In this post want to talk a bit about the student culture at US universities and compare it with ours. The intention is certainly not to condemn ourselves :)! I am quite proud of my culture and heritage :)! But some plain-speak becomes necessary occasionally!
Point 1: Anyone who has spent a significant amount of time at any good US university will tell you that ethical standards amongst students are very high! They believe in doing their own work and cases of cheating, even in homeworks, are extremely rare. And when someone is caught cheating, consequences are firm. Very firm.
Comparison: I have taught at some of the best institutes in our country and cheating is commonplace - definitely in homeworks and increasingly so in examinations as well. And there is just too much "pseudo-compassion" floating around for anyone's good!
Point 2: Everyone in US universities respects everyone else's time. Classes, for example, start dot on time. Students loitering in after class has started is essentially unheard of.
Comparison: Students walking in late is commonplace at least at the institutes I've taught. [I happen to be someone who's won several teaching awards - so this is not a "quality of teaching" based observation :). It's a cultural problem - we don't respect time, ours or others'.]
Point 3: There are always exceptions to every rule, but the general norm is that many of the brightest of undergraduate students in USA want to study more and enroll for Masters programs, and many of the brightest Masters students want to study still more and go on to PhD programs. And even those bright students who don't opt for higher studies because they have other plans aspire to do something creative, interesting and meaningful with their careers and lives.
Comparison: Again, there are exceptions to every rule (and many bright Indian Masters and PhD students are connected to me here), but the general norm is that students who don't get a high enough salary package after their undergraduate education enroll for Masters programs (for students from impoverished backgrounds: I understand the need to earn money for their families as soon as possible), and students who don't get a high enough salary package after their Masters program go on to PhD programs. Its a purely economical exercise! Desire for knowledge, deeper understandings, and a wish to do something creative, interesting and meaningful in life seem to play a minimal role.
If you observe carefully, this reflects not just in our university campuses but society in general. People don't read! Neither do they aspire to refine themselves in some art or skill! Nothing in particular seems to interest or fascinate them. Very few people live bright zestful lives.
This is not a first world mindset. And till we develop one, we aren't going to become a first world academia - or country :)!
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