MAIN AUR RAJNEETI: LET US BE RATI...

MAIN AUR RAJNEETI:                                     LET US BE RATI...:                                      LET US BE  RATIONALIST’S  THE INTOLERANCE DEBATE HAS BEEN A LONG STANDING ONE NOW , CONSEQUENTLY ...

                                    LET US BE  RATIONALIST’S

 THE INTOLERANCE DEBATE HAS BEEN A LONG STANDING ONE NOW , CONSEQUENTLY I’VE BEEN THINKING OF WRITING THIS BLOG FOR A LONG TIME, BUT  I WAS NEVER SURE OF MY FEELINGS ABOUT IT, LIKE EVERY COMMON MAN, I WAS SWAYED BY THE OPINION OF THE MEDIA WHICH IS SELDOM THEIR OWN BUT DECIDED IN FAVOUR OF  WHAT RAKES IN MONEY AND TRP’S, NO MATTER HOW MUCH IT HURTS THE NATION ,THEY DON’T REALLY CARE, ANYHOW WE ARE A DEMOCRACY AND THE CONSTITUTION PROVIDES THEM A LEGAL RIGHT TO PRACTICE OCCUPATION AS THEY WANT ,OFCOURSE SUBJECT TO SOME REASONABLE RESTRICTIONS .

NOW THIS WHOLE ISSUE HAS RIPENED AND I HAVE CONSIDERED IT IN GREAT DETAIL SO I BELIEVE I AM JUSTIFIED IN PUTTING MY PEN DOWN TO WRITE MY VIEWS ON THE SUBJECT, BUT FIRST I WILL BRING TO YOUR NOTICE SOME EXTRACTS OF AN ESSAY I READ IN THE YEAR 2008 NAMED ‘MAIN AUR MERA DESH’ BY RENOWNED HINDI WRITER AND PADMA SHRI KANHAIYALAL MISHRA ‘PRABHAKAR’  AND THE RELEVANCY OF THIS WRITEUP WILL BE PROVED BY THE WORDS THEMSELVES.

HE WRITES ABOUT A TRIP OF ONE SWAMI RAMTEERTH TO JAPAN -

एक बार स्वामी रामतीर्थ जापान की यात्रा पर गए, जहाँ उन्हें कुछ फल खाने की इच्छा हुई , पर उन्हें  फल कहीं नहीं मिले , इसपर उन्होंने कहा के--

'जापान में शायद अच्छे फल नहीं मिलते ' 

इस बात को पास  खड़े एक स्थानीय युवक ने सुन लिया और तभी  फल से भरी एक  टोकरी खरीद कर लाकर स्वामी जी को भेंट कर  कहा के कृपा करके वह बाहर जाकर यह न कहें की जापान में अच्छे फल नहीं मिलते ,इससे उस व्यक्ति ने जापान की प्रतिष्ठा बढ़ाई  तथा देश  का मस्तक ऊँचा किआ ,दूसरे उदाहरण में जापान में पढ़ने आये किसी दूसरे देश के विद्यार्थी ने पुस्तकालय की पुस्तक से कुछ दुर्लभ चित्र निकाल लिए ,एक जापानी विद्यार्थी ने यह देखकर पुस्तकालय को सूचना दी, पुलिस तलाशी में उसके कमरे से चित्र बरामद होने पर विद्यार्थी को जापान से निष्काषित कर दिया गया , 'उस देश का कोई निवासी अब पुस्तकालय में प्रवेश नहीं कर सकता ; एक युवक ने अपने कार्य से अपने पुरे राष्ट्र को कलंकित किआ ,उसके दुष्कृत्य का दंड उसके पुरे देश को भोगना पड़ा, अतः प्रत्येक व्यक्ति अपने देश के साथ के साथ बंधा हुआ है !!

