The Xavier’s Press VOLUME VIII, ISSUE 1 JULY, 2015 THE ST. XAVIER’S COLLEGE NEWSLETTER The Placement Cell has been lauded as a novel and unique initiative in the college circuits of Mumbai. In recent times, however, rumours regarding the Cell’s preferential treatment of a certain section of students have cast doubts vis- à-vis its functioning. Figures obtained from the Cell on their performance in 2014-2015 shed greater light on the issue at hand. Last academic year, of the 369 students registered for placements, 134 got placed (36%). Of the 134, 46 were full or part Economics majors (34%), 20 were from Management Studies (14.9%) and 8 were from the Mass Media department (5.9%). Since the Placement Cell takes charge of job- hunting for the entire student body – graduate and postgraduate students alike – the available numbers bear testimony to the fact that the Cell’s performance for the previous year has an average rating with a tilt towards the finance sector. On being questioned about this apparent bias at the orientation on June 4, 2015, former Placement Cell Advisor (‘14-‘15), Fidelis Mascarenhas, counselled non-Economics students to find and inform the Cell of “Go to Fountain! You’ll find it, and it’ll be cheap also.” The iconic booksellers at Flora Fountain have long been the go-to guides for bibliophiles across the city. For most readers, imagining a world without these booksellers seems impossible. Recently, two students of St. Xavier’s College (speaking under condition of anonymity) were involved in stopping this from becoming a reality. When in Fountain, the pair noticed a fracas involving the booksellers and went to investigate. Upon making enquiries, they were told to leave by an irate senior inspector from the Encroachment Department (A-Ward) of the BMC. After repeated insistence, the students discovered that the booksellers had failed to comply with BMC regulations regarding sales; namely the use of 1 m² of space, and ‘blue sheets’ to cover their wares. Realising that the sellers were not complying with these stipulations, companies employing students from non- Economic streams. “That defeats the purpose of having a Placement Cell on campus,” retorted a non-Economics TY student, “Even if I found a job in such a company, I’d apply for it myself, rather than intimate the Cell.” In response to the statistics, current Placement Cell Coordinator (’15-’16), Shreya Bose ‘16, said, “Economics students primarily sit for placements. Other students either require a research based job or opt for higher education. Research companies don’t want to recruit from Xavier’s over IIT institutes because their education is more research-oriented than ours.” Said a TY Psychology-Anthropology student, “The Placement Cell needs to be more inclusive. We only hear about Bain Capability Center and McKinsey & Company. These companies cater to a certain kind of students, namely those who are good with number-crunching and Economics. Up till now, we have been given the same treatment as Economics majors are, and this should continue within Placement Cell as well.” Bose counters this, citing the case of Saloni Sharma ‘15, a graduate in Psychology, who received an offer from Deloitte, US last term. She also promises reforms for this current year. “An agency will conduct a training session for all registered students across two weekends before the placement process. The session will focus on encouraging students to look towards job content versus salary packages, and will work on debunking the notion that only Economics graduates get placed.” Continued on Page 3. the official ordered the cutting down of the protective tarpaulin and the hawkers were told to load their wares in a truck. When asked whether she had given the hawkers notice, Senior BMC Inspector Nutan Jadhav said that she wasn’t obliged to do so, citing her position as sufficient justification for her actions. After repeated questioning by the students, Jadhav said she would return within the hour to evict the hawkers and take action against the duo for disrupting her work. In the meantime, the pair Googled the law concerning hawker policy and the BMC – and realised that the inspector had cited a non-existent law (‘Section 411-C of the MMC Act of 2014’), and that a 30 day notice – regardless of position – had to be issued to the hawkers. Armed with this knowledge, the pair returned to Fountain, only to meet the inspector’s team without her present. After discussion, the inspector’s subordinates said they wouldn’t clear the vicinity (“...given that people have stood up for them…”), but the students were advised to confront the inspector with their information. “We reached her office and decided not to approach her, because she might get irritated and carry on with the eviction.” The BMC had acted without proper notice, but nobody would have known this if the duo hadn’t intervened. The scope of their intervention, however, consisted of asking questions and using Google. When asked about the apprehensions that citizens have about encounters with officials, one of the students insisted that nobody needs to go too far if they don’t feel comfortable –being alert and asking the right sort of questions can’t send you to jail. Often, the first barrage of enquiries are enough to deter action. Saying that the public hasn’t the right is a lie. The public, i.e., people like you and I, have every right to question everything. And question it we must. IS ST. XAVIER’S CAPITALISING ON AUTONOMY VIS- A-VIS REGULAR SYLLABUS REVISIONS? FACULTY SPEAK: DR. AGNELO MENEZES ON EMPOWERMENT THROUGH COMMUNICATION. alaric moras public ko haq nahi hai? sroojana iyer Placement Cell Members ‘15-’16. (L-R): Shreya Bose, Vandana TR, Suvarna Gupta. Photo: Prakriti Bhatt to place or not to place? ALUMNI DUO TANISHA RAO AND ISHIKA RAMAKRISHNA ON THEIR WILDEST DREAMS. PAGE 5 PAGE 2 PAGE 4
