BuildingSteps

The conventions are progressively more massive and that is an understatement. The sheer size of this exercise is not viable. The numbers are uncontrollable as the student to host ratio is approximately 75 to 1. The limited manpower which is not schooled in event organisation or management, has a tough time trying to get things in place. They simply overestimate their prowess or underestimate the difficulty. The students of a college stick together and this makes interaction minimal. So then where is the exchange of ideas and concepts? Where are the original intentions behind NASA bearing fruit?

The ZONASAS should be put to their intended use of screening out colleges so as to ensure a certain standard of interaction and a smaller, neater convention. To do the hosts justice, their inexperience and their smaller numbers do them in. This is generally not realised until the convention is bid for and well underway.

The Executive Council of NASA seems to be a political body with a lot of lobbying. There are also rumours that vast amounts of money (a convention budget is between 40-60 lakhs) reserved for the conventions find themselves with the elite few. Bills not cleared on time, funds mismanaged or missing are old hat now.

Question is - Where is the accountability?

There seems to be a monopoly of the Council which is absolute in authority as of now. This is a sad state of affairs as NASA has become a glorified party with no serious intentions. There is a definite lack of focus as professional advice although sought is not followed.

The students or delegates themselves need to be motivated to a high degree for them to see the objective behind NASA. They are here for a picnic and that is what they get! They too need to utilise the potential of so many students and professionals gathered at one place

Professional participation is necessary for this exercise to be of any use to anybody. They feel that unless the whole setup is more formalised, they would be wasting their time. It is a vicious cycle. The professionals should participate- the students should create a conducive environment – the professionals should participate.

Lastly, all the trophy work, the seminars and the discussions are relegated to some cabinet somewhere. The need for this work to spawn future debate and action is strong. The work is good and eminently useful-so why not document it and host a traveling exhibition. There was talk of a NASA website. What happened?

I might have painted a dismal picture of NASA- it’s not all that bad. The sight of students striving for their identity in the mass, the keen competition and the good work and play- the sheer adrenaline could still make it a great experience!

NASA needs to change but the concept remains ideal and very necessary in today’s times where so much is happening so fast!



Is NASA an uncontrolled chain reaction?

The conventions are progressively more massive and that is an understatement. The sheer size of this exercise is not viable. The numbers are uncontrollable as the student to host ratio is approximately 75 to 1. The limited manpower which is not schooled in event organisation or management, has a tough time trying to get things in place. They simply overestimate their prowess or underestimate the difficulty. The students of a college stick together and this makes interaction minimal. So then where is the exchange of ideas and concepts? Where are the original intentions behind NASA bearing fruit? The ZONASAS should be put to their intended use of screening out colleges so as to ensure a certain standard of interaction and a smaller, neater convention. To do the hosts justice, their inexperience and their smaller numbers do them in. This is generally not realised until the convention is bid for and well underway. The Executive Council of NASA seems to be a political body with a lot of lobbying. There are also rumours that vast amounts of money (a convention budget is between 40-60 lakhs) reserved for the conventions find themselves with the elite few. Bills not cleared on time, funds mismanaged or missing are old hat now. Question is - Where is the accountability? There seems to be a monopoly of the Council which is absolute in authority as of now. This is a sad state of affairs as NASA has become a glorified party with no serious intentions. There is a definite lack of focus as professional advice although sought is not followed. The students or delegates themselves need to be motivated to a high degree for them to see the objective behind NASA. They are here for a picnic and that is what they get! They too need to utilise the potential of so many students and professionals gathered at one place Professional participation is necessary for this exercise to be of any use to anybody. They feel that unless the whole setup is more formalised, they would be wasting their time. It is a vicious cycle. The professionals should participate- the students should create a conducive environment – the professionals should participate. Lastly, all the trophy work, the seminars and the discussions are relegated to some cabinet somewhere. The need for this work to spawn future debate and action is strong. The work is good and eminently useful-so why not document it and host a traveling exhibition. There was talk of a NASA website. What happened? I might have painted a dismal picture of NASA- it’s not all that bad. The sight of students striving for their identity in the mass, the keen competition and the good work and play- the sheer adrenaline could still make it a great experience! NASA needs to change but the concept remains ideal and very necessary in today’s times where so much is happening so fast!