Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Placement tips-3 :Interview
Interviews are generally of two kinds- technical and HR. Of late, both are combined into one single interview, to help judge the candidate better. But the essentials required for both are the same. A typical interview panel will consist of one HR executive, one executive from the managerial section of the company, and one technical executive head. Impressing all the three types is very essential. Many say that it is important to be very diplomatic in an interview. But it is better if you are yourself in the interview. After all, keep in mind that you will have to work everyday in this job! So no use faking it and getting the job, to repent later!
The first and most important thing- get your resume right! Anything that you think you are proud of, mention it in the resume! Don’t mention silly things like “I won painting competition in 2nd standard”! The resume is the like the contents page of a book. Be prepared to answer any question related to any part of your resume.
First and most important thing as soon as you enter the interview-make eye contact with each person on the other side of the table. Give a pleasant smile. Try to stay calm and relaxed. There is only one thing any technical interviewer will look for in a candidate- strong basics in the technical subject. Yes, it’s quite vague, since every person’s definition of basics maybe different. Sometimes, they look for strength in any subject. That would be the ideal case scenario, since you can prepare reasonably well for it. The problem will arise when they start questioning on your weaker topics. And once they realize you are uncomfortable in those topics, they will pounce on you. How well you handle the pressure is a major factor.
While you are answering those grilling technical questions, the HR executive would’ve silently been observing your body language, reactions, temper etc. The usual questions you might face from the HR side are: “Tell us something about yourself- where were you born and brought up, about your family members, etc.” ; “What are your strengths and weaknesses” etc. Follow up questions will be shot your way, depending on your answers. Remember only one thing- your weaknesses should lead your strengths!
Finally, there is the manager. He usually looks for leadership skills, how organized you are at approaching problems, etc. You might be given a small problem to solve. It might be a puzzle, or a technical problem. It’s not just the solution that matters, it’s how you arrived at the solution that matters! Unfortunately, there isn’t much preparation that can be done regarding this. Problem solving is something that comes to a person through years of work. You will also be asked one vital question-“Do you plan to go for any higher studies?” It’s best to be truthful in reply. Saying what you don’t mean will lead to conflict of interests later during your job.
After everyone is done with their questions, the HR executive might ask a few more closing questions- “Why do you want to join the company?” Now this is a question that you should have asked yourself before attempting for the job! There’s no need to join a company just for the salary they offer, or for their brand name. In the end, there’s nothing like job satisfaction. You might also be asked-“What is the first word that comes to your mind when you hear?” Your vocabulary comes into play here. Some of your answers could be ‘larger than life, efficiency, success’ etc. Any word that praises the company is a good answer!
Once the interview is over, walk out with the same smile and eye contact you came in. And then, forget about everything. Leave things to fate. You never know what the company wants. So, if you didn’t make it, don’t lose heart! It was probably for your good!
The first and most important thing- get your resume right! Anything that you think you are proud of, mention it in the resume! Don’t mention silly things like “I won painting competition in 2nd standard”! The resume is the like the contents page of a book. Be prepared to answer any question related to any part of your resume.
First and most important thing as soon as you enter the interview-make eye contact with each person on the other side of the table. Give a pleasant smile. Try to stay calm and relaxed. There is only one thing any technical interviewer will look for in a candidate- strong basics in the technical subject. Yes, it’s quite vague, since every person’s definition of basics maybe different. Sometimes, they look for strength in any subject. That would be the ideal case scenario, since you can prepare reasonably well for it. The problem will arise when they start questioning on your weaker topics. And once they realize you are uncomfortable in those topics, they will pounce on you. How well you handle the pressure is a major factor.
While you are answering those grilling technical questions, the HR executive would’ve silently been observing your body language, reactions, temper etc. The usual questions you might face from the HR side are: “Tell us something about yourself- where were you born and brought up, about your family members, etc.” ; “What are your strengths and weaknesses” etc. Follow up questions will be shot your way, depending on your answers. Remember only one thing- your weaknesses should lead your strengths!
Finally, there is the manager. He usually looks for leadership skills, how organized you are at approaching problems, etc. You might be given a small problem to solve. It might be a puzzle, or a technical problem. It’s not just the solution that matters, it’s how you arrived at the solution that matters! Unfortunately, there isn’t much preparation that can be done regarding this. Problem solving is something that comes to a person through years of work. You will also be asked one vital question-“Do you plan to go for any higher studies?” It’s best to be truthful in reply. Saying what you don’t mean will lead to conflict of interests later during your job.
After everyone is done with their questions, the HR executive might ask a few more closing questions- “Why do you want to join the company?” Now this is a question that you should have asked yourself before attempting for the job! There’s no need to join a company just for the salary they offer, or for their brand name. In the end, there’s nothing like job satisfaction. You might also be asked-“What is the first word that comes to your mind when you hear
Once the interview is over, walk out with the same smile and eye contact you came in. And then, forget about everything. Leave things to fate. You never know what the company wants. So, if you didn’t make it, don’t lose heart! It was probably for your good!
Interview tips-2
Group Discussion:
This is generally not used as an elimination tool during placements. The HR department uses this session as a key to make those last minute eliminations after all the rounds of interviews. Group discussion, is precisely what the word indicates. A group of candidates sit down together, and discuss a topic that is provided by the HR executive. Usually, two executives from the company observe the discussion round. The topics are usually non-technical, and the candidates are tested for their general speaking ability, general knowledge, and above all, their behaviour in a group.
A group discussion generally gives a hint of the way a candidate will behave when subjected to the dynamics of a group. There are many types of candidates usually:
The enthusiast:
Usually the guy who starts speaking soon after the topic is declared orally to the group. He is usually very keen on making his points, and also keen on impressing the executives interpreting him. If there’s only one such enthusiast in the group, it works well for the group, because he will help in breaking the ice and starting the discussion. But if there are more such characters, it could lead to disruption.
