, अपना syllabus ऐसा बनाओ, जिस से past में आये हुए questions cover हो जायें| क्योकि वही यहाँ के sunday को होने वाले tests में डाला जाता है| सब कुछ चाहे ना हो| Students को लगना चाहिए कि उन्हें समझ में आ गया है|

जबकि मैं जो काटने-छांटने के बाद भी करवा रहा था, वो physics का ऐसा हिस्सा बचा था जहाँ से अब भी प्रश्न फंसने कि संभावना बनी रहे| 6 के 6 चाहे ना भी हों, तो भी 4 तो कर के आते लोग| लेकिन अगर सिर्फ उसी को क्लास में चिपका दूँ जो पूछा गया है, तो भविष्य में आने वाले प्रश्न की चिंता नहीं लगती Paramount को| SSC का कोई pattern नहीं है questions देने का| वो कुछ भी पूछ लेते हैं| और माया चौधरी चाहती हैं कि मैं ज्ञान चाहे ना दूँ, ज्ञान का illusion दे दूँ|

अब ये मेरे उसूल के खिलाफ था| मैं वो करवा दूँ जो पहले आया हुआ है? SSC कभी अपने Science के questions repeat नहीं करती| (और ये वाकया, उनको office में नहीं, बल्कि बाहर reception के पास हो रहा था| मैंने कहा कि SSC बहुत अजीब प्रश्न देती है| इस को पढाने के लिए previous year के questions करने से ज़रा भी फायदा नहीं होता| सिर्फ अंदाजा आता है कि questions का level क्या है| मैंने पूरे 5-6 साल के questions को बार बार पढ़ा है कि कोई pattern मिल जाये| लेकिन नहीं मिला| आप जो चाहती हैं उस से एक नंबर भी नहीं बनेगा students का असली पेपर वाले दिन|

और एक दिन माया चौधरी ने कहा कि ये notes बंटवाना हम लोगों के लिए काफी मेहेंग पड़ रहा है| आप कोई दूसरा तरीका निकालिए| तब मैंने अपने सारे notes कि soft-copy बनाई और Online डाल दिए ताकि students उनको download कर सकें| मैं किसी दूकान पर copy नहीं देना चाहता था जिस से students करीद सकें| उसकी वजह थी इस बात से बचना , ताकि कहीं आपस में students बात ना बनाने लग जायें कि "मास्टर का जर्रोर दूकान पे commission होगा"| करीबन 4-5 महीने तक यूँ ही चलता रहा| लेकिन हर किसी के पास laptop, mobile या internet नहीं होता| ऐसे students के request करने पर मैंने फिर वो notes कुछ दूकान दारों को दे दिए|

आज भी विद्यार्थियों को थोड़ी बहुत dissatisfaction हो रही है, उसकी वजह एक तो यह है कि ना तो students समझते है कि previous questions के answers तो वो किसी भी किताब में पा सकते हैं| लेकिन जो आने वाला है उसका हम सिर्फ अंदाजा लगा कर Physics के concepts समझने में वक़्त लगायें तो बेहतर होगा| दूसरी वजह कि मुझे मजबूर किया गया है कम पढाने के लिए| ऐसे में मैं वही करवाऊंगा जो मुझे सबसे अधिक महत्वपूर्ण लगता है आने वाले exams के लिए|

जब 2014 और 2015 के CGL Pre के exams हुए, मुझे बड़ी ख़ुशी हुई यह जान कर कि 2-3 questions लगभग हर पेपर में वही आ रहे हैं जो मैं उस 10 hours में ही पढ़ाता हूँ| और जो नहीं पढ़ाता, उसका reference कहीं ना कहीं मेरे notes में है| तो अगर किसी भी student ने मेरे notes को एक बार भी ढंग से पढ़ लिया होता, तो वो अवश्य और 2-3 questions extra कर आता| Although 100% कि guarantee तो मेरे Notes पढ़ कर भी नहीं है, वरना फिर teacher कि किसी को ज़रूरत ही कहाँ रह जाएगी?

