Welcome to the world of mass cheating. This is a mass movement that is gaining popularity with each passing year. We are talking of engineering students (BE), BMS, BMM, and Architecture. Projects are an integral part of the engineering course, the only thing that imparts practical knowledge because it's hands-on. But BE final year students in our country have sure excelled in the field of plagiarizing projects or just 'getting them done.' In the two-part series, Surya Ragunaathan brings you all the dope.
Jayesh Sharma, an Electronics engineer from Mumbai, narrates how projects worth 100 marks in final year engineering had become a cakewalk during his days in college. "There are many sources across the city. We used to rely upon most of these shops at Lamington road. Visha electronics is where our group got it made. They are famous for the job. We coughed up around 6000 rupees. Got the circuit diagram of our robot from the net. Paid him an advance and got the printed circuit board done. Then, we asked him to solder parts also and when the final thing was ready, paid him the rest of the 'fees.' He also explained the details, so we knew everything during vivas. Then, we just collected data from the net and the paper work was done at a store in Powai (just outside IIT). The whole thing takes over two-three weeks." Sharma passed BE with a first class and has been working with a top German MNC since two years.
Listen to what Deepak Mohanani, a current BE student from Mumbai has to say, "In our college, most people have a good rapport with the librarian. I can't take his name. Usually, he lets people take away projects (of seniors) kept in the library. Students rush out, get photocopies and keep it back in its place within an hr. Once we have the project on paper, it's easier for the guys at Lamington to make it. In fact, it then becomes easy for anyone with an Electronics background to manufacture the project. So, some students even give the papers to a relative or a friend to get it made. The librarian or peon makes an extra buck."
After speaking to a host of other students from different states, I decided to hit the roads. Lamington sure was a good source to start off. Visha Electronics was one name that kept spinning in my mind. The cabbie who drove me to Lamington hinted at 'specialised electronics work' and dropped me at the doorsteps of Visha. We got in and met Mr Sailesh Shah who was busy with some customers.
Me: uncleji, ek project banana hai for BE Electronics, final year.
Him: nahi, hum nahi banaate. Project kit available hai. Lelo!
He handed over what is called the 'kit-list' to me, told me to choose a topic from the list, and purchase it. Then, he put me onto Umil, his assistant.
Umil: aap ye file mein se topic select kijiye aur phir aapka project ban jaayega.
Me: par humko toh cylindrical robo banana hai.
Umil: aisa koi project hamaare paas nahi hai. Aap circuit diagram laao net pe se, hum printed circuit banaa denge.
Me: 'Parts' bhi solder karke milega?
Umil: haanji, mil jayega.
Me: Circuit diagram nahi mila toh, net pe?
Umil: Arre, aap dhoondiye toh sahi, nahi mile toh hum banaa denge.
Me: accha! Kitna cost hoga total?
Umil: woh toh aapke project pe depend hai. Aapko abhi nahi bataa sakte.
Me: Phir bhi. Kuch toh andaaze se?
Umil: nahi madam, abhi nahi bataa sakte.
After this interesting conversation with Umil, another man guided me to Noorie Electronics bang opposite Visha. Noorie was unkempt, Aluminum foils were strewn around, circuit boards all over the place, insufficient space and rickety. The bearded man at the store did not divulge his name and was so engrossed at work that he hardly looked up. He told me that I could get the project done if I got him the circuit diagram. I insisted on knowing the approx. cost involved but he would just not budge. He maintained a 'cant give you an estimate now' throughout the conversation. So I walked away. Incidentally, I met two students from Sardar Patel College, right there. When asked what they were here for, they quipped, "project banwaane ke liye."
If this were the case with Electronics branch, how can Computers ever stay behind? Informs Vinita Vradhan, a computer engineering student, Mumbai, "We get our coding and programming done from freelance coders or computer professionals working with some of the top IT companies in India. Once the coding is ready, the report is done easily with the help of added data from the internet. Most students do it that way."
But how come these computer professionals working with such big companies do it? Have they no other job? "For money," adds Vradhan, "anyone can get it done for around 3k-4k. For a group of six students, it's not a big amount. And these guys are trained only for coding. They do the same job for the companies they work at. They are complete geeks. Who would not do it, if they can earn an extra buck?"
My second destination was this small shop outside IIT, Bombay. On the surface, this place comes across as a normal printing store. Here, students from varied courses, bring-in soft copies of projects, get them printed, bound and embossed in Golden gloss. Dig deeper and you realize that project reports can be purchased here, with ease. When you take your project there to get it printed, the man working there (who's too shy to utter his name) does a 'Ctrl S'. Once your project is saved on his PC, you may be rest assured that your final hard copy would be ready in a day or two. But you are completely unaware that the saved, soft copy of your project may be out for sale. Yes, many students from Mechanical and Chemical branches of Engineering, purchase ready-made projects from this store, ironically located outside the most esteemed engineering institute of the country.
Informs Rishabh Ullal, a Mechanical Engineering student, "It's easy. You go there, read through the projects he has stored, get it printed and bound. Comes for a price of say 500-1000 rupees." So what about the project manufacturing, etc.?
Says Siddharth M, another mechanical engineering student, "Actually in our stream, the scope of topic is very broad. You can choose just any topic and your final product need not consist of manufacturing at all. For example, a topic like 'Six sigma' can also be chosen which is more on the management side. For a subject like this, there is no manufacturing involved. Like ours was 'Automation in Assembly line.' This may involve manufacturing but due to lack of facilities and the culture that exists, people don't really slog it out. Just study the new trends of automation in assembly line and make a 100-page project report. At least in Mumbai University, it's very ambiguous"
Credit goes to Author Surya Raghunathan
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