The disruptor:
Usually one of the enthusiasts, who wants to make his point more strongly than the others. Sometimes, when he doesn’t get to say everything that he wants to, he breaks another candidate half way and starts speaking. This is a clear indication that he’s good within a group.
The leader:
Once the initial outburst mellows down, the leader speaks up, and tries to bring the group to a comfort zone, and tries to take the initiative in letting everyone speaking. The leader is required to be the peaceful smiling guy in the group, who can settle misunderstandings comfortably.
The silent guy:
There are generally two types of silent guys. The first kind, either isn’t very knowledgeable in the topic, or is not good at speaking. The latter problem might arise due to lack of confidence, or a weak grasp over the language of communication.
The second kind, is the kind that the executives look for. The guy who patiently waits for his turn, speaks very less, but makes a lot of sense in every word he utters.
Depending on the nature of the job that the company is considering to offer, the appropriate candidate is kept in mind while interviewing. The disruptors are always given negative points. So during group discussions, keep in mind not to pick any arguments. If you wish to contradict a point already made, ensure that you do so as politely as humanly possible!
This is generally not used as an elimination tool during placements. The HR department uses this session as a key to make those last minute eliminations after all the rounds of interviews. Group discussion, is precisely what the word indicates. A group of candidates sit down together, and discuss a topic that is provided by the HR executive. Usually, two executives from the company observe the discussion round. The topics are usually non-technical, and the candidates are tested for their general speaking ability, general knowledge, and above all, their behaviour in a group.
A group discussion generally gives a hint of the way a candidate will behave when subjected to the dynamics of a group. There are many types of candidates usually:
The enthusiast:
Usually the guy who starts speaking soon after the topic is declared orally to the group. He is usually very keen on making his points, and also keen on impressing the executives interpreting him. If there’s only one such enthusiast in the group, it works well for the group, because he will help in breaking the ice and starting the discussion. But if there are more such characters, it could lead to disruption.
The disruptor:
Usually one of the enthusiasts, who wants to make his point more strongly than the others. Sometimes, when he doesn’t get to say everything that he wants to, he breaks another candidate half way and starts speaking. This is a clear indication that he’s good within a group.
The leader:
Once the initial outburst mellows down, the leader speaks up, and tries to bring the group to a comfort zone, and tries to take the initiative in letting everyone speaking. The leader is required to be the peaceful smiling guy in the group, who can settle misunderstandings comfortably.
The silent guy:
There are generally two types of silent guys. The first kind, either isn’t very knowledgeable in the topic, or is not good at speaking. The latter problem might arise due to lack of confidence, or a weak grasp over the language of communication.
The second kind, is the kind that the executives look for. The guy who patiently waits for his turn, speaks very less, but makes a lot of sense in every word he utters.
Depending on the nature of the job that the company is considering to offer, the appropriate candidate is kept in mind while interviewing. The disruptors are always given negative points. So during group discussions, keep in mind not to pick any arguments. If you wish to contradict a point already made, ensure that you do so as politely as humanly possible!
Placement tips
The season of campus placements is here again. And just like every year, this time too, hoards of young hopefuls are queuing up to sign up for the “Placement Training”. Save your money this time, for you’ll find all you need here!
Percentage cutoff:
It’s no use being a top-scoring student in engineering, and this is the biggest proof. Most companies that visit colleges have a cutoff between 55 to 65%. One would find just the odd one or two companies that ask for 70%. So if your aggregate is above 60%, you have very little to worry about. If you are on the borderline of the cutoff, pay attention to this- overall aggregate is not calculated by taking the average of the percentages of the marks in all the semesters. To find out your aggregate, sum up the marks obtained in each semester, and find the percentage out of the total maximum marks. Many IT companies have very strict rules regarding this factor. If your percentage is 59.9 out of the 60% cutoff, you might not be selected even if you get through all the rounds of selection!
The number of rounds of selection depends on the company. But in general, a selection process consists of the following rounds:
Written test-MAT, Logical reasoning, Verbal, non-verbal reasoning, Passage reading, technical
Group Discussion
Technical Interview(s)
HR interview
APTITUDE TEST:
This is the first round of elimination, where the company employs various testing tools to determine if the candidate is good enough for the company. Aptitude tests can vary from a set of 60 questions of just general mathematical aptitude, to laborious and grilling multi-section tests which test various skills like English comprehension, analytical reasoning ability, verbal expertise etc.
Mathematical aptitude test:
This includes a set of questions that will test how accurate, clever, and most importantly, fast you are at solving mathematical problems. These questions are similar to some of the questions you might have faced in engineering entrance exams like CET, AIEEE, COMEDK etc.
Being in engineering for 3 years, the major challenge you might face is working without a calculator. It's during this time that you will truly realize how dependent you have become on that scientific calculator. Initially, you will err even in the basic calculations like adding and subtracting! The best way to overcome this problem, is to try and reduce your dependency on calculators. Try to manually do simple calculations. Also, the art of approximating the values should be perfected. During engineering calculations, several constants are used. For example, П(pi) is usually taken as the value of 22/7, upto 9 decimal places in the scientific calculator, or as 3.14. But when calculating manually, a number with three decimals is not exactly pleasant. And it is not needed too. Basic idea in MCQ's (Multiple Choice Questions), is to decide the right answer among the 4 options given. So we just need to calculate till the point where we can eliminate the wrong ones! Many times, the answer can be found by the reverse method. If suppose, the solution to an equation is asked. It might be a lot more easier to substitute the four options in the given equation, then actually solving the whole problem manually. A good book to prepare from would be Quantitative Aptitude by R.S.Aggrwal.