Transcript
The Xavier’s Press VOLUME VIII, ISSUE 1 JULY, 2015THE ST. XAVIER’S COLLEGE NEWSLETTER
The Placement Cell has been lauded as a novel and unique initiative in the college circuits of Mumbai. In recent times, however, rumours regarding the Cell’s preferential treatment of a certain section of students have cast doubts vis-à-vis its functioning.Figures obtained from the Cell on their performance in 2014-2015 shed greater light on the issue at hand. Last academic year, of the 369 students registered for placements, 134 got placed (36%). Of the 134, 46 were full or part Economics majors (34%), 20 were from Management Studies (14.9%) and 8 were from the Mass Media department (5.9%).Since the Placement Cell takes charge of job-hunting for the entire student body – graduate and postgraduate students alike – the available numbers bear testimony to the fact that the Cell’s performance for the previous year has an average rating with a tilt towards the finance sector.On being questioned about this apparent bias at the orientation on June 4, 2015, former Placement Cell Advisor (‘14-‘15), Fidelis Mascarenhas, counselled non-Economics students to find and inform the Cell of
“Go to Fountain! You’ll find it, and it’ll be cheap also.”The iconic booksellers at Flora Fountain have long been the go-to guides for bibliophiles across the city. For most readers, imagining a world without these booksellers seems impossible.Recently, two students of St. Xavier’s College (speaking under condition of anonymity) were involved in stopping this from becoming a reality. When in Fountain, the pair noticed a fracas involving the booksellers and went to investigate. Upon making enquiries, they were told to leave by an irate senior inspector from the Encroachment Department (A-Ward) of the BMC. After repeated insistence, the students discovered that the booksellers had failed to comply with BMC regulations regarding sales; namely the use of 1 m² of space, and ‘blue sheets’ to cover their wares. Realising that the sellers were not complying with these stipulations,
companies employing students from non-Economic streams. “That defeats the purpose of having a Placement Cell on campus,” retorted a non-Economics TY student, “Even if I found a job in such a company, I’d apply for it myself, rather than intimate the Cell.”
In response to the statistics, current Placement Cell Coordinator (’15-’16), Shreya Bose ‘16, said, “Economics students primarily sit for placements. Other students either require a research based job or opt for higher education. Research companies don’t want to recruit from Xavier’s over IIT institutes because their
education is more research-oriented than ours.”Said a TY Psychology-Anthropology student, “The Placement Cell needs to be more inclusive. We only hear about Bain Capability Center and McKinsey & Company. These companies cater to a certain kind of students, namely those who are good with number-crunching and Economics. Up till now, we have been given the same treatment as Economics majors are, and this should continue within Placement Cell as well.”Bose counters this, citing the case of Saloni Sharma ‘15, a graduate in Psychology, who received an offer from Deloitte, US last term. She also promises reforms for this current year. “An agency will conduct a training session for all registered students across two weekends before the placement process. The session will focus on encouraging students to look towards job content versus salary packages, and will work on debunking the notion that only Economics graduates get placed.”
Continued on Page 3.
the official ordered the cutting down of the protective tarpaulin and the hawkers were told to load their wares in a truck.When asked whether she had given the hawkers notice, Senior BMC Inspector Nutan Jadhav said that she wasn’t obliged to do so, citing her position as sufficient justification for her actions. After repeated questioning by the students, Jadhav said she would return within the hour to evict the hawkers and take action against the duo for disrupting her work. In the meantime, the pair Googled the law concerning hawker policy and the BMC – and realised that the inspector had cited a non-existent law (‘Section 411-C of the MMC Act of 2014’), and that a 30 day notice – regardless of position – had to be issued to the hawkers. Armed with this knowledge, the pair returned to Fountain, only to meet the inspector’s team without her present. After discussion, the inspector’s subordinates said they wouldn’t clear
the vicinity (“...given that people have stood up for them…”), but the students were advised to confront the inspector with their information.“We reached her office and decided not to approach her, because she might get irritated and carry on with the eviction.”The BMC had acted without proper notice, but nobody would have known this if the duo hadn’t intervened. The scope of their intervention, however, consisted of asking questions and using Google. When asked about the apprehensions that citizens have about encounters with officials, one of the students insisted that nobody needs to go too far if they don’t feel comfortable –being alert and asking the right sort of questions can’t send you to jail. Often, the first barrage of enquiries are enough to deter action. Saying that the public hasn’t the right is a lie. The public, i.e., people like you and I, have every right to question everything. And question it we must.
