BIT by BIT Issue 7 by NAPS

« EDITORIALS

BIT BY BIT

February 9, 2015

BIT by BIT

BIT BY BIT 1

The News and Publication Society

« FEMINISM THE TRUTH ABOUT IT

« PAKISTAN A FALLING DEMOCRACY

Feminism, as Wikipedia defines, is a collection of movements and ideologies aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, cultural, & social rights for women. This includes seeking to establish equal opportunities for women in education and their employment. A feminist supports the rights and equality of women.There is a general norm in the society that feminist target men in the society. Feminists are not angry lesbians who hate men. Feminists do not believe women are better than men, or that women deserve special privileges. They do not believe women are victims. They just believe in the simple notion, that all human beings, male or female, should have equal political, economic and social rights.Feminism is now widely regarded as a wild card; it’s not an ‘F-word’ from which people should shy away. Even though more and more people are now beginning to understand the true definition and purpose of the feminist movement, and openly identifying with it, there has always been a negative stigma attached with it. Feminism does not aim to make women stronger than men; they want women to be rendered the same opportunities, privileges, and freedoms, as any man does, and to be treated as equal in the eyes of their opposite sex.It is great that many women today feel like they have equal opportunities as men. If it weren’t for the feminist movements of the past, who knows how many steps back we’d be today. That being said, we still need feminism, and will continue to need it, until every other woman in the world feels this way as well.

Pakistan today is a country which is girdled by various internal and external problems, some of which are its own creations. The soaring of terrorism and Human rights violation to the recent denial of judicial and electoral system, everything is playing dodgeball with the fate of Pakistan and the ineffective representation has no Band-Aid for this augmenting wound. All of this has made people wondering about the existence of democracy in Pakistan. The problem with Pakistan is that the stone it threw to achieve a few short term goals turned out to be a boomerang and it hit them back instead. The terrorist organizations that were once supported by the army and ISI - as acknowledged by various former army officers of Pakistan - has now started haunting their own existence. The extermination of Osama Bin Laden in 2011 in Pakistan further depicts how easily these terrorists get safe houses in the state. The frequent suicide attacks and bomb blasts has shunted the development process and led to miserable lives for common people. The uprising of ISIS and the news of its links with Al-Qaida and other Afghanistan-Pakistan based extremist groups has further deteriorated this condition. These groups are also said to control elections in some districts and thus denying the very basis of democracy.

- Isha Shah(2k14)

« SKETCH OF THE MONTH

Furthermore, the condition worsens as the real power is still said to be in the hands of army and not the democratically elected head. It was thought that the essence of democracy will revive after the removal of Pervez Musharraf but this is not said to have happened thoroughly. This can be seen from the fact that the present Prime Minister Nawaz shareef has been asked by the army to step down due to the growing protests led by Imran Khan. This has led to a major democratic crisis in Pakistan. If you can question the very basis of democracy i.e., the elections then one can well figure out how deadly this cancer is. Pakistan is already suffering from problems like high inflation, Illiteracy, internal violence between shias and sunnis, etc, and these kinds of additional crisis can throw a country decades behind others.Moreover, the government is still busy plotting proxy wars and engaging in frequent cross border cease-fire violations . It is not that Pakistan can’t leap ahead through this trauma, but the present condition of the government and the army is what delimits it. Being entitled to versatile natural resources and superb geographical location, it is now in the hands of the people’s representatives that whether they bury the hatchet or still engage in dirty politics because if they don’t then Pakistan’s fate will be doomed.

«PHOTOGRAPH OF THE MONTH - Arpan Gupta(2k13)

www.napsbitmesra.com

Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra

« ABSOLUTE OR RELATIVE GRADING : A SURVEY For a long time, the methodology of grading system has been a hot topic among academicians. The method to evaluate a student’s calibre in their chosen field has been frequently debated. In India, various technical institutes follow essentially two types of grading systems- Absolute and Relative Grading System. Absolute grading system is a percentage based method in which a particular grade is assigned within a set interval of marks, for instance, excellent grade for scores above 90%, A+ for scores between 80-90, A for scores between 70-80, B+ for scores between 60 and 70 and so on. On the other hand, relative grading is a dynamic system as it depends on the subject material and faculty. Any new change in the fields of engineering and technology also affects the grading pattern. This is a percentile based system in which the highest score in the class or department is most often considered as the highest achievable score. All the students are graded by taking the ratio of their respective scores to the highest score. The result depends on the performance of a particular branch or class. To contrast these two systems on this point, lets imagine a tough score where the topper has secured 75%. In the asbolute system, he will secure an A grade, say, but in the relative system he is most likely to get the highest

achievable grade. As every coin has two sides, these systems of grading have pros and cons, too. Through the relative grading, one can better their low marks using a better grade if fewer students have been successful. Most of the colleges in India follow relative grading system. Even the results of competitive enterance exams, GRE, GATE, and CAT are on a percentile basis one way or the other. The advantage of relative grading over an absolute one is that it gives the faculty more flexibility in assessing the performance. Also, it will create standardization amongst students while competing for various exams for higher studies or applying for internships which takes the college results into account. The entire assessment depends on the difficulty of the paper set, subject matter of the course and the leniency

Why is relative grading better than absolute grading? Chances of getting higher grades increase(19%) Helps in standardisation, as most other universities follow this(25%) Higher grades mean a better shot for an internship or higher education Adaptive scale & targets more efficiently outline student Other(1%)

Why is absolute grading better than relative grading?

