The recent CAT examination fiasco is a classic example of the pitfalls of the burning desire to go make all processes “Online”. The lust for being compliant with this buzzword has led many down a road of disaster, and now the IIMs have ruined their record for successfully holding one of the most desired exams in India.

Before jumping on the online bandwagon, the great management heads/gurus at IIMs should have thought of the following:

Why does CAT need to be an online exam?

The aim for going online is to enhance your reach, to ensure you get an audience far larger than your current numbers. Being online gives you greater visibility, ease-of-use (only when implemented properly) and a much wiser audience. But did CAT need any of these?

The answer is No. In 2007, more than 2 lakh students appeared for CAT. The number of students appearing for CAT increases by 15-25% annually, so reach and visibility is not really a problem. Every single one of India’s graduate students with any interest in management knows that CAT is the exam that they need to take one day. Visibility would anyways not be much applicable as CAT is an exam, not a commodity. So what else could be the reason?

Ease-of-use/management? Online exams are not the easiest ones to appear for, especially in a country like India where a lot of people are not used to living their lives on computers. We grow up in an environment where all the tests, exams and evaluations that we do are offline, on paper. It is not natural even for those lakhs of computer science graduates churned out by our system to appear for exams online on a regular basis. So if there is no ease-of-use for the lakhs of candidates appearing for the exam, the whose life is made easy? I would say this makes the lives of all those professors who have to evaluate those lakhs of answer sheets. But if that was the only problem, then why not make CAT an objective type exam, and use OMRs. After all, OMRs are now fairly common and used in almost all the objective type exams.

There is the ease of management, however. There is enormous amount of effort put to manage an exam of the scale of CAT. Question papers have to be maintained in absolute secrecy. Examination centers have to be set up with invigilators inside those scores of classrooms where candidates sit to write the CAT exam. Does going online reduce this logistic cost in any way? Yes and no. Yes because in the long run, there may be savings on several transportation costs, overheads, money paid to invigilators, maintaining the papers etc. No because the online version does not come for free. The software company needs to be paid to create, manage and run these tests, centers still need to be setup where candidates can go to take the test, invigilators are still needed to ensure there are no smart alecs (or munnabhais), costs go towards maintaining resilient servers that do not crash during the exams, electricity costs for all this infrastructure…. so where is the saving? And don’t for one minute think that not printing those lakhs of exam papers and answer sheets is eco-friendly. Consider the amount of electricity spent in keeping servers up and running, exam centers running not for one, but TEN days!

So there are no visible advantages of making CAT an online exam. At least none visible to me. Is it possible that these great brains who churn out hundreds of the best managers have envisioned advantages in this format that are beyond the understanding of an ordinary minion? Reality kicks in hard and reminds me that it is these great “management” gurus and their disciples who couldn’t foresee the great financial mess that we are living in for the last two years, especially when most of them were busy creating it for us!!! Myopia is a typical malfunction that a lot of managers suffer from, and it could be the same myopia that clouded the IIMs judgement when saying yes to the online CAT.

They could not! CAT went online and all hell broke loose. Several students couldn’t log in, when they did they couldn’t take the exam or submit the answers, slot appointments were cancelled, re-issues and then re-cancelled. Several centers had to actually shut down for a day or two before exams could recommence. Imagine the stress on those candidates who had to take and re-take the exam again and again, only due to the management incompetence of IIMs in holding their exams and of the software incompetence of prometric in making sure the exam is conducted successfully.

I quote the CAT website: “there are still some candidates (numbering a few thousand) who could not take the test due to genuine reasons and test has not been rescheduled for them yet. A new test date will be announced in about a fortnight to provide an opportunity to ALL such candidates to write the test”. and “CAT 2009 was an instance of computerized testing for the largest number of candidates in the time span of ten days. The tests were delivered through 361 labs, in 104 locations spread across 32 cities. Every edition of the test involved use of over 17000 computers. It was therefore a mammoth task being attempted for the first time”.

So by its own admission, there are still “thousands” of candidates yet to take the test. And just look at the numbers: over 17000 computers used at 300+ test centers. Where is the saving?

