Yelläks /ˈyæl•eks/

This post should be a warning to everybody. It happened to myself, but also to a friend of mine just a few days ago. I do not know any other incidences, but it seems, there is a system behind it.

What happened? Long story short:
Someone called me by phone telling me that parcels have arrived and he would like to get them delivered. So I went to the hostel gate and he waited there for me. He explained that parcels have arrived for my address (he knew my exact address of the hostel), but there are some formalities regarding customs. I had to pay duty and that was the reason, why the parcels were currently in the office in Malleshwaram. However he came by to get the services and duties done for me for some little extra fee. Then he tried to call his boss to discuss the matter further from my phone. So I had his boss’ phone number. However the number was busy all the time and he could not get through. In the end he convinced me that he will proceed to his office, get the formalities done and will come back with the parcels. I paid him Rs.500 (that was the amount, I had with me) and he left.

I mean, he really left and never came back. I tried to call his boss’ number several times, but after the third day the number got disconnected. Maybe I am too stupid since I always believe in the good part of humans first. Many people can point the finger at me and telling me that could never ever happen to them. However I admit, he had a really easy game, since I was expecting parcels from Germany and thought that they arrived finally. The concerned parcels came something like 2 months after this incident and they have their own story.

A similar event happened to a friend of mine just a few days back. He came to her room personally at 7am on a Sunday morning. With the same trick (duties, parcels currently in office, etc) he managed to lure around Rs.700 from her. The security of IISc is quite powerless and weak. Any visitor has to sign into a register. However, if you are a delivery boy, you may pass unchecked and undisturbed. I mean, a little bit common sense: Who delivers a parcel that early on a Sunday morning?

The money is gone. However we hope that this post reaches some people and to prevent them to loose their money too.

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As mentioned earlier, the water crisis started some time back. Just yesterday an institute internal broadcast message filled the mail boxes:

Subject: “REGARDING WATER IN THE HOSTEL BLOCKS”
Body:
Dear All,

There is severe water shortage in the Institute. Hence, Hostel Blocks has
not got the required quantity of water; as the Institute has not received
full supply of water from the BWSSB. This position of water shortage is
likely to continue during the summer months. This is for the information
of all the inmates of the Hostel Blocks. Students are requested to
co-operate.

Assistant Registrar, Hostel

The students have to co-operate. Ironically the administration does happily ignore leaking taps, not functioning toilet tanks where the water keeps rushing through or dripping and dirty drinking water dispensers, which have been maintained recently and improperly. The students have to co-operate with the reluctance of the administration to learn? They should apologize for the zero learn effect, which seems to be unique in this institute. The water issue is not up since yesterday, but it is repeating every year since I am here. Any measurement to prevent this? Maybe next year, it is too late for this one.

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Originally the idea was to lower a pump into the rain water capacitor located between the blocks of the New Hostel Complex of the Indian Institute of Science, to empty it. But this is physically impossible, if the pipe transporting the water to the drain broke down. The whole night the sounds of the splashing water were audible and I am curious, if the frequency in which people had to go to the toilet, went up. We might never know. However in the morning a nice, healthy and inviting bubble bath was prepared. The leaves will soften the sensitive skin. And please do not rush. The capacitor is big enough for all.

A nice, healthy and inviting bubble bath. Prepared between the blocks of the New Hostel Complex. Please ignore the traces of oil swimming on the water.

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Today a solar eclipse could be observed in Bangalore. Almost the whole sun was covered and the leaves overhead threw nice sickle-shaped shadows on the roads. However in India many people stay at home during the eclipse and do not consume any food or drinks. While others observe the spectacle with cheap paper sun glasses, others fear to leave the house. They believe in the superstition that it is a bad omen and has an impact on the mental health. It could also harm the unborn child in case the woman is pregnant.
Have a look at this article published by Thaindian News.
So what about you? Did you get eclipsed already?

