Rather busy days, both at college and at home. 
The second volume of the GCE newsletter has been published and is well received. A lot of effort went into its  production and all credit goes to the team that put its heart and soul into its production. Efforts are on to bring out hard copies to present to HRs who visit the institution, UGC and AICTE expert panel members and to the Commissioner, so that the achievements, big and small, are highlighted.
Tomorrow, the first year students are being admitted. The Principal is making all efforts to make it a smooth one by facilitating their admission in the departments. Lunch is being offered to the first year students and their parents. I must say the lunch served on these days is piping hot, fantastic and much appreciated by parents. I'm told by students that this lunch is similar to their everyday lunch and if so, I think that's wonderful. 
That reminds me, the chappathi being served in the girl's hostel came under the Principal's scanner when he went on a surprise visit. He has advised the cooks to prepare better ones. It's rather sad that the best efforts of the management and authorities in providing chappathi makers, the best dough available in the market and the best brand of dalda are not complemented by the chefs at the grassroot level. Their noodles, bread, butter and jam, dosas and biriyani are appreciated, however.

Word's spreading about the NASSCOM test to be madatorily taken by those aspiring for jobs in TCS, Wipro, CTS, Infosys, HCL etc. I do hope the kids start their preparation earlier to have a headstart.
Looks like reading comprehension is going to be given a lot of importance in the verbal section. Maybe it's time for me to think of making atleast 10-15 GRE/IELTS/TOEFL reading passages compulsory in the third year CSL lab, next semester. 
It's that time of the year when placement looms large in the horizon...student placement co-ordinators want to invite the company that will recruit large numbers in the first slot given to it, instead of promises, disappointments and heart burns, when even the best students are not recognised in the flurry of the one day,one stop recruitment processes followed. 
I feel if the NASSCOM tests are successful, students will call the shots, instead of the companies. But, for that to happen, students will have to prove their calibre and mettle in all aspects.
Also, we have not yet learnt the art of advertising the skills of our students...we take things in a very simple, unhyped fashion, when sometimes 'simplicity' is mistaken for 'simplistic'.
Give the kids a break. 
As a post script, I should add, Prof.Jayadev, I heard, has assured the student placement co-ordinators of all possible help in  the smooth conduct of the placement drive. He has asked students to make sure that there were no complaints about shoddy hospitality on any account and to go that extra mile to ensure comfort and pleasantness of ambience in hosting the companies. He has urged students to start their preparation in earnestness to get the best job offers. Student co-ordinators are all smiles and full of hope.

Google throws the most surprising features at me. This morning I was taking a survey on the use of Multimedia in the classroom and on submission, I was informed that it was a Google Doc and that I could design my own survey. So, here's a questionnaire  that I've designed for my third year students in an effort to survey  how students have improved their language skills in their first three years at college.

Please find the questionnaire at the following link. Feel free to take the survey and check your responses too.