The CAT fiasco proves to be an invaluable lesson for anyone who wants to “go online”. Before you do, ask yourself: Do I really need to go online? What value will I derive out of going online? Put a solid research in place, analyse the pros and cons and jump on the bandwagon only if there is some gain to be made. Software companies will try to make you go online, resist the temptation. Making you go online is good business for the software companies, and no matter how convincing their sales people are in their swanky powerpoint and flash presentations, use your own brain and judgement. After all, you don’t need to study in an IIM to learn to think!

P.S. And it seems like the IIMs are not willing to learn. According to this article in ET, they are now looking at linux and open source as solutions. So they idea is to create a problem, then to go about fixing everything but the problem. If this is how management is taught in B-schools, I am better off outside them!

Author’s Notes:
1. Of course students who took CAT will not complain out loud! They would be mortally scared to say anything against the IIMs, they may be studying there for two years. Imagine being at the center of wrath of the college you study at!
2. Isn’t it ironic that the best management institutes in India cannot manage their own entrance exam? Oh, and the excuse of “we were doing it first time” is quite lame. IIMs are the premier management institutes not only in India, but across the world that are supposed to teach planning so that things are done right the first time, and not making excuses. Bah!
3. First hand account from student who took CAT 2009 here.
4. Prometric’s admits problems with CAT online here
5. Some sensible talk to take CAT back to pen-paper format here

The words “Happy and gay” used to mean being happy without giving a damn when I was growing up. Now though, things have changed. Being happy and gay in today’s India would bring you a whole truckload of trouble. Until recently.

The Delhi High Court in a very sensible judgement said that being gay is not illegal by law. As expected, this has brought cheer to the gay community, and to the sensible community. But is life ever easy in India? No siree!!

According to the so-called guardians of the society and our morality, what you do in your bedroom should be a closely scrutinized (& pre-approved) act. In their opinion, a person’s sexual orientation should be trigger enough for their prosecution by the law(or at least by its enforcers). Morality seems has got itself a bunch of cronies to protect it. But then these are self-proclaimed gurus, the saints and the god-men. Now I mean no disrespect for any of these great people, but do I, or anyone else tell them what to do in their bedrooms?

Now there is another aspect of this whole gay legality/morality debate that bothers me. The same people who are out in arms against homosexuals are also the ones against me sitting hand in hand in a park, or on a beach, with my girlfriend/wife(even sister). So let me put this out clear. The enforcers of our morality, who tell us that being a homosexual is immoral and incorrect, also tell us that being a heterosexual would be equally illegal if I take my girlfriend out for a walk in the park. Some hypocrisy that is!! As some great(and unknown) person said:

I have no problems with God. It is his followers that I can’t stand.

And let these morality thugs also remember that Khajuraho stands tall as an example of our heritage. At one time, more than 50 temples stood tall, decorated all over with very graphic sexual imagery. Some of it is still intact, and when you go there, what strikes you is the amount of common sense that we have lost over the ages.

Legalizing homosexuality is simply removing discrimination based on a person’s sexual orientation. More crudely put, what anyone does in their bedroom is none of my, or anyone else’s business. So why should people be discriminated based on their bedroom behavior? Doesn’t make any sense.

So, with all humility, I request all religious gurus, and self-styled morality enforcers to please do a show of common sense. Let the world know that in a country that is the birthplace of Kamasutra, and where we have a lord of sexuality(kama dev), we can be open minded to accept homosexuals as regular individuals, and not treat them freaks, wierdos or diseased people.  Please channelize your energy towards creating a peaceful society, one without bias and discrimination. Empower the poor, empower women, save the girl child..there’s several issues that need your attention. Focus on them, and make a difference there.

Let us all be nice sensible people for once.

On a more personal note, the summer vacation is over. It is astonishing how much the world can change in a matter of 2 months. Very soon, I will be writing some more on what I think of the changes in the summer gone by.

Till then…let us all be happy and gay…in the true meaning of the expression!

Economies all around the world are in a recession just 4 years after they recovered from the last one. This recession, like the last one, is a product of greed. In 2000, there was the greed to earn a quick buck from dot com companies. Hence there mushroomed an eco-system of dot com firms that was later named as the “dot com bubble”, a bubble that burst and took down with it a lot of global economies.

The world did recover from the dot com bubble eventually, but there were no lessons learnt. Greed was much bigger, as giant loan sharks gave loans in the US that were not sustainable. Loans given out to people to buy houses they could never afford. Sub-prime crisis, as we know now, started a phase of slowdown that has claimed many heads now. A whole era of investment banks led by the likes of Goldmans & Lehmanns. No one knows how or where this recession would lead. All we can hope is, it stays a recession and does not become a depression.

