Engineering ke saat bandar
We all have learnt during our primary school years that air is everywhere. Come 21st century and engineers started giving the omnipresent status of air a stiff competition. Okay. Agreed that I am exaggerating, but just look for engineers around you. They are everywhere!
The silent Sardar (read Manmohan Singh) brought the financial revolution, the gem of a TATA (read Ratan Tata) brought the failed Nano-revolution and Mr. Narendra Damodardas Modi brought in the Modi-fied revolution. But no single soul is aware who brought in the engineering-students-sprouting-by-the-second revolution. Probably the Chinese, we think.
Anyway, with that backdrop, today, let us discuss about the types of engineers that one could find in any engineering college. Here goes the list-
1. The Rancho Engineer– A rare species that is generally found in single numbers distributed evenly across all the streams offered by the college. They never bother to take notes in the class, if they attend any at all. They will be a part of all the “chutzpah” that happens in and around the college, they will be a part of all the cocktail (err.. daru) parties, they will hang out with you all night and almost never seem to study. But at the end of the semester, they will top the class. Some love them but most envy them. No one is ever able to crack their secret formula of topping the class without studying.
2. The Chatur Engineer– Every class has at least one of these. They gulp in memory-enhancing churans, study the whole time and constantly try to ingratiate the teachers for good grades. It might be a profitable thing for you if you are in his/her good books. You could copy down assignments, cheat in the semesters and tag yourself with him/her during the vivas. Nevertheless, for most of the class, the Chaturs are a pain in the ass. They constantly ask doubts vying for teacher’s attention and end up getting better marks than you even when you have put in exactly the same effort as them.
3. The Farhan Qureshi Engineer– Talented misplaced folks. They are into engineering because their parents are more worried about what a certain Mr. Kapoor or the chaar log of society would think than what their poor son is interested in. No wonder, one can find engineers in almost every sector- photography, acting, singing, cricket or other sports which do not exist in India and even finance. Few of these lads know what they are interested in before foraying into an engineering college but a majority of these discover their “hidden talents” during the course of engineering and then starts the struggle. Engineering ceases to be of interest for them (not that it was very interesting earlier) and changing a field would be too large a risk unless you become interested in the conventional MBA degrees.
4. The Raju Rastogi Engineer- The perennially simpleton and god-fearing guys, who venture into engineering to earn an MBA-like salary. For them engineering degree is the means of roti, kapda aur makaan. They are seemingly innocuous and no one particularly notices them. Their only shot to fame is tagging themselves along a Chatur or a Rancho. With no proper role, they are like the crowd in the background of an enticing fight scene in a Bollywood movie.
5. The Munna Bhai Engineer- Though the director showed Munna Bhai as a medical student, we are of the opinion that Munna Bhai would fit in more nicely in an engineering college. These are the students union presidents or the secretaries who wield nominal power. The self-proclaimed leaders generally are very poor with studies. Unlike Munna Bhai of the movie, not everyone has a golden heart, but they do have an exemplary rapport with the authorities and teachers. If you have a problem with the college administration or even the locals, you call upon them. In return they expect you to provide them cheats during their supplementary exams.
6. The Circuit Engineer- These chaps are Munna Bhai’s right and left hands. Very often the Circuits have their own groups with a solitary Munna Bhai as their leader. Though they are very trustworthy and loyal to the fault, their top floors are more often than not empty.
7. The DJ engineer- Daljeet of Rang De Basanti epitomizes the quintessential characteristics of a clan who should never ever call themselves engineers. These people are often found in gangs and do everything except engineering. They are rarely seen in the college except on the examination days and have the least regard for any type of education. They are fun-loving, adventurous and often rich brats.
All the engineering students, may be sometimes with a slight tweak in the above characteristics, would fit in some or the other description. If you are an engineering student then find your type and if you are not then you must (must!) be knowing an engineer who fit a certain description.
Just imagine, wouldn’t it be fun to see all these characters together live in a play or a movie? Share your thoughts. Or if you want to be The Rancho of your batch, then get yourself an awesome Engineering Internship :)
