Indian Education System-Through the Eyes of a Young American

Time and again we are reminded how plagued Indian Education system is. Mere rote learning and emphasis on scores rather than understanding the concept. People are trained on how to crack exams instead of being educated. These words got a shriek-er tone when echoed by a young American.Working with an educational organisation, give you insights into your own and other educational systems.

I met this Young fellow who has come to India  to teach English in a government school. He is on a Fulbright scholarship here.To be more technical and sound so, he is an ETA-English teaching Assistant. It has been quite sometime since he has landed on this multicultural land. On outward appearance (as per Indian standards) he would seem to be a full grown man with a spotless complexion and a certain repose on his face but he is just out of school. You can guess the color (colour). He joined us(me and few friends I made at work) for lunch after his normal day at school. We got chatting and he told us how school was. What he did. And every time we (Indians) get acquainted with an American,we are more interested in knowing if they have picked up Hindi. Like EVERYTIME. But they never ask why we haven't picked much of  English even after speaking it since so long. The poor chap did come up with some words he managed to learn from the kids in school like "Muje Hindi nahi samaj aata", "Boht acha".

Supposedly he was an invigilator today for an exam. He told us how excruciating it was to stand for so long. Not just that he was puzzled why students required two hours to write a 50 marks paper.(I just thought to myself he meant it was not enough!!). He said it was too much. He was disappointed with the question paper how most of the questions were straight out of the book. (How happy I would have been!). Most of the students even after repeatedly telling would write the entire question on their answer sheets wasting a lot of the time, drawing figures again. They write the whole sentences in their answer sheet in case of  fill in the blanks which can be done in the question paper and should be submitted along with the answer scripts.(Little did he know that if WE submit question paper how can we DISCUSS it and make others feel WORSE !!)
 More interestingly for me than for him, he gave us a very fine example how students in India answer their paper. "There are 50 students in my class. I asked them "why is the tree green?". To my surprise not one had an answer dissimilar to his fellow classmate. All of them had the SAME exact answers and most of them begun from BECAUSE. The students in America would have tried coming up with absolutely bizarre reasons but there is a thinking process behind it which is missing here". The usage of BECAUSE is inevitable for Indian kids which they think can save them even during the walk through the valley of the shadow of death.Indian kids really struggle framing sentences on their own and they solely depend on their book line by line. Even marks are awarded for book accuracy than your own sentences.

It is not just the fault of the kids. Our education system from the very beginning has never focused on transforming us to thinking individuals. Our grades reflect how well we have crammed.Bookish knowledge can definitely help us to be a part of the race but how long can we remain in there will depend on what we have Learnt. Creative individuals researchers and innovators are never rewarded. We need to bring in lot of changes imparting skill based education rather than rewarding the best crammers. Get smarter people to teach.It's time we to get superstar Teachers who are from different fields like leaders, entrepreneurs, corporate gurus. Embrace technology and internet for greater good than creating communal tensions. We need to use new tools and innovate instead of using outdated models of brick and mortar.Personalize education-instead of making it centralized. If it is good for me it doesn't mean it is the same for the other.There should be availability of choices to choose.

It is not a surprise that this time too none of the Indian universities figured in the top universities. But we need to LEARN from it. Our education system needs to come out from the clutches of the colonial education system which was geared towards generating babus and pen-pushers and still is. May be then few years down the line , when this America Friend of mine comes visiting again, the kids he taught  might just surprise him.

A Bus Ride in My City

Its a humid afternoon. I am walking towards a bus stop near my place.The Sun is out bright and there is a cool gentle breeze at irregular intervals which provides some relief from the burning sunshine on my face.I have reached the bus stop. I thank God for the canopy of trees adjacent to the bus stop, as under it, is my favourite waiting spot.
I am waiting for the inevitable.I am waiting for one of the most gruelling bus rides on the face of the earth.I am waiting for the everyday in a lifetime opportunity,where I get to test my physicality,put my wits to the test,improvise and survive till I get down at my destination in 1 piece. Yes, this is exactly how one feels after a bus ride in my city.
Soon a bus arrives and people flock to it as if this is the one and only bus remaining among the large fleet of busses plying in the city everyday.Anyway, so I somehow manage to board the bus, not before the automatic doors close on my foot which was hanging outside the bus while the bus was already in motion, reminding me to PUSH!!! through and try to get in.Finally, I am in.
After struggling to get a ticket for myself and for the 5 other people who sprinted to catch seats and now cant get up to buy tickets for themselves for the fear of loosing their seats, I find a place to stand,comfortably,near a big window, which provides a decent outside view.As the stops pass by it becomes visibly clear that the number of passengers just keep on increasing.I mean  isnt anyone getting off the bus or what??Soon I see myself crammed against the window,rendered paralysed with the only part of my anatomy allowed to move, being my neck.
I am 2 stops away from my destination.Its now or never.On my way towards the door(I know I am sounding very dramatic because the door is right in front of me)which will take me 2 stops to reach, I  push,pull,grab and finally make it.The door opens and I just have to stand and let go.The crowd getting off just takes you along with it and puts you onto the platform of the stop.
I try to regain my balance after having my glasses knocked off by a guy who is apparently in a rush,and then walk away thanking God for leaving me unscathed.