Decrease in competition at the fringes(26%) - Saurabh Mishra(2k12)

- Aditi Kumari(2k14) PUBLISHED BY: The News and Publication Society, BIT Mesra

FACULTY ADVISOR: Dr. Abhinav Shandilya

CHIEF EDITORS: Vishesh Dokania, Soham Ray, Roshin Mathew, Talib Wasi MANAGING EDITORS: Namrata Gummalla, Shobhit Narain, Saumya Bora, Anuva Agarwal, Koushik MLN REPORTERS: Md. Saif Ulla Khan, Amola Singh, Chandana Kuruganty, Rohan Philip, Tanmay Sahu, Ravi Sinha, Sparsh Nigam, Sidhant Sahoo, Ram

EDITORIAL TEAM:

Lohith, Spriha Chandrayan, Ashmita Ashmi, Aarushi Agarwal, Sarthak Sharma, Archit Shrivastava

DESIGNERS: Harshdeep Sagar, Arpan Gupta, R. Pavan Krishna

The News and Publication Society (N.A.P.S.) is the hub for all information and connectivity in the Institute, from the latest news and happenings around the campus, to interviews and opinions of the people who matter, to organization of the biggest fests and events in the college. It collaborates with the largest media houses to ensure all the important happenings in campus are brought to attention at a regional as well as national level. Being a completely student-run body, N.A.P.S. boosts college-level journalism, with regular publications including newsletters, brochures and batch souvenirs. Send us your feedback at naps@bitmesra.ac.in.

Issue 06, FEBRUARY 9, 2015

Easier to implement and practise(19%) Below average students fare slightly better(21%) A high-scoring course will produce better grades for all(19%) Other(15%)

with which the answer scripts are evaluated, all of which may vary from one institute to another or even teachers for that matter. Relative grading counters these inconsistencies by evaluating a student vis-àvis his or her class. BIT Mesra has since inception followed an absolute system of grading. In most cases, a CGPA between 8-8.5 is considered to be very high. Although this will classify as a good score Absolute Grading (16%) when compared with scores of a majority of students in institute, Relative Grading (84%) the it will rank as a moderate score when compared to the high ones of 9.5 or above, which are much more easily attainable in a relative system of grading. It is this difference in evaluation of performance, and hence grades, which

often puts students from institutes which follow absolute grading at a disadvantage when compared to those from institutes which follow relative grading system. To gauge where the students of the institute lie on this grading system spertrum, we, at the News and Publication Society conducted a survey in which students from all batches and branches participated. We asked them what system of grading they thought was more beneficial and why. The participants of the survey gave varied reasons to back their opinions in support of both relative and absolute. The response, however, was overwhelmingly in favour of relative grading. We plan to take up this profound response with the administration and hope that a more effective and studentfriendly system of grading replace the current archaic system.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE DEPARTMENTAL RESEARCH....................... 2 INTERVIEW WITH DEAN(A&IA).................. 2 REVIEW OF PREVIOUS SEMESTER ............. 3 PREVIEW OF UPCOMING EVENTS............... 3 INTERVIEWS WITH OUTSTANDING PERFORMERS............................................. 4 REPORT ABOUT BIT DISPENSARY............... 5 XXV CONVOCATION .................................... 5 INSTITUTE’S SPORTS ACHIEVEMENTS........5 EDITORIALS................................................6

« OP-ED: TACKLING SAFETY ISSUES The matter of girls’ security has long been the path from the ‘No Entry for Males’ an issue in our institute. With the ‘in-time’ gate to Hostel-9. When asked about the for the girls to enter their hostel being a installment of the same on the road to constant subject of discussion, persistent the Outer Cooperative (the progress of stress on the fact that girls should be which has been in question since time within the hostel premises before 7 P.M. unknown), the convenient answer was and complex procedures to be followed in that girls are supposed to vacate the case girls do wish to stay out a little longer place before 6 P.M. anyway, hence there in order to practice for cultural events or is no immediate requirement. Either for academic reasons, one would expect the male population of our college is the Hostels to be a safe abode where no not endangered, or they are the ones harm can come to them. However, this endangering the female population. It belief seems to be a mere myth in the has also been made mandatory for the light of recent events girls to produce that have taken place in their ID cards at Hostel-9. The safety of the hostel gates in the very place that girls order for the guards are made to retreat to as to verify their soon as possible stands authenticity, and if dubious. the need be they are obliged to uncover There have been reports their faces to ensure of break-in in the past as that no male enters well but had sufficient in disguise through measures been adopted the main gate. in order to curb them, such events would not The outcome of have resurfaced. Initially these measures adamant to dismiss the remains to be seen. Interior of a girls’ hostel in BIT credibility of the event They will bear fruit and after trying to impose the blame only if implemented stringentlyand on the girls themselves for inviting their assiduously. The authorities are doing ‘friends’, the authorities have finally agreed everything in their power to make to work on improving the conditions life better for female students in the prevailing within the hostels. hostels. At the end of the day, however, security is in their own hands and It has been guaranteed that lights will be their Redactment they should installed in all washrooms and a store room be cautious In our previous BIT by BIT newsletter, will be maintained wherein a continuous of 5, dated 13th August 2014, untheir Issue der the Departmental Interviews on supply of the appliances will be available. whereabouts. Page 2, we had erroneously printed A boundary wall is being constructed and E v e n t u a l l y Dr. Gautam Sarkhel’s, Head of Departit has been assured that spiral fencing will only through ment of Chemical Engineering and interview as being Dr. be put in place on the roofs. The window such effective Technology, Mandira Mukherjee’s interview, and panes will be painted black and missing co-operation mentioned Dr. Mukherjee as the Head the same department. We deeply ventilator rods will be replaced. Trained will a safe and of this oversight and would like to lady guards will be appointed in all the c o n d u c i v e regret profoundly apologise to Dr. Sarkhel, lobbies and it is mandatory for at least environment Dr. Mukherjee, and the faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technolone of the clerks to spend the night in be created. ogy, for this error in publication. the hostel. Solar lights will be installed on

Article Retracted

February 9, 2015

BIT BY BIT 2

Mechanical Engineering

The Mechanical Engineering Department of BIT Mesra is conducting several innovative and inspirational research projects dealing with the design, construction and improved use of machines. Some notable projects undertaken by the department are: -

Consultants. One of their projects, under the West Bengal Govt., is to redesign the Kalyani Krishi Viswavidyalaya in West Bengal, making it a completely solar powered building, getting it off the grid and being selfsustainable.