Logical reasoning:
Logical reasoning is the section where your your comprehension and analytical abilities are judged. A set of statements are given, and you might be required to answer a set of questions based on the statements. For example, suppose, there are five houses, each house is of different co lour, having an owner of different nationalities, with different pets. You will be given a set of conditions, like- the Danish lives next to the British. The German, who has a dog, lives in the first house, etc. A set of questions will follow, asking about the position of each house, etc, which can be inferred logically from the given data.
Verbal aptitude:
This a section that tests your vocabulary, and grammatical aptitude. You might be asked to choose meaning of a word, or to complete a sentence, etc. The only preparation that can be done for this, is to increase vocabulary by using various books, like GRE by Barrons, etc.
Non-verbal reasoning:
This a very tricky section, and usually takes the maximum time. It also is the section that many students get wrong. Fortunately, it's also the section that's not used by many companies. Basically, a set of four to six designs are given in order, and the next one in the series in needed. The given designs are logically linked in some way. It can vary from a simple movement of the shapes in the design clockwise, the a complex relation that involves mathematical series. Non-verbal aptitude by R.S.Aggarwal is usually referred by candidates. It's a very fat book, but since it's very important, don't waste too much time in preparation for this section. Maybe look at the book when taking breaks.
Passage reading:
This is the good old comprehension passage, that every one of us has been facing from the 4th standard. A passage will be given, and a set of questions will follow, the answers to which resides in the passage. Many students waste valuable time in reading the whole passage first. The easier way, is to read all the questions first. Then read the passage, and mark the appropriate answers as and when encountered.
Technical section:
Many companies have begun employing this section to eliminate students using this section. This section analyses the student's numerical ability with technical problems, along with challenging his memory, and basics in the technical field. There are many books available in the market, like Test your C skills by Yashwant Kanitkar. But the best preparation is to know the basics of the subject.
Based on the marks obtained, the candidates are short listed. Usually, there's no negative marking. Also, a section-cut off is usually employed, making sure that the student clears a minimum criterion is each section.
Getting through written tests, is as much a matter of luck, as ability. Many times, your friend, who submitted his answers, as though it was a photocopy of yours, may get through, while you are left behind. Yes, it's not fair, but that's the way it is! Also, there's usually, a talk among students, about an upper cut-off. Though companies deny it aggressively, there are instances where students who have performed exceedingly well have been eliminated. So the best thing to do would be, to give your best shot, and leave the rest to fate! After all, no use working for a company that looks for students who are duller than you!
Percentage cutoff:
It’s no use being a top-scoring student in engineering, and this is the biggest proof. Most companies that visit colleges have a cutoff between 55 to 65%. One would find just the odd one or two companies that ask for 70%. So if your aggregate is above 60%, you have very little to worry about. If you are on the borderline of the cutoff, pay attention to this- overall aggregate is not calculated by taking the average of the percentages of the marks in all the semesters. To find out your aggregate, sum up the marks obtained in each semester, and find the percentage out of the total maximum marks. Many IT companies have very strict rules regarding this factor. If your percentage is 59.9 out of the 60% cutoff, you might not be selected even if you get through all the rounds of selection!
The number of rounds of selection depends on the company. But in general, a selection process consists of the following rounds:
Written test-MAT, Logical reasoning, Verbal, non-verbal reasoning, Passage reading, technical
Group Discussion
Technical Interview(s)
HR interview
APTITUDE TEST:
This is the first round of elimination, where the company employs various testing tools to determine if the candidate is good enough for the company. Aptitude tests can vary from a set of 60 questions of just general mathematical aptitude, to laborious and grilling multi-section tests which test various skills like English comprehension, analytical reasoning ability, verbal expertise etc.
Mathematical aptitude test:
This includes a set of questions that will test how accurate, clever, and most importantly, fast you are at solving mathematical problems. These questions are similar to some of the questions you might have faced in engineering entrance exams like CET, AIEEE, COMEDK etc.
Being in engineering for 3 years, the major challenge you might face is working without a calculator. It's during this time that you will truly realize how dependent you have become on that scientific calculator. Initially, you will err even in the basic calculations like adding and subtracting! The best way to overcome this problem, is to try and reduce your dependency on calculators. Try to manually do simple calculations. Also, the art of approximating the values should be perfected. During engineering calculations, several constants are used. For example, П(pi) is usually taken as the value of 22/7, upto 9 decimal places in the scientific calculator, or as 3.14. But when calculating manually, a number with three decimals is not exactly pleasant. And it is not needed too. Basic idea in MCQ's (Multiple Choice Questions), is to decide the right answer among the 4 options given. So we just need to calculate till the point where we can eliminate the wrong ones! Many times, the answer can be found by the reverse method. If suppose, the solution to an equation is asked. It might be a lot more easier to substitute the four options in the given equation, then actually solving the whole problem manually. A good book to prepare from would be Quantitative Aptitude by R.S.Aggrwal.
Logical reasoning:
Logical reasoning is the section where your your comprehension and analytical abilities are judged. A set of statements are given, and you might be required to answer a set of questions based on the statements. For example, suppose, there are five houses, each house is of different co lour, having an owner of different nationalities, with different pets. You will be given a set of conditions, like- the Danish lives next to the British. The German, who has a dog, lives in the first house, etc. A set of questions will follow, asking about the position of each house, etc, which can be inferred logically from the given data.
Verbal aptitude:
This a section that tests your vocabulary, and grammatical aptitude. You might be asked to choose meaning of a word, or to complete a sentence, etc. The only preparation that can be done for this, is to increase vocabulary by using various books, like GRE by Barrons, etc.
Non-verbal reasoning:
This a very tricky section, and usually takes the maximum time. It also is the section that many students get wrong. Fortunately, it's also the section that's not used by many companies. Basically, a set of four to six designs are given in order, and the next one in the series in needed. The given designs are logically linked in some way. It can vary from a simple movement of the shapes in the design clockwise, the a complex relation that involves mathematical series. Non-verbal aptitude by R.S.Aggarwal is usually referred by candidates. It's a very fat book, but since it's very important, don't waste too much time in preparation for this section. Maybe look at the book when taking breaks.
