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.....

Vocabulary

Well I seriously seem to be spending a lot of time with the letter "G".Many of us are confused with the pronunciation of some words beginning with G as sometimes it takes the phonetics of 'Guh' as in GAIN, or 'Juh' as in GIST and even worse is the pronunciation with "Zhuh" as in GENDARME(zhendaarm) which refers to a member of the French Police.The only good thing about it is that the 'Zhuh' sound is generally for the Foreign Words.
Here is a double dose of words with 'G'--- "Grandiloquent"( "GRAND" + "ELOQUENCE") which means using long or complicated words to impress people.Then there is "Ghoul"('gool') which means a person who revels in what is morbid,loathsome or filthy.

Will try my best to concentrate on a different letter the next time!

Vocabulary

I am back with some more inspirations from Greek and Roman Mythology.This time i have got a phrase that i assume many of us have heard befoer...it's called "The Gordian Knot" which means a very difficult or impossible task or problem.Legend has it that King Gordius tied a very complicated knot and said whoever undid it would become the ruler of Asia.Alexander the great cut though the knot and the rest is history.
Well as always I could not help but connect it to the Swayamwara ceremony of Sita in which Rama broke the Bow which no one else could and went on to marry the princess.
Somehow all this proves that somewhere the mythology from different parts of the world confluences to a particular point.
Well let's get more inspired and improve our vocabulary!

OOPS I DID IT AGAIN

Hi guys I am back again with your regular dose of vocabulary vitamins. Well this time we will be dealing with a little different genre of words "common confusables". In fact CAT-2007 laid particular emphasis on these words and as usual life became a little complicated. Like they say "better be safe than sorry" we will be prepared well in advance this time. Here is a list of word pairs ,often confused.

1. (a)Complaisance(n): Inclination to comply willingly with the wishes of others ;amiability.
(b) complacence(n):calm or secure satisfaction with oneself.

2(a) peruse(v): read carefully
(b) pursue(v): follow someone or something diligently.

3(a) Apathy(n): lacking emotions or feelings.
(b) Antipathy(n): Dislike.

4(a) Obtuse(adj): someone who is dull or slow.
(b) Abstruse(adj): something which is diffcult to understand.

5(a) wretch(n): miserable, unfortunate, unhappy person.
(b) Retch(v): react as if you are vomiting.

Well I will definitely keep you guys posted with more number of words, so keep watching this space to avoid confusions and embarassing mistakes