There are, however, some uncomfortable questions one must ask even during these tough times. Here they are:

#1 Will the USA take responsibility for plunging the world into this unprecedented(so they say) crisis?

After all, it is the blind greed and capitalistic whims of the so-called Harvard educated “managerial talents” that have us in this mess.

#2 Will the banks of the world come out in the open and inform the masses how bad their books are?

One cause of the current recession is lack of faith in banks. This lack of faith is because banks are not so forthcoming with their bad debts and losses.

#3 Will higher managements in companies accept cuts to their own fat paychecks before laying off hundreds of thousands of lower rung employees?

Consider this: The average cost to company(CTC) of an entry level professional in India is about 2.5 - 3 lacs per annum. The average CTC of a Senior Manager is about 25-30 lacs per annum. CTCs for company VPs, CEOs, CTOs & CFOs are much higher, sometimes in the range of a couple of crores. If these high salary earning executives took a 20-40% cut in their CTCs, in luxuries like club memberships etc, they can very well make a considerable saving for their companies. Will they?

#4 Whenever we are out of this recession, how would we make sure we don’t have another recession?

This is the most important question to answer. Part of this answer will stem from the first answer, the USA must accept responsibility for what its greedy bankers have led the world into. The next step would be to make sure the world doesn’t head into another recession.

Now, we need someone to answer these question. More importantly, act on those answers so that the world can get back on its feet sooner than later.

Author’s Note: The Empty Head wishes all readers, fellow bloggers and well-wishers a very Happy Festival season. May you and your families be blessed with health, wealth and happiness!!

As the countdown begins for another Women’s Day, I have a few thoughts that are bouncing around in my head. So here I go.

The buzzword that is heard around these days is women empowerment. For women to be empowered, independent & free of any form of oppression is essential for a positive evolution of the society. The blame for women not being any of these has traditionally been dumped on the males. The Indian society has long had a patriarchal setup, which had gone unquestioned for centuries. Even laws like the Hindu Marriage Act, and the Hindu Undivided Family Act had been biased for several years in the favor of men. Now this is all changed. CBSE has made the Mother’s name an entry with equal importance as the Father’s name, a women has equal power, and can demand her fair share in family property or her husband’s property.

The number of educated women in the country has gone up. More and more women are taking up higher education, and becoming doctors, engineers, lawyers et al. The Times of India in its buildup to Women’s Day writes, “Its a women’s world!!”

Is it?
(more…)

Pakistan is on the brink of another civil war after its prodigal daughter & the preferred candidate for the Prime Minister’s post, Benazir Bhutto was assassinated on December 27. Her killing came as a shock not only to Pakistan, but to the western world that was counting on Bhutto for a smooth transition of power from Musharraf to a democratically led government.

Bhutto’s demise has changed a lot of equations in Pakistan. Though it has ensured her party’s victory in the next general elections, whenever they happen.

(more…)

Mr. Karat is at it again. After giving the UPA government some breathing space on the Indo-US nuclear deal in November, the left has put a stick in UPAs wheels a day after the parliament concluded its winter session. This time around though, the warning was much more direct.

(more…)

In a stinging statement, A M Naik, MD of Larson & Toubro accuses the Indian IT companies of “doing nothing for India”. In an interview with Times Now, he also went on to say that IT companies should leave the civil and mechanical engineering students to be employed in infrastructure and manufacturing industry rather than writing C++ and Java code.
(more…)

“They knew that there is no point in asking the generals for freedom. They knew that they don’t have guns and can’t beat the army. All they wanted to do was show the world what their situation is and that they are prepared to die.”

These are brave words coming from a nation under oppression. A nation under great political distress, where the military regime is pulling out all stops to suppress a cry for freedom and democracy. Burma needs help, its common man needs help. And the help needs to be more than bureaucratic handshakes and discussion behind closed doors. Action needs to be taken by the international community to force the military regime(also referred to as junta) to step back, release all political prisoners and let people have a say in running of their country.

As a blogger, I do my bit by being a part of the One Post for Burma campaign.

Please visit www.free-burma.org by clicking on the link, or the image above and support the Burmese who are fighting for their freedom, without any guns, but with a lot of guts.