Post-vacation blues have long since gone, and you are back to the grind. If you’re a nostalgic TY like me, you start to actively take cognizance of characteristics integral to the beginning of an academic year here: the high level of diligence that diminishes by year-end, the Malhar fervour that keeps spirits up, the petrichor-laden gust through the archaic windows that make it a struggle to concentrate in class.But this time, the monsoon winds have also brought with them the seeds of change. The foremost harbinger is Dr. Agnelo Menezes, who addresses students for the first time in print, as Principal of St. Xavier’s, in his guest column. The Extra Curricular Committee witnesses a revival as the college film society rises from the ashes. Tucked away in the room under the staircase, the Social Service League concocts an innovative project. Down south in another State, are two fresh graduates paving their own off-beat career paths sans any concern for renumeration. And back home, another duo saves the day for the booksellers at Flora Fountain.And then there are those who are armed with new agendas, waiting to reinvent themselves this year. The Placement Cell seeks to bust rumours vis-à-vis their alleged favouritism towards students from the finance sector, while interested parties look to reboot one of the main pillars of Autonomy that ensures students have a say in the formation of the curricula – the Board of Studies.Chock-a-block with all these stories and more, here’s presenting The Xavier’s Press Volume VIII, in a fresh avatar, to bring you up to speed.(Psst… Check out Obiter Dictum on Page 7 as Sneaky Wordsmith turns mundane college life into literary genius!)
The principal task of the Principal is to be an effective principled communicator. Such a requirement needs the honing of particular skills connected with not just the head but also with the heart – in fact, it needs the head to have a heart (pun intended). The goal of a principled communicator is to empower others.Skill is more than talents – actually, skill develops when talents are nurtured. One has to be conscious of the talent-set possessed and constantly cultivate them. Communication leads to connectivity between the speaker and the listener(s). Effective communication is built on the ability to listen – and this needs the individual to be observant and sensitive to his surroundings. Listening is an art that has to be taught. The responsibility of developing the listening skill lies with both the teacher and the taught. Institutions and teachers have to create the environment that fosters listening. This can be achieved through curriculum content as well as through co-curricular and extra-curricular activities. In this light, we need to take stock of our autonomous syllabi’s capacity to make us active listeners and not passive hearers. On the taught lies the onus of learning to listen by reading, observing and deliberating. Through class-room discussions, projects and assignments the students’ listening skill can be enriched. The communication skill must empower both the speaker and the listener. The term “empowerment” cannot be feudalistic as it is not the “doling out” of power but the “sharing” of power. It leads to the building of capacities and so ultimately to the development of sensitivity. An effectual communicator “informs” to “form”.As students and faculty basking in the Xavier’s ethos, can we use our communication skills to empower those surviving at the fringe of society, the marginalised ‘V-people’ (the vulnerable, voiceless, voteless people)? Can we as communicators be in touch with various government policies and programmes and share this information with those who need it? Can we as communicators claim our rights so that we coax others to claims theirs? The ‘Queue of Qs’ heightens the efficiency of communication: QUESTION in order to be better-informed and critical.QUIZ so as to become pro-active probers and provokers.QUEST with the intention of being perpetual seekers and not complacent receivers.If this sharing has been effective piece of communication, then it should motivate and challenge all of us Xavierites to becoming effective communicators for empowerment.
from the editor’s desk
the editorial team
COMMUNICATION SKILLS FOR EMPOWERMENT
dr. agnelo menezes
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Prakriti Bhatt ’16
EDITORS
Alaric Moras ‘16Chinmayi Pilgaonkar ‘17
Deann Almeida ‘16George Jacob ‘17
Tarushi Sonthalia ‘16
WRITE TO US
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ENGAGE
internship cell“We are not concerned with internships,” said Mr. Mascarenhas at the Placement Cell orientation. This statement confounded students due to common knowledge of the Cell’s internship arm. Said Shreya Bose, also former Internship Cell Head, “It [Internship Cell] mediates between the Heads of Departments in college and the companies that approach us. We do not take the onus of securing internships,” raising multiple questions concerning the modus operandi of the Internship Cell.Speaking to The XPress, a source from within the Cell pronounced, “We were only allowed to mail HoDs regarding relevant internships, but they didn’t forward them because they were too busy, too selective, or unconcerned. In the end, mails were forwarded to the SY database, and we were told not to “go out of our way” to help students. There was little accountability involved with the entire process.” The internship mails sent out to SYs for the previous academic year were, therefore, not sanctioned by faculty, but sent under the benevolences of the students from the Internship Cell division. The functioning of an effective internship division in our college is crucial. Students from the BMM
Sunday mornings, Zumba workshops, cycling, and the NSPA. These are the words that pop into most minds when the term ‘Equal Streets’ is mentioned. However, the Equal Streets Movement is more than just a fun-fledged Sunday morning.The movement has resulted in a large number of economic and commercial benefits to Mumbai’s populace. Urban Designer Samarth Das says “Pedestrianising (sic) locales comes with a big benefit for commercial activities; when people are walking, they’re more likely to stop and buy something”. When 2 and a half acres of the Times Square in New York, was converted into a pedestrian space, commercial benefits gradually increased. Today, Times Square is one of the top 10 retail locations in the world. The Transportation Commissioner of NYC from 2007-2013, Janette-Sadik Khan was quoted saying, “There has been a 49% increase in retail sales, and 47% fewer commercial vacancies since the time this strategy was implemented.”