THE STORY OF SWAMI RAMTEERTH HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MANY STORIES WHICH PROVE THAT A SINGLE PERSON REPRESENTS HIS NATION, AND HIS OWN ACTIONS MAKE OR DESTROY THE IMAGE OF THE NATION , THIS BRINGS US TO THE BURNING QUESTION –

WHAT SHOULD BE OUR BEHAVIOUR IN LIGHT OF WHAT WE’VE JUST READ ,TO WHICH MR. ‘PRABHAKAR’ PROVIDES THE ANSWER

देश हित की कसौटी --हमारा कोई काम देश हित में हैं या नहीं ,यह जानने की कसौटी क्या है ?इसकी कसौटी है देश का 'सौंदर्य बोध और शक्ति बोध घटना- बढ़ना ! लेखक के अनुसार   जिन कार्यों से देश की शक्ति और सुंदरता बढे वे कार्य देश हित में हैं बाकी नहीं ! सार्वजनिक स्थानों पर देश की अव्यवस्था की चर्चा करना तथा दूसरे देशों की तुलना में अपने देश को हीन सिद्ध करना ,शक्ति बोध को चोट पहुँचाता है !  इसी प्रकार गली मोहल्ले ,सड़क आदि पर कूड़ा फैंकना ,अपशब्दों का इस्तेमाल करना ,उत्सव मेले आदि में धक्का मुक्की करना ,अव्यवस्था फैलाना देश के सौंदर्य बोध को ठेस पहुचाना है ,ऐसा कार्य देश हित में नहीं है !

THE WORDS ‘SHAKTI BODH’ AND ‘SAUNDARYA BODH’ ARE LIKE THE TOOLS WITH WHICH WE CAN MAKE OR BREAK THE NATION, THEY MAY SEEM IRRELEVANT BUT THEY ARE AN ANSWER TO MANY ,MANY OF OUR PROBLEMS .

THERE IS A TREND TODAY ,I MAY SAY IT IS AN ‘IN’ THING TO CRITICISE EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS IN THE NATION ,WITHOUT PONDERING ON THE REQUIREMENTS OF SUCH AN ACTION OR THE HISTORY BEHIND THE PROBLEMS WE FACE, OR THE LEVEL OF LOSS IT IS CAUSING TO THE ‘SHAKTI BODH OF THE NATION’ WHICH IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT SINCE WE ARE IN A PHASE OF RAPID GROWTH AND THE WHOLE WORLD IS LOOKING AT US, THE SOCIAL MEDIA IS AS MUCH A CULPRIT AS THE PEOPLE OR ELECTRONIC  MEDIA  IS, WHAT IS REQUIRED IS RATIONAL THINKING BUT WHAT WE ARE GETTING IS ALL NOISE.THE NATION IS CRITICISED ON INTERNATIONAL PLATFORMS, PEOPLE USE IT FOR SPREADING FALSE INFORMATION, BE IT FROM THE RULING PARTIES OR THE OPPOSITION WITHOUT REALISING THE HARM CAUSED TO THE NATION AND ITS COLLECTIVE STRENGTH.

IN FACT WHAT WE REALLY ARE IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WE ARE PRESENTED TO THE WORLD, IN THE WORDS OF SREERAM CHULIA (AN INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS EXPERT) THE WORLD CAN LEARN FROM US, SPECIALLY EUROPE WHICH HAS BEEN REELING WITH THE REFUGEE SITUATION , HE REMARKS---

‘OUR OPENNESS TO REFUGEES AND OUR MORE MATURE ACCEPTANCE OF MULTIPLE FAITHS AND ETHNICITIES HOLDS LESSONS FOR EUROPE,WHICH IS BEING TORN APART BY IDENTITY BASED FRAGMENTATION. SINCE INCEPTION, THE INDIAN REPUBLIC HAS DEFINED ITS SECULARISM NOT AS A DENIALIST TECHNIQUE TO SUPRESS FREEDOM OF FAITH AND BELIEF BUT TO CELEBRATE EXPRESSION OF A BEWILDERING ARRAY OF IDENTITIES.DIVISIONS BASED ON RELIGION, CASTE, RACE, LANGUAGE AND REGION EXIST IN INDIA. BUT WE HAVE BUILT A RELATIVELY HARMONIOUS NATIONAL IDENTITY WHICH GIVES SPACE TO PAROCHIAL LOYALTIES INSTEAD OF TRYING TO SMOTHER THEM, AS IS THE CASE OF EUROPE OF TODAY’

THERE IS NECESSITY OF PEACE FOR DEVELOPMENT, BUT A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE ARE PLAYING DIRTY TRICKS FOR POLITICAL GAINS TO DIVIDE US BY TACTICS BEYOND IMAGINATION, COMMUNALISM IS AN ANCIENT RELIC WHICH MUST BE DISCARDED FOR INDIA TO GROW, WE MUST BE RATIONAL ,IN THE WAY WE THINK AND INTERPRET WHAT HAS BEEN TOLD TO US, LET HINDUS QUESTION THEIR LEADERS, THEIR RELIGIOUS PREACHERS ,AND LET MUSLIMS DO THE SAME WITH THEIRS, LET US NOT FIGHT EACH OTHER BUT BLAME OURSELVES FOR THE MONSTROCITY  AND TAKE RESPONISIBILITY FOR CLEANING THE MESS.