But when they hear that support for the demonstrations is dwindling and time passes by without help from anyone, they lose hope. They are getting disillusioned and eventually they’ll give up.

Please do not let these people lose hope. My request to the entire international community is to stand up, and act. Actions always speak louder than words.

But till we see any action, let us keep spreading the word. And show solidarity for the oppressed masses of Burma.

Free Burma!!

References:
1. Image courtesy Free burma flickr pool
2. Quotes from BBC World : Account from a monastery

These were the words of Mid-Day editor Vitusha Oberoi, when asked on the line of defence they adopted in the Delhi High Court. This happened as the Delhi High Court sentenced 4 journalists of Mid Day to 4 months in jail for contempt of court. What irked the court was a report published in the Mid-Day that suggested that a former Chief Justice had benefited from his judgments.

This raises a gamut of very disturbing questions. (more…)

The French don’t seem to be good at a lot of things. Making cars is one of them. Now France is a beautiful country, but that is almost where it ends. And now, France has another feather added to its infamous cap. France has now proven beyond doubt, that it is no good at international politics. France has now publicly announced that its citizens should be ready to go to war with Iran, should Iran continue with its nuclear enrichment program.

The French foreign minister said,

“We have to prepare for the worst, and the worst is war.”

Now there is nothing new for the world to see USA flex its muscles this way. There have been times when the US has spoken tough, and acted tough too. The most recent example stands in the form of a ruined country. But America has the military power to talk tough. An American aircraft carrier typically has enough Army, Navy and Air Force on it to launch a dedicated strike on its own. And typically, carriers float around in carrier groups. So for the US to flex its biceps, is understood. They can act the threat if they want to.

France, on the other hand, would not really want to do what its foreign minister has so proudly proclaimed. With a small military force, trying to attack Iran would not make a lot of sense, politically or otherwise.

Let us go a step back and put a thought to why France, the entire Europe and the US is opposing the nuclear advances that Iran is making. Iran started its nuclear program by making centrifuges, that purify Uranium. This was the first step that peeved the world. A potent anti-west power would have in its hands one of the most potent weapons of destruction, a nuclear device. Since the time of Ayatolla Khomeini, Iran has not been a very country favored by the west, esp. America. Most Iranians would view America as its biggest enemy, and it is wise for America to think that a nuclear device in the hands of such a country could prove to be a direct threat.

After assuring the world that its nuclear advances were purely for civilian purposes, and would be used to quench an ever increasing thirst for electricity, Iran allowed IAEA inspectors to enter and inspect its nuclear facilities. This was more of a confidence building measure, as this was the time when US was advancing in Iraq. Iran most certainly did not want the humvees and F-32s headed its way. So Iran played good.

But as time passed by, Iran’s President got more and more vocal. Iran wanted its nuclear power in the hands of its military. Which is when the problem started.

Though I wonder, why is France preparing its people for war? Even though the IAEA has sought to pacify the situation by having entered into an agreement with Iran. And Iran has also repeated its commitment to not making a nuclear device. Iran wants to make electricity out of uranium, the IAEA seems to believe Iran. Why does France have a problem with this?

Luckily, Iran has the support of Russia in the United Nations security council. Russia, with its veto power would stop any international attempt at a military strike or further sanctions on Iran. So a strike cannot be enacted via the UN. France alone would not send its military into Iran to get killed. They will look at NATO support. I am sure that other NATO members will be wary to attack Iran. They have seen the blunder of Iraq. An invasion that seemed to be a noble idea turning into an international farce.

France, in this announcement, would be piggy-backing on the US for support. But the French have possibly forgotten that with a presidential election scheduled in 2008 and worries of slow economic growth in the coming fiscal year, America has a lot at home to take care of. Would France have the guts to go forward with this alone?

They probably would not. And France must remember that the recent crisis was first reported by BNP Paribas, a French bank. Oil prices are at an all time high, there are more short term and long term economic growth worries projected from the US. We now stand looking at another global economic slowdown in the next one or two years. War talk is not going to do any good. What economies around the world need are confidence building measures, especially with oil & natural gas producing countries like Iran. Only then would there be a little sense of stability in the current politico-economic situation.

France should probably stick to making wines. Drinking too much of it, and then crying war is probably not the best thing to do. Because when the wine wears off, it will be one hell of a hangover for the French.