Passage reading:
This is the good old comprehension passage, that every one of us has been facing from the 4th standard. A passage will be given, and a set of questions will follow, the answers to which resides in the passage. Many students waste valuable time in reading the whole passage first. The easier way, is to read all the questions first. Then read the passage, and mark the appropriate answers as and when encountered.
Technical section:
Many companies have begun employing this section to eliminate students using this section. This section analyses the student's numerical ability with technical problems, along with challenging his memory, and basics in the technical field. There are many books available in the market, like Test your C skills by Yashwant Kanitkar. But the best preparation is to know the basics of the subject.
Based on the marks obtained, the candidates are short listed. Usually, there's no negative marking. Also, a section-cut off is usually employed, making sure that the student clears a minimum criterion is each section.
Getting through written tests, is as much a matter of luck, as ability. Many times, your friend, who submitted his answers, as though it was a photocopy of yours, may get through, while you are left behind. Yes, it's not fair, but that's the way it is! Also, there's usually, a talk among students, about an upper cut-off. Though companies deny it aggressively, there are instances where students who have performed exceedingly well have been eliminated. So the best thing to do would be, to give your best shot, and leave the rest to fate! After all, no use working for a company that looks for students who are duller than you!
Call me young gun
In the world of seemingly careless youth, nowadays, one can spot sparks of brilliance growing brighter by the day. Young and confident students from engineering colleges are slowly deciding to stand up on their own feet and make a difference. Some want to make money, some want to do something more with their knowledge and talent. Zealous individuals in their early twenties are swarming the market and competition so much, that seasoned professionals are perspiring in tension of the dares they are facing. Says V.Guruprasad, CEO of Share Giants Wealth Advisors, “Even the most senior businessmen don’t help us when we ask for advice”. Guruprasad’s company offers share solutions to investors. The company is so confident of its strategies, that it guarantees a minimum of 30% profit returns per annum! While Guruprasad is studying B.E(IEM) at M.S.R.I.T(M S Ramaiah Institute of Technology), Share Giant’s marketing head Anil Shetty has completed 2 years in Computer Science at MSRIT. He hails from a humble background. His father is a farmer who earns Rs.11,000 per year. Anil now makes more than twice that every month! “The desire to be something in this world and the will to achieve it can bring out wonders from an individual”, he says with a twinkle in his eye.
Kaushik.N.D.M started out with Pixobel inc. in Feb 2007 to actually do something more with his abilities. He uses the experience he gained before, when he used to work as a web designer and make some extra pocket money. “I used to read in the newspapers about guys who had started their own companies and that inspired me to start my own company and stand on my feet. Making money was not a factor.” Kaushik is studying in 3rd year BE(Electronics) at MV Jayaraman College of Engineering(MVJCE).
20 year old Manoj Kumar G.U, doing 3rd year BE(Computer Science) at RV College of Engineering(RVCE) started out with a few of his friends Nitin Kumar and Raghu P a little over a year back, when they did the web and logo designing for Ashwa Racing, the college group that participates in the prestigious FSAE(Formula Society of Automotive Engineers). Noticing their potential, various companies approached them for more work. That is when these three youngsters decided to pool in initial capital to begin Tarantula Studio in March 2007.
Though all these companies are going great guns at the moment, it is quite a concern that most of these enterprising young men don’t thing much of education. Share Giant CEO Guruprasad is currently studying in the 3rd year, but wants to finish the course just to get the degree certificate. “A B.E degree will help in the future when prospective clients ask for my credentials. Apart from that, education is of no use for me”, he says. Manoj Kumar of Tarantula Studio, on the other hand holds education at high importance. “Though the curriculum doesn’t teach us to take risks and think out of the box, we still learn the basics through education. The company and work just helps to understand things better and to apply it to real work rather than just mugging and getting marks” he feels. Kaushik from Pixobel inc. is not sure if he wants to continue pursuing his degree anymore. His thoughts run on lines similar to those of Anil Shetty of Share Giants, who has already quit engineering. Anil opines, “Practical knowledge and a sharp mind are all that are required to grow. Education is definitely important, but not in terms of a degree. Every day I learn new things through practical experience.” When asked what he will do if his current business venture fails, with no degree in hand, he shrugs and says, “ I’ll start another business”.
There’s definitely a lot of potential and talent in the youth of today, but with large sums of money flowing into their pockets every month, will wealth blind them from realizing the importance of an education? That remains to be seen.
Kaushik.N.D.M started out with Pixobel inc. in Feb 2007 to actually do something more with his abilities. He uses the experience he gained before, when he used to work as a web designer and make some extra pocket money. “I used to read in the newspapers about guys who had started their own companies and that inspired me to start my own company and stand on my feet. Making money was not a factor.” Kaushik is studying in 3rd year BE(Electronics) at MV Jayaraman College of Engineering(MVJCE).
20 year old Manoj Kumar G.U, doing 3rd year BE(Computer Science) at RV College of Engineering(RVCE) started out with a few of his friends Nitin Kumar and Raghu P a little over a year back, when they did the web and logo designing for Ashwa Racing, the college group that participates in the prestigious FSAE(Formula Society of Automotive Engineers). Noticing their potential, various companies approached them for more work. That is when these three youngsters decided to pool in initial capital to begin Tarantula Studio in March 2007.