Teacher's meeting में मैंने जब ये मुद्दा उठाया तब राजीव सौमित्र ने इस बात का आश्वासन दिया था कि GS के subjects के hours बढ़ाये जायेंगे, क्योकि उनके हिसाब से GS भी महत्वपूर्ण है| मुझे नहीं लगता कि नीतू सिंह ने कभी GS को महत्त्व दिया हो| राजीव सौमित्र ने बाद में हर subject के teacher से मिल कर उनके लिए कितने hours required हैं, इस कि list बनवा कर संजय शर्मा (academic head) को लिखवाई| हालांकि वह list बने हुए भी 6 महीने से ज्यादा बीत चुके हैं| इस बीच KD Campus का बनना, Court में चल रहे cases वगैरह जैसे events ने अपनी जगह बनायीं| लेकिन अभी तक GS portion को finish करने के लिए जो जल्दबाजी वाली strategy माया चौधरी के समय बनी थी, वह अभी तक कायम है|

मेरा तब तक पढाने का जो जज्बा था, जो दिल खुश हो कर मैं पढ़ाता था, वो शौक Paramount ने मार दिया| अंकुर Sir से मेरी कभी-कभी बात होती है| वो बाहर के Centres में Physics संभालते है| वो भी इस बात से परेशान है कि students के साथ कम से कम Physics में justification नहीं हो रहा| और जब अंशुल ma'm कुछ दिनों के लिए leave पर गई, तब से मुझे bio में भी यही लगने लगा कि सिर्फ total-पूरा हो रहा है|

जब पहला GS Special batch बनाया गया, यह कह कर कि ये UPSC Aspirants के लिए है| मुझे लगा कि यहाँ मौका मिलेगा खुल कर पढाने का| लेकिन ऐसा नहीं हुआ| वह भी 18 hours कि restriction लगाईं गई| अरे तुम UPSC level का करवाना चाहते हो और वहां भी वक़्त नहीं दे रहे? खैर मैंने जितने भी GS batches लिए, सभी में आवश्यकता से अधिक घंटे लिए| जी खोल कर पढाया| वहां यदि मेरी salary कटे तो कटे| फर्क नहीं पढता| आखिर इन विद्यार्थियों कि कुछ उम्मीदें हैं| वो मुझे पूरी करनी हैं| लेकिन ये समाज सेवा मैं SSC batches में नहीं करता| वह जब students extra जानना चाहते भी है तो कभी कभार बता भी देता हूँ| लेकिन साथ साथ GS Batches में admission लेने कि सलाह भी देता हूँ|

इस article के शुरू में मैंने SSC को पढाना "collateral damage" कहा है| वो इसलिए क्योकि उन 10 घंटों में सभी का नुक्सान हो रहा है| नुकसान Science वालों का, क्योकि उन्हें पहले से ही थोडा बहुत आता है, तो इतने कम वक़्त में कुछ ख़ास सीखने को नहीं मिलेगा| नुकसान Arts+commerce वालों का, क्योकि उन्हें कुछ भी नहीं आता तो समझने में जोर पड़ता है जो कम वक़्त में समझना आसान नहीं है| Learning curve in my class rises steep. तो अगर कोई ढीला हो कर बैठा है तो उसने सब कुछ गँवा दिया| जब कि विद्यार्थी कि उम्मीद हमसे बहुत ज्यादा होती हैं| कि ढंग से पढाया जायेगा| नुकसान teacher का, क्योकि वह इतने से समय में अपनी ability का सम्पूर्ण उपयोग नहीं कर सकता| और नुकसान संस्थान का, क्योकि low education quality से नाम खराब होता है|

और मुझे कहा जाता है कि आप क्लास में लिखवाते नहीं हो| लेकिन और कोई तरीका नहीं है|  रट्टा मार लो कि pendulum कि acceleration extreme पर maximum होती है| समझने का वक़्त नहीं है| जो चल रहा है, चलने दो|

(कहीं कहीं मात्राओं कि गलती है, जो मुझे भी नज़र आ रही हैं| पर ये article आराम से लिखने का वक़्त नहीं था, तो spelling mistakes को नज़रंदाज़ करें) :-D

How to Download Sulemani Keeda

TVF InBoxOffice was providing the online streaming service pf the movie Sulemani Keeda. I pre-booked for Rs. 99 and in return got Rs. 100 credit through freecharge. So, actually, they were paying me one Rupee to watch it. Not bad. I loved it.

It was to be launched online on 21 Jan. It didn't just pop out ready at mid-night stroke. But I tried again at about 5 PM. And I could watch it fine.

