I have been reading Girish's emails and the many responses from different
quarters with much interest.
Girish raises some interesting points which must not be overlooked just
because many dispute his comments about Tanenbaum - I am referring to his
comments that Tanenbaum is a researcher and not an engineer.
I think I see what Girish is trying to say here - correct me if I am
wrong, but I think his assertion was that there are many people in India
with the theoretical knowledge but very few with applied skills and
knowledge. I must say that I am in complete agreement with Girish on this.
The indian education system is geared towards making it very difficult to
get an entry into the educational institution, but it makes the process of
passing out of the institution with a degree/other-qualification
remarkably simple even if one doesn't have the requisite skills.
That is, it is difficult to enroll as a student in a higher education
system (eg: an engineering college), but once you are in, you can walk out
with a degree (even if it is a degree in a professional, applied field)
quite easily without having any of the required skills.
Letting all and sundry get these qualifications just because they managed
to get their feet in through the door is particularly dangerous in the
case of professional disciplines and courses. Someone who claims to be a
civil engineer may have no idea as to how to go about constructing a
building even though he has a degree which indicates that he does.
I personally feel that it should be the other way around - it should be
simple enough to get an entry into most institutions, but only the most
talented, and the skilled should be allowed to walk away with a degree.
Some systems even in India work this way already - for instance, the
Association of Chartered Accountants has strict rules for determining who
is allowed to pass with a certification and they will allow only a small
percentage of people to pass every year.
Another thing which I particularly like about the CA system is that it
mandates that all applicants go through a system of apprenticeship for a
period of 3 year (I think) before they can apply for taking the CA final
exam - and I can definitely say that an accountant with 3 years of
experience working under other accountants in a professional capacity will
really know his stuff rather more than an engineering student will know
engineering at the end of 3 years of study.
The association of chartered accountants wants to ensure that they don't
have someone bearing their certification who will bring their organization
disrepute. They ensure this by making sure that only the most deserving
get it. Sadly, this is missing in other organizations across the country.
(NOTE: I am not referring to the ethical standards of CAs. That is a
different discussion altogether. I am referring to just applied skills
here)
I think the standards of engineering will improve drastically if a similar
system of apprenticeships and very-difficult-to-pass examinations and
mandatory tightly-controlled-and-assessed project system is put in place.
There are just too many people who walk around with engineering degrees
who frankly don't deserve it. I think many of them are guilty of
misrepresentation and misleading the public when they claim to be
engineers/doctors when they just don't know the subject. Its like putting
a "100% Fat Free" sticker on a slab of cheese.
<SHOCKING-BUT-TRUE-ANECDOTE-WARNING>
I interviewed a "Electronics Engineer" a few months ago here in Chennai.
He was a recent graduate and was working elsewhere for a few months. I
asked him to explain the benefits of a NAND Gate. To my shock, he replied
that he didn't know what a NAND Gate is! Only thing worse is a doctor not
knowing what a blood cell/virus/bacteria is! How was this guy allowed to
walk out with an engineering degree?!
</SHOCKING-BUT-TRUE-ANECDOTE-WARNING>
<SHOCKING-BUT-TRUE-ANECDOTE-WARNING>
A highly experience chemical engineer I know told me how he has problems
finding chemical engineers these days with enough skills to atleast
balance an equation.
</SHOCKING-BUT-TRUE-ANECDOTE-WARNING>
Our education system for professional disciplines is a mess - it stresses
theory and does not stress applied skills nearly as much as it should.
I can safely wager that there are many engineers (I am referring to the
electrical/electronics engineers here) even from the premier engineering
schools of this country who cannot assemble even a door bell by themselves
if their lives depended on it.
Thank you and regards,
PK
