The insane toughness of Indian competitive exminations

[Koyaanisqatsi]

Looks similar to the AP tests I took in high school. The only one that's a bit off is chemistry, these seem to ask more specific questions where the AP asked more conceptual ones, but I may be remembering that wrong since I took chem earlier than physics and calc. I do like the assertion-reasoning section, that's a type of question I didn't see much of when I was doing those sorts of tests. (Would be much better if it was open-ended rather than multiple guess, though.)

[DanS]

You have to start somewhere. But now that India is becoming wealthier, I would expect them to give quality higher educations to a larger portion of the population. You don't need to be a genius in order to contribute in most fields.

[Pekka]

DanS, Right, right, and as of now, they have to make compromises. If they had all the money in the world now, I'm sure everyone willing would get a good education. It's a start.

[VetLegion]

That's tough? We give that to little kids over here.

[VetLegion]

OK, on a serious note. Indian elite really is elite, by world standards

But West has passed that stage when only the best got a shot at good education a long time ago. Over here everbody can get superb education for free if only he/she is ready to make the effort.

On the other hand, this isn't the West. In the West you pay through the nose. Here it's free.

[Dinner]

India just doesn't have enough schools to educate everyone so most people don't get higher education. That's sad.

[Jon Miller]

My experience with the Indian's in graduate school (That come from the Indian education system) is that they are about the same as everyone else...

JM

[KrazyHorse]

Most of the Indians I've met in grad school have been extremely lazy.

[aneeshm]

The problem is that India lacks quality educational institutes, so the competition for the existing ones is absolutely mad.

[joncha]

Originally posted by aneeshm
The problem is that India...is absolutely mad.

Yes, that is a problem.

[Ecthy]

I must admit I totally suck at those exams, even though I was pretty good in math and sciences when I graduated from school. Happens when you go into social sciences.

[Lazerus]

Some GCSE (yr 12), some A level (yr 14) and some of the tougher questions mixed in there (if you want to actually understand them and not just remember quotations from a book) are lower end university questions if it was to be set against UK tests.

[Pekka]

JM, that's a good point. I've had some stereotypes myself about people and they turned out to be very different.

For example, I have experience working with Japanese people, and dude... it's always been a hassle, there's just lots of useless things done, useless thinking done and it seems to me it's all about bringing your food and putting one item at each table and then just doing things that aren't relevant. You know? I thought about efficiency and superior organizational skills and all this intelligence. Boy did that stereotype crumble fast. It's about individuals, so... there's no like vast front of people who are the stereotype I thought existed. One thing I also noticed, they all had horrible suits, that clearly weren't taken proper care of, and shoes seemed to be always some cheap ass sneakers. Really weird combinations. From a different world OK, but not the one I thought.

In school, we have Chinese, Indians, I mean we have people from all over. I can't recognize superiority. It's pretty much the same it seems like. I mean yeah it's good, but it's the same as everyone else. So... no prodigies seen. Smart folks, absolutely, but that's kind of to be expected. Super people? No.

The only difference I can see is cultural. Cheap suits seems to be the key with most of these people. Cheap suits that aren't taken cared of and horrible shoes, usually sneakers, like OBVIOUS sneakers, not some neutral ones you could pull it off with.