Chemical Engineering

Among the numerous research activities that have currently been taken up by the Department of Chemical Engineering and Technology, following projects stood out:-

Development of Thermo-responsive Hydrogel for Water separation from Aqueous Solution :PNIPAM based thermo-responsive hydrogel Bio-Fuel: was prepared at normal conditions. This was followed by characterization tests This is an ambitious project of TGA(Thermogravimetric analysis), aimed at reducing fuel DSC(Differential scanning calorimetry) and consumption. It begins by swelling behaviour. mixing vegetable oil in diesel Synthesis and Characterisation of IPN Hydrogels for Biomedical Application:An InterPenetrating Network (IPN) of polymer composed of a hydrophilic component, poly-2-hydroxyethyl acrylate (PHEA) & a hydrophobic component, poly-2-ethyl hexyl acrylate (PEHA) or poly butyl acrylate (PBA) was synthesised via sequential IPN method. These hydrogels A bio fuel plant fuel and alcohol into petrol, so embedded with superparamagnetic that they can act as the same fuel iron oxide nanoparticles(2) showed and produce the same amount improved drug delivery efficiency of heat. The alcohol being used with respect to that of the simple is produced from agro waste and IPNs(1) and 79.98% cell viability. new varieties Development of transparent of liquid fuels. Poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogels They are for tissue engineering:chemically Transparent hydrogels converted were prepared by and their freezing and thawing manufacturing technique to ensure processes, less toxicity induced characteristics, stability and Mechanical Engineering students in workshop by the use of chemical crosslinker. These performance in hydrogels are found to show very good cell car engines are being thoroughly

Composite Materials: The ongoing research is on the design of various types of composites, including Polymeric and AluminiumCeramic mixtures. These are specially designed from different constituent materials to be stronger, lighter and cheaper. CAD-CAM: It is a technology being developed to help design various prototypes of almost anything; with instant validation using computer aid and optimizing techniques. Electric Rickshaws: This one is quite an interesting project which aims to convert the current tricycle rickshaws into battery powered electric rickshaws, which are almost half the price of, and has the same effect as a modern conventional electric rickshaw which runs in the big metros. Design Consultancy: This field has roped in various graduates to work as Design studied by professors as well as students.

Coir Fibre Based Fire Retardant Nanofiller for Epoxy composites:Powdery, non toxic, non hazardous coir fibres mixed with epoxy resin to make self extinguishing composites to be used for fire fighting applications. Development of Polymeric Membranes for Heavy Metal Separation:Development of Polysulfone-cellulose acetate based membrane for heavy metal separation. The pore size are controlled by using pore former, polyvinyl pyrrolidone. The rejection of heavy metal are studied by using humic substances.

Polymer Processing Facilities

Development of Surface Coating Compositions based on Shellac Synthetic Resin/Polymer Blends:Attempts have been made for blending of shellac with Resin, Novolac and epoxidized novolac. Coatings have proved helpful. Development of Non-fluorinated Polymeric Proton Exchange membranes for Fuel Cell:Sulfonated polyether sulfone (SPES), sulfonated polyether ketone (SPEK), sulfonated polyether ether sulfone (SPEES) & their hybrid membranes using inorganic adhesion and appropriate for corneal tissue conducting filler for operating at high replacement. temperature and low humidity.

« AN INTERVIEW « Dean (Alumni and International Affairs) As the Dean of Alumni & International Affairs, what are your duties and responsibilities? The various responsibilities as the Dean of Alumni and International Affairs include maintaining healthy ties with our alumni and involving them in the various ongoing activities of the college. As the alumni of our college are in senior positions at various large corporations or research institutes, we could use their expertise and abilities to help our present students by organizing guest lectures and interactive sessions. Other than this, we (the Alumni Relations Group) help in coordinating reunions and gatherings for our alumni so that they could cherish the most important days of their life. Recently, we organized reunion meets for the 1965 and 1985 batches alumni and the planning for the 1961 batch reunion is underway. Instead of including the faculty for the coordination and planning of the meet, we have formed a Student body, Student Alumni Relations Cell (SARC) which helps in proper handling of all the alumni related events. BIT alumni have not only made a mark for themselves but have also made their college

proud. Is there any official arrangement under which distinguished alumni are recognized and honoured? Yes, this time we have decided to introduce awards to felicitate the distinguished alumni of the college. We have announced for filing of the nominations online for the awards and we expect good participation and co-ordination from our alumni in the coming years.

help us to improve our basic academic its matters. system and infrastructure. Can we get the BITOSA to work in collaboration Recently, we planned to organize a with the institute? meet called the “Alumni Week” where We may not be in what we call a not only a particular collaboration, but as most of the alumni batch but students and BIT staff are members of BITOSA, the from different batches institute is involved with it. would be present. We intend to involve not only our staff members BITOSA Global Conclave’14, held in Bangalore and our faculty but also witnessed huge participation from our alumni. the current students There was also a discussion on setting up an of our college so that endowment fund to help needy students. Was they would intermingle a final decision taken on the grant? with their distinguished alumni effectively The decision taken at the BITOSA Global and understand the Conclave has not reached the institute yet. professional aspects of Hence officially no decision has been taken on that aspect. Dr. S.K Bose the real world.

