Plight of Indians

Prateek Jain

First Rank in State in Secondary School Examination
First Rank in University in Plus Two
First Rank in IIT Entrance Examination
First Rank in All India IIT Computer Science
First Rank in IAS Entrance Examination
First Rank in IAS Training Institute

On passing out from IIT Chennai Mr. Narayanaswamy was offered scholarship by the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology , USA .. He who came from a middle class family believed that he had a moral obligation to give something in return for the lakhs of rupees the government spent on him as an IIT student. He had the intelligence and conviction to realize that this money came also from the poorest of the poor - who pay up the excise duty on textiles when they buy cloth, who pay up customs, excise and sales tax on diesel when they travel in a bus, and in numerous other ways indirectly pay the government. So he decided to join IAS hoping he could do something for the people of this country. How many young men have the will power to resist such an offer from USA ? Narayanaswamy did never look at IAS as a black money spinner as his later life bears testimony to this fact.


After a decade of meritorious service in IAS, today, Narayanaswamy is being forced out of the IAS profession. Do you know why?

A real estate agent wanted to fill up a paddy field which is banned under law. An application came up before Narayanaswamy who was sub collector the, for an exemption from this rule for this plot of land. Upon visiting the site he found that the complaint from 60 poor families that they will face water logging due to the waste water from a nearby Government Medical College if this paddy field was filled up was correct. Narayanswamy came under intense political pressure but he did what was right - refused permission for filling up the paddy field. That was his first confrontation with politicians.

Soon after his marriage his father-in-law closed down a public road to build compound wall for his plot of land. People approached Narayanaswamy with complaint.

When talking with his own father-in-law did not help, he removed the obstructing wall with police help. The result, his marriage broke up.

As district Collector he raided the house of a liquor baron who had defaulted Rupees 11 crores payment to government and carried out revenue recovery. A Minister directly telephoned him and ordered to return the forfeited articles to the house of the liquor baron. Narayanswamy politely replied that it is difficult. The minister replied that Narayanaswamy will suffer.


In his district it was a practice to collect crores of rupees for earthen bunds meant for poor farmers, but which were never constructed. A bill for rupees 8 crores came up before Narayanaswamy. He inspected the bund. He found it very weak and said that he will pass the bill after the rainy season to ensure that the bund served the purpose. As expected the earthen bund was too weak to stand the rain and it disappeared in the rain. But he created a lot of enemies for saving 8 crores public money. The net result of all such unholy activities was that he was asked to go on leave by the government. Later such an illustrious officer was posted as "State Co-Ordinator, Quality Improvement Programme for Schools". This is what the politician will do to a honest officer with backbone - post him in the most powerless position to teach him a lesson. Since he found that nothing can be achieved for the people if he continued with the State Service he opted for central service. But that too was denied on some technical ground.


What will you do when you have a brilliant computer career anywhere in the world you choose with the backing of several advanced technical papers too published in international journals to your credit?


When you are powerless to do anything for the people, why should you waste your life as the Co-Ordinator for a Schools Programme?


Mr. Narayanaswamy is on the verge of leaving IAS to go to Paris to take up a well paid United Nations assignment. The politicians can laugh thinking another obstacle has been removed. But it is the helpless people of this country who will lose - not Narayanaswamy. But you have the power to support capable and honest bureaucra ts like Narayaswamy, G.R.Khairnar and Alphons Kannamthanam who have suffered a lot under self seeking politicians who rule us. You have even the power to replace such politicians with these kind of people dedicated to the country. The question is will you do the little you can do NOW? At least a vote or word in support of such personalities?

Into the heart of India

Kasturi Ramanathan

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Life on a train. Photo Courtesy: Jagriti Yatra

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As 2011 ends the yatris onboard the Jagriti Express take time to introspect. Kasturi Ramanathan, a yatri, takes us through the first phase of the journery which ends on January 8.

In search of a new India, hailing from different backgrounds but with one goal, with knowledge trying to gain experience, networking for the future, learning forever and living the current beats, the Yatris aboard the train know the responsibility that their generation holds. Half way through their journey, merging the soils of Kashmir and Tamil Nadu, they yearn to know India in all its glory!

Motivational journey

The Jagriti Yatra 2011 intends to teach a person how to fish, not provide the fish. “Jagriti” means “kindle” and this is what the journey is all about. It kindles the entrepreneurial spirit. It aims at investing and including. It looks at the transformation from job seeking to job creating. It motivates the human dimensions!

