Indian Institute of Technology, one of India’s elite engineering schools has restricted internet access in its dormitories, citing concerns that social activities like blogging and gaming were not only affecting students’ performance but was making them reclusive and even suicidal.
Authorities at the elite Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Mumbai said students had stopped socializing and many were late for morning classes or slept through them.
Having missed many of my own morning classes I can attest to the latter half of the previous statement, but I don’t care much for the the dean of students argument when he says, “[A] student doesn’t even know who lives two doors away from him because he is so busy on the Internet,” and that “The old hostel culture of camaraderie and socializing among students is gone.” While face-to-face social interactions between students within the dormitory may have decreased, it is unfair and narrow-minded to discount time spent online as not being a social activity.
For example, on 901am alone, I have met Matt, David, and Thord through blogging.
CNN has more.
Originally posted on March 13, 2007 @ 10:31 am
Ajay says
Aren’t you generalizing by saying “Indians”?