Discovery

We live with ourselves 24 hours a day and we still struggle to define ourselves. We find it difficult to guess how we will conduct in a given situation. We live in an environment where we need to prove our credibility, our potential, our transcendence every now and then. And the worst part of the job is that we always need to establish ourselves in the eyes of those whom we love and believe in. We are constantly gazed at by the eyes of our community and surroundings. We are always on trial!

At times, this scenario makes life difficult and repressing as well. We are usually scared of what our loved ones would think of us if they come to know the literal human being inside us. In order to confront this arduous job of pleasing others, we generally wear masks and feign to be virtuous in front of others. In fact, the masks continue to change as we encounter different people. And continuous compliance to this pretence for a certain period of time buries our original face somewhere deep inside us. We tend to forget and sometimes, ignore what we actually are made up of.

In such a play script, some of our inherent feelings get submerged and are often not allowed to come out. There are certain forces and urges inside us that are blocked down for the sake of shamming. The posture of a rebel, a maverick and an outspoken person are asked to take a backseat for maneuvering this delusive task.

Why are we always asked to alter ourselves in order to shift into the comfort zone of the society? Do we constitute the society or is it the other way around? For how long shall we live pretending ourselves to be benevolent towards the wily society?

We ought to discover our actual character before we completely lose ourselves. But knowing ourselves is generally as difficult as detecting water in a desert. One way to let the dormant energy inside us pop up is by arguing with ourselves in rugged situations. Let us be honest to ourselves; fight against ourselves; and even be cruel to ourselves just to know what steel we are made up of. Character is defined by what we do when left alone. And we must adopt the same rules while being constantly stared by vicious eyes of the society. Let everybody know what we actually are. No fear, no pretence, no hiding. If you love me for what I am---Great. And even if you hate me for what I am---Great!!!

49.5%

49.5% - This number has succeeded in bewildering and to some extent, scaring masses over the last couple of weeks. Though I wished to write about it just after the declaration of this vicious reservation policy, I took my time to hunt the pros and cons assorted to it. I googled and came out with some interesting but blue results.

Let us first see what exactly this reservation policy holds in its core. I will not reserve myself just talking about 27% reservation for what they call OBCs but include few issues related to 22.5% reservation for SC/ST category as well. This highly-talked-about idea of reservation of seats in different institutions handled by government was first pronounced by Dr. B R Ambedkar, the creator of our constitution. It might be an interesting fact for few people that Dr. B R Ambedkar himself was a part of the backward section of the newly independent Indian society. He had probably witnessed the problems that the people of his community suffered with and hence, thought of erasing those problems by aiding them with this reservation policy. When this policy was first implemented, it was decided that it would be ceased once those socially backward people come at par with the non-backward section of the society.

No problems till now! Indian society moved on with this reservation policy and the backwards went on enjoying the reservation and slowly we reached the stage while V P Singh was enjoying his few golden years of his life as the PM of the largest democracy. Mandal commission had submitted its report about the socially backward and uneducated class of the society in 1980 and based upon it, reservation was supposed to be implemented during V P Singh’s era.

Let us see what Mr. B P Mandal had to say about Indian society. According to him, there are as many as 3743 castes and communities belonging to the OBC category which constitutes 52% of the Indian population. Moreover, it was already declared that around 25% of Indian population belongs to SC/ST category. So, class 2 Mathematics says that around 75% of Indian population is backward%, oh yes you read it correctly, 75%. Fantastic result! Isn’t it? There are few more such antic results to follow. Carry on.

There are 11 indicators which form the backbone of the results of the Mandal Commission. They are subdivided into 3 categories—Social, Educational and Economic. The 11 indicators for deciding OBCs are:

Social

• Castes/classes considered as socially backward by others.
• Castes/classes which mainly depend on manual labor for their livelihood.
• Castes/classes where the percentage of married women below 17 is 25% above the state average in rural areas and 10% in urban areas; and that of married men is 10% and 5% above the state average in rural and urban areas respectively.
• Castes/classes where participation of females in work is at least 25% above the state average.

Educational

• Castes/classes where the number of children in the age group of 5 to 15 years who never attended school is at least 25% above the state average.
• Castes/classes where the rate of student drop-out in the age group of 5-15 years is at least 25% above the state average.
• Castes/classes amongst whom the proportion of matriculates is at least 25% below the state average

Economic

• Castes/classes where the average value of family assets is at least 25% below the state average.
• Castes/classes where the number of families living in kachcha houses is at least 25 % above the state average.
• Castes/classes where the source of drinking water is beyond half a kilometer for more than 50% of the households.
• Castes/classes where the number of the house-holds having taken a consumption loan is at least 25% above the state average.

