India Graduates Millions, But Too Few Are Fit to Hire • Hacker News Board

Re: India Graduates Millions, But Too Few Are Fit to Hire

#11

Post by mquander » Tue, Apr 05, 2011, 5:44 PM UTC

bdhe wrote: post #7

An important, but tangential point to note is that unlike the US, college education in India does not allow for a student to independently chose his/her major. People join colleges already deciding (without taking a single course) what they plan to get a degree in. This leads to two things: 1. Most people do not have a clue about their interests and passion until it is too late (or never!). 2. The only majors that pe…

As someone who knows nothing about the Indian education system, can you clarify? Do Indian children have their major chosen for them via parents, tests, or administrators? Or do they decide on their own focus, but prior to college?

I would also offer that the article isn't complaining that graduates are not passionate about their work; it's complaining that they appear to have taken very little away from their education at all. Having less volition intuitively explains a lack of passion, but I'm not convinced that it does a great job explaining a lack of competence -- passion can be replaced by discipline and social pressure. I find the article's description of problems with teaching, school culture, and school curricula to be more obviously plausible.

Re: India Graduates Millions, But Too Few Are Fit to Hire

#12

Post by mithaler » Tue, Apr 05, 2011, 5:46 PM UTC

galadriel wrote: post #10

dman wrote: post #2

That is probably true globally.

Can teachers be bribed in US to pass students ? (Just curious)

I imagine this can happen anywhere, US or otherwise.

Re: India Graduates Millions, But Too Few Are Fit to Hire

#13

Post by w1ntermute » Tue, Apr 05, 2011, 5:47 PM UTC

mquander wrote: post #11

bdhe wrote: post #7

An important, but tangential point to note is that unlike the US, college education in India does not allow for a student to independently chose his/her major. People join colleges already deciding (without taking a single course) what they plan to get a degree in. This leads to two things: 1. Most people do not have a clue about their interests and passion until it is too late (or never!). 2. The only majors that pe…

As someone who knows nothing about the Indian education system, can you clarify? Do Indian children have their major chosen for them via parents, tests, or administrators? Or do they decide on their own focus, but prior to college? I would also offer that the article isn't complaining that graduates are not passionate about their work; it's complaining that they appear to have taken very little away from their educat…

> Do Indian children have their major chosen for them via parents, tests, or administrators?

Parents. Their future job is usually decided for them before they're even born. The number of people who go into a particular profession because they enjoy it is exceedingly small.

Re: India Graduates Millions, But Too Few Are Fit to Hire

#14

Post by presidentender » Tue, Apr 05, 2011, 5:47 PM UTC

galadriel wrote: post #10

dman wrote: post #2

That is probably true globally.

Can teachers be bribed in US to pass students ? (Just curious)

Think about that question for a few moments, and tell me the last time you ran across something in this world that was not negotiable.

Re: India Graduates Millions, But Too Few Are Fit to Hire

#15

Post by w1ntermute » Tue, Apr 05, 2011, 5:47 PM UTC

petervandijck wrote: post #8

"For their next challenge, they had to type 25 words a minute" That's pretty slow, right?

...further underscoring the shockingly poor quality of the applicants.

Re: India Graduates Millions, But Too Few Are Fit to Hire

#16

Post by shriphani » Tue, Apr 05, 2011, 5:48 PM UTC

mquander wrote: post #11

bdhe wrote: post #7

An important, but tangential point to note is that unlike the US, college education in India does not allow for a student to independently chose his/her major. People join colleges already deciding (without taking a single course) what they plan to get a degree in. This leads to two things: 1. Most people do not have a clue about their interests and passion until it is too late (or never!). 2. The only majors that pe…

As someone who knows nothing about the Indian education system, can you clarify? Do Indian children have their major chosen for them via parents, tests, or administrators? Or do they decide on their own focus, but prior to college? I would also offer that the article isn't complaining that graduates are not passionate about their work; it's complaining that they appear to have taken very little away from their educat…

They typically take a test. The choice of majors is pretty broad for those who place first. They end up taking CS, EE and other popular majors. Those who placed in the 2000+ ranks get to pick from an increasingly smaller pool.

By the time they get to assigning spots for those who placed 5000 and above, you are probably left with textiles, metallurgy and some other arcane fields.

Re: India Graduates Millions, But Too Few Are Fit to Hire

#17

Post by dman » Tue, Apr 05, 2011, 5:49 PM UTC

galadriel wrote: post #10

dman wrote: post #2

That is probably true globally.

Can teachers be bribed in US to pass students ? (Just curious)

Its included in the tution! http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/court-battle-o... Note: Story is about Canada not the US. Frankly I think its rather hard to fail in a US university course.

Re: India Graduates Millions, But Too Few Are Fit to Hire

#18

Post by codelion » Tue, Apr 05, 2011, 5:51 PM UTC

Part of the problem is a social and cultural system where due to the success of IT industry, every parent wants to see their kid become an engineer. Many of the engineering colleges do not even take minimum tests for admission and you can buy seats on so called management quota. Even in premier institutes like IITs, NITs etc 30% of seats are reserved under SC/ST caste based quota scheme. It is no wonder that majority of people who are graduating are not employable. The article is well sourced but ignored some of the social and political issues in India which are the root of the problem along with a dysfunctional government.

Re: India Graduates Millions, But Too Few Are Fit to Hire

#19

Post by sid6376 » Tue, Apr 05, 2011, 5:51 PM UTC

The basic problem is that instead of focusing on improving one's skill set, the focus is more on hacking the system; getting that job or admission into a college. I have seen how resumes were photocopied from a standard template with only personal details changed. Also most of the answers were canned and memorized based on what the interviewers would like to hear. I am not sure if this happens across the globe,perhaps someone can comment. Also most of the engineering entrance exams test on math, physics and chemistry. A lot of the graduates come from areas where the standard of english teaching is not very high, which explains why they may have poor comprehension.

Re: India Graduates Millions, But Too Few Are Fit to Hire

#20

Post by romey » Tue, Apr 05, 2011, 5:52 PM UTC

galadriel wrote: post #10

dman wrote: post #2

That is probably true globally.

Can teachers be bribed in US to pass students ? (Just curious)

Well cheating was pretty rampant where I studied computer engineering, and I would guess that it isn't much different elsewhere. More important, though is that kids in America aren't learning any more that kids in India, albeit there are probably more students in technical degrees in India. Look here, though: http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2011/01/18/study_finds_la...