Monday 31 August 2015

Failing the Honest: This IAS Officer Who Took on the Govt., Now Considering Leaving the Country

Failing the Honest: This IAS Officer Who Took on the Govt., Now Considering Leaving the Country

By Mugdha Kapoor, M.INDIATIMES.COM, Posted on August 27, 2015

http://m.indiatimes.com/news/india/failingthehonest-this-ias-officer-who-took-on-the-govt-now-considering-leaving-the-country-244592.html

We have often seen and heard of instances of honest officers in the country having to pay a heavy price for going against the executive. Officers like Narendra Kumar, D K Ravi, Shanmugam Manjunath, Pandillappalli Srinivas, Yashwanth Sonawane paid the price with their lives, and a few others who did not abide by the executive's word, were either transferred or suspended (Ashok Khemka, Durga Nagpal).

Being upright, honest and having the guts to take decisions brings with it, the constant fear of death threats, being murdered or having to face obstacles that will come in the way of doing one's work. But with honesty also comes a great sense of confidence and fearlessness which motivates one to carry on.

There are very few, rare and special breed of officers, who feel obligated towards the country and want to do something for it. But they are stopped at every step by our very own representatives (read Ministers). We as a nation have on several counts failed these rare breed of honest officers who are willing to serve the nation at any cost.

Here's another story of an honest officer who has been 'appropriately' reward for having a backbone:

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"On passing out from IIT Chennai Mr. Narayanaswamy was offered scholarship by the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA. He who came from a middle class family believed that he had a moral obligation to give something in return for the lakhs of rupees the government spent on him as an IIT student. He had the intelligence and conviction to realize that this money came also from the poorest of the poor - who pay up the excise duty on textiles when they buy cloth, who pay up customs, excise and sales tax on diesel when they travel in a bus, and in numerous other ways indirectly pay the government. So he decided to join IAS hoping he could do something for the people of this country. How many young men have the will power to resist such an offer from USA? Narayanaswamy did never look at IAS as a black money spinner as his later life bears testimony to this fact.

After a decade of meritorious service in IAS, today, Narayanaswamy is being forced out of the IAS profession. Do you know why?

Even under immense political pressure, he did what was right. A real estate agent wanted to fill up a paddy field which is banned under law. An application came up before Narayanaswamy who was the sub collector, for an exemption from this rule for this plot of land. Upon visiting the site he found that the complaint from 60 poor families that they will face water logging due to the waste water from a nearby Government Medical College if this paddy field was filled up was correct. Narayanswamy came under intense political pressure but he did what was right - refused permission for filling up the paddy field. That was his first confrontation with politicians.

His honesty costed him his marriage
Soon after his marriage his father-in-law closed down a public road to build compound wall for his plot of land. People approached Narayanaswamy with complaint. When talking with his own father-in-law did not help, he removed the obstructing wall with police help. The result, his marriage broke up.

As district Collector he raided the house of a liquor baron who had defaulted Rupees 11 crores payment to government and carried out revenue recovery. A Minister directly telephoned him and ordered to return the forfeited articles to the house of the liquor baron. Narayanswamy politely replied that it is difficult. The minister replied that Narayanaswamy will suffer. Posted in the most powerless position as a reward.

In his district it was a practice to collect crores of rupees for earthen bunds meant for poor farmers, but which were never constructed. A bill for Rs 8 crores came up before Narayanaswamy. He inspected the bund. He found it very weak and said that he will pass the bill after the rainy season to ensure that the bund served the purpose. As expected the earthen bund was too weak to stand the rain and it disappeared in the rain. But he created a lot of enemies for saving 8 crores public money. The net result of all such unholy activities was that he was asked to go on leave by the government.

Later such an illustrious officer was posted as "State Co-Ordinator, Quality Improvement Programme for Schools". This is what the politician will do to a honest officer with backbone - post him in the most powerless position to teach him a lesson. Since he found that nothing can be achieved for the people if he continued with the State Service he opted for central service. But that too was denied on some technical ground.

