Uniform Syllabus – a hindrance to growth or a growth booster?

1. At present, each State having its own syllabus is a bigger threat when compared to having just one syllabus for the youth of our Nation because at present each State has the freedom to brainwash its youth the way they want to. The teachings are all in their favour – favoring their vote bank. Simply not educating the youth with the right information and moral, ensures that the masses will never question the malpractices of the ruling parties.
2. The masses are left ignorant with the happenings of the Nation at large. In such circumstances how can one expect them to be patriotic?
3. Go around asking the school kids in State government schools as to who Gandhi is? Who Nehru is? Who our current prime minister is? I assure you – irrespective of which State you are in – you will be amused by their answers!
4. I agree that knowing how to read and write in English alone does not qualify one as educated, however we can not deny that today knowing English is helping Indians go global and that without the language one can not take advantage of the humongous   opportunities available to the youth of our Nation, one can not take advantage of the various self-learning tools available on the Net. Why is it that despite these facts, States take their own sweet time in introducing the language and teach the same at their own sweet pace? The least they can do is stop calling themselves English Medium Schools and fooling parents.
5. Knowing one’s mother tongue and respecting it is definitely important. Parents should be encouraged to speak the same at home so the child learns, however the schools have to ensure that at school they at least get to practice speaking the language they are learning in. No-matter how ani-hindi one is, it is imperative to understand that Hindi is the language of India. We have to respect it. We have to encourage our children to make an attempt to learn the language – it is also a matter of survival in maximum number of Indian States. What is the harm in having one common syllabus for the National language and for the official language – i.e. English ? It is but obvious that the States will have their own syllabus for the local language.

No one but the student will get maximum benefits if a uniform syllabus is in place. A syllabus, which is nothing but the content for the list of subjects to be taught, will ensure that no topic is missed out on and that each topic is introduced at the desired grade. For instance, a subject like Math has umpteen branches such as arithmetic, geometry, trigonometry etc. How does having one common syllabus stand as a threat? Isn’t it better? Once the panel consisting of experts from the field of education lays out a content that clearly mentions how much of each topic is to be covered in which class; we can be rest assured that a student from Bihar knows as much Math as a student from Tamil Nadu.

Don’t you find students coming from different boards going through unnecessary tuition, classes etc before college entrance examinations just because they want to be at par with let’s say a student from CBSE?

I have found that because the Sates have managed to design their own syllabus and curriculum, it is practically impossible for a child coming from a different State to adjust with the new syllabus. He could have hundreds of reasons to come and settle in another Sate, which by the way is a part of his own Country – yet, he has to face so many hurdles?

Having different syllabus and curriculum for one country is nothing but waste of time and yet another lame process of our government to pile up the paper work and slow the process of change.

Having one syllabus and curriculum does not stop the school from adding innovation, new techniques etc to their school curriculum as every institute is anyway granted the freedom to have their own independent curriculum, i.e. they can choose their own unique way to achieve the desired objectives and outcome. So how does uniformity in education come across as a threat? For example – let’s take Moral Science. We are all aware that religion is used as a major tool by our politicians as it gives them the advantage of ‘divide and rule’. Nevertheless, the experts have already drafted a common syllabus for Value Education and there is no mention of any God in it. It is designed to ensure children are taught good values which in turn will make them good citizens. At present – this is not compulsory. The schools thus very conveniently use the moral science classes for teaching other subjects. Once the uniform syllabus is introduced, we are at least sure that every child is taught how to a be a good human! Yes, Institutes who have their own ways of saying morning prayers, singing hymns or bhajans, can continue doing so. No one is stopping them and admitting the child in specific institutes is after all a parent’s personal choice. So how does having a coming syllabus here create differences?

A certain amount of flexibility is always granted to the States for subjects like History and Geography where they are free to introduce a certain specific chapter relevant to their Sate.

And this is already been done. The only thing which will change by bringing in uniformity is less corruption and of course a sense of belonging to our country – i.e. India.