Coming to the alumni network, how strong is the relationship of ex-college students with their alma mater? How are the alumni notified about the various ongoing events in the campus? The relationship as you see, is basically that they are our one of the most important stakeholders and they play a very important role in upholding and enhancing the image, values, culture and integrity of this great institute. This is because most of them are leading very good organizations, which make them very good assets. So, we are trying to maintain a close relationship with our alumni so that they can come and share their ideas that

« The XXV Convocation

« I Need a Doctor

«DEPARTMENTAL RESEARCH «

February 9, 2015

How many alumni are part of BITOSA? Is there any eligibility criteria for becoming a member of BITOSA (apart from the obvious, being a BITian)? BITOSA is an independent body. It has its own policies. I am even a member of BITOSA. It works for the well-being of its members through proper gatherings and constructive proposals. It is free to do anything and as an institute, we have restricted ourselves from interfering into

Various colleges receive large donations from their alumni. Does BIT have an alumni funding account? If so, how is this money dealt with? No, we don’t have an alumni fund. It’s an obvious matter that we often have meets with our senior alumni and recently we had one of those meets with the 1965 and 1985 batches’ alumni. In adherence to the institute policy, we can not directly ask them for funds. It should be a proposal from the alumni itself and not from the institute.

BIT BY BIT 5

The truth about the BIT Dispensary

Pass-outs of 2014

The fact that our college has a full-fledged dispensary with several doctors on call and an ambulance service is not just something to be proud of but also a huge relief to the students and their parents. However, in light of certain recent events, we are forced to rethink our opinions on its standards and efficacy. There have been incidents where students claim to have been wrongly diagnosed and prescribed the wrong medicines. In some of these cases, the diagnoses were wildly inaccurate and not something you would expect from a half-decent clinic or medical practitioner. A second year student claims to have been prescribed the same medication for both a fungal infection and a viral fever. In another incident, a student was informed that she had contracted typhoid when it was actually just a common flu. To make things worse, this erroneous diagnosis was made during her final exams. One shudders to imagine the terrible ordeal of anxiety and desperation she would have gone through upon having to consider the possibility of repeating a subject in the next semester, when really, she would probably have been perfectly fine with a good day’s rest. The problems aren’t restricted to just the ridiculously flawed diagnoses. On several occasions when a student rushes to the dispensary in need of urgent medical attention or at least a doctor’s examination, they are forced to wait for hours on end because the doctors or staff aren’t available. The doctors aren’t the only ones to Beds in BIT Mesra’s Dispensary blame. There have been cases where the pharmacist receives the right prescription slip but ends up handing over the wrong set of medicines out of sheer absent-mindedness. A dispensary that caters to the several thousands of residents on campus is the last place one would expect to find such a lackadaisical and indifferent atmosphere. The dispensary ought to be more than just a place that students go to in order to lower their minimum attendance requirements by presenting dubitable medical certificates. It needs to be a safe haven for students – a place that makes them feel like they’re in assuredly good hands as they recuperate. Let us hope that the concerned authorities look into the matter ensure that such issues become a problem of the past.

The XXV Convocation ceremony of BIT, Mesra was held on December 12, 2014. The Golden Jubilee Auditorium was impeccably decked out for the ceremony where 2,552 exuberant graduates were awarded degrees and diplomas. The event was presided over by the Hon’ble Governor of Jharkhand and Chancellor of varsities, Dr. Syed Ahmed. Padma Shri, Madhavan Chandra Dathan, distinguished scientist and Director, VSSC, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, was the chief guest for the occasion and delivered the Convocation address. As many as 39 PhD scholars, 902 postgraduates, 1,446 undergraduates and 165 diploma holders received the honours. Gold medals were awarded to 16 outstanding candidates who had excelled in their respective fields. It was indeed a momentous occasion for the scholars. Only a few years ago, they had stepped into these hallowed grounds, looking around with unbound curiosity at a place which would soon become a home away from home. Self-discovery, struggle and establishment of lifelong friendships - BIT witnessed and nurtured it all. At the precipice of their final rite of passage, they came back once again to walk these roads for possibly the last time.“A convocation is an event where a speaker like me tells students like you that individuality is the key to success. On a more serious note, graduation is only a concept that gives you a job permit. In life, you graduate every day. Graduation is a life-long process” Chandra Dathan spoke to a loud applause from the elated graduates and their parents in the audience. “You have to love and worship your profession and focus your efforts with passion and devotion in order to make a difference. Remember, none of us are useless; but all of us are used less, considering the abundance of potential BIT Mesra’s XXV Convocation Celebrations given to us by the creator.” Later, the story and discussion of Mangalyaan, India’s Mars Mission, pepped up the occasion. Some smiled, some sighed and some cried. Pictures were taken and hugs and handshakes exchanged, with hopes held high just like the graduation caps are tossed up into the sky.

