How They Conduct Business in India

This is a story told to me by a professor when I was doing my masters degree at ASU.

I was in a class called “Signal Detection Theory” taught by my favorite professor of all time Doug Cochran.  He was an eminently fair guy and a real sweetheart when it came to any issues regarding classes.  A couple of weeks before the final he announced in class that if you were happy with your grade thus far that you did not have to take the final exam. You would be credited with the grade you had going at the time of the announcement.  Lest you think one could stop going to the class that was not the case.  There was a final project due at the scheduled time of the final.  I had an A so of course I could only lose by taking the final.  Thus I opted out.

Some of the Indian fellows in the class had B’s and were not satisfied with their grades.  Thus they went to Professor Cochrans office and the conversation when like this.

With Indian Accent: Sir I have a B.

Cochran: Ok well what do you want to do?

With Indian Accent: Oh Sir, we do not want to take the final

Cochran: Ok then your grade will be a B.

With Indian Accent: Oh sir but we want an A.

Cochran: Ok then take the final and get your grade up.

With Indian Accent: Oh Sir, we do not want to take the final

Cochran: Ok then your grade will be a B

With Indian Accent: Oh sir we do not want a B

……. and so on until they Indian fellows got tired.