Equal Streets too has created a commercial boom in the stores situated along the 6 km Linking Road stretch. “The shop owner’s association on Linking Road do not object to Equal Streets since their sales have been higher than ever before,” said Das. Moreover, Equal Streets has prompted stores to raise their shutters nearly four hours earlier than usual on Sundays. “Establishments such as McDonald’s and Dunkin Donuts are packed on Sunday mornings” said Binoy Mascarenhas, Urban Planner, EMBARQ India, the organisation behind the movement. Sales have even doubled and tripled at certain stores lining Linking Road, in Bandra.However, the last Equal Streets Sunday took place on May 31, 2015. “The police and the BMC have been hesitant to go ahead with the movement in Bandra, owing to a small lobby of protesters. We are now focusing on the Juhu-JVPD stretch, and are in the process of submitting a comprehensive proposal by the end of this month. We aim to get it up and running once again by the first week of September.” Keeping in mind the long-term positives of a movement like Equal Streets in India, one wonders how long it will be before the government and civic bodies will recognise the benefits society receives and will begin aiding and abetting citizen’s movements within the country.
no assurance for lecturers on retirement
Educators are elevated on a pedestal so tall, that even policy makers appear to consider them above the nitty-gritties of material benefits. The National Pension Scheme, which denies assured social security returns to Central Government employees, has caused quite a stir in academic circles.“It’s unfortunate that the teaching profession is undermined due to the neo-liberal policies of the government. It’s unjust that you dedicate your life to teaching but after retirement, you have nowhere to go,” said Professor Shazia Shaikh of the Department of Political Science. According to the Defined Benefit Scheme, a Central Government employee on retirement, received fifty percent of his/her average salary or the last drawn salary (the higher of the two) as pension. Deeming this system financially unsustainable, the Central Government proposed the National Pension Scheme in 2003 which functions on the Defined Contribution principle. Under this scheme, all entrants to government service since 2004 are mandated to contribute ten percent of their basic pay, plus dearness allowance, to a non-withdrawable Tier I Pension account. This amount is matched by the government. The fund is then invested through the services of appointed Pension Fund Managers. Hence, the rate of returns on investments is market driven, leading to a distinct absence of assured benefits. Although the scheme has drawn flak from college
equal streets: veiled virtues
and BMS departments must compulsorily complete an internship between their SY and TY, which connotes that at least 120 internships are required on a yearly basis. In addition, there is a provision for the allotment of two credits to students who complete a summer internship of a duration of two months between their SY and TY. The success of the Internship Cell is mired by a number of irregularities. Apart from the limitation that all requests be filtered through faculty, the Cell has no past records of facilitated internships. For reasons best known to the Cell’s advisors, only summer internship requests are forwarded to students, because of which internships like those offered by The Economist and The Oxford Publishing House were denied to students. Internships are only afforded to SYs, though students of all years require the addition to their CVs before entering the job market.In her closing comments on the issues the Internship Cell faces, Shreya Bose said, “I intend to speak with faculty regarding more autonomy for the Internship Cell, and will personally push for the same.”
lecturers and other government employees nationwide, there is a flip side to the issue. “There has been a significant rise in the starting salaries of professors appointed since 2014, outlined by the Sixth Central Pay Commission, compared to those of professors appointed before 2004,” claimed a source (name withheld on request) from the Education Department, Mumbai University. However, this argument fails to take into account the inflation and the resultant rise in the cost of living. A lecturer on condition of anonymity, echoed this sentiment, “The new verdict for pension is unfair and the hike in current salaries cannot stand as justification. The drastic escalation in standard of living should also be accounted for.”Another area that has undergone a change over the years is the workload of a college lecturer. When speaking to The XPress, Ms. Vinita Bhatia, a professor of Sociology for the past 20 years said, “Although salaries have increased, the job profile of a college professor is more demanding today. In addition to the new pension scheme, the disparity of other benefits offered by the Central and State Governments contributes to the lack of quality entrants into the teaching profession. I believe that on retirement, an employee should be provided remuneration in acknowledgement of the contribution made to society, something not often seen in the education sector.”
chinmayi pilgaonkar and shreya nair
Continued from Page 1.
to place or not to place?