But here is the problem. Even after having high speed broadband, it was buffering sometimes. And once you switch to high-quality mode, no way you can watch it. So, I thought it would be better to download first and then watch it. But it's not that easy as Youtube downloading. It's different. And It was tough for me to figure out how to do that. So, here I am presenting 'the' method.

Method 1. Torrent (Failed): I could not find it on torrent

Method 2. IDM or Ant-Downloader (Failed): They did not detect media

Method 3. (For Mozilla Users): Go to Tools > Page Info > Media > (Look for swf or similar file) > Save (Failed). It returned a webpage instead of movie.

Method 4. Retry IDM or Ant (Succeeded): But with a trick. The trap is this.
Go to the page from where you want to download. Do not click on play-button. Right-click on the video (without playing it). Click on "Switch Media to Streaming". And Voila! Both IDM and Ant will catch the file. Download it happily.

Method 5. Screen Recording (Didn't try): So, there exists this another way which I didn't try though it would have passed for sure I know. But I didn't try it for three reasons. One, it would also record the buffering, so your target is not achieved. Two, It would not be of that good quality as the original file. Three, it would be a bit of better quality only if you pay for nice softwares like Camtasia. Although, an easy method would be to record your screen through your smartphone via free softwares like splashtop over Wi-Fi Connection. But again it would be only of lower quality (640p I supppose)

Caution: I did not post it to help you in piracy. I faced the problem of buffering (and hence movie doesn't look like movie). I did it for personal entertainment so that I could get the maximum out of the money I paid. Personally, the movie wasn't that bad (but also not that good as per my expectations with TVF). Also, I did not find any convincing downloading methods online. It was full of all the same stuff that I already know (be it flash downloading plugins for firefox or Orbit downloader or DAM or whatever). None of them worked until I did that "right-click" thing. Hope that helps you to enjoy the movie without buffering.

Disclaimer: All this information is to help those who paid for the stuff. Not to promote privacy. I am a big fan of TVF. So, I would be happy if you use the downloaded movie for personal use only. :)

Batch Status

To know the batch status, click on the desired month

• January 2014
•  February 2014 
• March 2014
• April 2014
• May 2014

कहाँ गया फिर मैं?

अलाहाबाद में मेरी SSB आई थी| मुझे पहले ही दिन निकाल दिया वैसे तो :-) पर कोई बात नहीं| Chill मारता हुआ घर की तरफ निकल लिया| अब इतना idea तो था नहीं कि बढ़िया performance के बावजूद निकाल देंगे (मुझे तो मेरी performance गज़ब लगी), फिर भी to be safe side, पहले से ही वापस आने का reservation करवा रखा था| लेकिन train रात को नौ बजे थी| जाऊँ कहाँ? अलाहाबाद पहली बार आया हूँ| कुछ तो देख कर जाऊँ| काफी जगह सोची| एक list में देखा कि क्या-क्या है यहाँ घूमने के लिए|

१) संगम : गंगा और यमुना जहाँ मिलती हों, तो देखना तो बनता है|
२) आनंद भवन: जवाहर लाल नेहरु का घर तो देख ही लें|
३) और भी तीन चार ऐसे ही tourist place के नाम थे|

अब इतना समय तो था नहीं के सब कुछ देख लूँ| पर आखिर में जो देखने का decide किया, उसके बाद कुछ और देखने का मन ही नहीं रहा| मन किया की बस वहाँ पहुँच कर बैठा ही रहूँ - बैठा ही रहूँ| वापस आने का मन ही नहीं था| वो जगह थी Alfred Park|

इसे आज कल कंपनी बाग के नाम से या चंद्रशेखर पार्क के नाम से जानते हैं| ऑटो वालों से कहा की चंद्रशेखर पार्क जाना है तो कोई समझ ही नहीं पाया| बड़ी मुश्किल से कोई एक ऑटो वाला मिला जो बोला की शायद वो जनता है की ये कहाँ पर है| तब जा कर वहाँ पहुँचा| उस पेड़ के नीचे काफी देर तक बैठा जिस के नीचे 'आज़ाद' शहीद हुए थे| दिल आ गया उस जगह पर| फिर बारिश आ गई| जब तक बारिश नहीं थमी, वहीँ बैठा रहा| वो पेड़ क्या देखा, बस अब और कुछ देखने को बाकी नहीं रहा| तृप्ति हो गई| और अँधेरा होते-होते मैं वापस railway station आ गया|