Though these indicators may sound perfectly normal at first look to many people, it has a number of loopholes which can be (and are!) easily exploited. Few of the above mentioned points are quite acceptable but some of them are very hazy and hence, controversial.

In 1990, the amendment in the constitution for 27% reservation was proposed in the Parliament but it broke the backbone of the government and Mr. V P Singh had to eventually resign.

Everything settled down. No reservation for OBCs but SC/ST categories continued enjoying the gratifying 22.5% reservation. 2006 arrives and this time, Arjun Singh comes up with a similar proposal for 27% reservation for OBC students in government educational institutions including IITs and IIMs. Here again, furor and protests rose from every corner of India. People who advocate this policy argue that this reservation policy for the OBCs would eventually lead to upgradation of the socially and economically backward section of the society. On the other hand, people who protest this policy say that it would dilute the high standards which these education institutions have set over the last fifty years. No denials. Valid points from both the sections!

Let’s see the crux of the problem. A generally-category-student scores 75 marks in a highly competitive entrance examination only to lose the seat to a reserved-category-student who scored mere 55. Result—that general-category-student will never be satisfied with this policy of undue inclination towards a reserved-category-student. It will obviously germinate the seeds of hatred against students obtaining preference over him. Moreover, the institution has to admit a student who is less meritorious than few others students who wrote the examination. The only gainer seems to be the student who enjoys the admission in the dandy institution just because he belongs to SC/ST/OBC category. Talking about the profit of the nation, it gained a student who is far less meritorious; it gained the hatred against reserved people and thus, disunity! Nation got richer!!!

But, is that the end of the story? No, not at all! Let’s confer what that student confronts once he enters the high-profile institution. He is asked to keep pace with those students who scored around 90 in the entrance examination. The result is quite obvious. He finds it difficult to match the demands of a cruel environment and generally falls behind. In some cases, he even struggles to secure the degree in the specified duration. Is this the kind of progress they look for??? I wonder!

The scenario is not very different in other fields as well. Even in jobs, they scramble against people who are much more meritorious. But, there is an interesting result to follow. Among people having annual earnings more than Rs. 50,000 in government jobs, the average salary of a SC/ST category person is nearly twice of that of a general category person, thanks to ultra-quick promotions through reservation policy. Though it contributes to better lives for reserved people at the expense of general category people, what nation loses is the service of people who are much more meritorious.

The problem is that the fruits of this policy never reach the section of the society that really needs it. It is always enjoyed by the richer section of the reserved class which has the capability to earn bread on its own. The poorer class is always deprived of the yields of this policy and thus, its condition never changes. In fact, it always shifts from bad to worse.

But the million dollars is question is—what is the solution of this problem? How can both these issues be taken care of? We can’t ignore one of them for the sake of other. It is a well known truth that merit is not the sole property of the forward section of the society. If given a chance, the backward class can also gain the skills needed to match shoulders in different spheres. So, there should be certain reservation for the economically backward people (in form of certain seat reservation and free education) at the primary level, say primary schools, so that they get equal opportunities to read and write and learn and as the person moves to the higher levels, the reservation should be gradually diminished so that it results to absolutely zero reservation when it comes to job prospects. This option serves the socially and economically backward section of the society without the interest of the forward class being hampered. Moreover, the nation will also gain the best hands to serve it. I sincerely hope that such an environment shapes up where every person of the society, no matter which class or creed or section he belongs to, gets fair and equal opportunity and that will be in the best interest of the nation.

Different Dimensions

Recognition captures the top rank when desires of a human being are talked about. Every person has a concealed desire to be recognized as an intellect and it is often forgotten that intellect is not the only parameter that defines a human being. There are several instances when we do things that an intellect is not supposed to practise. Anger and shedding tears are just few of them.

We always seek reasons for happenings around us and that’s our only criteria for judging the reality. We generally ask questions like why, why-not and how before placing an event in an elite category called facts. Hence, we, rather unknowingly, formulate two sets in which we drop ideas; one being objective and other subjective. We, in our mad quest of realism and truth, assume that intellect is the sole and supreme module and anything lying beyond its range is baseless and hence, untrue.

But the basic idea still remains that every person, somewhere deep inside, is irrational because no person has ever been able to detach himself from plinth of irrationality which comprises anger, annoyance, pique and chafe. A man consists of several quantities other than intellect which define his wholeness. Emotions, retention, the power of making a choice are just few of them. None of the above mentioned components can individually define a man but all of them dissolve into each other to create a human being. The awe of being called an intellect submerges us into a sea where what we realize is a world of water called intellect and we sense no air of sentiments and emotions. We take pride in saying that we are trying to explore every corner of this sea but the irony is that we can’t even see the world that lies beyond the surface of this limited water.