Though all these companies are going great guns at the moment, it is quite a concern that most of these enterprising young men don’t thing much of education. Share Giant CEO Guruprasad is currently studying in the 3rd year, but wants to finish the course just to get the degree certificate. “A B.E degree will help in the future when prospective clients ask for my credentials. Apart from that, education is of no use for me”, he says. Manoj Kumar of Tarantula Studio, on the other hand holds education at high importance. “Though the curriculum doesn’t teach us to take risks and think out of the box, we still learn the basics through education. The company and work just helps to understand things better and to apply it to real work rather than just mugging and getting marks” he feels. Kaushik from Pixobel inc. is not sure if he wants to continue pursuing his degree anymore. His thoughts run on lines similar to those of Anil Shetty of Share Giants, who has already quit engineering. Anil opines, “Practical knowledge and a sharp mind are all that are required to grow. Education is definitely important, but not in terms of a degree. Every day I learn new things through practical experience.” When asked what he will do if his current business venture fails, with no degree in hand, he shrugs and says, “ I’ll start another business”.
There’s definitely a lot of potential and talent in the youth of today, but with large sums of money flowing into their pockets every month, will wealth blind them from realizing the importance of an education? That remains to be seen.
5 'weird' dishes you must try
Bun-egg-puff:
A brilliant and addictive combination for college goers. Mostly famous in the Mattikere area, this bakery marvel is usually found around most engineering colleges. It’s quite weird how this dish has managed to stay localized to engineering college areas! Masala, mixed with two halves of a boiled egg is sandwiched in between a puff. This is then placed in between two horizontally cut halves of a bun. The usual toppings of onion, tomato and ketchup add to the flavor.
Chips masala
It’s impossible to explain how this dish is prepared! A favorite at Sai ram chats (16th cross, Malleswaram), this is the most popular dish. Spicy potato chips, broken and mashed up, is mixed with a curious set of ingredients, which the men at sai ram treasure as a trade secret. This is one piece of junk you should not miss!
Dosa chicken
This is a very spicy dish. Not for the faint tounged! Dosa is prepared with raw egg, making it similar to an omlete. Along with it come two really spicy chicken gravies. This dish is available at the Empire’s restaurant.
Tender coconut kabab
This is a very interesting dish, available at Ujwal bar and restaurant(on Sanjaynagar main road). Finely cooked chicken kabab is served inside a hollow tender coconut. The taste of the coconut mixed with the spice of the chicken makes for a very good combination!
Pani puri vodka
This one is available at Oye shava (Church street). Half a dozen puris, perfectly stuffed with a spicy combination of baked potato and various spices is served with what initially appears to be just plain innocent green pani. But the taste is so refreshingly brilliant, that you will want to eat more! Just make sure you got someone to drive you home!
A brilliant and addictive combination for college goers. Mostly famous in the Mattikere area, this bakery marvel is usually found around most engineering colleges. It’s quite weird how this dish has managed to stay localized to engineering college areas! Masala, mixed with two halves of a boiled egg is sandwiched in between a puff. This is then placed in between two horizontally cut halves of a bun. The usual toppings of onion, tomato and ketchup add to the flavor.
Chips masala
It’s impossible to explain how this dish is prepared! A favorite at Sai ram chats (16th cross, Malleswaram), this is the most popular dish. Spicy potato chips, broken and mashed up, is mixed with a curious set of ingredients, which the men at sai ram treasure as a trade secret. This is one piece of junk you should not miss!
Dosa chicken
This is a very spicy dish. Not for the faint tounged! Dosa is prepared with raw egg, making it similar to an omlete. Along with it come two really spicy chicken gravies. This dish is available at the Empire’s restaurant.
Tender coconut kabab
This is a very interesting dish, available at Ujwal bar and restaurant(on Sanjaynagar main road). Finely cooked chicken kabab is served inside a hollow tender coconut. The taste of the coconut mixed with the spice of the chicken makes for a very good combination!
Pani puri vodka
This one is available at Oye shava (Church street). Half a dozen puris, perfectly stuffed with a spicy combination of baked potato and various spices is served with what initially appears to be just plain innocent green pani. But the taste is so refreshingly brilliant, that you will want to eat more! Just make sure you got someone to drive you home!
CET tips
The season of MCQ’s is here, and almost every aspirant must have worked for hours at stretch everyday to earn that lucrative seat in the top college. Do you feel you are underprepared? Worry not! Here are a few ways to guessing the answers if you don’t really know how to go about it!
Pencil drop method:
Hold the pencil about 5 cm, hovering above the question, and drop it. The option the tip falls nearest to is your answer! In case the pencil drops halfway, well, simple! Make it a best-of-three event! Note that this is not to be tried on the answer sheet, because you will be marking on OMR sheets. Any stray marks on the answer sheet might result in you losing out vital marks that you could have obtained through luck!
Coin-flip
The tried and tested method, and the most popular thus far! One flip to choose between options A and B, another to decide between C and D, and one final flip to find the correct answer between the winners of the previous two flips! Simple!
Dice!
Ok so dice are not really allowed into an exam hall. So what? Your eraser will provide as the dice! There are only four broad edges in any eraser, so it gets really simple!
Chits
No this is not about copying or chit making! All you have to do is to make four small pieces of paper from the question paper and write down the four letters one them. Fold and throw on the desk and pick one.
A few more ‘sensible’ tips:
Usually, the maximum probability of getting the right answer, is to mark all the answers you don’t know, as the same option. Out of ten answers, if you marked all as option C, chances are that you will get atleast four correct! Which is still a good thing, considering that negative marking is one-fourth the marks obtained for a correct answer.
The questions in any paper are essentially the same, but they are not in the same order in all the sets given. This is done to avoid copying in the examination halls. There is a small loophole in this system. If you know that the person near you will score high, there is a way of getting your answers right too, even if he has a different set! Usually, in consequent sets, the questions are offset by a few questions. Which means that set A’s first question maybe your fifth. After which the order is most likely to be the same. Your first five questions will then be the same as A’s last five. Since students think that the sets are different, they don’t really make an effort in covering their answers. So the only thing you need to do is to figure out by how many questions the set near you is offset by. But be warned, that this is not a fool proof method, so it must be a last ditch effort to revive your scores. Also, if you are clever enough to figure out the sequence of the sets, you probably won’t need to be worrying about copying from others!!