लेकिन दुःख हुआ थोडा सा ये सोच कर कि लोग तो इस जगह को इस कदर भूल गए हैं कि इसी शहर के लोगों को भी याद नहीं की अलाहाबाद में ऐसा कोई पार्क भी है| बाकी सब तो बकवास था| उस संगम में क्या रखा है? धर्म? जहाँ कुम्भ में लोग खो जाते हैं? उस संगम और उन नदियों से कहीं ज्यादा पवित्र था ये पेड़|

(Inspired to write this article after watching the following video by few of my favourite juniors. Kudos boys. Well made. You share my feelings)

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My top 15 favorite brands

1) Puma

2) Digit Magazine

3) Microsoft

4) Sony

5) Flipkart

6) Samsung

7) Google

8) Mc-D

9) NCERT

10) Sennheiser

11) Philips

12) Cadbury

13) Punjab National Bank

14) Converse

15) Dell

My top 15 favorite movies

1) WALL-E

2) The Greatest Game Ever Played

3) Titanic

4) The Great Debaters

5) 12 Angry Men

6) The Pursuit of Happyness

7) The Prestige

8) The King's Speech

9) Ocean's Eleven

10) Groundhog Day

11) Socha Na Tha

12) Life Is Beautiful

13) Forrest Gump

14) Mangal Pandey

15) Pearl Harbor

My top 10 favorite actresses

1) Soha Ali Khan

2) Anushka Sharma

3) Sadhna Shivdasani

4) Ayesha Takia

5) Konkona Sen Sharma

6) Mahi Gill

7) Sonal Chauhan

8) Gayatri Joshi

9) Prachi Desai

10) Diana Penty

Considering Suicide? Come to Galib

1)
I never attempted a suicidal act. But it doesn't mean I never thought about it. The first time I thought about attempting a suicide was in class 11th. I was feeling very sad that day. I was sitting quietly in the class and felt that I ruined everything. My chemistry grades were poor and it added more to my grief. I felt like killing myself at the very instant. And then I made a list of factors that were compelling me to do so. I remember that one of the points I considered was "OS of my computer-system crashed yesterday. I don't know how to repair it. I guess my computer is damaged which means a loss of 25,000 Rs. to my dad. What to do?" I gazed at all the factors and started eliminating them one by one if they can be improved upon. And if not, I should talk to a family member I trust upon. I eliminated all but one. That evening, I went to dad and asked if he was also my friend, besides being my dad. He made me sit, and explain what's the matter? I started crying and said "I miss her". My dad hugged me tightly and said "Beta, tu gud (jaggery) hai. Wo ladki makkhi hai. Apni mithaas banaye rakhna. Makkhiyan aur bahut aayengi." And that ruled out the probable attempt of suicide.

2)
Second time I thought about it was when I was in first year, AIT. I was under immense stress of ragging. Plus there were other factors. I wanted to go to a medical college. Engineering wasn't the field of my choice. Moreover, I recently had a breakup. That night, I was on the top of 4-storey hostel. It was about 11PM. I was crying. I called dad and told him that "I can't stay here anymore. Please take me home". And my dad said "What kind of Army-brat are you? I won't console you even the slightest. You yourself must feel the honor of being the son of an Army man. Your dad have gone through the toughest times. Can't you even acclimatize to this little ragging-thing? Remember, when going gets tough, the tough gets going." That statement made me the most ragged boy of AIT, and I never shed a single tear. I took everything like an army man takes orders from his officer, no matter what it is.

3)
Third time I thought of suicide was 1 month back. I was coming leaving home for Bangalore. And the night before departure, I did some mathematical analysis to decide whether to do it or not. The analysis is as follows:

SUICIDE

TO DO OR NOT TO DO

Issue: Should it be done or not

Criteria: Voting system with weightage (scores)

Algorithm:

• Each factor has a vote with weightage from 0 to 100
• Each factor must be either a Pro or a Con
• A weightage 0 means unalligned
• Cons votes be given negative assignments
• Sum all the scores
• If score is negative, do it
• If score is positive, don't

Conclusion: 1051 - 770 = 281 Don't do it.
RISK FACTOR - 3 more strong factors in Cons and you do it.