AS HAS BEEN RIGHTLY SAID IN A HINDI IDIOM--

-----हम दूसरे के आँखों में तिनका तो देख लेते हैं पर अपनी आँखों के शहतीर को नहीं देख पाते !

 WHICH MEANS THAT IT IS MUCH EASIER TO CRITICISE OTHERS THAN TO SEE YOUR OWN FAULTS , WE MUST INCULCATE THE CULTURE OF FINDING OUR OWN PROBLEMS AND SEEKING SOLUTIONS THERETO.

THE RELIGION WHICH DOES NOT CHANGE WITH TIME FOSSILISES, HINDU TRADITIONS LIKE SATI, CHILD MARRIAGE, RESTRAINTS ON WIDOW REMMARRIAGE ETC. HAVE BEEN LARGELY ELIMINATED, SO HAS BEEN THE MUTA MARRIAGE CONCEPT (MARRIAGE FOR PLEASURE) UNDER MUSLIM LAW. THIS SHOWS THAT RELIGION CAN ALSO ACCEPT CHANGES, INFACT MOST OF THESE SOCIAL EVILS WERE DEVISED BY PREACHERS AND WERE NOWHERE TO BE FOUND IN THE RELIGIOUS BOOKS, OR THERE WERE TERMS AND CONDITIONS WHICH WE COULD NOT POSSIBLY DECIPHER THE WAY THEY WERE MEANT TO BE DONE, ALSO NO RELIGIOUS BOOK PREACHES INTOLERANCE OR UNJUST BEHAVIOUR, IT IS HOW THEY HAVE BEEN INTERPRETED  BY MAN THAT CAUSED PROBLEMS. TO PUT IT IN SIMPLE WORDS, MAN IS AT FAULT, NOT GODS !

LET US NOT FOLLOW THE LEADERS BLINDLY, BE THEY FROM THE POLITICAL, RELIGIOUS OR PHILOSOPHICAL SPHERES , LET US ASK FOR PROOF, THE DIRECT ONE ,AND THE PROOF SHOULD TO BE  OF RATIONAL NATURE ..WHAT A PRUDENT MAN OUGHT  TO UNDERSTAND IN NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES ..A SIMPLE ‘WHY’ CAN MAKE A LOT OF DIFFERENCE TO THE WORLD AND CAN BRING PEACE AND STABILITY TO THE NATION.  LET US NOT CREATE HURDLES IN PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT, LET US NOT CREATE RUCKUS FOR NO RHYME OR REASON, UNLESS WE REALLY NEED TO, OR UNLESS OUR FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS ARE HARMED .

SECULARISM HAS BEEN THE MOST ABUSED WORD IN OUR COUNTRY , WHAT IS NEEDED TODAY IS THE NEW AVATAR OF THIS BELIEF , 

SECULARISM 2.0.

I READ THIS ARTICLE THE RECENTLY ‘REINVENTING INDIAN SECULARISM’ BY SADANAND DHUME (THE WRITER IS A RESIDENT FELLOW AT THE AMERICAN ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE ,WASHINGTON DC)  WHERE HE BEAUTIFULLY EXPLAINS WHAT I WISH TO CONVEY BY PROVIDING A FRAMEWORK OF WHAT SHOULD BE DONE TO REDEFINE SECULARISM.-

“FOR STARTERS, INDIA SHOULD REPLACE THE SHAKY PILLARS OF THE TRADITIONAL SECULAR CONCENSUS WITH SOMETHING STURDIER .