As this train travels through 12 cities in 16 days covering 8000 km, 450 budding entrepreneurs (out of 15000 registrations) take this awakening call — 40 per cent are female and 60 per cent are non-urban! The 24 states of India and 23 countries are represented (50 international learners are on board)!

They travel into the heart of India to feel its pulse. They meet role models and mentors who will mould their mind and meld their heart to make a better India.

Norm, Storm and Form teams — be a part of the inner and outer journeys. Disseminate the sensory overload. Interact among the cohorts. Innovate. Collaborate. Transform! This really is not a pleasure trip, for one will remain a yatri for ever. Every yatri is here to use the Role Model's advices, interact with fellow passengers, absorb during the panel discussions and perform during the Biz Gyan Exercise.

Emotions are varied throughout the journey — you will see many sitting by some rocks writing their journals, a few sketching out the hues, a hundred capturing stills of colours that tell a different story, smiles that express the heart's joy, songs that speak of happiness, dances that show the carefree spirit and the intense conversations that convey seriousness — these scenes will remain etched in their memory. Documenting all that one has heard, learnt, unlearnt and absorbed when they remain fresh in the mind; blogging and networking; telling the outside world about the journey so far as they look forward to the rest.

Tips from mentors

The youngsters here bubble with enthusiasm and new ideas and burn with the desire to lead a free India! And during their journey, they had the privilege of listening to a dozen motivational speeches and stirring stories. Here are a few snippets:

Mr. Mashelkar, National Innovation Foundation: “An entrepreneur is one who does not know that it cannot be done. Innovate with compassion and passion”. His formula to creating a human force is simple – “when ‘n' people connect, the power so released is n(n-1)/2!. The parameter for progress is not statistics; instead it is the smile on every citizen's face! With speed, sustainability and scale, we will reach the pinnacle”.

Ms. Nandhini Vaidhyanathan, CARMa: “Make sure that the business is profitable – relying on charity just detaches the child from you. And necessarily, have a mentor – that is the best way to gain a new network and a lot of experience”.

Mr. Narayana Murthy, Infosys: “Build support around you - have a mutually exclusive and a collectively exhaustive team working with you. And when you have to step down, it is like letting go of one's daughter's hand during her marriage – the hope, anxiety, pride, momentary sadness and the joy that life will still continue – if fresh blood has to enter an organization, let it flow in”. “The market space inside India is unexplored – explore it for Ram Rajya! This eon will be known for its innovations – don't be left behind – move with the spirit of development and create opportunities. Just do it – our country has the reciprocating power”.

Ms Gowthami, Travel Another India: “Boundaries are varied – but, everywhere it is drawn by mankind. It is an invisible wall that could make or break our future. Man has made it, man has to destroy it”.

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New Year Party

These Yatris improvised on the use of bathrooms, berths, communication, methods to eat and live life during the Yatra in general. Cleanliness and efficient usage of the limited resources were top priorities. The personal hygiene aspect of life here would seem weird to the outside world! Chair cars bacome make shift bathrooms. Innovators are aboard, after all.

An interesting aspect of the train The control room: It is home to the lost and found box, the suggestion box and the PA system. Most yatris love the PA system. Not only for the wake up calls, but for its booming music too – one can listen to Kolaveri at least 10 times a day. You can make dedications, share some interesting facts, explain your innovations and keep the crowd in splits!

As the New Year approached, a medley of songs from every language known was played. Yatris danced from between the berths and the aisles. Where is the party tonight? In every bogie and every heart!

Global recognition for Koraput hailed

Special Correspondent

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The Hindu Prime Minister Manmohan Singh honours a tribal of Koraput at the inaugural ceremony of the 99th Indian Science Congress at KIIT Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday. Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik; Union Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences Vilasrao Deshmukh, Union Minister (State) for Planning, Science & Technology and Earth Sciences Ashwani Kumar, Governor Muralidhar Chandrakant Bhandare and Science Congress president Geetha Bali are present. Photo: Ashoke Chakrabarty

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday applauded the tribal community of Koraput for being chosen by the United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organisation for recognition under its Globally Important Agricultural Heritage sites programme.

In his inaugural speech at the 99th annual session of the Indian Science Congress, which opened here, Dr. Singh said: “I congratulate the tribal community of Koraput for the global recognition they have received [from FAO] for their contribution to conserving biodiversity and climate resilient farming systems.'