Factors: PRO - Why not to do

• Improve instead of escaping ------------------------------------96
• Dad chilling on rocking chair dream --------------------------95
• Experiments here (on earth) not complete yet ---------------94 
• Naam, Namak, Nishaan -----------------------------------------85
• Incomplete wishes of family ------------------------------------85
• Attack on religion dream ----------------------------------------84 
• Physics is calling ya :) -------------------------------------------81
• Life is full of beautiful girls ------------------------------------72
• Prove to family that you are worth ----------------------------71
• Bring peace to the world ----------------------------------------64
• You are unique ---------------------------------------------------44
• You are not idiot. Just needs time to understand self -------35
• Wishes of lover --------------------------------------------------32
• President of India dream ---------------------------------------30
• UN secretariat dream -------------------------------------------28
• She loves you ----------------------------------------------------28 
• Wishes of others -------------------------------------------------15
• They don't deserve your excellence ---------------------------10
• Sorrow leaving behind ------------------------------------------02

Factor : CONS - Why do it

• It doesn't even matter in geological timeline if I existed ---98
• I cause frustration to Didi, gf and others ---------------------96 
• Family lost faith in me ------------------------------------------89
• Gf feels I am a waste --------------------------------------------67
• Urge to see what's beyond (death) ----------------------------70
• I can't improve even if I wish to -------------------------------31
• I may cause loss to humanity ----------------------------------19
• My existence won't bring any good ---------------------------10 

• I am over self-confident. I am zero in real -------------------80
• My Didi also thinks so ------------------------------------------75
• My gf also thinks so ---------------------------------------------80
• My friends/colleagues also think so ---------------------------55

The notebook where I made 'the Suicide Analysis'

 Though, this method must have been  an idiotic way to determine the YES and NO solution. Many people may say that a mathematical model can't judge one's life and death. But I say that if the model if sufficiently well-framed (which lacks in mine, but a better model can be made) and factors given appropriate weight, this is a correct method. Later on I analyzed upon these factor also. I thought about the least and most important factors in both categories. No be noted that the top factor in my CONS (with score 98) is that It doesn't even matter if I ever existed in the geological timeline. And in fact, this is the absolute truth. And later on, this factor alone turned out to be my only motivation as a PRO in my later thoughts about suicide. Rather, it should have been under PROS instead of CONS. (And this proves that my model wasn't accurate. What should have been a +ve value, I treated it as -ve. But overall, the model can be improved upon).

 4)
I have been continuously "thinking" of attempting a suicide since last 3 days. The reason is a single thought - why am I alive? Who will remember me after I am gone. I don't even know who my grand-grand-grand father was? Was he a good man? Was he a thief? Was he a peasant under Mughals? So, my existence is insignificant. The only reason to live is to make myself significant enough. But again, even if I contribute to the society a lot, who will remember me a billion years later? Today I know Dennis Richie, Bill Gates and Ban Ki Moon. Those who are born after 2000 won't be knowing about Kofi Annan except those who prepare for competitive exams. As time pass, people have tendency to forget. We know Mahatma Gandhi and Bhagat Singh. If you don't know, you may refer Wikipedia. But after a billion years, Wikipedia wont be there. Neither this history. All that will be left is our remains. And they will excavate us like we do about Mesopotamia and Harappa today. No one known. Not even a single. Then why am I alive? This single thought was eating me away from inside.

Day and night, every second, I am thinking of it. I am listening to happy songs and sad songs. I have been trying to express my grief in poems, but they remain incomplete. I have made 6 incomplete poems, 4 incomplete sketches and 2 incomplete articles. Meanwhile, I came up with 3 of my own self-made physics problems and 2 mathematical problems. I got stuck at one of 'em where calculus got involved and solved others. I made 6 large scale Delhi maps, with and without metro stations on photoshop. I watched documentaries on Indus Valley Civilisation, 1984 Sikh genocide, and history of Taj Mahal. All this in last 3 days. 

