Collaborate, not Compete!

An Indian Express article this week by Bihar's Additional Director-General of Police Abhyanand, 55, who teaches physics at Bihar's Super-30 Institute for IITJEE caught my attention. If you are not keyed into the news, this institute run by Abhyanand and Anand Kumar, 36, a local mathematician, takes up select students from the minority classes. They are taught for the IITJEE exam, arguably the toughest exam of its kind in the world. All of this comes free-of-cost!

The results this year: 30 students of this institute were ALL selected for the famed IITs! (Read the full story here)

I was always a keen admirer of this venture, but what came as a bit of a surprise was the fact that these 30 students were actually helping each other in their preparation. As far as I remember my days of preparation, I never saw two students preparing together for IITJEE! There were situations when friends used to hide their progress from each other, as if there was only one seat in IITJEE, and they were the two finalists! And here were a bunch of brilliant students, who actually helped each other towards the common goal.

When I look at the MBA (read CAT) preparation at our centre, I am relieved that there are groups getting ready for the test, NOT individuals. We have always believed that 5 brains working together is always better than the five working in isolation. At CL, Pune, we don't have as many number of students as there are total number of seats in all the IIMs put together! Well, theoretically, every student here stands a chance to grab an IIM seat :-)

The Bottomline: Form groups of 4-6 friends=> Spend all the time you can afford with each other (mainly studying, and hence, at the centre)=> Get into the IIMs with the same group as your batchmates!

Enjoy!

SAAT SAMUNDAR PAAR...(MIGRATORY WORDS)

I don't know why they do it? Now look at the word MODUS OPERANDI: It simply means a method of operating or functioning. It is a Latin word. You will see that ,this is a word often associated with any burglary or even murder sometimes. The synonyms are routine, a process, a method. But seriously, why do the authors do it? Why couldn't they have used the simple words? This makes me ponder about the incentive attached to being so verbose. Is it that they want to impress their readers? Or be the center of their attention or just that they are a bunch of sadist who enjoy imagining the perplexed expression on their readers' face.
Like tough English words were not enough!!!!!!!!!! The rampant use of foreign words is definitely not going to let us breathe easy. Can we fight this? Not Really. Like they say if you can’t fight them, join them. No guys I wouldn't like to join the much hated league. On the other hand, your very own AGONY AUNT is right here, trying to placate the pain of mugging up new words. Before they take a toll on you, let's conquer them.
Hence I would keep updating you with the new foreign words. Other commonly used foreign words are:
Penchant (French) means a strong inclination, taste or liking for something. Panache (French) means Dash and Flamboyance, Style. Aficionado (Spanish) means an ardent devotee. Bete Noire (French) means something or someone particularly disliked. Dolce Vita (Italian) just means sweet life .Faux pas (French) is a social blunder. Schadenfreude (German) is a person who derives pleasure at someone's distress. In situ (Latin) means situated in the original or natural position and Quid pro quo (Latin) means something for something, equal exchange.
OK…signing off for now…will be back soon with more GENRE of words.....

OOPS I DID IT AGAIN(CONTINUED)

Guys, here I come again with the common confusables. As i had said earlier CAT-07 showed particular affinity towards these word pairs and XAT -2008 too followed suit. Here are few more word pairs to add to your kitty :)
6.(a)loathe(v)-hate or dislike something.
(b) loath(v)-unwilling, reluctant.
7(a) tortuous(adj)- full of twists and turns, lengthy.
(b) torturous(adj)-characterized by pain.
8(a)Censor(n)-1.an official who examines books, plays, news reports, motion pictures, radio and television programs, letters, cablegrams, etc., for the purpose of suppressing parts deemed objectionable on moral, political, military, or other grounds. (snip, snip, cut, cut:)....)
2.any person who supervises the manners or morality of others.
(b) censure(v)- to criticize strongly
9(a)Endanger(v)-expose to harm or danger.
(b) Engender(v)-to cause or to produce.
10(a) connive(v)-to cooperate secretly, conspire.
(b) convivial(v)-Friendly, agreeable.
Well , i dont want you guys to suffer from OD[overdose:) ] thats all for now..vocabulary becomes effectively enhanced only when you keep going back to the words. In other words, revision is the only way that will equip you better.....