george jacob
3
COLLEGE NEWS
An vital feature of Autonomy is syllabus revision, that is made possible through formal and informal mechanisms. The frequency of syllabus revision is also a key evaluation criterion for the accreditation of colleges as mandated by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council of the University Grants Commission.Vice-Principal, Academics Fr. Roy says, “Under Autonomy, it is possible to bring about yearly revisions in syllabus. We believe that if the prescribed syllabus works well, it remains unchanged. However, in circumstances where this isn’t the case, the college has the mechanisms to bring about immediate changes in the syllabus.” As mentioned in the ‘Quality Mechanisms’ in the student handbook, the formal mechanisms involve a yearly evaluation by students and faculty where two student representatives per subject are appointed to the Board of Studies which comprises of the Principal, a Head of Department (HoD), two senior professors elected for a specific term along with the guidance of external experts from industry and academia. The Board of Studies meets towards the end of the academic year.Elaborating on the informal mechanisms available to students, Fr. Roy explains, “Students can voice their concerns regarding a particular subject’s syllabus either to their respective subjects’ Class Representatives or to the appointed Student Council Representatives who then become responsible for conveying the same to the HoD. A department level meeting is then organised, where the HoD either incorporates or rejects the students’ suggestions. If students are still dissatisfied, they can approach the Vice-Principals or the Principal to readdress the matter. Any suggestions that are incorporated must later be ratified by the Board of Studies meeting.”
a review of one’s ownThe BMM, Chemistry, and Sociology departments actively engage with informal syllabus revision mechanisms facilitated through classroom discussions and feedback of their subjects’ current syllabi. Assoc. Prof. Vinita Bhatia says, “We try to ensure that the two students elected to our Board of Studies are able to objectively give us feedback. These suggestions are then presented to the Board of Studies.”Many believe that more awareness needs to be spread about mechanisms available for syllabus revision. Says TY Economics student Ronak Jain, “I knew about the Board of Studies solely because a senior told me how she was the Student Representative for her subject major. If departments made a class feedback session compulsory before the Board of Studies meeting, the feedback that they would receive would be more holistic.” Former Student Council General Secretary (’14-’15) Shreya Bose says, “The Student Council as an informal syllabus revision mechanism remains underutilised. Last year, no attempt was made either to establish any line of communication between the Student Council and the subject Class Representatives across all three years and streams. Consequently, no requests for syllabus revision were passed on through the Council. If an additional Student Council Representative had been appointed to mediate between the subject Class Representatives and the Board of Studies’ Student Representatives, then a more comprehensive exchange could have been facilitated between them.”If degree college students are to achieve their maximum potential in the three years that they spend in an Autonomous institution such as St. Xavier’s, greater co-ordination between the Staff and the students’ representatives must be ensured so that syllabus revision does not remain merely on paper.
classifieds
societies, inc.
fitoorWhat started as a mere foyer table discussion amongst a bunch of ardent literature and dramatics lovers, has now taken the shape of Fitoor – the Hindi Dramatics Society – that focuses on script writing, direction, acting and elocution. Having organized three events in its first year, Jashn-E-Fitoor, the flagship, consisted of four plays across genres and stand-up comedy. The plays starred some of the finest actors of the college, saw some of the best directors showcase their work and also witnessed students from XRCVC taking an active part. This year, the Society is back with a new committee and fresh ideas. They aspire to provide a little for everyone’s Fitoor by collaborating with several societies and organising workshops conducted by luminaries. They also aim to take up social causes whether it be conducting workshops in NGOs or taking up the issue of women’s empowerment.
the xavier’s debating societyThis Society helps train college debaters for a host of public speaking events, including Parlia-mentary Debates and Model United Nations. This academic year, it plans to up the ante by in-troducing a staggered membership programme, ensuring that you get all you want and noth-ing less. Exciting features this year include the Content Enrichment Sessions – an effort to raise the level of general awareness of debaters as well as teach people how to analyse both sides of an issue; and a Mentorship Programme designed to raise the debating potential and critical acumen of the beginners, while fine-tuning the more experienced debaters’ ability to pose an argument clearly. The Society will organise Debate and Adjudication workshops, conducted by experienced debaters.
abhinav chugh
Wanted: Marketing Head for Fitoor, the Hindi Theatre Society.For details and applications, contact:Snehal Khandekar: +91 [email protected]
Wanted:Resident Artists for The English Theatre SocietyMust be interested in acting or writing or directing theatreExperience no barContact: Meghana [email protected]
Wanted:Members for the Debating SocietyFor further details, contact:[email protected]
Applications open:Volunteers, ECC. Under Admin, IPA, FA, LA, WPA. Application details on the ECC foyer boardMail your apps to:[email protected]
Applications open:Core committee, Swaraanjali – The Indian Music Society.For further details, contact:[email protected]
To advertise in this space, drop in a mail with subject “Classifieds” at [email protected]. Next XPress issue to be out on August 15, 2015.
