Enroll at your own risk... Review on Edit

I completed my SSC in the year 1995 and then saw this ad in the newspaper stating ''All the SSC passed students looking for a great career in computer arts should join EDIT now!''. I was looking forward for a Computer Graphics career, and have learnt from someone that EDIT is a renowned Computer Graphics institute; perhaps the only one in the nation. So, I took a blind step forward that cost me a lot of bucks and valuable time.

Here I am writing about the Andheri centre of EDIT institute only where I got my training. I had some good and some really worse times. This Andheri centre ruined the image of EDIT institute in the whole. Hardly anyone speaks good about EDIT now.

Let's begin.

My first blind step

After reading the ad I went to the nearest EDIT centre in Andheri East. It was situated on the top floor of a nearly dilapidated building. My friend accompanied me, and he was least interested in the course. We hopped in during the lunch time and the counsellor was having a hearty lunch. When we started talking to him, he had nothing but only worse to say about EDIT. He said that you would not have a lucrative career, and that you should not join EDIT. We were surprised at this attitude of the counsellor. Usually these people have to get in students. But this one was exactly the opposite. But I was determined and bought the 25 rupees worth(less) brochure. Next day I brought my mom to EDIT. The cost came out to be Rs.25000/-. I insisted, and she paid (she is a very loving mom). What happened next really took me aback.

Early morning daze

I was given the timings of early morning from 7:30 AM to 9:30 AM, alternate days. I was very punctual and used to arrive on dot. But whenever I came on time, I used to see the lock still hanging on the door. Students started gathering in, but the faculties were still weren't in sight. Then at around 8:15 AM, a person came in, panting haevily. He was our faculty. He always had various reasons for his late-coming. But students leaving farther used to come in on time. So, the faculty never said that he woke up late, but always said that he missed the bus, or even saying, the water didn't come in early in their locality. This was the case with every faculty that came in. So, never take the early morning batch in EDIT.

The changing faces

Hardly a week passed by, we saw a new and inexperienced person take up the job of our latest faculty. Some were good, but some were really bad. Usually, high percentage of faculties belonged to the later category. Every 2-3 weeks, we had a new person coming in to teach us. Sometimes, we used to teach him about where we were, and he should be doing. Amazing, isn't it? There is more coming up.

The 3D Studio Max faculty

Somehow we crept through our DTP course. Many students bid farewell to each other for a career as a DTP operator. But I wanna learn more. I was ready to take up more risks. Now, a new Andheri West branch has come up, and I was very optimistic about it. Therefore, I enrolled for the 3D Studio Max course, which cost be another 9 grants. I was again given the early morning batch, and again my friends and I waited for the faculty to come in. Then there came the same picture of panting and puffing faculty. He looked weird. He was a dark, thin guy, with lots of oily hair on his head, and a moustache touching his lower lips. When he started teaching us, we felt that he himself needed some training, as he knew nothing about the software. His English was poor, so was his teaching method. Sometimes he sat guessing about the next step, and sometimes he would just ''TRY OUT'' things. He never prepared himself before the lecture, and was poor as ever. My 9000 bucks were going wasted right before my eyes. I felt so poor already. I felt like hitting the faculty. But I can't. Students protested, but the management didn't cared much, as they have got their money. The ''Who cares'' attitude was eminent in the management. I still do not know the heads or tails of 3D Max. I really pity myself.

The 100% job guarantee

When I finished my course, I asked the management to provide me with a job. They had promised an 100% job guarantee. What I got in return was many newspaper job classified cut-outs. I went to these places, and they rejected me as I wasn't experienced. Also, they did not knew anything about EDIT. By job placement I mean that the institute themselves place the candidates, instead of sending people to interviews, and leave them all on their own. This was a breach of contract. But somehow they managed to give me a 2000 bucks job, which I still hate to this day.

They even cheated my cousin

Om my footsteps, my cousin brother also enrolled for this course. He was even more optimistic that he will get something better than me. But he was cheated right from the start. Instead of experienced faculties, ex-students of EDIT were teaching him. These people knew hardly anything about the latest versions of existing software. His 16 months course had stretched to 36 months! His PhotoShop classes were bad as ever, as he did not get anything of this software. Faculties were usually missing, and those who came spent their chatting with the students or other faculties. And when the time came for the job, he was sent to Churchgate for a 1500 rupees job! He was promised a 5000 bucks start pay by EDIT. But he received a real meagre pay. Isn't this cheating?

The Good Part

Not all was bad about EDIT. There was a faculty called Ms.Neha. She was brilliant. Because of her excellent teaching in our Multimedia classes, I received the Best Multimedia Presentation Award. She was the silver lining in the clouds for EDIT. I made some real good friends in EDIT. My fellow students were good and talented. The picnic they arranged was also good. Mr.Neeraj was the other good part. Then there was Gayatri, who was like my elder sister. So, there were some nice people around. I felt envious when I saw their Dadar branch. It is just too good. I really wished that such a branch should have been in Andheri as well. But poor management and improper authorities did not achieve it. It is really saddening that how could some people can play with lives and careers of some other folks. I hardly learn much at EDIT. I self-trained myself by reading books. This way, I even learnt programming.

EDIT should really improve theirselves. They should provide good training and placement. Otherwise, they should see themselves going down to nothing.

I hope for the best, both for the institute and the future students.