From chatanbhegat.com:
"Five Point Someone is a story about three friends in IIT (Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi) who are unable to cope.
The book starts with a disclaimer, “This is not a book to teach you how to get into IIT or even how to live in college. In fact, it describes how screwed up things can get if you don’t think straight.”
Three hostelmates – Alok, Hari and Ryan get off to a bad start in IIT – they screw up the first class quiz. And while they try to make amends, things only get worse. It takes them a while to realize: If you try and screw with the IIT system, it comes back to double screw you. Before they know it, they are at the lowest echelons of IIT society. They have a five-point-something GPA out of ten, ranking near the end of their class. This GPA is a tattoo that will remain with them, and come in the way of anything else that matters – their friendship, their future, their love life. While the world expects IITians to conquer the world, these guys are struggling to survive.
Will they make it? Do under performers have a right to live? Can they show that they are not just a five-point-somebody but a five-point-someone?"

Read an excerpt.

The Bollywood film "3 Idiots" was based on this novel.

A little over a year ago I met a group of young Indian men working in the IT sector here in Athens. Naturally we got to talking about my interest in Indian writers. They knew some of the authors I mentioned, but had not read any of their books!
Instead, they recommended Chatan Bhagat - this title and also One Night at the Call Center.

Reserved for the South Asian VBB organized by ApoloniaX.

(reserved for my comments)

On its way by post to Annimanni. Enjoy!

Received with thanks!

On its way to the next reader!

Got the book at today's meetup. Thank you for sharing the book, Annimanni and for acting as courier, lukutuoli!

I liked the book quite a lot which was bit of a surprise. The main characters Hari, Ryan and Alok were different from each other so it was interesting to follow their development. It also gave a realistic picture of studies at IIT and the importance of getting a good education which would guarantee a good job which would give you enough money to survive. Through Ryan the book also criticized the curriculum of the institute; if a student had an idea for a practical solution, it was less important than just the mere theory the professors were lecturing. It also portraited the hideous system of valuing GPA; if you were below average you were nothing, if you were on top, the whole world would be open. What I found interesting was the relativity of being poor. Alok was poor compared to Hari and Ryan but then again, he was fairly well off compared to those really poor in India. All in all, an interesting read which gave a good view to student life in India.

The book travelled to Oulu with me. Happy to have it!