NOTE: This article is intended for light reading and must not be taken seriously. Author not responsible for any cases of malpractice in any competitive exams!
Pencil drop method:
Hold the pencil about 5 cm, hovering above the question, and drop it. The option the tip falls nearest to is your answer! In case the pencil drops halfway, well, simple! Make it a best-of-three event! Note that this is not to be tried on the answer sheet, because you will be marking on OMR sheets. Any stray marks on the answer sheet might result in you losing out vital marks that you could have obtained through luck!
Coin-flip
The tried and tested method, and the most popular thus far! One flip to choose between options A and B, another to decide between C and D, and one final flip to find the correct answer between the winners of the previous two flips! Simple!
Dice!
Ok so dice are not really allowed into an exam hall. So what? Your eraser will provide as the dice! There are only four broad edges in any eraser, so it gets really simple!
Chits
No this is not about copying or chit making! All you have to do is to make four small pieces of paper from the question paper and write down the four letters one them. Fold and throw on the desk and pick one.
A few more ‘sensible’ tips:
Usually, the maximum probability of getting the right answer, is to mark all the answers you don’t know, as the same option. Out of ten answers, if you marked all as option C, chances are that you will get atleast four correct! Which is still a good thing, considering that negative marking is one-fourth the marks obtained for a correct answer.
The questions in any paper are essentially the same, but they are not in the same order in all the sets given. This is done to avoid copying in the examination halls. There is a small loophole in this system. If you know that the person near you will score high, there is a way of getting your answers right too, even if he has a different set! Usually, in consequent sets, the questions are offset by a few questions. Which means that set A’s first question maybe your fifth. After which the order is most likely to be the same. Your first five questions will then be the same as A’s last five. Since students think that the sets are different, they don’t really make an effort in covering their answers. So the only thing you need to do is to figure out by how many questions the set near you is offset by. But be warned, that this is not a fool proof method, so it must be a last ditch effort to revive your scores. Also, if you are clever enough to figure out the sequence of the sets, you probably won’t need to be worrying about copying from others!!
NOTE: This article is intended for light reading and must not be taken seriously. Author not responsible for any cases of malpractice in any competitive exams!
OK
So, i'm lazy. My initial plan when I began this blog, was to print the articles which appeared in the Bangalore Mirror, after they appeared. But obviously, my laziness has taken over. Henceforth, i'll just put in what I wrote. Do visit here again. :)
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Rock Ethos(10-2-08)
All you Indian rock heads, here’s what you’ve been waiting for! Rising from the large crowd of cribbers, Beunos Entertainment has stood up to make a difference. Rock Ethos, the music festival on Feb 10th, shows promise of a new cult in the making. This is the first festival where the organizers insist on original music. “If your band wants to play covers, find other venues. Rock Ethos is where the talent of Bangalore can showcase original compositions”, says Raj Hansoge, Director, Buenos Entertainment pvt ltd.
The music scene in town has been picking up tempo of late, but the emphasis has always been on just the entertainment, and the bands tend to play international hits that the crowds have heard before. Original compositions usually drown out in the blaze of the international acts, often just managing to make just a temporary mark in competitions. Soon, a band that started out with a lot of zeal and enthusiasm realizes that music as a career is not worth it. Its not even funny, how many great musicians work in software companies just to survive.
The rock festival, which is scheduled to start off at 11am and will go on till 10pm, will have various other attractions as well. Paintball and gaming zones will be the main side kicks. The food court will be managed by Desmond’s. The organizers also plan to sell t-shirts and merchandise of the concert at the venue. The entry to the festival is free, but on an invite basis only. Passes will be given away by the organizers at coffee shops and in road shows where competitions will be held.
“There was a widespread response to the idea floated around to the bands in town. More than 60 professional bands sent applications, of which we have chosen the top 13, based on music quality, experience and popularity” said Srinivas V.T, Festival Artist Director, Rock Ethos. The sound is being managed by V and P sound pvt ltd, one of the best sound companies known in the music circle. “Usually in any concert we are instructed to work under a given budget. We end up compromising some part of the setup in order to fit into the budget. But this time, we are going all out. Money is not the focus here. Its music” says Vishnu P, V and P sound pvt ltd.
Says Raj Hansoge, “We are aiming to create an experience which everyone will remember for a long time. There are going be pyrotechnics and stages one sees only in international acts! I don’t want to disclose the exact details, but I promise, the opening will be grand.”
If you are a rock fan, you better be there at Rock Ethos because this will be, as they say, legendary!
(For a preview, visit On da Rocks this Saturday 7pm onwards when only original music by Bangalore bands will be played.)
Bands that will be performing at rock ethos:
1. BHOOMI
2. MOTHERJANE
3. GALEEJ GURUS
4. MYNDSNARE
5. KRYPTOS
6. THREINODY
7. SPITFIRE
8. EXTINCT REFLECTIONS
9. INVIKTUS
10. SLAIN
11. INNER SANCTUM
12. WHITENOIZ
13. ILLUMINATI
The music scene in town has been picking up tempo of late, but the emphasis has always been on just the entertainment, and the bands tend to play international hits that the crowds have heard before. Original compositions usually drown out in the blaze of the international acts, often just managing to make just a temporary mark in competitions. Soon, a band that started out with a lot of zeal and enthusiasm realizes that music as a career is not worth it. Its not even funny, how many great musicians work in software companies just to survive.
The rock festival, which is scheduled to start off at 11am and will go on till 10pm, will have various other attractions as well. Paintball and gaming zones will be the main side kicks. The food court will be managed by Desmond’s. The organizers also plan to sell t-shirts and merchandise of the concert at the venue. The entry to the festival is free, but on an invite basis only. Passes will be given away by the organizers at coffee shops and in road shows where competitions will be held.