The fall of the Rupee

The recent depreciation of the value of Indian Rupee has created a furore. With the public looking apprehensive,the government trouble shooting and an apparent 2nd Asian financial crisis looming,it is a mess all around.Many reasons have come to the fore regarding this and I was all the more intrigued by them because it seems the pit, into which the Rupee has fallen looks bottomless.Anyway, so I had this conversation with my father related to this and here are some of the reasons which I could comprehend.

1.Widening Current Account Deficit:The Current Account Deficit or CAD,which  in lay man terms, is the difference between what India earns from the rest of the world by exporting and what it pays them by importing, is pushing up demand for the Dollar.Trading all over the world is majorly done in US Dollar,which is a widely accepted currency.With India's imports being more than its exports, it needs to make these payments in Dollar.This in turn drives up the demand for Dollar.With the demand exceeding the supply, the value of the Dollar shoots up,which results in one shelling out more Rupees to buy a Dollar. This is just like inflation affecting onions.More demand, less supply, price goes up.

2.Policy Inaction:Another generous contributor.Foreign investors see a lack of clarity in the policies framed by the government for the setup of an environment in which the investors can function.Be it the clearances involved from the different ministries or restrictions imposed on capital flow eg:- increase in CRR, all prove to be a hinder to attracting investment.          

3.Falling Foreign Exchange Reserves:India's foreign exchange reserves are enough to cover imports of 7 months only.Foreign Exchange is basically income earned by India.So if the government needs to meet the demand of the dollar, lets say for its imports, it needs to spend from its foreign exchange reserves by converting Rupee into Dollar.

4.Economic Slowdown:India's GDP growth fell to a decade low of 5%in 2012-13 and 4.5% in the January-March quarter. As a result foreign investors are loosing confidence in investing further.

5.Recovery in the US: Another big factor.Recovery of the US economy is making the Dollar stronger against other currencies.This will encourage foreign investors to put their money there, in the US, for better returns also subsequently resulting in withdrawal of investment from India.

Well thats about all that I could understand and believe is behind this fall of the Rupee.Lets keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best.

Fill it up-Holes Inside of you!

No! This is not about the hole in your pocket or in your shoes. This is the hole inside us! The very hole we never have been able to fill since its creation. We have tried putting our happiness, our riches, our career, our money, our relationships, our sorrows but it has never decreased. I trace back this description of holes to my physics class when we were taught about black holes. Black Holes being those big,of course black because there is no light, holes with large magnetic attraction which can pull anything inside it. Scary? Imagine something similar existing within us. What triggered this hole formation? or Who?

It can be a failure- a failed career, dreams , aspirations or it can be loss of someone. Often it can be due to losing track of who we really are and what we wish to do with our life or not meeting the Right people in this odyssey called Life. These unfulfilled desires in our heart drills a hole into our beings making us lose all our valuable treasures,good experiences, memories and people worth caring for. Without our knowledge it manifests, it takes in a lot of things inside it. You have everything you want, still there is restlessness ,chances are you have a hole inside of you. You are not happy with the way life is taking you. 

"We only labor to stuff the memory, and leave the conscience and the understanding unfurnished and void."- said someone whose name you are not going to remember anyway.Sometimes it is someone who leaves a void. We meet people like everyday but then there are some who leave a lasting impression. But the span of time we meet is short. So short that the chances of them remembering our names gets even shorter. The voids that people leave in such are much bigger than we can imagine. The very thought of not having yet another chance to say even "Hi" itself is excruciating. Then there are people living with a void of not finding one who can fill it(i'll take that up in another post.)

So how can we possibly start filling it up? By putting in more and more we can?
Holes are merely,these whole lot of emotions of helplessness, love-less-ness, joy-less-ness,track-less ness jumbled up trying to confuse us even more. Possibly we can all try for once to break free. may be we need someone along with us. Get out, find him or her. Break free from the clutches of this world. The more you listen to the world, the more you are falling into the hole you created for yourself. Seek the help of the divine. Most of us don't believe there is someone out there who is willing to help us fill the void in us. We prefer human help. Decide for yourself what you want to do with this life, who you want with you. Being with someone because X aunty said or Y uncle or your parents forced you is pushing yourself into hole. Try Falling in love. Travel. Do those little things that matter to you most. Listen to yourself and yourself alone. Even if you go wrong, you dont blame others.And try to motivate yourself no matter what circumstances you are into. Be happy! And unknowingly the same void will be filled in. 

Don't Eat Our Food!