FIRST, THIS MEANS ACCEPTING THAT ALL EXTREMISTS- NOT ONLY THE HINDU VARIETY- THREATEN PLURALISM, SECOND ,IT REQUIRES RECOGNISING THE COMPLEXITY OF INTER-RELIGIOUS CONFLICT. SOMETIMES—SUCH AS IN THE AWFUL MURDER OF MOHAMMAD AKHLAQ IN DADRI- MUSLIM ARE INDEED VICTIMS, AT THE OTHER TIMES, SUCH AS IN MALDA OR THE SRINAGAR VALLEY, THEY ARE THE VICTIMISERS. THIRD, INDIAN POLITICAL AND INTELLECTUAL ELITES NEED TO START TREATING THE REFORM OF IDEAS ROOTED IN SHARIA- SUCH AS VIOLENCE RESPONSE TO SO- CALLED BLASPHEMY –AS A NATIONAL CONCERN, NOT JUST A NARROWLY MUSLIM CONCERN”

THE BEAUTY OF OUR NATION LIES IN ITS MULTI ETHNICITY AND TO KEEP IT INTACT WE WOULD HAVE TO CHANGE WITH TIMES ,ACCEPT MODERN IDEAS, LET THINGS RATIONALISE, SHUN SOME CUSTOMES IF NEED BE , NOT EVERYTHING WRITTEN IN OUR RELIGIOUS BOOKS BE IMPLEMENTED IN PRACTICE ,WE OUGHT TO UNDERSTAND THIS BASIC FACT.

THERE IS NO IMMEDIATE INTOLERANCE IN THE COUNTRY, EVEN IF IT IS , IT HAS BEEN BLOWN OUT OF PROPORTION, THE DAY WE REALISE THE TRUE MEANING OF DEMOCRACY, THE DAY WE READ OUR CONSTITUTION, WOULD WE KNOW THAT DEMOCRACY IS NOT THE FREEDOM TO WHATEVER YOU WISH TO DO,BECAUSE THAT WOULD CAUSE CHAOS, AND THEN NOBODY’S RIGHT MAY BE ENFORCED, TAKE FOR EXAMPLE A PERSON MAY SAY THAT I HAVE A FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND EXPRESSION AND I MAY SAY OR PUBLISH EVERYTHING I WISH, I LIVE IN A FREE COUNTRY, AND THEN HE MAY PREACH HATRED OR ILL WILL, WHICH IS HARMFUL FOR THE SOCIETY AS A WHOLE, AND THUS HE SHOULD BE ESTOPPED FROM DOING SO, THUS MOST OF OUR FREEDOMS ARE SUBJECT TO REASONABLE RESRTICTIONS WHICH ALLOW FOR SUPERIORITY  OF THE SOCIAL INTERESTS OVER INDIVIDUAL INTERESTS (WHERE THEY CLASH), SOME PEOPLE WILLFULLY OR NEGLIGENTLY OMIT THIS PART AND CRY THAT THE NATION DOES NOT ALLOW THEM TO BE ‘FREE’ ,THIS IS A HIGHLY DISTORTED INTERPRETATION OF THE REAL HOLY BOOK- THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA AND THUS HARMS THE ‘SHAKTI BODH’ OF THE NATION.

WHICH PART OF THE WORLD DOES NOT HAVE PROBLEMS, THE MIDDLE EAST IS THE WORST AFFECTED BY THE ISIS ,THE AFRICAN CONTINENT WITH BOKO HARAM GROUP, UNITED STATES HAVE NO GUN CONTROL LAWS LEADING TO HUNDREDS OF LIVES LOST EVERY YEAR, EUROPE IS REELING UNDER THE REFUGEE CRISIS AND TERRIORISM , RUSSIA HAS ALWAYS BEEN AFFECTED BY CHEYCHEN FIGHTERS ,THUS THE WHOLE GLOBE IS INFESTED WITH SUCH TROUBLES, AND SO IS INDIA, BUT THE WAY OUT IS BY STRENTHENING THE NATION, BY CONTRIBUTING TO ITS GROWTH AND PROSPERITY AND BEING A SILENT ENGINE IN THIS GREAT STORY .

OUR NATION HAS ALWAYS BEEN GREAT, FROM KING ASHOKA TO MAHATMA GANDHI ,ALL HAVE PREACHED PEACE AND TOLERANCE, AND OURS IS THE ONLY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD WHICH HAS NEVER ATTACKED (FIRST) ANY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD, LET US ALL TAKE A PLEDGE TO LIVE IN PEACE ,BE RATIONAL, INCREASE THE ‘SHAKTI BODH’ AND ‘SAUNDARYA BODH’ AND BE A PART OF THE REVOLUTION OF MAKING INDIAN A  ‘VISHWA GURU’ J