America – of course is not the best of the example. However its example was given for patriotism which is just one of the aspects. Every country has its list of rights and wrongs. Take Japan or China for instance. They have a uniform system in place and that is what accounts for their success. India however is a unique and invincible Nation when it comes to unity in diversity. We are still developing and a developing Nation needs to embrace changes that help in growing faster and together. We can not stick to what was told decades ago. We need to look around and decide what is the need of the hour. India is what it is because of its people. It is the individuals who are doing exceedingly well in their respective fields be it IT, business or even entertainment, who together, are contributing towards India’s growth. It is high time the system cleans up its mess so as to lend a helping hand to its citizens.

Education has and will continue to play vital role in determining India’s future and some drastic changes have to be made in the way we teach our children and also what we teach them. Don’t you want your child to enjoy education as much you did? Don’t you want your child to think and question as much you can? I suppose yes. If we let the education system continue the way it is doing right now, I am afraid our children will become the kind of aggressors your dread them to be. But for the elite, it will become impossible for other’s to take advantage of education at its best. A uniform syllabus makes everything easy – for publishers to make good books, for teachers to undergo an effective teacher training course, for schools to find good teachers and adapt latest methodologies and for parents, who have to worry less about the basic standards of the school in terms with quality and competition. A State government school can be as good as a private school. They have to! This will not happen over night. Implementation takes time but the reforms have to start somewhere!

There is no need to have a hundred boards with their own syllabus and curriculum just to teach you 2+2=1. Yes, a good teacher can have a 100 ways to make you understand this. So how is having a different syllabus contributing here? It is just additional paper work and in our country additional paper work means additional people on the committee which obviously means yet another loop-hole for the Government to eat some more money! That is what they have been doing all this while and they will continue to do so if we do not question them.

Mindless Traffic

Mindless traffic live and let live!

The pedestrians –‘No, it doesn’t matter if the cars had to abruptly halt in-between a jam-packed road with the neighboring cars maintaining a distance of couple of inches or less. Why should I care if the car gets hit by the one behind…I am the one who is in a rush here, not them.  And he deserves it…that idiot driving an expensive vehicle, escaping the heat and pollution and breathing cool air instead. How dare he? He deserves to be yelled at and his whimsical car deserves to be scratched’

The auto rickshaws ‘We are a liberated breed. Rules and regulations are meant for the uneducated. If it were not for us, 80% of our population would have been stranded and separated from their loved one, 60% of the youth would have missed their schools and colleges or failed their examinations, and 40% of the hospitalized population would have died on the road. We are the ultimate examples of social service. The car owners aren’t just elements who instigate jealousy; they are our enemies who deserve to be stabbed. And our passengers, they deserve to be taken for a long ride … we give them what they deserve. Oh, it is not worth talking to them…they are nothing but buffoons, especially the foolish youth. They probably do not realize that all their laughter and happiness is temporary. They do not value their parent’s hard earned money and their parents do not know how to bring up children these days. So they deserve to be looted.’

Who said that we do not have the real men anymore? Have they failed to notice the bus drivers? When their overloaded bus tilts to the left so severely, one can’t resist but commend the driving skills of the bus driver. What stops the bus from falling flat on the road? Perhaps their positive attitude!

‘If it were not for us, the society would be deprived of the luxury of commuting. We can accommodate more than twice of the capacity of the bus. What would the poor people waiting for the bus do if we do not let them in? Don’t you see? We are responsible! And empathetic! These people would lose their jobs if it were not for us!’

It would be interesting to ask them ‘What about the lives of the people? What about the lives of the small children? Is that not your responsibility?’ They might have an answer for this too… we will come to this later, for we have their Masters to be dealt with! Who could that be? The Lorry and Truck drivers of course!

‘Horn OK Please’ is what all these gentlemen request. They advertise too that they are the only one’s who follow family planning and it is cause of them the awareness of ‘We two and ours One’ has spread across the country. These are probably the hardest working breed for they are on wheels for days, sacrificing their time which they could have spent with the family instead. Drinking is only fair, for it helps them forget their worries and nagging of parents and wives. Once high on the highway, they know no one can deprive them from their right to happiness. The expensive cars who dare to overtake them on the high way resemble all the failures of their life, all the disappointment and sacrifices they had to make, all the compromises they had to make. ‘Would it be right to just see them over take you like this? No! This is our chance. To show them that we are the true winners, we too can accelerate with all glory and drive all over.’ Nothing matters to them then, the car, the people in the car, the pedestrian on the road, the auto rickshaws, the busses and fellow lorry drivers, none of them matter.

