Voice behind the 'VOICE'

A few weeks back, I read an article in one of the leading newspapers. The article was about the downfall of Sir J J School of Arts, which was once the most reputed art school in the country. Even though the article focused on the causes of the downfall and highlighted the key success factors of MSU, Baroda which now holds the top position among art schools in the country, it also showcased the appalling status of our education system.

It was not difficult for me to draw parallels between the field of fine arts and other fields of education. In comparison, one institute or university may seem to be better than the other. However, on a global map, where can we place ourselves in comparison to prestigious institutes, the Ivy Leagues and superior educations systems of not just the West, but also of countries like Singapore and Australia? All we can boast of are a few IITs and IIMs that are insufficient to cater to the vast pool of talented students in the country. This means that a highly talented student may lose the opportunity if he or she falls short by even a few points in the entrance exam. The point to be noted however is that these prestigious institutes in India are not insulated to the factors causing the quality of education to decline either.

We have succeeded in entrapping ourselves in a vicious circle. It is not just the education system but also the industry to be blamed. Industry looks at ‘labels’. The students therefore chase those labels irrespective of their caliber or interest. The system thrives on churning out graduates and post-graduates who, inspite of multiple labels, lack basic competencies. The industry then complains of ‘talent gap’. This has also led to a new order of social stratification. Those who are unable to make the cut are classified as mediocre or weak. Over a period of time, this type of classification leads to a ‘mediocre’ mindset which results in students underestimating their capabilities.

Most students join the rat race with a one track mind of getting tagged with three letters called ‘MBA’ which would serve as a ticket to a cushy job and inflate their value in matrimonial markets. The concepts of understanding the subject, analyzing realistic situations and cases in the light of those subjects, ideation, self-expression etc. are losing luster.

However, I feel that it is high time we step out of this rattletrap and re-ignite our minds. It is not just students but also academicians and corporate executives who should part take in the transmutation of the system. It is our duty to fight the existing misoneism.

One of the major steps to be taken to catapult this process of change is to encourage students to think. The idea is not just to think it, but ink it as well. This is the principle that lies at the foundation of ‘VOICE’. The vision of the magazine is to help students voice out their thoughts without keeping them bound within the walls of management.

Let me conclude by quoting Sydney J. Harris,

“The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows.”


(I was the chief-editor of the magazine 'VOICE' when I wrote this editorial)

Beyond The Point of No Return

'The Point of No Return' is a term used in Air Force which refers to a point in a mission after which a pilot cannot return without completing the mission. This point is usually plotted in the enemy territory. Once a pilot crosses this point, its a 'Do or Die' situation. He has to either kill the enemies and then return or NEVER return.

Today, Mother India and we, her children have crossed THE POINT OF NO RETURN, not by the virtue of choice but by the force of destiny. I guess RabindranathTagore had never imagined this twist of fate..when he wrote "India's Tryst with Destiny.." Yes India's Tryst with Destiny began long ago...we were proud to have broken free from the shackles of British regime without realizing that it was just the beginning of the test. I believe that we are in a worse situation than what we were in, half a decade ago. We have only ourselves to blame for this. We took our freedom for granted and we continue to do that. The Independence Day has shrunk into a mere holiday we look forward to after our tedious days of chasing money. It’s a shame that we, today, stand on that very soil where our freedom fighters hoisted the National Flag after paying a price with their blood and we shiver with the fear of a terrorist attack even as we hoist OUR flag on two significant days.

I always thought that those Sons of Satan were the cowards...but I was wrong...it is WE who are the cowards. They come...they go on rampage...and after their dastardly acts cease temporarily, we boil with anger...within a few days our attention gets diverted back to the Sensex, the CAT and what the IIMs are doing...the gruesome pictures on the front pages are replaced by figures of the packages the IITs and IIMs get or the graphs of Sensex or maybe the 'one and only' sport of India...cricket..in which we try to satisfy our needs for vengeance by defeating our neighbour. Then once again 'they' come and go scot-free and we watch them dumbfounded and after they are done, our blood boils once again till the next sensational news appears on the headlines.

What is the point of screaming that "we will not let them go..we will get out on the streets and tell them enough is enough!” These immature reactions look worse than a caricature. What are we going to do going on the streets when we don’t even know how to use a pistol to shoot down a light bulb?!! It is ridiculous to exhibit pseudo-bravery by trying to face those guys who have ace weapons. And getting them killed is no victory either because they come here prepared to die...in fact they take pride in it by calling it 'sacrifice'.

Once the damage is done..It’s done. It is not killing them but preventing them from doing what they do, that can be considered as an achievement. Let us accept this first and then think practically what can be done.

I have been pondering over this problem for a few days now and I think I have a lead..it’s not an absolute solution but a lead to start thinking on. We don’t need to sacrifice our life or join the army or give up the comfort of a family life to fight against this. Fighting terrorism does not necessarily mean going and standing in front of the terrorists. There is something each one of us can do even while following our own vocation. Engineers and technically trained people should try to involve themselves in R&D of new technology instead of running after investment banking! Not that it is unimportant..but doing what you are good at and trained for rather than focusing on monetary benefits can prove extremely helpful to our country. And yes..these men will definitely require the funds to conduct research...that is when our financial experts can come in. Instead of waiting for the government to generate funds, these activities should be undertaken privately...and I am sure that each one of us will have something to contribute no matter who you are or where you are from. We talk of sacrifice...if sacrifice is what you want to do then sacrifice your selfish desires and change your outlook towards our country!

I hope to see a day when we will hoist our National Flag fearlessly.

Jai Hind!!!