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« LAURELS AND GLORY

Highlights of BIT Mesra’s remarkable performance in the field of sports

BITs healthy sporting culture gives the students ample of opportunities to stand out and showcase their athletic prowess and sporting talents. Various Intra and Inter college events for Badminton, Basketball, Cricket, Football, Lawn Tennis, Table Tennis, Volleyball and Athletics take place throughout the academic calendar year. Intra college events such as the Inter Hostel Tournaments that take place for every sport, the recently concluded Annual Athletics Meet, and Cross Country Marathons enrich the age-old sports culture that has been cherished in BIT for a long time. Students who excel in these intra college events make it to the university team of BIT. Here’s a look at some of the events that took place in the previous academic year: Cross Country Marathon:The cross country marathon takes place once every semester. The latest one took place in the month of October. The length for this event was 4 km for girls and 10 km for boys. Tulika Tiwary and Wanbait Shylla stood first in these respective categories. Inter-Hostel Football:The first inter-hostel tournament for the academic year took place in the month of September. After battling it out in a month long competition, the final showdown between Hostel 6 and Hostel 12 turned out to be a one-sided affair as Hostel 6 won with a comfortable margin of 4 goals. SPARDHA (Inter-College Meet of IIT Varanasi):Spardha, the Annual All India Sports Fest of IIT-BHU, Varanasi, took place from 31st October to 2nd November 2014. Here’s how BIT fared in the various events: Athletics: The athletics team’s performance was impressive to say the least.

Abhishek Kumar bagged the bronze in the High Jump event. Though the team did not win any other medals they did manage to come in 4th in both the 200m race and 4x100m relay race, and 5th in the 500m race. The team comprised of the following members: Abhishek Kumar, Wanbait Shylla, Zakir Hussain and Saroj Lakra. Basketball: BIT’s basketball team started off as the favorites for the title with dominating performances at the start of the tournament. The team sailed through to the semi-finals and then lost to the home team, IIT-BHU by one tantalizing point. Team: Abhay Shankar (capt), TK Gaurav, Awinash Singh Chauhan, Ankush Singh Bhati, Achal Tigga, Ravin Nandle, Ram Lohith, Akshay Meena, Prithi Tudu and Aditya Anandkar. Badminton: The Badminton facilities at BIT are excellent and one wouldn’t be wrong to call it the college’s favourite sport. As always, there were high hopes and expectations from the team and they, as always, did not disappoint, bagging an overall standing of third place. Team: Rajan Kumar(Captain), Gaurav , Devbrath Gupta, Satyanarayana Reddy and Rithwick Singh.

Football: Despite a spirited perfor- more platforms for the institute’s teams mance from the team, they were un- to showcase their prowess. able to make it out of the group stage and advance to the Quarter Finals. They did however, end up second in their pool, just one place shy of moving on to the next stage. Team: Aariz Khan (captain), Shashank Savio , M.A. Shabeer, Nishikant Bhardwaj, Shivam Chaudhary, Uma Shanka, Aditya Kumar, Charles Stephen Barla, Ashwin Bara, Aman Sachin Minz, Ambersaurav Kunal, Ravi Kumar, Banjop Syemlieh, Priyam Raut, Alex Praveen and Ankur Singh. Cricket: With cricket being the most followed sport and most widely played sport in India, the competition at a sports fest like Sparda was bound to be fierce. Nonetheless, BIT’s cricket team reached the quarter-finals of the tournament, displaying astounding execution with both the bat and the ball. Team: Shubhojit, Dab, Shubash, Rahul, Khalkho, Salil, Kashif, Nikhil, Shubham, Shivam, Adarsh Meda, Amit, Naveen and Nilesh. The Spring semester will witness inter hostel tournaments for basketball, volleyball and table tennis and several other sports fests that will provide yet

Students of BIT Mesra showcasing their skills and talent in various sports.

February 9, 2015

BIT BY BIT 3

« OP-ED: ADMINISTERED TO A STANDSTILL The monsoon semesters of BIT Mesra are always eagerly looked forward to. After the long summer months, campus life beckons and students are usually more than happy to resettle in hostel life, classes, friends and the accompanying banter. The monsoon semester is also when the college throws its arms wide open and welcomes a new generation of BITians unsure young adults stepping foot into a place that promises to nurture them and see them into adulthood. One of the most exciting chapters of college life is being a part of clubs. Club activities ensure that one hones skills which the usual college curriculum does not account for. Through these activities, students get to interact with their seniors as well as understand and appreciate the essence of college life. It was on the night of one the events organised on the occasion of “Navratri” that the very essence of the event and the spirit behind it was killed. A rather untoward squabble snowballed into an inter-batch conflict of massive proportions. What followed, were days of palpable tension; tension between batches and needless to say, between the administration and the students. The administration thought it fair and

reasonable to indefinitely suspend all in the stipulated time period. student activities and workshops. A Apart from leaving permanent dents in purely technical fest which was being the careers of the students found guilty, organised in the institute for the first time what all did the lull of activities in the was delayed and eventually, cancelled. previous semester lead to? The thoughts and ideas of the students involved in the organising committee It led to the first year students getting a could never see the light of the day. The very cold reception into college life. Their ‘guilty’ were handed out punishments first semester, which rightfully deserved which, diplomatically put, were harsh. to be the most exciting, turned out to In a few cases, students who claimed be their most monotonous. When the administration to have very diplomatically little to do kept refusing with the ugly students’ quarrel found requests, did themselves not permit in the eye of events during the cyclone evenings and and the did not pay destruction much heed to that followed. their repeated Extremities attempts at of the apologising, A mob of students ouside Hostel-13 punishments they went on handed out can easily be understood to establish for themselves an almost by the fact that the less severe one unreasoning image. For many final included a fine of Rs.25, 000 and de- year students, the seventh semester registration from three subjects. The in college was their last. After working harshest punishment saw to it that the hard for three and half years and facing punished were suspended from college the mental rigours that final year has for time periods which ensure the to offer, the least they deserved was a unsuccessful completion of their course farewell befitting their contributions to

the college. Needless to say, this too never saw the light of the day. The blanket ban on all forms of student activities at a time of the semester when the maximum concentration of events takes place did more harm than good in the long run. What irks students most, is how the administration, in the pretext of discipline, have ended up placing restrictions on many things that a normal student’s life demands. There is no dearth of incidents in which the students have been taken aback by the administration’s caustic reactions to rather inadvertent events. If the administration opines that restricting extra-curricular activities helps narrow down students’ focus to academics, they might need to rethink. The only prominent way in which the authorities’ attitude has changed the students’ mind-set is that it has made them a tad rebellious. A little bit of breathing space will go a long way in lifting the thick air of tension that continues to hang over this institute that we all have come to love. What remains to be seen, is whether the administration comes around and eases the general scheme of things in this institute.