Yes vehicle owners have earned their right to the vehicle, but not the world! It is true that men look smarter on their bikes and that 40% of them riding a good bike are doing so to lure their women, but is it all right for them to risk their lives and that of others. If speed and risk thrills you, is it OK to ruin the peace of mind of others? All right we know you can ride fast and yes, you have mastered the art of riding; may be it is time you join some competition and not waste your skills on road, where everyone is too busy trying to make ends meet, return home, visit their loved ones, rush to the hospital or a job interview or an exam.

The car drivers, a mixed breed, ranging and varying in their worth, family backgrounds, success stories, failures and triumphs, their daily routine and night routine, their hopes and desires, have many stories to share with the world. They too, discriminate among themselves distinctively. They too have notions about the kind of people who drive a type of car. The car owners too, do not back off when it comes to taking out the frustration on fellow drivers. It is common to find youth showing off their family’s hard earned money to the world as they zoom the car on the roads when night falls and rule the small illusionary world which they create for themselves.

Why is it that only the one’s dead in a BMW accident are talked about and not the one’s who get killed every day by buses or trucks! Loss of life, irrespective of whether it was a car accident or a truck accident, is priceless. Everyone on the road is important. Someone’s, anyone’s life is priceless. You and I are no one to decide whose is more important. Just because you have the money, you cannot value a poor man’s life. Just because you are poor, you can not blame others for all the misshapenness in your life. Road Safety is every man’s responsibility, irrespective of whether you drive a Ferrari or a public bus! Mistakes happen but carelessness can be avoided.

One can go on and on about what people think when they walk on roads or when they drive around. Road is meant for everyone. And so are its rules. It is no one’s mistake if I have an auto and my passenger is on his way to buy his latest bike, if I am a bus driver and my far relative is driving a Maruti, if I have a Santro and my friend just bought his Mercedes, If I have a Mercedes but am an awful looking person with a wife who does not love me and a girl friend who is cheating on me. It is none of my business to curse some one on the road just because I was shouted at this morning by my parents or thrown out of the office by my boss. Just think about this…if we all walk and drive with awareness and compassion… wouldn’t our lives be so much more peaceful! If only the government takes up the task of issuing driving licenses religiously and thoroughly scrutinizes the drivers before they get their hands on the wheels. Live and let live.

Why Complain?

Just saw this kid on the screen, skeletal emaciated creature, could literally count the bones, odd-shaped body cause of no nutrition whatsoever, yet a smile on his face. How can one define content and happiness? There is so much around, in different forms and deeds, just as we have so much of pain, grief and greed around. Why is it so difficult to judge good or bad, what is right for me might be sinful for some one else? After all every living thing is emancipated, for they can think, dream, express, demand, request, complaint, feel and live.

Answers to these questions have led to this revolution, of which we are a part of today. We all wish to possess and acquire everything that is supposedly right for us as per our belief. There is no end to misery, sufferings, restlessness and unhappiness unless we decide to put a full stop to it. But yes, as promising as it sounds, there is always a new beginning, a new faith, a new hope for happiness present in every moment, we just have to accept it.

Innocence in a child’s eye, in a child’s smile, in a child’s first word, Paradise it is, for it comforts us with its righteousness and clarity. Why does the child grow distant from this innocence as it matures? Why are we now craving for something we were born with? Is comfort perishable? Is innocence a pseudo act? Or are we just victims of atheism rather are we atheists?

Belief in love, hope, faith; belief in warmth, belief in being, faith in life, faith in happenings, faith in tomorrow … that is faith in God; all this is innocence, which craves to explore and find the truth without analyzing the consequences. As they say, Love is blind, so true is this wise thought, for it foresees innocence being ignored by people who wish to see and not trust, believe and feel.

Love

Love or loneliness, sex or divinity, infatuation or attraction, respect or fear, winning over someone or fear of failing, these are emotions with no boundaries, and to be lost in them is very easy. Experiences in these issues don’t quite help, for you fall for them over and over again. Understanding these, does help you analyze and build a protective shield around you, but for how long? The state of ecstasy, which makes a very short appearance in this struggle, is so mesmerizing, you just want to stay there forever, or at least pretend to be there forever.

