Wanted exam to be more engaging: IIT Kanpur on ‘Kejriwal & Mann Ki Baat’ question
In a bizarre incident, a question paper from IIT Kanpur has gone viral after it asked students to design a filter for Arvind Kejriwal, the Chief Minister of Delhi, to help him tune into Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s monthly radio address, ‘Mann Ki Baat’, after his party’s loss in the recent Delhi Assembly elections. The question has sparked a debate on social media, with many questioning the relevance and creativity of the question.
The question, which has been widely shared on social media, reads: “Design a filter that can help Arvind Kejriwal tune into PM Modi’s Mann Ki Baat after Delhi poll loss. Assume that Kejriwal has a smartphone with a standard audio jack and a standard internet connection.”
IIT Kanpur has confirmed that the question was indeed real and was part of a recent exam conducted by the institute. In a statement, the institute said that the professor who drafted the paper likes to use “references to well-known personalities…to make exam questions more engaging.”
The statement read: “The question was part of a course on signal processing and communication systems, and was intended to test the students’ ability to apply theoretical concepts to real-world problems. The professor who drafted the question is known for his creative approach to making exam questions more engaging, and often uses references to well-known personalities to do so.”
The question has sparked a lively debate on social media, with many questioning the relevance and creativity of the question. While some have praised the professor’s innovative approach, others have criticized the question for being too vague and unrelated to the subject matter.
One Twitter user wrote: “What’s the point of asking students to design a filter for Kejriwal to listen to PM’s Mann Ki Baat? Is this a joke? Is this what we call ‘applied signal processing’? #IITKanpur #MannKiBaat”
Another user wrote: “IIT Kanpur, you’re trying to be funny, but this question is just plain ridiculous. What’s next, asking students to design a filter for Kejriwal to tune into Rahul Gandhi’s speeches? #IITKanpur #SignalProcessing”
Despite the controversy, IIT Kanpur has stood by the question, saying that it was intended to test the students’ ability to think creatively and apply theoretical concepts to real-world problems.
In a statement, the institute said: “We understand that the question may have been perceived as unusual or even humorous, but our intention was to test the students’ ability to think creatively and apply theoretical concepts to real-world problems. The professor who drafted the question has a reputation for being innovative and creative in his approach to teaching, and we believe that the question was an effective way to engage students and challenge them to think outside the box.”
The ‘Mann Ki Baat’ question has also sparked a debate on the role of creativity in education. While some argue that creative questions like this can help engage students and make learning more enjoyable, others argue that they can be distracting and take away from the importance of core academic subjects.
One education expert said: “While creative questions like this may be fun and engaging, they can also be a distraction from the core academic subjects that students need to learn. We need to strike a balance between creativity and rigor in our education system, and make sure that students are being challenged to think critically and solve real-world problems.”
In conclusion, while the ‘Mann Ki Baat’ question may have been unusual and even humorous, it has sparked an important debate on the role of creativity in education. As educators, we need to find ways to engage students and make learning more enjoyable, while also ensuring that they are being challenged to think critically and solve real-world problems.