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« RETROSPECT In the last few months, the institute Radiation’ by Dr.A.Ramakrishna, an witnessed a wide range of lively activities illustrious physicist. as a mixed bag of events were held, DISASTER MANAGEMENT TRAINING showcasing technical proficiency and PROGRAM (DMTP) cultural vibrance as well as social service. EPAC and the Sports and Adventure Here is a brief overview: Club (SAC) came together to organise CLUB INDUCTION the Disaster Management and Training The latest addition to the institute, Program on September 7, 2014. It was the 2k14 batch, was welcomed and conducted by a team of fifteen members introduced to the various different clubs from the All Rounder Adventure and societies of the college through Association, led by established cyclist the Induction Program conducted on and mountaineer Mr. Ambuj. Activities August 13th, 2014. Club representatives like jakooza exercise, rappelling, informed the students about their commando bridge and valley crossing activities, goals for the upcoming were an instant hit. session and their achievements. DANDIYA NIGHT LIVE JAM This year’s controversial Dandiya Night Music Club welcomed the was organised by Leo 2k14 batch with the very Club on September first musical evening of 20, 2014. It opened the semester on August with a cultural fashion 16, 2014. A series of show, followed by eclectic gigs thrilled the musical performances audience in the I.C Arena. & an upbeat dance. However, the night DRAMA NIGHT ended amidst the Ehsaas, the Dramatics storm of a scuffle Society of BIT Mesra, Students performing at Live Jam which led to much hosted the event on hullabaloo and temporary suspension August 19, 2014, unfolding exceptional of all student extra-curricular activities. theatrical performances. The night had (To read our opinion on it, turn to the in store two interesting plays (one each Editorial.) in Hindi and English), a gripping mime SSA SEMINAR act and hilarious stand-up comedy. The Students Society of Architecture LITERARY NIGHT in collaboration with Pidilite’s Dr. Fixit The Literary Society catered to the organised an interactive session on needs of the litterateurs in the college November 13, 2014 on present day with Literary Night on August 23rd, waterproofing technologies, repairs, 2014 hosting a debate, Kavi Sammelan sealants, & specialty coatings. The and quizzes. The debate was unique as it session got good participation from was based on noteworthy personalities architecture & civil engineering students. and the participants were also dressed JAM like them. The ‘Kavi Sammelan’ was soulful & uplifting at the same time. The very first JAM Quizzes were also held. (Just A Minute) of the season PANTHEON GUEST LECTURES was organized A series of guest lectures marked by UNESQUO on the onset of Pantheon, the Institute’s November 14, inter-college technical fest (which, 2014. The familiar unfortunately, could not see the light game that calls for of the day). The lectures organised from strong speaking 14 to 15 September, 2014 were on - and listening skills ‘Giant Black Holes in the Cosmos’ by had a hard-toProf. Dr. Tapas Kumar, an astrophysicist crack JAM Master of international repute, ‘Startups who laid out topics and Entrepreneurship’ by B. Mohan on which the A participant of DMTP Kumar, an excellent entrepreneur, participants had to ‘Nuclear Safety and Safe use of Ionising speak without pauses & deviation.

« THIS SEMESTER: NOW As we enter into a new semester, a new beginning awaits us. A diverse line-up of cultural and technical events for this semester guarantees to keep the students entralled. Here’s a look at the wide array of technical events, workshops and cultural hubbub for the current semester: SPORTS AND ATHLETICS MEET The athletics meet began from January 30, 2015 at the institute’s Sports Complex. It was preceded by a cross country race which was held on January 24, 2015. The track events included sprints, relay races and obstacle race for boys. The field events included the jumps, shot put and throws. ROSTRA The annual inter-college literary festival, conducted by the Literary Society, was held from 6th to 8th February. Encompassing three days, it included events like ‘Panchayati Raj’, which aimed to address the problems faced by Indian villages and ‘Newsroom’, which provided the participants with an opportunity to bring out the journalist in them. There were various online events too. The highlight of Rostra was the Youth Parliament, the perfect place to showcase one’s oratory and literary skills as well as hone their leadership qualities.