With this hope I write, like a wanderer who only carries his lantern of hope and faith along.
I write to lessen the craving in my heart, the warmth in my usually cold body, the uncontrollable palpitations which occur in anticipation of seeing you, talking to you, touching you, kissing you and just being with you.

 The innocence in your eyes rejuvenate my confidence in being, in trying, in being loved and love. Your frankness and honesty, your childlike heart and juvenile speech, your quest for living life to the fullest, makes my blood run down to my feet. I quiver in selflessness, wanting to hold you , wanting to kiss you and hug you tight, wanting you to stay with me forever!

Tears or sadness are now beyond my reach for they know you live in my heart.

Your smile and your company embrace every breath of mine now. I know that we are in love, love that knows not selfish possessions and obsessions, but true love, that of selflessness and warmth, love which quests to see beyond the horizons.

Where did the magician come from is not my concern anymore…for his magic is so serene, it cleanses my doubts with purity. It instills the depth, which I thought I would never reach. The satisfaction of not wanting to ask for anything more, the peace in which one desires to live forever, the love without fear, the love which fills my soul with completeness, all seem so alive within, that the thought of giving up on these seems so foolish.

Some thing’s in life, in expressions, in feelings, are better off not being discussed. Why? Even this thought should be left unanswered. Let the divine sources answer them all one by one to you when you seem ready for the acceptance of this silence. Will it be possible that this time the silence does not mislead me into an illusion again? Would it be possible that this time it has come to me to stay? Would it be possible that this time I would learn the true purpose of it in my life? Would it be possible that the silence communicates the same to the person whose love and desire alerts my free will. The free will which made me love and forget over and over again, the free will which now comes knocking at my door rarely rather than often. Is it because it realizes I now want to be free from its slavery? Is it because it realizes that I no more want to indulge in the ego to prove that I deserve a dream, rather I am now willing to surrender to the purpose of life, life which is a dream in itself.

Maya

Money is everything yet can’t buy us everything! Paradoxical concept, I’ve never been able to comprehend. Man-made evil or gift whatever you might want to call it, it’s become life! It is true that money is not everything and not important. But it is only when you have money rather enough of it are you willing to accept this truth and preach the same. So my focus lately has been only to make money. Selfishness is something else, and making money to fulfill one’s desire as per me is a step closer to realization. Many blame Osho for having preached spirituality and contradicting the same by owning 99 limousines. Why? He preached what he practiced. Just like Gandhi! He never said it is wrong to do this or wrong to do that. Who decides what is wrong what is right? It is all Maya, illusion! Man is the victim of this Maya, trying his best to figure a way out, and in this process, he gets hurt, lands up hurting others, cherishes the bliss of happiness, but only for a short while, desires more and is lost in the Maya again. It is not all that easy nor is it in your hands. If you suppress yourself from something you wish to have, you will find means to let it out some day or the other, on some one or the other, in a good or bad way, but you will definitely fulfill your desire. Might as well accept the truth, your need, and your desire, find alternate means to fulfill the same and then see what you wish for next!

As they say, it’s always easier said than done. True! Some say they want to be a good father, some a social worker, some Hitler, some want revenge, some just want a peaceful life, some want sex, some want a Ferrari, and so on and on. The list is immense … I wonder – does every one pray to god with greed everyday! Emotionally blackmail him, oops – humans are too good in that aren’t we? Either ways, its fun only if you do it! Achieve what you wish for and then see how life surprises you with gifts beyond your imagination. Do what your heart desires, you will never hurt anyone this way, for you would be so peaceful and content within, the evil of greed will never make home in your heart. Life would be paradise then, doors to realization will open for you to venture into the world of silence. Peace, nirvana, realization … what do all these signify … state of silence, stillness, bliss!

Thoughts

Loneliness has become me though it seldom worries me, but when it does, it questions life and the threshold of the future. What has come off past is just experience and memories.

Just saying just is in fact injustice to a cornucopia of experience and memories, that is past; cause these are the only gifts, gifts of life you can cherish forever…

These memories bring back with them tears of both happiness and sadness. Experience brings with it the endless list of endeavors and determination, surprises and faith, failure and hope, fear and warmth of trust.