The bigger question
1.     What will you do when you have a brilliant computer career anywhere in the world you choose, with the backing of several advanced technical papers, published in international journals to your credit?
2.     When you are powerless to do anything for the people, why should you waste your life as the Co-Ordinator for a Schools Programme?

Nation's loss
Mr. Narayanaswamy is on the verge of leaving IAS to go to Paris to take up a well paid United Nations assignment. The politicians can laugh thinking another obstacle has been removed. But it is the helpless people of this country who will lose - not Narayanaswamy. But you have the power to support capable and honest bureaucrats like Narayaswamy, G.R.Khairnar and Alphons Kannamthanam who have suffered a lot under self-seeking politicians who rule us. You have even the power to replace such politicians with these kinds of people dedicated to the country.

The question is will you do the little you can do NOW? At least a vote or word in support of such personalities”?

It is the prime responsibility of the GOI to restore confidence and give them full support instead of FAILING THEM. Failing the honest is ultimately failing the nation.



Sunday 30 August 2015

QUALITY EDUCATION FOR NATION BUILDING

QUALITY EDUCATION FOR NATION BUILDING

The quality and standard of higher education imparted plays a key role in development of any nation in varied spheres; be it living standards, indigenous defence preparedness or infrastructure development etc.

·                Education and innovative research provide an impetus to technological advancements which along with societal needs form the basis for education. Therefore, a combination of education and technology is a key to the human resource development.
·               Thus, it isn't arduous to fathom that in order to develop; a nation must put out all the stops for redefining the system of education so that the desired pace of indigenous technological development can be attained and thereon sustained.

CURRENT SCENARIO

·               Presently, our education system is based on “progressive” western knowledge, science and technology.
·               It is pertinent to bethink that this system was forced on us by a concerted effort of British colonizers after Lord Macaulay submitted his report to the British Crown in 1835.


THE MAIN EXCERPT OF THE LORD MACAULAY’S REPORT

"I have travelled across the length and breadth of India and I have not seen one person who is a beggar, who is a thief. Such wealth I have seen in this country, such high moral values, people of such caliber, that I do not think we would ever conquer this country, unless we break the very backbone of this nation, which is her spiritual and cultural heritage.

Therefore, I propose that we replace her old and ancient education system, her culture, for if the Indians think that all that is foreign and English is good and greater than their own, they will lose their self-esteem, their native self- culture and they will become what we want them, a truly dominated nation"


IMPACT

·                 Perhaps this is the reason why the line between literacy and education is blurred for us even after 68 years of independence.
·                 The system satisfies itself by terming a literate person as an educated person.
·                 The variable notion of 'Literacy' has only enabled us to vaguely image the western system of education and import technology.
·                 This system of education has in fact has made us a nation of "followers and mental slaves".
·                 The present system hasn't been able to keep pace with the dynamic and diverse societal & technological needs of the country.
·                 Our education system has failed to make the nation walk on the path of progress and development.

SOME CURRENT DRAWBACKS

·                 Non-availability of books reflective of the needs of Indian society. A plethora of books are based entirely on western fundamentals.
·                 Plagiarized and manipulated information, statistics and data. The race is for number of publications and not for quality research (or its industrial utility).
·                 Lack of drive to lead.
·                 Inferiority complex.
·                 Use of imported equipment & software and training mind for near replication is projected as research. Therefore Nation won’t be able to get advantage of real intellectual capability of our researchers.
·                 Undermining research by viewing it through the prism of western literature surveys.
·                 Engineering education based on western technology and books.
·                 Challenging and application based problems and case studies based on resource person's experience are seldom discussed. There's practically no brain storming.
·                 Stereo-type assessment procedures.
·                 Selection criteria for a resource person / faculty are far from realizing objectives.
·                 The systems in place as a matter of fact are promoting pseudo-intellectualism.
·                 "Quality" presently is on a back-burner.
·                 Interference and recommendations be it from any quarter / corrupt practices (financial, moral, ethical) are also the reason for killing excellence in education and research.
·                 Selection criteria / recruitment rules for the selection of faculty are not uniformly applied. This system of selection hasn't been able to deliver and needs to be revamped completely. Existing norms are also assisting the mediocre applicants to get through.
·                 Perks to faculty and staff are not performance linked.
·                 Most engineering graduates in Indian industries are like fish out of water.
·                 Owing to bad curriculum planning, higher educational institutions produce largely un- employable graduates.