AAROHAN The inter-college technical fest was also organised in February, 2015 by the IEI (Civil) Students’ Chapter of BIT Mesra. A variety of online and offline events comprising of quizzes, group discussions and designing competitions on civil engineering were hosted. A few erudite lectures were also on cards. EXUBERANCE A dance night will be organised by The Rotaract Club of BIT Mesra on February 15, 2015. Themed ‘Halloween’ and adorned with glittering masquerades, the night promises sumptuous food, reverberating

music and oodles of fun. BITOTSAV The 27th edition of Bitotsav, a 5 day techno-cultural extravaganza will be organised from March 19-23, 2015. Whereas the theme of this year’s fest is ‘Streets of India’, the social cause being promoted is ‘Women Empowerment’. The technical events comprise brainstorming activities related to Coding, Robotics and Sudoku as well as Sensex and Graffiti which will compel the participants to put on their thinking caps .To complement the technical aspect are the cultural events encompassing Fine Arts, Music, Photography, Dance, Drama and Literature. The day events also include insightful guest lectures. To add to the excitement and fervour, Bitotsav brings to you exhilarating nights with scintillating band performances, thought provoking dramas and the much-awaited

special celebrity performances. VERTECHX Solely technical, this fest will be conducted in the month of April, 2015. It guarantees to unleash the scientifically sound theoretical and practical prowess of the participants. Online coding competitions, robot wars, innovative circuit designing and mind-boggling puzzles constitute this fest. Some workshops held/to be held: Netcamp: A 22 day workshop commenced on January 24, 2015. Embedded systems and Robotics workshop by Robolution: Mainly based on their self designed Atmega 16 chip, was held in the first week of February, 2015. A few other events to mention are Genesis’15, Aspen, Rangotsav, Dramzest CATIA workshop whose dates shall be notified.

February 9, 2015

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« INTERVIEWS

Utsav Giri

“Even my cell phone’s battery doesn’t get charged up to that percentage”, was one of the many congratulatory messages on Utsav’s Facebook timeline after he secured a staggering 99.58 percentile in CAT 2014. Congratulations on your fantastic achievement. We know from your status update that this was not something you expected. How do you feel? Thank you. To be honest, I didn’t prepare properly for it. In a way, it came out of nowhere. All the adulation coupled with the lack of expectation added a different dimension to my jubilation, which was already at its peak. Did you attend coaching for CAT or study by yourself? What was your preparation and exam taking strategy for CAT 2014? The pattern was different this time around. There were more questions than usual with three sections combined into two. I had already been preparing for the campus placements, so the quantitative aptitude was taken care of. Apart from that, I have rather good verbal and English language skills. I took several online mock tests 3 or 4 weeks before the CAT, just to get myself acquainted with the format. . That was the only real preparation I did. There are presumptions that one needs to be really good at English to succeed in CAT and that starting preparations early might end up in an overkill. What is your view? It depends on the individual. You first need

to identify how good you are and gauge your current levels in the quantitative and the verbal sections and then plan accordingly. This year, the quantitative section was quite easy when compared to previous years, which was unexpected. Almost 95% of the people appearing for CAT are engineers and are all equally good when it comes to quantitative ability. The difference appears in the verbal ability section, but then again, it really is a question of effort. As a TnP Coordinator, I have seen people who came from a Hindi medium schooling doing well in the English questions. The bottomline is, if you are serious enough and work hard, CAT is just is a matter of 6 months of dedicated preparation. Lastly, how conducive is the environment in our college to preparing for CAT and what advice do you have for your juniors preparing for the same? The administration of our college allows Career Launcher and B-factory to conduct classes for CAT within the campus, which I feel is excellent. For CAT, you need inputs from many people. You need to contact seniors from three to four batches before yours. Nobody will hesitate to help you out. Another thing to be kept in mind is that, rather than preparing in patches of 2-3 months, a continuous preparation is a must for cracking CAT.

Anshu Priyadarshi Anshu has secured an exceptional score of 331/340 in GRE. Also, he has been placed at MuSigma. With such an outstanding score and a lucrative job offer at hand, he seems spoilt for choice. What was the decisive factor that led you to write the GRE? I am very keen on pursuing a master’s degree outside India and had been focused on the GRE since my 3rd year. I wanted to make sure that my GRE score was at par with what is generally required. A few of my seniors, who had given me considerable advice regarding the entire process, told me that a score of 328 or more would suffice for most colleges. They too had scored very well and the opportunities available to them were very alluring & that is what made me realise that I wanted to achieve the same result. It has been noticed that Indian students are generally very good in the technical and quantitative sections but fall short in verbal reasoning and English. What do you have to say about that? The verbal reasoning and the English parts of the GRE are unconventional and very different from the kind of English we use daily. While scoring in these sections isn’t impossible, it is quite tricky. You need to prepare rigorously for it, just as you would for any other subject. You must peruse over lists of words that commonly feature in the exam and solve a good number of passages to understand their usage. Constant learning and practice definitely makes it easier.

What would you like to tell other GRE aspirants? Develop & strengthen your verbal skills. If you are already a good writer or speaker, it becomes easier for you to memorise certain words. Even otherwise, all you need to do is get into the habit of learning new words. What was your overall preparation strategy? How did you manage your time? I would try to memorise 5-10 words a day & then use them as often as I could. I had a personal blog in which I made sure to use these new words. Students who have cleared the AIEEE will sail through the quantitative part. Those who prepare for the CAT will have no trouble whatsoever. In general, all that is needed is ample practice. Solve GRE mock tests & practice papers. When is the ideal time to write GRE? I believe the GRE shouldn’t be written in a hurry. Firstly, the monitoring cost is quite significant. Secondly, GRE requires you to be absolutely prepared. The time between your mid semester exams and end semester exams is the best time because you are free from your regular academic rigour & can focus entirely on the GRE. The holiday season of Diwali and Chatt is also ideal.

Kumanduri Priyatham

Ankita Sarkar

Priyatham is one of the very few fortuante ones from 2k12 batch to have secured an internship in their pre final year. He is one of the 3 people selected by Tata Steel. Below are insights about his experience and preparation.