I was aware that my B'day is approaching on 29th (i.e. today). I thought that it would be fun to die the same day you were born. But then another thought came to my mind. If I commit suicide at this hour, when my family is happy for me getting 22, it will not be a happy time anymore. My sister won't be left alive without me. She loves me that much. And after losing his wife, and both his kids, my dad won't last longer either. This thought moved me. It stopped me from committing the crime. But it changed my course. I must opt Buddhism and must go to Himalayas. I will not spend my life as a workless, worthless man. But I will live like a saint, teaching physics in the holy mountains. Oh, all these thoughts were so confusing.

And then at last, the only thing which game me relief was Mirza Ghalib. Every word of his poems did hit me hard. How can a man express my feelings in his poems? What I was never able to express, could never understand myself, he made me understand.

ये न थी हमारी किस्मत, के विसाल-ए-यार होता,

अगर और जीते रहते, यही इंतज़ार होता ||

तेरे वादे पर जिए हम, तो ये जान छूट जाना,

के ख़ुशी से मर न जाते, अगर ऐतबार होता ||

कोई मेरे दिल से पूछे तेरे तीर-ए-नीम कश को,

ये खलिश कहाँ से होती, जो जिगर के पार होता?

कहूँ किस से मैं के क्या है? शब्-ए-गम बुरी बला है,

मुझे क्या बुरा था मरना, अगर एक बार होता ||

ये मसायले तसव्वुफ़, ये तेरा बयान ग़ालिब,

तुझे हमवाली समझते, जो न बादाखार होता ||

 

How can one have such a strong command and control over words and expression? How grief can be merged with happiness, how to be a sadist and live like live-heart, no one knows better than Gaalib. I salute you O Gaalib! You solved my dilemma.

Bangalore Rajdhani services

This was the second (and probably the last) time I was travelling in Bangalore Rajdhani from Hazrat Nizamuddin to Bangalore City. I decided to keep notes of all they give on the journey as accessories. So, I made notes in my copy whenever I received anything from the train staff.

The train, Bangalore-Rajdhani Express, 12430, started from NZM at 8:50 PM on Nov 10, 2012 and reached SBC at 7:20 AM on Nov 12, 2012. Here is the soft copy of my notes:

Nov 10, 2012
On boarding
- 1 Magazine (Rail Bandhu)
- 1 Blanket
- 2 White Bedsheets
- 1 Small White Towel

10 minutes after Departure
- Bread sticks
- Butter
- Black pepper
-Water bottle (Bailley)
- Tomato soup

Dinner
- 2 Parathe
- Paneer Dish
- Daal Dish
- Spoon
- Lemon Rice
- Salad (Carrot, Raddish and green chilly)
- Sweet curd
- Salt
- Tissue paper
- Pickle

Just befor sleeping
- Barista Lavazza icecream

Nov 11, 2012
Early Morning
- Newspaper (Dainik Bhaskar)
-Fresca lime water

Breakfast
- Tea bag
- 2 bread pieces
- Butter
- Fruit jam
- Dairy Creamer (Nova)
- Sugar
- Spoon
- Dal Sambar
- Idli
- Wada
- Plastic coffee mug
- Hot water
- Nescafe coffee sache (on demand)

1 PM
- Bread stick
- Butter
- Black pepper
- Water bottle (Rail Neer)

Lunch
- Salad
- Salt
- Pickle
- Spoon
- 2 Parathe
- Sweet curd
- Jeera rice
- Moong Dal
- Aaalu Gobhi Matar dish

After Lunch
- Barista Lavazza icecream (vanila)

(Then I noticed, that we crossed Godavari River at 3:10 PM)

4:30 PM
- Bikano chana dal
- Sugar
- Fruit jam
- Bikano soan papdi cake
- Dairy Creamer (Nova)
- Tea bag
- Spoon
- 1 Toffee
- Hot water

8:10 PM
- Tomato soup

8:45 PM
- Salad (Cucumber, beetroot, green chilly)
- Spoon
- Pickle
- Salt
- Tissue paper
- Sweet curd
- Dal Sambhar
- Rice
- Soyabeen dish
- 2 Parathe

9:15 PM
- Cream-Bell icecream (vanila)

9:30 PM
- They started asking for tip (and they asked for tip in the morning again)

12 Nov, 2012
-Last night, we were told that we will get breakfast etc in the morning, but now they refused as the train was about to reach Bangalore. NO BREAKFAST. Train reached Yashwantpur at about 7:10 AM and SBC at about 7:20 AM.

