RECMemories.blogspot.com

Even though REC was under Calicut University, some of us were appointed as examiners in other universities also. Mahatma Gandhi University and Kerala University exam work was included in this. I used to go for practical examination at Mar Athanasius College Kothamangalam once in a while. Probably the reason for this was my good friend Prof. Baby K Isaac who belongs to the first batch of REC students. Later his son also passed out from REC. Kerala University work was mostly setting up of question papers and valuation of M.Tech answer scripts. First let us see the adventure at Kothamangalam. Reaching Kothamangalam from Chathamangalam was a pretty difficult proposition. Normally I do not travel by bus for long distance. Myself and my wife prefer train journey on most occasions. This was out of necessity as she had motion sickness during bus journey.   Even if tablets that prevents vomiting is taken, she will need to lie down which will not be possible in a bus. Train journey is m

Another   engineering college where   I used to for conducting   practical   examinations was   N.S.S. College of Engineering Palakkad. I had a special affinity to Palakkad for several reasons. My brother Prof.K.P.Sasidharan    was a member   of faculty   in Govt. Victoria College till 1973   until   he   moved to Maharajas College Ernakulam. I did my Pre-University in Palakkad in 1962-63   since   my brother was   there in GVC. Even after completing   my   U-Pre, I used   to spend some   time with my brother during summer   holidays   while studying in TKMCE Kollam. In short, I was quite familiar with the dry and bothersome wind blowing through glen in Palakkad ghats, most of the time dry Kalpathi river and the stink of horse dung   and human faeces on the side roads of Palakkad. Therefore, if I was appointed as examiner, I would accept it happily. We had a few friends in Palakkad, but rarely I used to stay with them. I used to take a room near   KSRTC bus stand   in Palakkad

In the seventies and eighties, there were only three engineering colleges   under Calicut university. Other than REC Calicut, Govt Engineering College Thrissur and N.S.S. College of Engg at Palakkad. Kannur. I used to regularly go as External Examiner to these colleges whenever I was appointed. Since I was staying in the campus, I could leave my young children and wife without any problem as it was safe. This way I could meet    new people and make extra money even if it is paid after two years   or more. For poor teachers like me, this was the only additional source of income. At Thrissur, we had to stay in a hotel as   REC employees were   not considered as Govt employees in Kerala, we could not get accommodation in the Govt guest house. Stay in a hotel, breakfast and dinner in Pathans’ or Indian Coffee house, lunch in a small hotel called ‘Little Star’ near the college. Little star was the only ‘five star’ hotel available nearby. Since I had the habit of waking up early, re

Regional Engineering College Calicut was affiliated to the Calicut University till 2002 when   REC was   converted to National Institute of Technology with full academic autonomy to conduct examinations and award degrees like I.I.Ts. Under Calicut University, a teacher with an experience of 3 years could be appointed as an examiner for the valuation of theory papers or for the conduct of practical examiners. Many of us considered the examination work as part of our duty and would take up this work once appointed as examiner. Even though there was some remuneration for conducting the examinations, very often the payment will be delayed by more than 2 or more years and many teachers refused to take up this work. However, I was one among those who    volunteered to    accept the examination work and if necessary to travel to Palakkad or Thrissur for conducting practical examinations. There were a few staff members who never accepted the examinership in other centres.    University

Recently, there had been lot of News on internal marks and torture rooms in some self-financing engineering colleges in Kerala. There is a complaint that certain institutions and teachers under instructions have been deliberately trying to victimize students. But, in well-run institutions, government, aided or self-financing colleges, internal marks has been a blessing   to good students   even in our own time, 1963-68. First of all, let us see why internal assessment is essential in professional colleges. Normally university examinations are held at the end of the semester. It is an accepted fact that it is not possible to assess the capabilities of a student in a professional course only by means of an end semester   or end of the year examination conducted by the university. In professional courses like engineering and medicine, the importance of practical experience cannot be ignored. Almost half of the contact hours of these first degree programmes are used for practical

Till 1968, there was only one university in Kerala. All colleges, Arts & Science, Engineering, Medicine, Pharmacy, Dental, Ayurvedic all colleges were under this university. Calicut   University was the second one started functioning when E.M.S.Namboodiripad wasthe   Chief Minister under the special efforts of the Education   Minister   Jb.C.H.Mohammed Koya. Prof.K.C.Chacko, who was the Director of Technical Education was appointed as Special Officer and later the Pro-Vice Chancellor. Later Dr.M.M.Ghani, an eminent   academician, was appointed as the first Vice Chancellor of Calicut University. Thenhipalam where the Calicut University had its campus became part of the newly formed Malappuram district in June, 1969. 1968   was also the   year in which I passed   my engineering course. We had a five year integrated course   for engineering after   SSLC and one year of Pre-University. But later in 1970, the duration of the engineering degree course was reduced to 4 years. One

Calicut REC campus   has   several geographical   peculiarities. Because of these, the residents had   several   difficulties. REC   campus   is located at a distance   of 22 KMs   from city. This   makes it almost impossible for someone to reach the campus   from the city after   930PM   and before 5AM by public conveyances. Taxi and auto charges are very high and there is no fixed charges as they charge as they please depending on the person travelling. Even when the bus fare was Rs.1.40, taxis    demanded something like Rs.300/ for the trip. Very few persons ventured to travel by auto-rikshaw   for this distance. Therefore, those who reach the city after 10PM   had no other way other than spend the time   in the railway station, bus stand   or take a room in a hotel to spend the night.   Calicut   Medical College   is located at a distance of 8KMs and even the Centre for Water Resources Development and Management (CWRDM)   is located at 13KMs from the city. If REC was locat

Ramadan as everyone knows is a day on which believers celebrate after a period of extreme sacrifice and purification of mind and body. But, when Ramadan is celebrated every year, what comes to my mind is the very sad memory of the loss   of one of my dear   colleagues and family friend. Sri. E.I.Suleiman Sir of Mathematics department   and his family were our neighbours REC campus   for a long time   before I went   to Delhi for my higher studies. He was known to me before he joined REC Calicut as he was a member   of faculty in T K M College of Engineering when I was a student   there. Even though he had not taken any class for me during my course, I respected him as a teacher. Our two families were very close. His wife Mrs.Sainaba and my wife Malathy were thick friends. They had three children, the eldest boy was in the same   class as my son and student of Silver Hills School in Paroppady, Calicut. The younger children   Shereena and Shibi were   smaller   than our children b