IIM Ahmedabad: First Impressions
Author :
sahilpatwa
Blog :Sahil Patwa's Weblog
Date: 6/27/2012 8:06:49 PM
First day at IIMA, and I was greeted with open arms, a welcome and two statements – two rules that have been hammered into our heads n-number of times by professsors, mentors, GSecs, Dorm seniors …
You CAN NOT be late at IIM A – in here, “before 8:00 AM” means “7:59:59 AM”
And they follow it by the book!– Professors closing the classroom door at exactly 8:44:59 AM, Assignment submission windows being retracted at 11:59:59…even the mess closes down on time here!
ACADEMIC DISHONESTY WILL ABSOLUTELY NOT BE TOLERATED
– no less uncertain terms to describe the second point!
Your assignment seems “inspired” by someone else’s – you’ve copied – Kicked out!
You used some data from somewhere and failed to mention that in the credits – you’ve copied – Kicked out!
You’re caught peeping into someone else’s paper during examinations – you’re copying – Kicked out!
“It is better to submit a blank paper than one with even a single line copied!”
- General Secretary (at least 5 times in the past one week!)
Basically, you cannot be late and you cannot cheat!
Fair enough, except that it isn’t easy to abide by those standards where every minute you sleep is a lost opportunity cost of doing one of the thousand other things this place has to offer (well, more about that later!). The whole system does seem harsh at first (trust me, it is!) It almost feels like a military camp!
But slowly, you realise, it is a blessing – this will be one of the few places where your time is actually valued! If someone says (s)he will meet you at 4:00 AM, you can expect that person to be there before that time!
In a world where doctors perform dialysis on patients who just needed medicines to cure an upset stomach; where drug manufacturers push defective even fatal pills just because the cost of retracting those pills is more than the compensation they would have to pay should something happen to a patient; Morality and Ethics need to be revived in how business is performed. And what better place to start teaching students to “access their moral compass” than through small things like academic honesty!
Punctuality or more rather, valuing other people’s time, and Ethical conduct are two pillars of life here, the third one being respect for other people!
There is no aspect of life @ IIMA which you can live alone…there are no solo performers at IIMA. From the interactive case study pedagogy, to the residential Dormitories to Group assignments and events – this place reeks of collaborative learning!
Even the seniors here feel more like batch mates (with a lot more otherworldly wisdom of course!) – No ragging, (no intros either, smartass!) In fact, seniors feel responsible for their juniors – so much so that, they go out of their way to guide/help/mentor them!
This military camp, has a heart, a soul and a culture – and I could soak up just one week worth of it so far!
I am not sure what the next two years at this place are going to hold in store for me, but of this I am certain -
If nothing else, I will come out of this institute, with more discipline, a greater sense of morality and lasting relationships!