Proud of my sister :)

Parents from middle class families never know much about the future of their ward. They are unaware of the education system going on.  All they can do is put their ward in a good (or famous) school in the near locality and have faith on it. If you are economically slightly better than a typical Indian family, at max parents will arrange a coaching for you. But they themselves are totally unaware of what their child is learning. They can't monitor it. Even my mom-dad didn't know anything. Parents come to know only when one of their children has gone through these times. My sister was elder. And my dad didn't even have the slightest hint of competitive exams. They just knew these is something called PMT. And neither the schools provide such info to the kids. Who cares for all 120-200 students informing them about the competitive exams? So, my sister was left with unawareness. She gave her first PMT in haste and trailing behind her classmates. So, it went all messed up. When she couldn't clear even the 'pre', she came to know what this competition really mean. By the time, I came to XI, she decided to have a drop year. Now there opened an academy in Bhiwani. Someone told my dad that coaching helps in clearing exams, so he put both of we siblings to that local institute. Plus there started family problems in our home. Those tensions couldn't let her study. As a result, she lost another year there gaining nothing. Again she couldn't even clear CBSE-PMT pre.

Now I came to XII and she was broken completely. My dad raised her, hugged her and said "Beta tu ek try aur le. Main tere sath hu. Chinta kyu karti hai?". He gave her determination. When your family is with you, when they support you, it is a great help. My sister is a little slow at understanding concepts. She grasp topic a little late. So it was obvious that her performance would improve gradually. She stayed at home. She used to study late night with me.This time, we both were to attempt for PMT together. And we both cleared pre. Alas! None of us could clear mains. In BHU, I was unable to clear pre. She cleared it. In GGSIPU (for VMMC and ACMS), I again failed in pre but she qualified for the mains also. She could get an admission to ACMS as her rank was good but our financial conditions were not that good that my dad could afford huge fees of ACMS. So, didi told my dad "last time you asked me to take another shot. This time I ask you to take another chance. Believe your daughter. I will crack the best govt. medical colleges this time". I salute that determination of my sister. She is a little slow at studies, but she is way too ahead in social and human nature. And she dropped again while I came to AIT Pune. And she really did what she said. She had 6th rank in whole Haryana, cracked ACMS again, cracked BHU, JIPMER, COMEDK and many other exams simultaneously. But this year, ACMS had dropped its fees to a lot of extent and it had also gained a lot of reputation in its first year. Plus, career is more secure through ACMS. So, leaving all other colleges (including PGIMS Rohtak), she opted for ACMS only.

My sister is a great example of determination and hard work. Besides being a little less capable than her peers, she overcame her weakness with immense hard work. And ultimately she succeeded what she decided to achieve. And I am so proud of my sister. No one can sustain so many failures and then rise with immense success. Most of her classmates either dropped for at max 1 year and then opted for BDS etc or went for BSc. which even my sister could do. But now she stands higher than those who lost hopes early.

Today she is one of the best students and among toppers in her MBBS class keeping her pace and hard-work in coherence. I am so proud of her.

PG for NG in Bangalore

PG 1

View from 6th floor, Spectra Cypress

For few days after my joining, Mu-Sigma made me stay in Spectra Cypress Apartments at Kundalhalli Gate. The address was mailed to me long before joining. And I was given a 14 days time to find my own place to live. Within a few days, I shifted to a PG in AECS Layout. Finding a PG in Bangalore is easy, but finding a good PG is tough. I was habitual of Pune. It is preferable (and cheaper) taking a BHK in Pune. In Bangalore, flats are costly. My PG was providing me
1) Food (which is not suitable for north Indians at all)
2) Wi-Fi Internet (and the signal strength was almost zero. Somehow, Google home page opened in 2 hours)
3) Attached bathroom (for a combo room of 4 guys)
4) Promising private cup-board (which I didn't get till I was there)

So, though I was paying for all these, I didn't get profit of any. I had to pay separately for lunch, dinner in restaurants and internet connection of my own (10Mbps, 50 GB FUP, Rs 999 per month).