Ankita secured an internship at Goldman Sachs and then got it converted into a pre-placement offer. Joining the exclusive group of elites in the college, she shares her thoughts and advice with us below:

Please elaborate on the whole recruitment process. Also, how would you rate the difficulty of the questions that were asked? Forty seven students were short-listed in all, based on the eligibility criteria. There are 3 rounds in the recruitment procedure: Round 1: This round was an online test which consisted of 4 sections: quantitative ability, logical reasoning, English and an adaptive technical test. All sections except the technical one are very easy. The technical section included several fact-based questions from electronics and very few numerical problems. Round 2: After the first round, 23 students made their way to the next stage, which was a GD. We were divided into 3 groups. The topic given to my group was “Role of Electrical Engineers in the development of India”. We were given two minutes to prepare after which we each spoke for two minutes one by one based on a tag number. Following this, the actual discussion began. Round 3: After Round 2, 10 students were short-listed for the PI. The panel consisted of one interviewer from the Mechanical Dept., one from the Electrical Dept. and one from H.R. Right off the bat, I was asked technical questions, which continued for around 10-15 minutes. This was followed by a few general questions like “Suppose you became a part of TATA STEEL family, what are the technical changes you want to introduce in the industry”, “What are your strengths and weaknesses?”, “Why TATA steel?”, “Why EEE and not ECE?” and

What were the various rounds of the selection procedure and how did you prepare for them? The written round had two parts to it: aptitude and coding. As I had already been preparing for the CAT, I was able to answer the aptitude section with relative ease. For the coding section, I was helped by the fact that I had learnt a little more than the basic C syllabus we were taught initially. For the most part, however, I believe that the aptitude round was what got me through. The Group Discussion round that followed was one of the best rounds for me as the topics given were related to finance and banking. Next, there were two rounds of interviews. The first round was short and consisted primarily of puzzles and general questions. The second round was a mixture of technical questions and some HR and managerial questions which stressed more on the spontaneity of thoughts than memory.

so on.Most of the questions asked were regarding electrical machines and power systems. How pertinent would you say the curriculum followed in our college is to the current industry requirements and standards? How would you rate the relevance of the experiments in the labs to what is actually required? They are useful only to a certain extent. On a scale of 10, I would rate it 6. Could you tell us a little about your preparation strategy? I prepared my plan of action after consulting several seniors and taking into consideration the recruitment history of Tata Steel. I followed my timetable religiously and revised every topic right from the basics. I participated in several mock GDs & PIs with friends which definitely helped me improve my skills and confidence. I also read many interview excerpts on glassdoor.com, Facebook & practised quantitative questions, logical reasoning and English from Indiabix.com and textbook.com. I also made it a point to read the newspaper everyday in order to keep myself updated. What do you plan to do after engineering? What exams do you plan to give, if any? I am preparing for technical exams like Gate, IES. If possible, I would like to do MS (Power Systems and Industrial Power electronics) after taking the GRE.

How was the internship experience and work environment at Goldman Sachs? What were the requirements you had to fulfill? It was a fantastic experience. The learning opportunities are myriad. It was a very comfortable and friendly work environment. Since I was from ECE, the criteria I had to fulfill was to be at par with the CSE students and since I was in the technical department, I learnt Java and few other software applications prior to my internship. This turned out to be extremely use-

ful later on. The first two weeks of my two month long internship were spent learning various technical aspects and applications and only after that were we given our projects. I found that the primary requirements for the interns were the willingness to put in hard work and a genuine interest and desire to learn. Prior to the PPO, did you want to start working or were you planning to continue your education? Prior to the internship, I was sure that I would pursue an MBA after acquiring some job experience. Goldman Sachs was a bonus to me because an internship and a PPO from a top class banking firm are essentially in best interests of a potential MBA seeker. Have you written any competitive exams like GRE or CAT? I plan to write CAT this year and I might write GMAT as well. However, CAT remains my primary goal. If I fare well in the exam, the work experience of this one year would be an added advantage to my profile. What advice would you like to give to your juniors? I say that you ought to have fun till the second year. After that, you really need to get serious about your career. Try hard for an internship or a research project. Exploit your available resources to the maximum and do something productive during the vacations.

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Mechanical Engineering

Chemical Engineering

Among the numerous research activities that have currently been taken up by the Department of Chemical Engineering and Technology, following projects stood out:-

Polymer Processing Facilities

« The XXV Convocation

« I Need a Doctor

«DEPARTMENTAL RESEARCH «

February 9, 2015

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The truth about the BIT Dispensary

Pass-outs of 2014

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« LAURELS AND GLORY

Highlights of BIT Mesra’s remarkable performance in the field of sports

Students of BIT Mesra showcasing their skills and talent in various sports.

« EDITORIALS

BIT BY BIT

February 9, 2015

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The News and Publication Society

« FEMINISM THE TRUTH ABOUT IT

« PAKISTAN A FALLING DEMOCRACY

- Isha Shah(2k14)

« SKETCH OF THE MONTH

«PHOTOGRAPH OF THE MONTH - Arpan Gupta(2k13)

www.napsbitmesra.com

Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra

Why is absolute grading better than relative grading?

Decrease in competition at the fringes(26%) - Saurabh Mishra(2k12)

- Aditi Kumari(2k14) PUBLISHED BY: The News and Publication Society, BIT Mesra

FACULTY ADVISOR: Dr. Abhinav Shandilya

EDITORIAL TEAM:

Lohith, Spriha Chandrayan, Ashmita Ashmi, Aarushi Agarwal, Sarthak Sharma, Archit Shrivastava

DESIGNERS: Harshdeep Sagar, Arpan Gupta, R. Pavan Krishna

Issue 06, FEBRUARY 9, 2015

Easier to implement and practise(19%) Below average students fare slightly better(21%) A high-scoring course will produce better grades for all(19%) Other(15%)

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