I write as if it’s all over, but the truth is, it’s just a beginning. Yes, beginning of realization, which bestows its charm and pride, happiness and satisfaction, belief and love … every moment.

Not knowing which destination the road is taking me to, letting me satisfy all my desires and remain honest to others and myself, giving me the emancipated feeling of getting closer and closer to where I belong, I now only hope that the remainder only adds on to the liberation of others around and bestow the vibrant touch of beauty or should I say oneness!

Freedom is something I can never compromise on, for it is the reason why I have chosen the path to discovery, discovery of the soul, understanding the restlessness which bothers me every day and ends the span of happiness and content. How high can I fly? How many times will I fall? How many more wrong decisions will I take? How many tears will I cry? How many hearts will I break? How many people will I connect to? How many tests will I give? Freedom is the reason I choose to answer these questions.

Feels like a lady, my reflection in the mirror today! What has changed my thought I do not know, but I can’t resist but state that men and responsibilities both help complete the definition of my perception of this lady I relate to today. One glorifies beauty and the later justifies the same.

Tremor

I close my eyes and all I can see is high tides, gigantic waves, hitting the surface, splashing water everywhere, ominous as ever, audaciously warning everything they see in front of them; ‘move out of our way’ , ‘don’t try fighting us and let us do what we are meant to do!’ I try sleeping in peace, assuring myself that they are far away and peaceful, but my ears can’t resist the thundering sound, the raucous noise, the majestic roars of the sea, proving to me over and over again that nothing is more powerful than His creation, nothing is more mysterious than his creation, no surprise is bigger than his wish, Nothing is the end but for God himself.

Now I realize what I failed to notice and feel before, I failed to cherish his gift every time I craved to breathe fresh air, when I saw the calm sea patiently absorbing all the dirt and standing as a strong victim for all the experiments and tests done by us, when I felt the rain drops on me, when I saw the green trees and fresh leaves with dew drops, the fragrance of wet sand and flowers, the clear blue sky, the bright sun sharing its warmth and bestowing its vision, the shimmering stars, the ever-changing shapes of the clouds, the tranquility of the moon, the sound of the flowing river, the colors of life … words can never total his creation.

Apparently we fail to remember, to realize that nothing is more beautiful than God’s creation. Nothing is more colorful, more benevolent, more patient, more understanding, more peaceful, more handsome, more strong, more protective, more loving than His creation, than HIM.

It’s strange that we forget what we value most. We forget how to live! Or should I say we have forgotten how to live our lives. We have taken things for granted, we have thought ourselves how to take love for granted! Is it all right with him ? Is it all right with us ?

Guess we all know, only he has the answers.

Mankind has left no stone unturned for destroying or fighting the creators creation. Are we forgetting that we are his Creation as well? All that nature asks for is to make peace and live our lives and enjoy the gifts bestowed on us.

Are we not aware that the creation God loves most, adores most is ‘us’, the ‘mankind’!

Why are we still fighting and sobbing when we have been bestowed with love in abundance? Why are we trying to prove to him that we don’t deserve his love. Why are we attempting to make him realize every day, every minute, every second that his only mistake was to make us, to love us.

Sometimes I think that he has spoiled us with his love, But when I saw him take everything he wished for in front of my eyes, I realized that he hasn’t spoiled us, we have spoiled each other. We are responsible for all the trauma and drama in our lives. We have killed our souls, the most precious gift ever. It is our decision for having chosen this path … we can’t avoid the consequences.

He doesn’t punish us, he knows not what punishment is, he only knows to love and to give. He will never give up on loving us, all he expects us to realize is that love is the essence of living. He will always make us realize in his own way, he will continue surprising us cause he can never stop loving us.

Its sad the way Indian local channels and papers, (this does not exclude the national media coverage) are covering this complete case. They will just not stop showing pictures of women beating their chest and crying as if this is the end of the world, they love showing dead bodies piled up on each other over and over again. Whom are they trying to fool. That’s the loss the country has faced already – What are we doing to avoid such unorganized approach and prepare ourselves for future disasters? At one point they say – their aim is to create awareness and reduce chaos, on the other end they show and discuss everything that will lead to panic – especially to ensure that the lower class people – who have been affected the most – perceive it this way.