PG 2

Hall in PG 2

Within a month, I found a better PG in Kundalhalli colony. The new PG owner charged a little more, but I had a small singlet room of my own, attached bathroom, hall shared by another room, TV (with cable) and internet connection with better signal strength. The other room (for sharing hall) was occupied by 3 college boys (there was a college nearby named CMRIT). So, It was sort of college-like environment when I was a BE in singlet and SEs were in triplet. Here, two of these boys were FEs and one was SE. But these FEs had no fear to that SE like in AIT it used to be (we AITians are proud of our ragging-traditions). So overall, I loved this place. These boys also shifted here the day I shifted. After a few days, one evening, few SEs from college came in the PG (this building had 4 floors with 16 residents per floor, almost all of them being FEs of the same college and few being SEs). Those boys came and sat in my hall with that other SE friend of theirs who lived aside me. They all decided to rag the FEs.

Soon after some time, the hall had about 6-7 FEs standing in tashan and the SEs trying to break off their ego. My door was open that moment and I was sitting on my chair making a pencil sketch. I paused for a moment and put my chair near my door enjoying the view. (They all knew I am a BE, and all used to call me Bhaiya. None of those SEs had that vigour as AITians have. Just giving a try (or say 'fight maar rahe the' in AIT's lingo) to rag. And the FE's, half awake, half slept, yawning, standing loose were reluctant to listen. It seemed to me as if SEs were being ragged. An FE yawning? What a shame to an SE. One of the SEs invited me to sit on the sofa in the hall "Arey bhaiya, wahan kyu baithe ho. Aaiye na". I nodded in no with a smile but then one of the FE did something which was forbidden in AIT if you are in front of a senior, 'taking cell phone out of the pocket, without a call AND without prior permission'.

After I became Mr. fresher of AIT in 2008, I was ragged enormously, the entire year, both semesters. And when I became SE, I indulged in this act of POP (as known in AIT) to just a limit. I did some entertaining ragging in my SE (entertaining to both, ragger and raggee). Today, those ragged by me are BEs and placed in few of the finest firms :). And I left ragging in TE and BE. Now, this FE instigated me. This cell phone was limit. And then, that night became the AIT night for those all FEs. And the SEs just kept looking. I made them do all AIT formations (including maharaja, cliff-hanger, namaaz, aarti, murga etc). And then they repeated in echo as asked "Jo garv se ragging dete hain, wo studd ban jate hain. Ragging se bach ke bhagne wale C*** hote hain".

Flat 1
Just after 12 days of my shift to this PG, one day I was looking at yammer in ITPL. There was a post regarding a 3BHK in Prestige Palms apartments (where I live now) looking for a flatmate. I approached the guys and saw the flat. It was heaven. I have never seen such a good flat. It was grand, and so was the rent. In total 32K. The 3 other tenants (and my current flatmates) were as follows
1) Vishwender Dalal - Delhi ka Jat, Ramaiah College, Mu-Sigma (Nick: Mighty Raju). I call him 'Bade Bhaiya'. He has a well built body. There was a time when this rich spoiled used to prepare for Mr. Bangalore
2) Naveen Mahto - Jharkhand ka Kurmi, Ramaiah College, Mu-Sigma (Nick: Mallu). I call him Muls. Full-time smoker and complete Bihari by attitude.
3) Ashwini - Bihari, Ramaiah College, some civil-engineering company (Nick: (None)). I call him 'Mote bhai'. The fatso of our flat and unmarried uxorious (or say poor pussywhipped). Nice at heart.

Overall, I loved this flat (and the flatmates). Me and Dalal wanted singlets (I have to make physics video lectures in silence. But why Dalal?) Naveen and Ashwini wanted to share the room. So the rent was divided as 9-9-7-7 respectively (plus electricity, internet, water, food, maid). So, At least 15K per month was to be spent on basic living. But after that, there was no expense. It was near my company. So, there was no travel expense now (earlier it was). Plus there were many other facilities which were not in my previous PGs viz. Swimming pool, Gym, Big-Really BIG rooms, 2 LCD TVs, 4 cupboards including dressing table of my own, your own private attached bathroom, a good society area, and luxurious (not uxorious) life.

So, to shift here, I quickly made my money settlements in the PG and shifted the very next Saturday. Now the only problem was money for security deposit. It was total 2 lac for the entire flat. So, for each of us, it was 50K. I called dad and asked for the money. Asking for some time, my dad managed to arranged that amount of money by the deadline.

Following are few pics of my current home :)