So what is gathering your attention on all the major News Channels apart from the plummeting Rupee value, which by far has reached 64? I wonder is it because we have named all the underwears- Dollar, Euro after them? May be. Well, something more that has caught on with much faster pace is the Food Security Bill Act 2013. I presumably understand, that not a few, but there are many who don't know what is it all about. Same goes with majority of parties who are creating a ruckus in the Parliament over it. I don't blame the ignorance. Though various parties have curtained off the bill by strongly opposing it and demanding for amendments, we need to channelize our thoughts if this bill can be the saving grace for those who cant afford a one-time meal.Parties need to choose people first and then their ambitions. Throwing down  fists in disagreement and blackmailing the Government over walkout on the bill is not the way the National parties show their displeasure or work in the best interests of the nation.
Food Security Bill Act 2013- aims at providing food and nutritional security in human life cycle approach by ensuring access to food grains at affordable prices.Some of the provisions listed under it are providing 5kg food grains like wheat,rice per person to priority households at subsidized prices under which 75 % of rural population and 50 % of urban population would be covered, meal free of charge during pregnancy and six months after child birth, maternity benefit of not less than six thousand rupees in installments, free meals to children of age six months to six years, six to fourteen one mid day meal, incase of non-supply of food-grains,there will be food allowances.
It impresses you right? For once you think this is that one Bill which might just cater to the needs of those millions who die out of hunger and malnutrition. It brings a ray of Hope from that far distant land, but will it reach them ? Or this time too, the clouds of corruption devour it? For most of us who end up having three meals a day or like the lady on the TV who advises on reducing weight,"Have five-six small meals.", this Bill is nothing to think about, nothing to fight for. May be this one too, like many such bills in the past, create a High tide wave and then fade away squashing the hopes of the voiceless.Or gather dust in some file in some dilapidated Government office. It may not affect our comfortable lives but let us take it with a pinch of salt that the number it does, is more than you can count on your fingers.
To put it in words of Mahatma Gandhi,
"There are people in the world so hungry, that God cannot appear to them except in the form of bread." So, Let us not take their God from them.

A man who moved a mountain

courage does not always roar.
sometimes courage is the quiet voice
at the end of the day saying,
"i will try again tomorrow"

(mary anne radmacher)

At a time when the value of Indian Rupee against the American Dollar is in a nosedive, when scams are being unearthed almost at will, when states are being torn apart, when so much of cynicism surrounds us, when the Indian public looks apprehensive,hopeless and searches for some source to draw courage from,BANG!!! Here comes our very own silver screen to the rescue, with "The Mountain Man".
This movie is about Dashrath Manjhi, a common man from a small village in our country,who with his determination and hard work carved a way through a mountain.With his relentless pursuits and the love for his wife as an initial spark, Dashrath Manjhi worked day in and out continuously for 22 years and carved out a 360 foot long, 25 foot high and 30 foot wide road through the mountain.He sold a few goats that he owned and bought some simple tools to start this herculean task of cutting down a mountain.With a lot of people ridiculing him and no help from the local authorities Dashrath Manjhi, on his own,  accomplished this task with the sole intent of reducing the distance between his village and the nearest town from 50 km to 1 km.
The movie has a versatile director and a strong cast which should absolutely do justice to this story and I hope it succeeds to touch the hearts of its viewers. I also pray, that in a time when almost every individual is in search of a role model, when we are busy aping the west to form opinions, when love is so less and so hugely undermined,when general apathy and rhetoric rule and people fail to empathize with fellow human beings, this true story will renew our strength.
In the end this super human action gives me immense courage and restores my faith in the "power of one".





    

Missing Someone??Time to reconnect

One of the feelings that really grips me, consumes all of my attention and consequently detaches me from my present, is of that when i miss something.But most of the times its been someone, instead of something.This leaves me wondering what is it exactly that drives this feeling?Is its recurrence-missing the same thing-something very natural and how should one react to it?What happens when the subconscious kicks in and sometimes overwhelms you with  memories that u thought u had long forgotten? What should one do when it leads you to even blog about it?

Well you would have guessed by now and yes you are right, I miss someone.Yes this someone is a girl and I have missed her presence since I moved away from her, and if she is reading this, I want her to know that ill miss her till the day a time capsule is invented.Period!!

So lets get back to this feeling now.I believe what makes me miss this girl so much is the fact that by the time we became close we had to move apart(very unfortunate).The sudden realization of this seperation hit me like a huge wave and i was swept away and as they say,"its only when you loose something in your life that you realize its importance",it made me miss her all the more.
This feeling has literally made me sometimes just stop and think about her in the middle of doing  important things. The feeling recurs when my subconscious makes me remember the times we spent together while doing similar things with someone else and i start to miss her again.I also miss her because she has helped me evolve as a person and helped me create different perspectives in life, which leads me to believe that you miss someone even more if that person has found it worth to be concerned about you.

Have you ever felt this way? Do u have that special someone who was at some point of time your favourite? Has someone ever made u feel special, cared for, alive,nervous?Has someone  ever made your heart race every time u picked up the phone to  talk to them?Has someone messaged you and told you what you mean to them?Has someone made u miss them?

If Yes and you are not in touch with this person its time to reconnect.