Of IITs and the topper craze

It all started with a phone call. Hello, I am Joshi and I teach in a coaching class. I want to gift your daughter a few Maths books for having done so well in Std X. When will you be home?

At 9 pm, Mr Joshi duly presented himself.

Good evening, sir. We are one of the best IIT entrance coaching classes in India. This year, 1600 of the 10,000 students who got through IIT JEE, were from our classes. We've just opened a branch in Bombay and are approaching select CBSE toppers.

What's your definition of a topper, the wife asked. Anybody who has scored more than 91 per cent, Joshi said. My daughter, with an aggregate of 95.8 per cent, is clearly in his crosshairs.

I must tell you about our scholarship system. You come to our centre and take our All-India Entrance Test. Your score in that will determine the scholarship amount.

So what is the guarantee that she will crack the JEE, asked the wife? It's the way we teach. Our model is foolproof. We only admit the cream among students. And then put them through the grind. Four to five hours of problem-solving every day. Regular tests and appraisals. Next year, we plan to introduce the Kota model in Bombay. The child enrolls in a college and pays the fees. But instead of attending classes there, he attends our classes. He only gives his exams there. We decide the marks for internal assessment and practicals. Out of 30 marks, the student gets minimum 28.u00a0

Which left the three of us with some questions:
>>The Wife: Can you take an ordinary student and get him to crack the JEE? If you're so good, why don't you teach at a University where more students will benefit?

>>The Daughter: Would you have bothered to come if I had scored 65 per cent?

>>Me: Is the IIT the best institution in the country because only the best students get in? Or do the best students want to get in only because it is the best?
u00a0
Should everybody else then take a walk?
Any answers, Mr Joshi?