deann almeida
4
COLLEGE NEWS
let’s get bloomin’
Looking to plant a smile this weekend? The SSL’s new initiative, Bloomerang might help you do just that. Headed by Shyama Balachandran ‘17 and Ishita Kamath ’16, Bloomerang aims at the empowerment of children with backgrounds of sexual trauma through different forms of art. In collaboration with Apne Aap Women’s Centre, an NGO for the rights of sex workers in Kamathipura, the project employs music, art and dance in the hopes of fostering a congenial atmosphere for individual development. “Using art as a medium to develop confidence, we aim to help these children of sex workers live a dignified life as human beings and hence, help prevent second generation prostitution,” says Shyama. Disillusioned with the single-minded focus on classroom education and the corporal punishment doled out by several NGOs, the duo came up with the project. “After a point, I realised that these children need something beyond classroom education to help them grow and tear away from their traumatic pasts. The aim is to help them bloom and give back to society,” adds Shyama. The two have devised curricula for music and dance with a view to have the young girls perform on stage by the end of the year, a goal they consider vital to confidence building. Their art is also to be exhibited and sold. A daunting task, but Shyama is all smiles. “The girls are extremely intelligent, alert, enthusiastic and positive. It’s a pleasure to be around them. The way little things like Fevicol on their hands excite them…it’s beautiful,” she says.
New SSL initiative ‘Bloomerang’ reaches out to children of sex workers.
CHINMAYI PILGAONKAR
societies, inc.
the xavier’s debating societyThis Society helps train college debaters for a host of public speaking events, including Parlia-mentary Debates and Model United Nations. This academic year, it plans to up the ante by in-troducing a staggered membership programme, ensuring that you get all you want and noth-ing less. Exciting features this year include the Content Enrichment Sessions – an effort to raise the level of general awareness of debaters as well as teach people how to analyse both sides of an issue; and a Mentorship Programme designed to raise the debating potential and critical acumen of the beginners, while fine-tuning the more experienced debaters’ ability to pose an argument clearly. The Society will organise Debate and Adjudication workshops, conducted by experienced debaters.
film countdownWith a view to expand its horizons beyond just film screenings, the official film society of St. Xavier’s plans to organise workshops conducted by professionals on acting, writing and cinema-tography. Additionally, they’re working towards creating an active blog that will not limit itself to movie reviews but feature discussions on everything cinema such as the-book-was-better de-bate or the use of film cameras versus digital cameras. Films will be chosen based on the sug-gestions of members and those of the core committee. Apart from their own fortnightly events, the Countdown will occasionally collaborate with the Sociology Academy to organise screenings of movies of sociological relevance. Keeping in mind the fact that the movie experience is in-complete without a theatre and popcorn, the Countdown looks forward to organizing trips to screenings around the city.
abhinav chugh
the winding road to wildlifetarushi sonthalia and deann almeida
5
The XPress decided to connect with two Xavierites who graduated this year, Ishika Ramakrishna ‘15 and Tanisha Rao ‘15, to speak to them about their off-beat career path. Excerpts from the interview: Since graduating college, where are you interning? Ishita (I) & Tanisha (T): We are currently interning at Madras Crocodile Bank Trust in Chennai, Tamil Nadu where we deal with animals bred in captivity, monitor their behaviour and living conditions. We also interact with the locals and spread awareness about wildlife, especially reptiles, since there are a lot of misconceptions surrounding them.What motivated you both to get into wildlife conservation?I: Growing up watching National Geographic and Animal Planet, as well as having pets since the age of two, probably made me more sensitive to animals in comparison to my peers. This sensitivity and passion for animals led me to pursue Life Science in college which then led me here.T: I was a Zoology student in Xavier’s. So I think one day I just got up and thought about the best way to become poor and remain unemployed for the next 40 years or so. And here I am.Is your current internship a paid one?(Loud, hysterical laughter is heard in the background. Five minutes later, they are still laughing.)Where do you see yourselves in the next 10 years?I: We would like to have a more serious role to play in wildlife conservation. Though this may seem very clichéd, we hope to make some kind of difference by generating greater awareness among people which would hopefully lead to some positive changes in the environment. In ten years we hope that the situation doesn’t look as dire as it does now.T: The point of this line of work is not about us going places or accumulating a host of accomplishments for ourselves. Conservation isn’t something that can be accomplished single-handedly – it requires the collective efforts of everyone involved.
What is the current wildlife conservation scene in India?I: I think people immediately say that it is quite horrible. However, I feel that the situation isn’t that bad. Not many people know about the huge amount of energy and effort involved in saving forests and conserving wildlife. As a developing country we are willing to trade our forests for short term growth, complicating our situation. With more than a billion mouths to feed, people often do not care about animals, thus aggravating the situation of possessing inadequate funds.T: I am unhappy with the idea that saving the environment is the prerogative of only educated
individuals. Locals who’ve been living in harmony with the forests
and its animals also need to be involved. Furthermore, there is
the assumption that we don’t have adequate Government
laws which is quite far from the truth. Although we have good ideas, often
implementation becomes a problem. Lastly, the mentality that unless an animal is endangered it doesn’t need to be conserved is something I really hope we overcome.What is your advice to Xavierites who are confused about what to do after graduation?I: It’s hard to know what exactly you want to do at twenty-one. It’s fine to be fascinated by non-mainstream fields and ideas. Take advantage of situations that allow you to pursue such goals.T: Don’t be a sell-out. Don’t do something that you are not interested in or are not happy with. Make a choice that you will be able to live with when you are very old.What do you guys miss most about Xavier’s?T: The architecture, the faculty, the peons and watchmen – they always made me feel welcome. And of course the canteen!I: I miss the campus, my professors, the canteen conversations we used to have and even Fried Rice, the foyer cat!