WRITTEN BY

RANJAN TOMAR

                             मेरा देश,मैं ही संवारु 

कई बार जब अपने पड़ोस की मार्किट में माँ  के साथ खरीदारी करने जाता हूँ , तो कई दुकानो पर यह ही लिखा पाता  हूँ ,…'फैशन के इस दौर में गारण्टी की इच्छा न रखें'.... , आजकल की पीढ़ी को फिर मैं उसी रंग में रंगा पाता  हूँ, फैशन की जुगत है बस, जैसे ही किसी तरह की फैशनेबुल बात पता चली,  उसी राह पर चल पड़ते हैं....बिना सोचे ,विचारे कि  क्या वह उचित भी है ,या  उसकी कोई भी गारंटी नहीं है। ।

 फैशन में वैसे कोई बुराई नहीं है,ज़िसे जो अच्छा  लगे वो करे,हम एक आज़ाद देश के  स्वतंत्र   नागरिक हैं 

पर  उस समय वह अपनी सीमा को पार कर जाता है जब वो देशहित में न रहकर विचारों को दूषित  कर देता है ,नव धनाढ्य वर्ग में एक नए तरीके का उन्माद,एक नए तरीके की उमंग है,पर उस शक्ति को वो सही रास्ता नहीं दिखा पा  रहे हैं शायद, मैंने देखा है ,महसूस किया है ,की  यह नयी पीढ़ी देश के  लिए बहुत कुछ सोचती है,प्रेम करती है और बहुत कुछ समर्पित कर देने की इच्छा भी रखती है, पर दुःख और पीड़ा उन लोगो को देखकर होती है जो बिना सोचे समझे , अज्ञानता का बोध होते हुए भी देश को नीचे दिखाते हैं,  बुराई करते हैं ,  उनके लिए यह भी एक फैशन है,और यही  देश की उन्नति के  रास्ते में एक बहुत ऊँची दीवार बनती जा  रही है !!!

बचपन में स्वामी रामतीर्थ की जापान यात्रा के बारे में उनके लेख में पढ़ा था कि  कैसे अपने देश की बुराई न हो जाए इसलिए  वहां के नागरिकों ने उनके लिए विशेष ताज़े फलों का इंतज़ाम किया जब उनके मुंह से यह निकल गया कि  इस देश में अच्छे  फल  नहीं मिलते …।और बाद में उनसे यह वादा  भी लिया के आप  अपने देश में जाकर हमारे देश की कृपा कर बुराई  न कीजियेगा, पर आज की भारतीय पीढ़ी  को मैंने सामाजिक रूप से,मीटिंग्स में,सोशल नेटवर्किंग साइट्स पर,  सभी ऐसी जगहों पर देश की बुराई करते हुए देखा है ,जहाँ उन्हें यह नहीं करना चाहिए,,…!हमारे देश में यह गलत है,यह बुरा है, यह कमी है और यह परेशानी है, बस यह ही इनके संवादों का सारांश होता है !!!!!

अगर कुछ बुरा है  कहना गलत नहीं है ,पर  हर जगह बुराई ही नज़र आये तो   आपके नज़रिये में भी कुछ खोट हो सकता है, देश में  अगर कुछ गलत हो रहा है तो उसको सबके सामने लाना ज़रूरी है,पर अगर आप सामाजिक रूप से देश की बुराई ही करते रहेंगे तो जिस तरह एक इंसान   बार बार अपनी बुराई सुनकर आत्म विश्वास खो बैठता है वैसे ही देश भी उन्ही नागरिकों से बनता है और यदि हम देश की अच्छाइयों  को भूलकर बस बुराइयों का ही बोध कराते रहेंगे तो हमारे देश का आत्मा विश्वास आहत  होगा, और निराशा का भाव सर उठा लेगा,  देश की जनता निराश होती है तो सब जानते हैं की  उन्नति रुक जाती है,प्रेम सौहार्द की भावना कहीं खो सी जाती है,और ऐसा हो यह तो  कोई भी नहीं चाहता.... !!!!

