> > Is this true in the IITs? I certainly knew people who had failed classes > after getting into IIT but that was in the 80s before the IITs were > recognized in the west.
It wasn't so until 1999, which is as far as I can go with real experience. Flunking a class at IIT wasn't quite the rarity back then, and I'd be greatly surprised if that has changed. The system is far too elite compared to the social classes from which IIT students mostly come, so any kind of grade inflation due to parental expectations simply does not exist. The only weak link, as SRS points out, is the race card. During my time at IIT Kanpur, we handled it quite transparently - a 1-year booster program to those who require it, courses in English to improve communication skills (especially because the curriculum in all IITs is strictly English-only, which might be the next bastion to fall, if some parties had their way), and relaxed norms for academic probation. Anybody not part of the general category could opt for these programs, but were still required to meet the same grade scheme as the rest of the class in individual courses. Plus an independent panel (with appropriate representations) to evaluate disciplinary and academic violations. Absolutely everything went on the record. And students flunked left, right and center. Race is far more serious an issue now than it was back when I was a student. In my time, if a guy failed a class, that was just that. I can't recall a single case where grades were unfairly distributed, although it must be said that the Sciences faculty did prefer post-B.Sc. Master's students than the post-high school integrated program students. We never figured out why, but our thesis defense sessions were far more nasty than theirs ever was. </axe grind> -- Sumant Srivathsan sumants.blogspot.com
