What is merit?

Most of us associate merit with the marks a particular candidate scores in an entrance exam or the boards. is this measure true? Can a student who has studied in rural India with no coaching centers and high profile schools be compared to a student in a metro with best of facility and schools? To certain extent it’s not just the caliber of the student that accounts for the performance in the exams, it’s also the support he gets on the way that determines the scores. Hence we should not use the scores as the only way of judging students caliber.

I support providing equal opportunity to all students, but restricting the argument only to colleges such as IIT’s and IIM’s is not fair. What about the schools and primary education? Do the students with best caliber get admissions into the best schools, economic status determines which school a student studies. Even in colleges I don’t see any of these activists protesting against college selling seats in the name of “Paid seats” across the country. Why should only rich kids get the opportunity to study?

Also to the so called meritorious students who in the institutes claim that the standard of students will come down and hence the reputation of the institute, how are you contributing back to the nation that has provided you this education? Students who study on government subsidized loans finally end up flying out of this country or many of them join organization that have no direct link to improving the current state of affairs. Paying tax is not a favor we are doing to the government, if we demand a certain level of life that’s the cost we pay for!

To conclude, this debate on premier institutes hardly affects a few thousands every year and to make a fundamental and lasting change the quality of education needs to be improved from bottom –up. Let’s make the schools good, provide each child equal opportunities to grow and learn. Reservation on caste can be avoided as it proliferates a divide in the society that was determined by past. But it’s foolish to believe that it can be taken out of the society at one stroke, as it was fundamentally determined by the kind of work people engaged in history. Unless equal opportunity is provided to all people and the divide based on years of deprivation removed, it is difficult.

So lets not get caught in a initiative that will touch a few thousands of people. We have a billion people in our country and I would assume around 200 to 300 billion students, lets develop a strategy for equal opportunity to this pool. Let not vote bank determine the initiatives. Visibility should not drive such issues. To this extent media and eminent people in this regard need to cognize for the magnitude of the larger issue and focus on the overall education system.

little miss sunshine..

this movie revolves around one character and thts Olive Hoover...the story is about how a broken family is brought together by one kid in the family...Olive runs for a beauty pageant though she would not be called the ideal candidate as per the usual beauty pageant entrants..the family is forced to take a 800 mile trip along with her to reach the "little miss sunshine" contest..n thts the story..

the theme is all about how Olive hoover allows her to be who she is and not be ashamed about it....its sometimes hilarious, but makes u think...

its a must watch from my side!

now coming to why i liked the movie so much and why im recommending..( not tht millions r waiting to read this n gona see the movie now!..:)..)..manier times i have not had the confidence or have felt uncomfortable about who i am or wht i have done and during those times i have taken the easier way out..fake ignorance or change stands or change views in order to be accepted..when u see the courage of this little girl in the movie it surprises u...how life becomes so clear and easy once u start living ur life like the way u want...

the movie also shows how to laugh about once own failure or faults..its much easier to laugh about it and forget it, than ponder over it for eternity..

so do look out for the movie in Star movies this month...

hey baghwan!

i have been always crazy when it comes to music ( may nt be only towards music;))..so in the last two weeks i have been listening to the same collection...this one is from raghu dixit..its a indian folk music album..one of the popular numbers from this album is hey bhagwan..

one read of his website and you kind get surprised by this chap..the shear will he displays kind of takes u by surprise..a well read individual and now chasing his dreams..the poem of his sums up well here..

fire-within
every morning I rise with the sun

carrying the fire within

every evening I set with it

only to rise up again

the core of my being

is my soul that burns

singing the very air that it breathes

the fire within me will never die

sometimes i tend to get overtly worried about the future and the way ahead..i think many of you would fall into the same category..i think it makes sense sitting back and relishing the growth we have had and not get worried about what is to come..

its improtant to feel good n happy about who we r and wht we have done..so go ahead and light the fire!

the album is awesome..strongly recommended!...for a quick trial click here

Why the smoker?

A blog from Mr.LaxmiNarsimhaa prompted me to write this blog. This blog is not to justify smoking or to prove that it’s better than other forms of pollution. This is a smokers perspective!

I wish to ask Mr.Laxmi a simple question, does he drive a car or bike?, if so how does he respond to the pollution caused by his motor vehicle. If he is concerned about the fellow human beings health ( this is like Clintons response to global warming and the nasty dog! ) why does he still drive around. I don’t think driving large cars or taking a pleasure drive in the town can be classified as any productive engagement.

I don’t seem to understand this “high morale” view point, either we should be able to put facts forward or put a viable solution. I can for argument sake conclude that petrol prices should me made Rs.100 a liter and heavy taxes should be laid on cars based on their fuel efficiency. People should be made to use only public transport. This would ensure the war in Middle East comes down! (the lesser oil we need, sooner the war for oil will stopJ)

Let’s try not to mix economics with emotions, though our political system thrives on it! I would be concerned on far more serious issues pertaining to the current state of affairs. How do we make the political system and bureaucracy accountable for the money they collect from you and me? As a tax paying citizen I wish to understand the efficiency of usage of my money, I am a customer to the government and not vice versa.

If we try to focus our issues and not let the government spin it around with multitude of issues, we should be able to move forward in a productive manner. More taxes and subsidies are not going to help anyone. Lets educate people, the recent study of rural incomes from the government suggests that 40% of the population in rural India lives below Rs.12 a day!. All these issues of smoking and pollution will then automatically come to focus. Lets get the basic bijili, sadak and panni moving. For at-least some time I would request Mr. Health minister to stop troubling AIMS and SRK and start focusing on the primary health care system and the policy frame work. We are in a country where kidneys are stolen!

..when solitude becomes dear..

it came crashing on me..just a day away from my dearest and its already becoming difficult..just the feeling that i cant pick the phone and speak to her when i want, is irritating me..im sure she would be feeling the same...

i used to laugh at those romantic mushy movies when i was in college and i could never believe that people could get so crazy about each other..and today sitting alone at the veranda on a cloudy night i can think nothing else but her!

its actually a mixed feeling..one side im so frustrated at not being able to speak to her..on the other side i feel so fortunate to have some one dear in my life, with whom i can be myself and also the knowledge that she likes me for what i am and not for anything else..

for all those people thinking of making a commitment...my only advice to u...if u think he or she is the one..dont wait..go ahead...its one life and dont loose the opportunity to live it....

what does it take?

thanks to rajesh..finally i saw the movie chakde..the movie did live up to the hype, very well made and i could connect to it emotionally..what got me thinking is how many of us have got what it takes to survive the time kabhir khan spent on his own and the courage to come back..

we ( all "we" to be replaced with "I"..still not comfy using I!) crib on every possible opportunity about the poor state of affairs around us, we blame the government, the unruly public and even sometime the peaceful cow munching grass in the middle of the road!..how many of us have got it in us to stand up and fight against any of this..because we do realise that the comfort we enjoy today might all fly away when we take up a challenge of this sort...

we do confess at times, that our lives lacks purpose and meaning ( mostly over a drink or when you are sitting bored in a airport..)..and we promise ourselves that in the next few days to start something that is meaningful and purposeful...but that is were it ends most of the time, because once the hangover is through the realization of the difficulty pops in..and then who wants to put in all that effort.

the next time i even think of cribbing or complaining i need to first look at myself and question what have i done about it ...

it takes a lot of courage to put all the efforts behind a purpose..most of the times it looks very simple from outside and we have brilliant solutions, but to actually dirty the hands and take up a thankless job takes courage and character..i wish i could pen down something someday that i had done that made a difference...

how else can i end..chakde!

p.s: i was not under any influence when i penned down:)