Something is seriously wrong..

I have interviewed many people from many states and have developed this impression that something is seriously wrong with our education system. Most of the candidates I interviewed could not answer simple fundamental questions.

The other day, a candidate who is a mechanical engineer could not even define the term “WORK” or “Mechanical Equivalent of heat” .

The next day’s experience was even shocking. 

A candidate came to face the interview. His academic records are excellent: 90% in High school (State Board), 86% in Higher Secondary (CBSE) and 80% in BTech.. I felt happy to get such a brilliant young man as a teacher for my students.

I started with the question: 

“How or why does a body float in water or in any liquid?” 

He replied, “Because of buoyancy force.” 

“On what factor does the buoyancy depend?” I asked…He could not answer. 

I asked back, “Why does a needle sink in water but the ship float?”  

And to that his answer was, “The needle has lesser density as compared to the ship.”

I asked, “What is the density of steel/iron, approximately?”

About 1.4 kg/cubic meter, he replied

“And density of mercury?”, I got curious to know his answer.

“1.2 kg/cubic meter” was his reply

“And the density of water?” I asked not losing my cool.

“1000 kg/cubic meter”, he replied correctly for the first time.

So, according to this brilliant mechanical engineer, water is 1000 times heavier than steel.

I could not decide whether to cry or laugh... 

A strong lady...

She is a  house maid ,  a middle-aged woman. She talks very little, comes on time, cooks my meals and leaves silently. 

She is a widow, her husband died four years ago. She has only a young adopted son. She is educated and can read, write and speak English. Her husband was a rich man and she has lots of property but after her husband’s death some other people are enjoying the benefits of that property and she had been fighting it out in the court of law.

The other day, I overheard her speaking to some one over phone, most probably the person against whom she had had the legal fight. I understood from the conversation that she had won the case and things were to be settled officially in front of some government authority the next day. I was amazed at the way she spoke over phone. 

She was saying something like this:

“I’ll come alone, only my lawyer will be with me. 

I just know two things, you give me back my papers, and I’ll pay you the money then and there…. 

Don’t worry, I am an educated woman. You write in English or Hindi, I’ll follow… 

I have won the case, and now you have no other options

And don’t shout like that.. I can also shout.. etc.. etc..”

I just kept wondering, how education can give confidence to people irrespective of their gender.. Also, how circumstances can make a strong man even out of an Indian lady....