We visited a few sites yesterday – our friends were almost strangled to death whilst they were trying to distribute clothing and food to the needy. They finally figured out that 30% of them are drunk. It is obvious that 50% of the crowd in such camps are likely to come from nearby villages who were no where close to the sea nor were they around in times of help. Nevertheless they are poor and in need – so it does not matter if they are benefited from this charity.

But isn’t this what our news channels and papers should cover. Stress on facts like the Indian government has been very lazy in enrolling with the international body of security alert or something like that. Stress on the other international associations whose main concern is to prepare for natural calamity and warn – I am sure there are many more … Indian politicians would sleep over it. What about the after effects of this disaster – any measures taken to control the probable spread of deadly diseases? Have the locals been informed to stay away from sea food for the time being? Postmortem was done on the roads. How hygienic is that? Some bodies had life in them – they could have been saved if we had good medical aid. Instead they were assumed to be dead and the way they were handled I am sure they ensured they die anyways! Is the government taking any step to educate the people, the fisher men and their families on basic rescue techniques – which any coastal guard should be aware of. How are people trying to fight their fear, what do they actually need ? Have their houses actually been destroyed or they are just joining the lot to benefit from whatever little they can get – sell the stuff – and make some money out of it. The ones who have actually been affected – are they getting the comfort and material they deserve ? Our channels and news papers should be covering stuff like this – so that they can educate the masses – and not create more confusion and haunt their thoughts. We have to be a part of the solution more than being a part of the sadness.

Its strange – these days we don’t know whom to trust – in all this chaos – we find so many people who have taken the initiative to help people – children, youth , older generation – all of them have joined hands – trying to help in every possible way – reaching out to the needy, to the media creating awareness – ensuring the government has no escape or excuse from what they should be doing , executing their action plan! But where is the trust ? I see that missing in each one of us – no one trusts anyone – I don’t trust anyone – I don’t trust my own feelings these days – when it comes to knowing people! What is happening ?

Many want to keep their conscience clean by contributing everything possible – within their limitations. Many don’t care about their own lives and go aver board when it comes to helping and being there. Doubt still exists. The evil in our mind still exists, waiting to jump and grab the opportunity.

Media Today

A channel for voicing our opinion or a channel for advertising and selling products, services and votes? A means to educate and create awareness amongst the people or a means to threaten them ? A tool to showcase the opportunities, flaws, scope of improvement in an economy/country or a tool to glorify failures and hamper the image of a country ?

It is a paradoxical medium no doubt, but at times when you are seated in front of the idiot box browsing through news channels or reading the news papers in the morning, you wonder why did you even bother? Was this the very purpose of creating news? Or was the actual purpose something else ?

Funded by politicians, corporate houses and individuals who bet their destiny on popularity – negative or positive , does not matter, media has become the strongest and most upsetting medium to convey information, so-called news, current state of affairs – to the public. Do they realize that majority of their audience are yet to pass the ranking that of a literate? Do they realize that majority of the people comprehend news as the Gita or bible for what is going on around the country and this fact does not only affect their day-to-day decisions and future plans but also disturbs them emotionally!

Is knowing this truth the only reason why media is taking shape the way it is at present? A humongous coverage of raucous happenings which are looked into with so much detailing that if the same detailing had gone into scrutinizing our national policies, India would become a super power much before than what is anticipated. For the contribution to make this happen would not only be limited to the dedicated citizens who work their way to globalization independently but it would also influence the political set up to interfere the right way and aim at improvisation and not devastation.

Education is the need of the hour in this branded ‘Third world’ and ‘Developing Countries’. Education not that of the western world which aims at catastrophes, wars, monotony of a selected list of fortune brands, but education that aims at ruling out the negative growth pattern and teaches to grow in unison with others in need, is required. This time is the perfect time as the country has gone through a speedy change in terms with development and exposure; people are more open to comprehend and perceive new ideas. As they say ‘Strike while the iron is hot’ – our leaders should be working on this and not watering the iron to cool it down by disseminating distorted and conspicuous news which has no scope for right inspiration or education.