Tanisha Rao (L) and Ishika Ramakrishna (R). Photo: PnD, Ithaka’14.
MELANGE
back to the future
How does one comprehend the mind of a reader hundred years from now?That’s the question that Canadian author Margaret Atwood must have asked herself when she was chosen to be the first author to contribute to an anthology to be published in the year 2114 as part of ‘The Future Library’ – a hundred year-long public art project undertaken as part of the initiative ‘Slow Space Bjørvika’ in Oslo, that endeavours to collect one original story from an author every year for the next hundred years, to be published in the 22nd century.The Future Library is the brainchild of Katie Paterson, a Glasgow-based Scottish artist, who is known for artworks based on extensive research and collaboration with scientists in the field of ecology, cosmology and geology. In view of this project, a thousand trees have been planted in the dense forest region of Nordmarka, on the outskirts of Oslo, with the hope that they will eventually grow into a
appointed to take care of the project for a period of ten years, following which a new set of trustees will be selected for another ten years, who again be replaced by another set of trustees after a period of ten years and so on.These unread, unpublished manuscripts will be stored in a special room that is being constructed in the new Deichmanske Public Library, Bjøorvika and will come equipped with a printing press (along with learning aids on how to use a printing press) to account for the possibility that digitalization might mark the end of physical books and libraries.Author David Mitchell of ‘Cloud Atlas’ fame has been chosen to contribute a manuscript to this project for the year 2015.Although The Future Library puts into perspective the brevity of human life against the context of passage of cosmic time, it also serves to remind us: that somewhere in Nordmarka, outside the city of Oslo, a forest of books quietly grows.
A month into the new academic year and your timetable for this semester has been finally finalized after scads of revisions. You are ultimately settling in, yes? No. Welcome to the Xavierite way of life: we are always on the run.There’s another curveball coming up ahead: the CIAs are now around the corner. And here you are, still struggling – to memorize that new timetable so as to not get lost whilst navigating for lectures; to keep a mental to-do that you never seem to recollect perfectly; to open your phone gallery only to find haphazard pictures of all the notes you missed – and the result: having a completely side-tracked mind to keep you from functioning optimally.Confused? Worry not. Veterans at The XPress shortlist 5 bare necessity apps that you need to pick from the Cornucopia if you look to survive the Xavier’s arena:
My Study Life (Android, iOS, Windows)
Timetable, tasks and upcoming exams: My Study Life is all you need to organize your entire academic life and have it summarized in a single phone screen. With a slick interface, this app stores all data on cloud, syncs with devices across all platforms and can be accessed offline too. Have a class test approaching that you completely forgot about? That’ll never happen. My Study Life has reminder notifications for you
IF (Android, iOS) or Pushalot (Windows)
IF or Pushalot by IFTTT (If This Then That) gives you complete, creative control on your phone. Create connections or “recipes” between your apps using all sorts of crazy permutations and combinations, and the result is a highly productive device as per your needs, while saving on time and mundane effort. You can set “if” recipes, for example: automatically saving Gmail attachments to Dropbox (if “Gmail attachment is downloaded”, then “save to Dropbox”); or “do” recipes that run with just a tap and enable you to create your own personalized Button, Camera, and Notepad.
Forest: Stay Focused, Be Present (Android, iOS, Windows)
You have a paper to submit tomorrow and are unable to concentrate, thanks to your more interesting smart phone. Forest: Stay Focused, Be Present is a pretty motivational cure for phone addiction. The app plants a virtual tree as you set off the timer – of minimum 30 and maximum 120 minutes. As long as you keep away from your phone, your tree grows; the minute you wander to check the likes of Facebook or play a game, your tree withers. Every single tree that grows signifies 30 minutes and the longer you stay on task, the bigger your forest. And the better your grades.
to always be on top of your GPA game.
Evernote (Android, iOS, Windows)
There’s a group project for CIA 2, and you find WhatsApp too cumbersome to coordinate, ideate and organize on? Shift base to Evernote! Save your project outlines, ideas, reminders and to-dos either by manual text input, images, web clips, or audio notes; hit “share” and collaborate with your allies while editing notes in real time. What’s more, its cross-platform syncing allows you to present your work in a screen-friendly layout without having to create a separate PowerPoint presentation.
CamScanner (Android, iOS, Windows)
For all those last-minute scanned-document submissions you have to make and all the photocopies of notes you’re too lazy to take, there’s CamScanner that instantly converts captured images into PDFs. Across all platforms and cloud-based again, this app lets you store, share and annotate the “scanned” documents. Special offer allows educational users to get the full version and extra 200MB cloud space absolutely free, so make sure to sign up with your xaviers.edu.in email ID (if you don’t have it yet, you can get your ID and password from the Knowledge Centre).
download. install. run.
deann almeida
prakriti bhatt
6
forest to be cut down for the printing of these books.
