Comments on: US Embassy in India moves from the bottom of the heap to the Numero Uno http://www.sastwingees.org/2008/04/05/us-embassy-in-india-moves-from-the-bottom-of-the-heap-to-the-numero-uno/ Knowledge is Scrumptious Sun, 05 Feb 2012 13:13:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Sukumar http://www.sastwingees.org/2008/04/05/us-embassy-in-india-moves-from-the-bottom-of-the-heap-to-the-numero-uno/comment-page-1/#comment-2891 Sukumar Sun, 13 Apr 2008 04:09:42 +0000 http://www.sastwingees.org/2008/04/05/us-embassy-in-india-moves-from-the-bottom-of-the-heap-to-the-numero-uno/#comment-2891 Thanks Saraswathi. I have limited first hand experience of the US academic system but i have interacted with several students and i agree with you. In general even from the primary education onwards, the US education system encourages exploration and learning through experiments and exploration. By contrast the Indian system is entirely focused on rote education even extending to the university level. Some universities do make an attempt to change this like the IITs and IIMs and BITS Pilani, but those are elitist and very few in number. I am glad to see that you are observing a trend of students staying back. As you say, for this to become a bigger trend the Indian universities have to improve, become more research oriented, become more informal as you say. Thanks Saraswathi. I have limited first hand experience of the US academic system but i have interacted with several students and i agree with you. In general even from the primary education onwards, the US education system encourages exploration and learning through experiments and exploration. By contrast the Indian system is entirely focused on rote education even extending to the university level. Some universities do make an attempt to change this like the IITs and IIMs and BITS Pilani, but those are elitist and very few in number.

I am glad to see that you are observing a trend of students staying back. As you say, for this to become a bigger trend the Indian universities have to improve, become more research oriented, become more informal as you say.

]]> By: Saraswathi http://www.sastwingees.org/2008/04/05/us-embassy-in-india-moves-from-the-bottom-of-the-heap-to-the-numero-uno/comment-page-1/#comment-2890 Saraswathi Sun, 13 Apr 2008 03:38:00 +0000 http://www.sastwingees.org/2008/04/05/us-embassy-in-india-moves-from-the-bottom-of-the-heap-to-the-numero-uno/#comment-2890 Yes Sukumar, 9/11 changed a lot of things. Right from stricter custom checking to mandatory interviews. It's indeed an unfortunate event. Yes Sukumar, 9/11 changed a lot of things. Right from stricter custom checking to mandatory interviews. It’s indeed an unfortunate event.

]]> By: Saraswathi http://www.sastwingees.org/2008/04/05/us-embassy-in-india-moves-from-the-bottom-of-the-heap-to-the-numero-uno/comment-page-1/#comment-2889 Saraswathi Sun, 13 Apr 2008 03:24:54 +0000 http://www.sastwingees.org/2008/04/05/us-embassy-in-india-moves-from-the-bottom-of-the-heap-to-the-numero-uno/#comment-2889 Sukumar, Rigthly said, as long as youngsters and others feel that US is "the place" to be, there would be anxiety over US Visa's. But am definitely seeing a change in the trend. In the sense that the engineering batch who passed out with me, not many opted for Master's in US. They either worked or tried for MBA/M.E. And now after coming here I realize, most of the Indian students are like me(those who want to study here and get back to India in the future). However with the standard of Indian Universities increasing by the day, probably in the future, students would prefer to be in India. But I liked one thing about the US universities here. The informality between the professors and the students. Its a very good environment to make mistakes. The profs here never get angry. When we make mistakes they infact feel very happy and encourage our learning. I missed this environment during my Engineering in India. Sukumar,

Rigthly said, as long as youngsters and others feel that US is “the place” to be, there would be anxiety over US Visa’s. But am definitely seeing a change in the trend. In the sense that the engineering batch who passed out with me, not many opted for Master’s in US. They either worked or tried for MBA/M.E. And now after coming here I realize, most of the Indian students are like me(those who want to study here and get back to India in the future).

However with the standard of Indian Universities increasing by the day, probably in the future, students would prefer to be in India.

But I liked one thing about the US universities here. The informality between the professors and the students. Its a very good environment to make mistakes. The profs here never get angry. When we make mistakes they infact feel very happy and encourage our learning. I missed this environment during my Engineering in India.

]]> By: Sukumar http://www.sastwingees.org/2008/04/05/us-embassy-in-india-moves-from-the-bottom-of-the-heap-to-the-numero-uno/comment-page-1/#comment-2882 Sukumar Sat, 12 Apr 2008 02:42:50 +0000 http://www.sastwingees.org/2008/04/05/us-embassy-in-india-moves-from-the-bottom-of-the-heap-to-the-numero-uno/#comment-2882 Saraswathi, Thanks. It does seem to be anxiety. As India becomes more successful, hopefully we will lose that anxiety and realize that not getting a US Visa is not the end of the world. Today that is what most youngsters think. Most youngsters' only dream seems to be to goto the USA. As long as the USA has that kind of pull on youngsters, i don't see how the anxiety will go away? Yeah, even my parents got their visa to the USA quite easily by post when they came to the USA in 2000. But when they came again in 2003, they had to go for an interview. 9/11 has really changed a lot of things. It is sad that so many of us have to be inconvenienced for a horrendous crime comitted by relgious zealots. Saraswathi,
Thanks. It does seem to be anxiety. As India becomes more successful, hopefully we will lose that anxiety and realize that not getting a US Visa is not the end of the world. Today that is what most youngsters think. Most youngsters’ only dream seems to be to goto the USA. As long as the USA has that kind of pull on youngsters, i don’t see how the anxiety will go away?

Yeah, even my parents got their visa to the USA quite easily by post when they came to the USA in 2000. But when they came again in 2003, they had to go for an interview. 9/11 has really changed a lot of things. It is sad that so many of us have to be inconvenienced for a horrendous crime comitted by relgious zealots.

]]> By: Saraswathi http://www.sastwingees.org/2008/04/05/us-embassy-in-india-moves-from-the-bottom-of-the-heap-to-the-numero-uno/comment-page-1/#comment-2880 Saraswathi Sat, 12 Apr 2008 01:55:22 +0000 http://www.sastwingees.org/2008/04/05/us-embassy-in-india-moves-from-the-bottom-of-the-heap-to-the-numero-uno/#comment-2880 Sukumar, Yes anxiety would definitely be one of the reasons. Before my Visa interview, I literally got ton loads of advice from everyone(read those who had never been to a visa interview before) to be cautious and to reach the embassy before time. Probably we need some awareness about it, that it is ALRIGHT to go to the embassy 15-20 minutes before the scheduled time and not stand there right from the morning though the appointment may be for noon. Actually when my brother got his F-1 Visa in 2001 in April(we were living in Hyd), he did not even have to attend a Visa interview. He was asked to send copies of his documents through post and he got the Visa through post. Of course after 9/11, interviews became mandatory for F-1 visa students. Sukumar,

Yes anxiety would definitely be one of the reasons. Before my Visa interview, I literally got ton loads of advice from everyone(read those who had never been to a visa interview before) to be cautious and to reach the embassy before time. Probably we need some awareness about it, that it is ALRIGHT to go to the embassy 15-20 minutes before the scheduled time and not stand there right from the morning though the appointment may be for noon.

Actually when my brother got his F-1 Visa in 2001 in April(we were living in Hyd), he did not even have to attend a Visa interview. He was asked to send copies of his documents through post and he got the Visa through post. Of course after 9/11, interviews became mandatory for F-1 visa students.

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