We detest to be called sentimental or emotional people. We rather take pride in being called rationalists. Since the very beginning of human civilization, we presume feelings to be malign which make us fallible and fragile. On the other hand, intellect is considered to be divine. A more intellectual man is regarded closer to perfection.

As the civilization progressed, we even tried to define emotions and sentiments by the tools of intellect. But if we look within ourselves minutely, we realize that it is instincts and emotions rather than reasons and facts that we trust upon during the hours of crisis. In fact, instincts come more naturally to us than intellect. The spontaneity of instincts makes us follow them when we step into a territory of problems and scarcity. On the other hand, intellect needs some conscious effort and sometimes, contrivance as well to reach a conclusion. And there are times when we need to make a quick decision and that’s where intellect tends to crumble and hence, leaves us alone with our feelings and instincts.

A better frame of mind and a calmer attitude can make us realize that there is something more for man to respect than just intellect. There is not even a trace of doubt that intellect has served man to touch new heights but there are various other dimensions of human nature that we need to find out and trust upon. Then only we can hope for acceleration towards perfection.

Two And One

An age old beginning, a primitive combat, an archaic love story and a lauded astuteness that continues till today and will go on till the very end of the clock. This one-sided affair evolved when the sun looked at the gorgeous earth for the very first time. Since then, he is burning himself to provide eyes to her. He spends whole day gazing at her, waiting for her one look. There comes another lover. The cloud, which axes his organs to satisfy the thirsty earth. He donates his blood to freshen her. And then, the flaming sphere goes wild! His searing rays deprive the earth of every gift from the cloud. The cloud feels jealous and unplugs the vision of the sun. The earth attends this sport of the naive neighbors in the sky. Keeps quiet, enjoys the colorless blood, cherishes the golden rays, and savors the battle!

Mourning (Continued...)

Continued…

The gracious wind blowing in their lives had suddenly transformed into a violent sandstorm. The family which she used to consider as the happiest in the world was on the verge of a drastic explosion in which all the three members could fall apart. Life, sometimes plays such cruel games that one can’t help but start hating every gift that it brought with itself in yesteryears. The lady sensed that life was asking for her most beautiful asset in return of all the joys it had delivered till then.

By the time she returned home with Radha, she had turned pale. Her body was trembling; her heart had slipped into the pool of despair; her mind had stopped supplying thoughts. She uneasily looked at Radha. She was chirping in a world of her own. She was just another girl but a very special one for her mother. Radha’s every laugh, her every act of obstinacy served as a life source for her. Her every need was gleefully fulfilled by her mother. And now, the lady was about to see her daughter being snapped from her.

“What happened Ma?” Radha enquired.

“Nothing much. It’s the heated sun that bothered me throughout the travel. I am fine now.”

“OK, then you can have a nap. There is lot to do for the dinner. And if we don’t start early in the evening, we won’t be able to do enough for it.”

“No, I am fine”, she told hesitantly.

The lady didn’t know what she ought to do. She had always lived under the influence of her husband. The man’s world hadn’t allowed her to learn the prowess of taking decisions. Her feminine ears had always listened what this male world narrated, her loyal mind had often done what this autocratic world asked. The mere thought of Radha’s future shivered her. The girl whom she wanted to endow every possible pleasance was about to be harnessed by this unkind world. The man who ought to be a shield turned out to be a sword adamant to slice someone’s life.

The clock moved fast. The sun was preparing to go for a sleep.

“Ma, it is already evening and you don’t seem to be in any mood! What has happened to you? Please come and help me out.”

“I wish I could help you”, the lady whispered.

“What? I can’t do everything on my own. Now please come.”

“OK, here I am”, she replied.

It was around eight in the evening.

“Here comes father! You know we have planned a special dinner tonight and everything is ready. We were waiting for you only.”

“That is nice.”

“So, shall we start?”

“Yes”, Hari replied plainly.

Radha and her mother served the food on the cleaned floor. No sooner than they started the meal the lady went out.

“Radha, you and father start the meal. I am going to ask the neighbor for some fresh water. I forgot to carry water this evening.”

“OK, Ma. But come back soon.”

As she went out, she discovered that the moon had replaced the scorching sun and grey clouds had shrouded the sky. The bright blue luminance of occasional sparking in the clouds bathed her. There was a hint of rain in the air. She slowly moved towards the sea. Precipitation was gaining strength and so was water in her eyes. She had seen her daughter for the last time. She had poisoned her happy family…