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It did not take long. As soon as the winter was over, the water crisis started all over again in IISc. It seems that the authorities did not learn anything from last year. Have a look at this post by shironaam which explains the urgent matter of the water issue. It is almost a ruling fact that E-Block and F-Block lacks the luxury of running water most of the times. Even the 2. block of the New Hostel Complex did not have any water from the day before yesterday (11AM) till very late in the night (3AM next morning). The water purifier are almost all broken and out of order. The drain of many sinks is simply missing. So if you spit your toothpaste into the sink, it will drop directly and unfiltered onto your feet.
The condescending behavior the administration keeps showing towards the students, must come to an end. In the end it was not the work of the employees nor staff to make this institute the one that is so famous and supposed to be one of the best in South Asia. Currently I think that this institute does not deserve this title at all and I can only warn prospective students to think twice to come here. Once the shine of the name “IISc” is worn off, everybody will see the naked truth.

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Since I am a foreigner in India pursuing my PhD, I have to pay Rs.200,000 tuition fee every year. If I delay the payment, a fine of Rs.20 is added for every week. A year has 52 weeks, hence the fine will be Rs.1040 per year. So let’s do a little bit mathematics.

Instead of paying the tuition fee, I open a fixed deposit account at a bank. ING Vysya offers an interest rate of 6.75%, if the deposit is fixed for one year. The interest is calculated quarterly and paid annually. So if I put Rs.200,000 into that fixed deposit, I will get Rs.213,846 in the end. So, after subtraction of the fine, Rs.12,806 will be mine. So, I am going to open an account there and see, if it works.

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There are many activities and clubs in and around IISc in which students can be involved. However one of my most memorable experience was with an activity called Notebook Drive (NBD). Once in a year volunteers collect money from the students to support government schools in and around Bangalore. The support is not in money but in useful items such as notebooks (hence the name), pens, utilities for drawing etc, given to the pupils of those schools. This year the donation caused a surplus in the cash register of NBD. So members of the NBD thought about a useful way to spend and to support the local schools again.

In the end they had the idea to give prices to those students who are overall the best in his or her year. A good student was not only the best in reading, writing, maths, etc, but in e.g. discipline and behavior. This time Amrish, a member of NBD asked me, if I would like to join.

So we left IISc on bikes and loaded backpacks full of prices at 8AM on Saturday, 14th November 2009 (which was also celebrated as Children’s Day). We went to 3 different schools, all of different sizes and grades. It was that time when I learned that all the money in the world is nothing and worthless compared to the happiness expressed in the face of a child.

Useful links:

• NBD in Voices, the student’s magazine of IISc
• bhOndOO’s blog entry

It might be interesting to see, how children learn in government schools. There are quite a few differences compared to the schools in Germany. Starting from the missing tables and chairs. All kids sit on the floor. A separate class room for each and every class seems to be beyond luxury.

[Show as slideshow]

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New freshers arrived in the last 4 days. The student council organized bus transfers from the 2 major train stations Majestic and Yeshwantpur. It is somewhat strange, but at each one of the days of arrival there was at least one question causing confusion either at the help desk on campus or at one of the train stations.

On 27/07/:
Due to some new rules, around 27% more students got admission in IISc. 2 years ago 2 hostel blocks got demolished and the construction of new ones just started resulting in a shortage of rooms. Some of the rooms got converted into double rooms and one of the oldest and most uncomfortable block (namely E-block) got reactivated. On the very first day, a fresher complained about the accomondation and asked: “Why do not you construct some new hostels?”

Also on the same day:
Fresher: “Where is my room, sir? It’s room number is XXX.”
Help desk: “First you don’t need to call us ‘Sir’. We are just students like you.”
Fresher: “Ok, sir. What about my room, sir?”
Help desk: “Well, sir. You go down this road, sir. And then you turn right at the intersection, sir. After that you will see a bank on your left, take left, always straight, sir. You will see a gray tall building, sir. Inside this building is your room, sir.”

On 28/07/:
“When does class start?” – Answer: “First you need to get admission.”

On 29/07/:
At the help desk:
Fresher: “What kind of help do I get here?”
Help desk: “What kind of help do you need?”
Fresher: “I don’t know. Maybe I am missing something here…”
Help desk: “???”

On 30/07/:
“When are placements and what companies are coming?”

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