Given the project’s time frame, a Future Library Trust has been appointed to ensure its smooth continuation. The Trust comprises of some of the world’s leading publishers and editors
LEISURE
“That is where BSc sits, that’s where BMM goes… there’s a bunch of them there, look. You know what? Just – oh, hey, D’Mello – don’t sit at any table here unless you’re with a senior! TYs generally stake out those spots. They’ve earned it.”Her guide stops and looks expectantly at her, as if she’s supposed to reply with some sort of smart comment. “How many D’Mellos do you know?” she asks hesitantly.Her guide smirks. “None, actually. I’ve just been calling random dudes D’Mello because most newbs expect this sort of thing.” She assumes “this sort of thing” means stereotypes, but a loud clapping distracts her – is somebody banging on a plate?Before she knows what’s going on, a large boy is clambering onto a table (ew, people eat there.) He continues banging his plate while a group around him woot annoyingly (why are they cheering, though?) He yells something indistinctly, which is followed by more cheering until the entire group leaves, plate drummer in tow. She attempts to look like she knows what’s happening, before looking around and noticing similar grimaces on faces she’s seen in her new classes.
quote, misquoteThe following article is meant to be taken in small doses. Consumption in excess quantities is said to produce side effects that are likely to arouse confusion, childhood disbelief and feelings of being cheated by popular culture. On the plus side, at least you can quote us (correctly) on this!
“Elementary, my dear Watson.”“When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth,” remarked Sherlock Holmes, and truer words have never been said. Holmes’ signature phrase “Elementary, my dear Watson” was never part of any of Doyle’s stories. Canonically, the closest Holmes and Watson ever came to replicating it was: ‘“Excellent!” I cried. “Elementary,” said he,” in ‘The Adventure of the Crooked Man’.
“Beam me up, Scotty!”One of the most frequently referenced orders of Captain Kirk, “Beam me up, Scotty!” was never part of the original Star Trek TV series or movies. Though the writers of the original Star Trek series came quite close to this phrase on several occasions such as “Beam us up!” or even “Scotty, Beam them up”. This takes “Set Phrases to Stun!” to a whole new level.“With great power, comes great responsibility.”
Though often accredited to Uncle Ben in the
“That happens,” her guide says disinterestedly. “Sorry,” she begins hesitantly, “but what was… that?”She receives a sardonic glance. “That was publicity. Didn’t you hear?”She bristles at the insinuation and nods. “Of course, I was just-”
She stops talking when she sees the knowing expression on his face. “Fine, I have no idea what he said,” she grumbles sullenly.He grins. “Of course you don’t. That was an early example of what you will see for the rest of your time here. Publicity announcements
in the Foyer. Nobody understands them, but everybody insists on doing it. You could be a math society, a Malhar volunteer, or a fake representative of the Guild for Crow Watchers. Ineffectual announcements are key to… well, something. I’ve never figured out what.”He shrugs carelessly, and she raises her eyebrows. “Come on. It can’t be that…” She trails off, biting her tongue on the final word (“stupid” seems too mean to say.)He looks at her slyly, then leans forward and grabs an empty – though definitely used – plate and spoon off a nearby bench (ugh, why would someone leave that lying around?) He leaps onto the table, banging the plate enthusiastically.“Come one, come all! I’m saying nothing, you probably can’t hear me, but who cares?! Woohooo! Yeaaaaaaah!”To her astonishment, the Foyer joins in, and he jumps down.“And you haven’t even heard what happens when a glass of chai breaks,” he says nonchalantly.
first movie of the Sam Raimi-Tobey Maguire Spiderman trilogy, the above sentence isn’t actually attributed to anyone in the original
1962 Stan Lee comic ‘Amazing Fantasy issue #15’. The actual words in a caption box, as Peter Parker is coming to terms with the role he unknowingly played in his uncle’s death, read: “And a lean, silent figure fades into the gathering darkness, aware at last in this world with great power there must also come – great
responsibility!”“Brace yourself, winter is coming.”
Even though George R. R. Martin’s ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’ had been around for a very long time, the quote “Brace yourself, winter is coming” gained momentum in the last three years when it evolved into a popular Internet meme. However, the original Ned Stark quote was limited only to the words “winter is coming,” and not “brace yourself” both in the TV series’ pilot episode as well as the books.
“Luke, I am your father.”Remember the iconic scene where Vader confronts Luke only to declare, “Luke, I am your father”? If yes, then the Star Wars universe is questioning your loyalty and it’s time for a marathon before Episode VII hits screens this December. A celebrated misinterpretation of the original dialogue: “No, I am your father,” from Episode V, this misquotation has now become a signature trope on TV and in films like Toy Story. It is also one of few spin-offs that later became canon through a radio adaptation of the franchise.In the wise words of Yoda, “You must unlearn what you have learned.”
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