“There was a widespread response to the idea floated around to the bands in town. More than 60 professional bands sent applications, of which we have chosen the top 13, based on music quality, experience and popularity” said Srinivas V.T, Festival Artist Director, Rock Ethos. The sound is being managed by V and P sound pvt ltd, one of the best sound companies known in the music circle. “Usually in any concert we are instructed to work under a given budget. We end up compromising some part of the setup in order to fit into the budget. But this time, we are going all out. Money is not the focus here. Its music” says Vishnu P, V and P sound pvt ltd.
Says Raj Hansoge, “We are aiming to create an experience which everyone will remember for a long time. There are going be pyrotechnics and stages one sees only in international acts! I don’t want to disclose the exact details, but I promise, the opening will be grand.”
If you are a rock fan, you better be there at Rock Ethos because this will be, as they say, legendary!
(For a preview, visit On da Rocks this Saturday 7pm onwards when only original music by Bangalore bands will be played.)
Bands that will be performing at rock ethos:
1. BHOOMI
2. MOTHERJANE
3. GALEEJ GURUS
4. MYNDSNARE
5. KRYPTOS
6. THREINODY
7. SPITFIRE
8. EXTINCT REFLECTIONS
9. INVIKTUS
10. SLAIN
11. INNER SANCTUM
12. WHITENOIZ
13. ILLUMINATI
Friday, February 15, 2008
No Bread No Butter, only Jam
Driving along the Kanakpura road, just after the Metro, on Sunday 3rd feb, one would come across the blue neon lights spelling out “Shankara”. On the compound wall, there was a black banner titled “Sunday jam”. On entering the premises, the walk was dark and silent. About 100 meters in, and one could hear beats and could see bluish lights beyond the hillock. As soon as one went around the hillock, the scene would suddenly change.
Lights. Loud rocking music. And about 100 odd youths sitting casually on the amphitheatre steps slightly moving their heads to the beats emanating from the speakers down on the stage. Welcome to a unique phenomenon-“The Sunday Jam”
The first Sunday evening of every month, the music heads of the town get together to celebrate the music. No one pays. Its all free. All this happens because of two people-Gopal and Geeta Navale. Ever since they started in 1996, Sunday jam has been conducted regularly and with great success. “Kannada activists and the ‘moral police’ have always created problems for us, but the brilliance of music and the zeal of the youth has prevailed”, says Gopal Navale.
This month’s jam was no different. It was undoubtedly a huge success. The occasion provided a platform for amateurs to gain some experience, and also the professionals to showcase themselves. Bhoomi, the town’s band that needs no introduction was the headlining act for the evening, and they showed why they are what they are. Belting out their originals like ‘inside story’, ‘uncultured’ etc, they rocked the audience into a thrilling frenzy.
“Black Rubber Band” was the prime example of what encouragement does to performing talent. Minutes into their act on stage, they were looking a little weary of themselves. But soon, their confidence grew and suddenly they looked like a different unit all together! Another example was “Malice”, and band which, probably for the first time, had a bagpipe on stage! They looked like pros as they thrashed out blazing numbers, including “Wherever I may roam” of the Metallica. And to think this was their maiden performance!!
The evening more rock oriented, with a couple of death metal bands making lasting impressions. Among them were Kashmora and Crucifix Guide, who, though being the last band for the evening, managed to get the crowd standing in front of the stage in just five minutes of performance!
The talent of Bangalore really does have a lot of potential and needs a lot of encouragement. Long live Sunday Jam!
Lights. Loud rocking music. And about 100 odd youths sitting casually on the amphitheatre steps slightly moving their heads to the beats emanating from the speakers down on the stage. Welcome to a unique phenomenon-“The Sunday Jam”
The first Sunday evening of every month, the music heads of the town get together to celebrate the music. No one pays. Its all free. All this happens because of two people-Gopal and Geeta Navale. Ever since they started in 1996, Sunday jam has been conducted regularly and with great success. “Kannada activists and the ‘moral police’ have always created problems for us, but the brilliance of music and the zeal of the youth has prevailed”, says Gopal Navale.
This month’s jam was no different. It was undoubtedly a huge success. The occasion provided a platform for amateurs to gain some experience, and also the professionals to showcase themselves. Bhoomi, the town’s band that needs no introduction was the headlining act for the evening, and they showed why they are what they are. Belting out their originals like ‘inside story’, ‘uncultured’ etc, they rocked the audience into a thrilling frenzy.
“Black Rubber Band” was the prime example of what encouragement does to performing talent. Minutes into their act on stage, they were looking a little weary of themselves. But soon, their confidence grew and suddenly they looked like a different unit all together! Another example was “Malice”, and band which, probably for the first time, had a bagpipe on stage! They looked like pros as they thrashed out blazing numbers, including “Wherever I may roam” of the Metallica. And to think this was their maiden performance!!
The evening more rock oriented, with a couple of death metal bands making lasting impressions. Among them were Kashmora and Crucifix Guide, who, though being the last band for the evening, managed to get the crowd standing in front of the stage in just five minutes of performance!
The talent of Bangalore really does have a lot of potential and needs a lot of encouragement. Long live Sunday Jam!
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Azadi Express
When I heard of the “Azadi Express” stationed at the cantonment railway station, I could imagine lots of families with kids. But never in my wildest dreams did I imagine so many people my age to be present there! Honestly, I myself wasn’t very keen on visiting. I was pulled along by a friend, and boy am I glad that I went! A couple of steps into the first compartment, one is plunged into the pre independence era, where the atrocities committed on the Indians by the British is shown through sketches, pictures and text written in English, Hindi, and more interestingly, in the regional language Kannada. The successive bogies took me through the revolts, and struggle for independence and then the post independence growth of India.