The Prime Minister also extolled the knowledge base available with the tribal communities of Kharia, Santhals, Gonds and Kolhas of Odisha on medicinal use of locally available plants.

Exhorting the scientific community to explore and rejuvenate traditional knowledge available in different parts of the country, he said, “one needs to go no further than the tribal communities of Kharia, Santhals, Gonds and Kolhas, who live in the deep forest areas of Mayurbhanj and have a reservoir of knowledge on medicinal use of locally available plants.''

He honoured two tribals from Koraput – Raita Manduli and Chandra Pradhan.

Dr. Singh paid rich tributes to the former Chief Minister, Biju Patnaik, for setting up the Unesco's Kalinga prize 60 years ago.

“Indian science owes much to the vision of our early nation builders, who gave science a prominent place in our development planning.''

The add-on advantage of NCC

Lavanya M.

The Indian army, civil services and the government sector offer immense career opportunities that students need to explore.

At crossroads and with dreams of pursuing a successful career, the tag of National Cadet Corps (NCC) on student's shoulders is an add-on. How can this be garnered to live your dreams? Experts spoke on the career opportunities for NCC Cadets at the third national seminar organised at the D.G. Vaishnav College recently. The cadets from all over the State learnt about opportunities in UPSC, TNPSC and the Indian army.

UPSC

Every year the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts Civil Services Exam to recruit candidates for the posts of IAS (Indian Administrative Service), IFS (Indian Foreign Service), IPS (Indian Police Service), IRS (Indian Revenue Service) and so on.

Senthil Kumar, centre director, T.I.M.E, discussed about the syllabus for the exam and various posts for which students are recruited.

A closer look at the syllabus and model questions of the examination reveals that as far as Paper I is concerned it is quite similar to the earlier General Studies paper, where besides the stock general knowledge the aspirants must have an in-depth knowledge of current economy and general current affairs but Paper II requires basic mathematics, reasoning and English skills at the secondary school level.

Paper I requires extensive reading, whereas Paper II requires practice of solving the questions. Paper I requires at least four hours of preparation per day, whereas Paper II requires anything from 1 hour to 3 to 4 hours per day, depending on the aspirants level of grasping ability and IQ level.

UPSC has already announced that by 2012 or later it will change the main exam pattern (i.e. common paper for everyone). The proper strategy to clear the civil services exam in a single attempt is to prepare for both the mains and prelims simultaneously.

The candidates can start preparation as soon as possible by reading newspapers and other periodicals to enrich their knowledge of current affairs. Questions on current affairs are likely to play a key role in scoring the required marks in the new pattern.

Since Paper II is the real test on aptitude skills of the aspirants as it has comprehension, interpersonal skills, logical reasoning and other similar topics, they have to undergo special training and practice.

Analysing the previous questions of examinations conducted by RBI and other Banks PO exams will help them to feel the paper-2 pattern. Students may even practice on CAT, GRE model questions, he said.

Group-I Exam

R Rajaboopathy, founder, Radian I.A.S. Academy spoke on the opportunities available in the government sector and how to prepare for the TNPSC examination. TNPSC Group-I exam is conducted to recruit candidates for the posts of deputy collector, deputy superintendent of police and assistant director of panchayats.

Exam Pattern:

Stage I: Preliminary Exam (Objective Type) Single General Knowledge paper for 300 marks.

Stage II: Mains Exam (Descriptive type) Two General Knowledge paper each 300 marks

Stage III: Oral Test for 80 marks.

“Earlier Group-I exam was similar to UPSC Civil Services preliminary exam. From 2008 onwards only General Knowledge paper is there for Mains, paving a level playing field for all aspirants,” he said.

Indian Army

M. Rajiv Menon, battalion commander, Officers Training Academy encouraged more students from the State to join the army. He spoke about the attractive pay package offered to students.

“At the entry level, a lieutenant earns up to Rs. 50,000 per month,” he said. Mr. Menon spoke about the five-day process in Service Selection Boards (SSBs) for selection to the officer category.

Students who qualify to attend the interview are told that the atmosphere throughout the interview will be relaxed and informal. The questions are generally based on everyday experience. Students should be interested and hardworking, otherwise they will not be able to even make it through the initial days of training, he said.

Keywords: NCC, UPSC, TNPSC