About Me
- Ashwini C N
- Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
- People laugh at me, coz I'm different; And I laugh at them, coz they're all the same.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
The power of a smile :)
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Chennai Sangamam
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Compering and Me
I was always interested in compering. I don't exactly remember as to when i became so crazy about it, but yea,there are certain things you just don't seem to notice when its growing, you notice is only when it blooms to the maximum extent and appears in front of you. And my college has indeed given me a good foundation to develop something which i never thought i could do.
1)The first time I compered. Guest lecture-1st year.
I was in my first year. Just one month in coll and we were having a free hour. A staff from our department, Shanmugathai Mam, came to our class and announced that there was going to be a guest lecture the next day and asked for volunteers for compering. I wanted to give my name but there was some inhibition and I succumbed to it. My then class coordinator, Satish sir coaxed me into giving my name and finally I gave my name. The reason I was not very much for it was because it had been hardly a month at coll, all of us were new and we were just getting used to each other and the college and staff and I dint want to experiment on something new right on the first month, not that I had stage fear! So I gave my name and all I mam handed me a paper and all I asked her was,
"Mam, do I have to prepare anything on my own or do I have to just read the material which you've given." She immediately said,"hey your English is good, you're selected, meet me tomorrow at 9."
I was at a loss for words and I was flying in the air. But then, I was determined to do well and stayed focused on that. Luckily for me, the compering went on well and I was content.
2) Convergence-1st year
I'd given my name for compering for our symposium. I was selected for the inaugural session along with another person. That was the first time when our Dean, Sitaraman Sir, appreciated us. While giving the inaugural address, he said" The MC's are doing a great job! keep it up!". That indeed was memorable because that was the first time; somebody appreciated me in front of an audience of about 400.
3) Sairam Institute Of Technology, Inception day - 3rd semester
When we were in our second year, Sairam Institute of Technology was started by our Chairman and luckily, I got the chance to compeer for the first induction day of SIT.
4) Women’s day function - 4rth semester
Our college usually celebrates Women's day. An eminent Women Entrepreneur is usually called to preside over the small function and every year, one student from each department is honoured the "Best outgoing women" with a medal. I compeered for the women’s day programme.
5)Induction day - 5th semester
I was in my 3rd year. This time I got to compeer with two more seniors of mine. Learnt a lot from them. The program went on well and I was feeling satisfied with myself :)
6) International conference Inauguration (ECE dept)- 6th semester
I'm in my 6th sem now. We had an International conference conducted jointly by the departments of ECE, CSE, IT and MCA. Our dept was in charge of the inaugural session and I got to compeer along with a few others from my department. I was compering for an International conference . Wow!
7)International conference, session 2- 6th semester
As a part of the three day conference mentioned above, I got a chance to conduct the paper presentation session scheduled for the day and a panel discussion regarding the theme of our Conference.
8)International Conference Inauguration (Mechanical dept)-6th semester
Soon after our International conference, the Department of Mechanical engineering also conducted a conference, and for reasons unknown(to others J) ,a few of us were selected to compeer. Before leaving for college in the morning, when I was talking to mom, I told her that for the first time in 3 years, ever since I started compering, there was this unknown fear in me. My mom just laughed it out and wished me luck and true to her word, It went on very well. I should say I put in my utmost, mainly because it was another department, but Thank God, everything went on smoothly and the Mechanical department staff was satisfied.
Hmm...Looking back, I should say Sairam has indeed given me more than what I dreamt of when I entered its gates on Day 1. I earnestly thank everyone from the bottom of my heart who've been instrumental and whose help I can never forget. A special note of thanks to Satish sir, who gave me the confidence that I could give it a try and To Shanmugathai Mam, without whom it wouldn't have been possible for me to write an entire post on just Compering and Me.
Touch Wood!!! :)
After a break of 6 months!
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Why Hue and cry about Capitation fees?
The complaint:
For the past few days, the engineering and medical colleges of Tamil Nadu have come under the scanner for collecting exorbitant capitation fees. Parents of the so-called “Aspiring” students have put forward a word of complaint and The Government has created a board to keep a check on all colleges to see to that the fee structure of the colleges is in accordance to the norms established by the government.
Why capitation fees?
When the issue of collecting capitation fees was raised, I was told that according to the Government norms, for students who enter a college through counseling, a maximum of only Rs 40,000 could be paid as tuition fees and another Rs30,000 for transport and other fees. Practically, none of the colleges can sustain with a mere 40000. Every college needs to have a good infrastructure, the most important criteria when it comes to choosing a college. They need to have sufficient classrooms, adequate lab facilities equipped with the latest technology. They need to have enough teaching and non teaching staff, of good caliber and intellect and they have to pay them well. Since most of the colleges are situated away from the city, they need to have buses running all over the city. They have to provide good buses; you need drivers and assistants for that. And then there are lots more, its not a simple task to run an institution. So apart from tuition fees they collect money for transport and development and many other criteria. This is what I was told.
The Real Scenario.
Let me just give an example. In Chennai, I can buy a saree for mere Rs 1000 or I can get it for a lavish sum of 3lakhs (you get it for even more!). But it is my choice to select whichever saree I want. The people selling it for a huge sum are not cajoling me into buying it. The ball is entirely in my court and it’s up to me to choose whichever I want.
This is exactly what is happening in the colleges today. I WILL NOT BLAME THE INSTITUTIONS. It’s the parents who are to be blamed. If their child studied well and secured a decent score, they’re happy with it and wait patiently for the counseling. But not everyone can get the top rank, right? So what happens to students who have not performed well? Their parents, who are ready to pay lakhs or even crores to enroll their wards in a good institution, approach the top-notch colleges, explain to them the situation , that they need a seat for their ward in that particular college because of its excellent infrastructure and good placement offers etc .and as a compensation they pay the college, a “little” more than the normal fee structure.(mind you…its anyone’s guess as to how much “little” is in this context.)
So are the colleges forcing the parents pay the money? Are they compelling everyone who comes to their office to pay the huge sum? It’s the parents who go, enquire and pay. And why do they do all this? They do it because their children have not performed well, but in spite of it they want their child to get into the best colleges. So how can we blame the colleges? I’m not trying to justify what the colleges are doing, but still is it fair on our part to blame them? So finally what happens is, in a class of around 60 you have just 20 or so students who come from counseling and the remaining through management. So obviously the quality and standard of education will go down. I would actually say it’s a loss for colleges in terms of ranking. A student who couldn’t perform well in the 12th grade, how will he be able to manage engineering or medical syllabus? Engineering is not an easy job and as for medicine, it goes without saying.
So I would say it’s only the parents’ mistake, forcing the children into going for engineering when they couldn’t manage a 12th standard exam. So Parents, please don’t force your kids to do what you like, allow them to choose they field they wish to specialize in.