All that said, I must confess, I didn’t expect so much youth to turn up! Many engineering students were strolling around, keenly reading about our independence struggle. When questioned what it was about the Azadi Express was it that drew them, pat came the reply, “Just the concept!” from Sindhu, a 4th year Telecom student. There were people of all age groups to be seen, and if the word of the volunteers is to be believed, more than 6000 people have visited in 24 hours! That’s a large number considering that it’s a weekday!
One of the visitors was 38 year old house wife Sarada, with her two lovely daughters Vasudha and Vaishnavi, 14 and 10 years old. The kids had pulled the mom along to see their history text books brought to life. When asked what the Republic Day signifies, Vasudha promptly replied while her mom stammered! This is the case with most who “grow out” of the school phase. A quick check revealed that 7 out of 10 young college going students did not know the significance of the Republic Day! Mr.Srinivas Murthy, a retired government official felt otherwise. He felt that there’s a lot of potential in the youth of today, and that while the youth may project an idea of reckless irresponsibility, they are infact very bright and hardworking. “The only thing we need to do is to make the youth realize that working for the country is as important as working for oneself and making money. Our freedom fighters are the best examples to this cause”, he felt.
While many strolled through slowly through the bogies, it was hard to ignore a few keenly studying every single detail, with a book in hand, making notes. One such group, was a bunch of men aspiring to be sub-inspectors. They are writing the PSI exam, which is scheduled on 2nd Feb. When I joked if they were making notes in preparation for the exam, R.Ramachandra,32, said that it was important to know as much as possible about the country’s past to take it into the future. Now there’s the kind of men we need in the Police Department!
In all this, it was difficult to ignore the young men and women in florescent jackets standing by as security. All these bright souls are recruited by the Nehru Yuvaka Kendra, where they work as volunteers. Every state has a different set of volunteers who are from that state, so that they can be of assistance to the general public.
The Azadi Express will travel, in all 70 stations, and will be managed by more than 300 volunteers. Most of these volunteers are young aspiring students studying basic sciences. They are very happy with the response of the public to this concept, but many felt that the advertisement could have been better and more efficient. Prabhu.V, a Bsc student, one of the volunteers said that contrary to general belief, a lot of young crowd was flowing in. Apart from the hoards of school children, there are also a lot of college-going students visiting the train. But he felt that not many IT professionals have visited yet. Let’s hope our techies find time to make it during the weekend, because this train definitely worth it!
All that said, I must confess, I didn’t expect so much youth to turn up! Many engineering students were strolling around, keenly reading about our independence struggle. When questioned what it was about the Azadi Express was it that drew them, pat came the reply, “Just the concept!” from Sindhu, a 4th year Telecom student. There were people of all age groups to be seen, and if the word of the volunteers is to be believed, more than 6000 people have visited in 24 hours! That’s a large number considering that it’s a weekday!
One of the visitors was 38 year old house wife Sarada, with her two lovely daughters Vasudha and Vaishnavi, 14 and 10 years old. The kids had pulled the mom along to see their history text books brought to life. When asked what the Republic Day signifies, Vasudha promptly replied while her mom stammered! This is the case with most who “grow out” of the school phase. A quick check revealed that 7 out of 10 young college going students did not know the significance of the Republic Day! Mr.Srinivas Murthy, a retired government official felt otherwise. He felt that there’s a lot of potential in the youth of today, and that while the youth may project an idea of reckless irresponsibility, they are infact very bright and hardworking. “The only thing we need to do is to make the youth realize that working for the country is as important as working for oneself and making money. Our freedom fighters are the best examples to this cause”, he felt.
While many strolled through slowly through the bogies, it was hard to ignore a few keenly studying every single detail, with a book in hand, making notes. One such group, was a bunch of men aspiring to be sub-inspectors. They are writing the PSI exam, which is scheduled on 2nd Feb. When I joked if they were making notes in preparation for the exam, R.Ramachandra,32, said that it was important to know as much as possible about the country’s past to take it into the future. Now there’s the kind of men we need in the Police Department!
In all this, it was difficult to ignore the young men and women in florescent jackets standing by as security. All these bright souls are recruited by the Nehru Yuvaka Kendra, where they work as volunteers. Every state has a different set of volunteers who are from that state, so that they can be of assistance to the general public.
The Azadi Express will travel, in all 70 stations, and will be managed by more than 300 volunteers. Most of these volunteers are young aspiring students studying basic sciences. They are very happy with the response of the public to this concept, but many felt that the advertisement could have been better and more efficient. Prabhu.V, a Bsc student, one of the volunteers said that contrary to general belief, a lot of young crowd was flowing in. Apart from the hoards of school children, there are also a lot of college-going students visiting the train. But he felt that not many IT professionals have visited yet. Let’s hope our techies find time to make it during the weekend, because this train definitely worth it!
Thursday, January 31, 2008
So here's the shit
Ok! So here's the thing. I've been chosen as a "Bangalore Mirror Squad" member. What that means is that I'll be writing quite a few articles and reports. Initially I thought I'll put them in my first blog . But then, I felt it defeated the purpose of 'The Middle of Nowhere'. I started out that blog to put out complex thoughts and feelings in what most felt sadistic formats. The articles and stories simply spoilt the atmosphere there. It seemed like my mom was lookin to clean up by blog too, like she tries to organize and clean my room.
And hence this blog.
I guess this blog will be more frequently updated than the other one. After all, fact does come easier than the truth. :)
Do keep checking out this blog, and if you can think of anything that I could write about, please do tell me!
See you soon
And hence this blog.
I guess this blog will be more frequently updated than the other one. After all, fact does come easier than the truth. :)
Do keep checking out this blog, and if you can think of anything that I could write about, please do tell me!
See you soon
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