The main reason, probably, for not having a single world class university is the absence of a strong and healthy higher education system in place.

·                 It is time we abandon the present system and redefine national goals so as to regain our "self-esteem & self- confidence".
·                 It is right time to identify pseudo intellectuals on priority and not let them continue to damage the education sector.
·                 On the other hand, we also need to identify and eliminate all hindrances in developing grass root technology through education and research.
·                 We need to produce only "Ranchos" and not the "Chatur Ramalingams", the two distinct characters of famous Bollywood Hindi movie "Three Idiots".

·                 Unfortunately our education system is presently in the clutches of "Chatur Ramalingams" and our determination should be to change the long persistent status-quo.

Saturday 29 August 2015

LET US BE INDIAN ONLY

LET US BE INDIAN ONLY

I am posting few meaningful lines sent by a friend.

ना दलित, ना जाट खतरे में है
ना ब्रामण, ना राजपूत खतरे में है
ना बनिया, ना पटेल खतरे में है
मुर्ख हिन्दुस्तानी आँखे खोलो हर हिन्दुस्तानीखतरे में है!!

पकडे गए आतंकवादी नावेद ने ये कभी नहीं कहा कि वो
-ब्राह्मण को मारने आया है
-क्षत्रिय को मारने आया है
-जाट और गुर्जर को मारने आया है
-बनिया और दलितों को मारने आया है
उसने कहा कि वो हिन्दुस्तानी को मारने मै मजा आता है, सुन लिया न सारे जातिवाद करने वाले हिन्दुस्तानी…????
अब भी वक़्त है जातिवाद से ऊपर उठो और सिर्फ “हिन्दुस्तानी” बनो ।।

This is an ultimate eye opener. Let's take a pledge "Kadam se kadam mila ke chalenge",  "Desh kay liye marenge aur desh key liye jiyenge". Let's be Indian only. ENFORCE AFFIRMATIVE ACTION.


WHAT MAKES AN INDIAN


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Government may think of initiating affirmative action, as distinct from caste based reservation, for economically weaker sections of the society. All efforts must be made to help already identified BPL families to help economically weaker sections. Caste based reservation only benefit a few affluent sections amongst the identified groups.

The nation needs most is a positive action in favour of good quality education for all, irrespective of caste, income or location. Caste based reservation will possibly lead to polarization of the society. This may help only the political parties in achieving their goals but at the expense of the nation.

Government may constitute a Judicial Commission to look into all contentious issues of imposing reservations in higher education and advise the Government appropriately.

As a commitment for facilitating the deprived sections to compete for admissions to institutes like IITs, with their heads held high, IIT Alumni Association in consultation with Pan-IIT, may also come forward by formulating a suitable programme of identifying needy and underprivileged bright students at school level across the country and facilitate quality education for them so as to bring them at par with others seeking admission to higher education.

I am sure every committed “Bhartiyay” (Indian) believes in Social Justice and would be willing to assist any program to uplift the deprived sections. IRRESPECTIVE OF CASTE, CREED AND RELIGION.

Tuesday 11 August 2015

Appeal for renaming Aurangzeb Road in New Delhi

Appeal for renaming Aurangzeb Road in New Delhi



Delhi changed the names of some ROADS based on invaders and looters few years back. Its high time, remaining shame must be done away with.

It is beyond imagination that in independent Bharat we still glorify the most barbarian despot ruler, known for his unspeakable atrocities on Bharatwasis. Retaining one of the most important roads as Aurangzeb Road is shame to the nation. It is well known that the Mughal ruler Aurangzeb was cruel to Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims as well. I appeal to the Govt. to take necessary steps and respect the sentiments of millions of Bhartwasis. Most appropriate would be to rename it as Dr A P J Abdul Kalam Road. A public place named after Aurangzeb in secular Bharat is inappropriate.

https://twitter.com/ProfSunilPandey/status/528002411390984193