अब प्रश्न  उठता है तो करना क्या चाहिए , आप सामाजिक स्थलों में देश की निंदा करना छोड़ दें, विदेशियों के सामने अपने देश की बुराई न करें,उन्हें उसकी अच्छाइयों  का ज्ञान दें,खुद भी देश की उपलब्धियों के बारे  में अधिक से अधिक जानें और इस महान देश की महानता पर गर्व करें ,देश के शक्तिबोध को ताकत दें ,सौंदर्य बोध को बाधाएं , बुराइयों से लड़ने के लिए उन्हें सामने ज़रूर लाएं,पर सिर्फ वहां जहाँ उनकी आवश्यकता हो, आर टी आई डालें,क़ानून और पुलिस की मदद करें,अपने बच्चों को अच्छी  शिक्षा दें, उन्हें ऊँचे  संस्कार दें और महिलाओं के सम्मान की बात बताएं।

तभी जाकर यह देश आपके सपनो का देश बनेगा …। हर किसी के सपने अलग होते हैं,उम्मीदें अलग होती हैं,पर उनके लिए उसका स्वयं का चेष्टा करना  भी ज़रूरी है,कोई भी देश तभी महान बनता है जब उसके नागरिक,यानी कि  उसकी नींव की ईंट अच्छी  हो,समझदार हो,मेहनती हो....मैं आशा करता हूँ कि मेरा देश जो पहले से ही महान है , और महान बनेगा और प्रगति के  पथ पर  आगे बढ़ता रहेगा …  !!!!

                                                                                                                             रंजन तोमर 

THE UPSC GOT IT ALL WRONG THIS TIME

                                               
                                                 
             THE UPSC GOT IT ALL WRONG THIS TIME

THE INDIAN CIVIL SERVICES FIRST INTRODUCED BY THE BRITISHERS TO RULE AND ADMINISTER THE COUNTRY HAS RIGHTLY BEEN TERMED BY HISTORIANS AS THE 'STEEL FRAME OF INDIA' ,THE REASONS ARE  WELL KNOWN TO BE DISCUSSED HERE, THE YEARLY EXAMINATION TO THE NATIONS TOP BUREAUCRATIC POSTS IS CONSIDERED AS ONE OF THE TOUGHEST EXAM IN THE WORLD, CONSISTING OF THREE PHASES, THE PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION WHICH IS AN OBJECTIVE TYPE PAPER,THE MAINS EXAMINATION WHICH ARE SUBJECTIVE IN NATURE AND THE  INTERVIEW TO ANALYSE THE PERSONALITY OF THE STUDENT.

THE UNION PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION OR UPSC IN SHORT IS THE AGENCY SET UP FOR THE PURPOSE OF RECRUITMENT AND CONDUCTING THE EXAMINATION TO SELECT DESIRED CANDIDATES.TILL 2010, THE PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION HAD TWO QUESTION PAPERS,ONE WAS A GENERAL STUDIES ONE AND THE OTHER WAS A QUESTION PAPER OF YOUR CHOICE OF SUBJECT, CERTAIN STUDENTS ALLEGED THAT THIS TYPE OF A SCHEME WAS HELPFUL FOR THOSE WHO CAN 'RATTOFY' THE SUBJECTS,MOREOVER CERTAIN SUBJECTS WERE CONSIDERED SCORING AS COMPARED TO OTHERS, AND SINCE THIS WAS AN ELIMINATION EXAMINATION,A LOT OF CAPABLE STUDENTS COULD NOT PASS THE FIRST STAGE ITSELF.

TO RECTIFY THE ERROR,THE UPSC IN CONSULTATION AND THE APPROVAL OF THE PARLIAMENT,BROUGHT MANY DESIRED CHANGES IN THE SCHEME OF THE EXAMINATION,LIKE BRINGING IN MORE GENERAL STUDIES PAPERS IN THE MAINS EXAMINATIONS AND ALSO THE OPTION OF ONLY ONE SUBJECT AS OPPOSED TO TWO IN THE SAME.

BUT THE BLUNDER THAT THE UPSC COMMITED WAS TO CHANGE THE SECOND PAPER OF PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION FROM THAT OF A CHOSEN SUBJECT TO A COMMON EXAMINATION FOR ALL, ALTHOUGH THE INTENTION OF THE UPSC WAS GOOD,BUT THE WAYS WERE NOT, THE NEW PAPER CALLED THE GENERAL STUDIES PAPER (COMMONLY CALLED THE CSAT EXAM -CIVIL SERVICES APTITUDE TEST) IS A PROBLEMATIC EXAMINATION, WITH QUESTIONS FROM THE FOLLOWING TOPICS

1.BASIC NUMERACY

2.GENERAL MENTAL ABILITY

3.DECISION MAKING & PROBLEM SOLVING

4.ANALYTICAL ABILITY & LOGICAL REASONING

5.COMPREHENSION

6.ENGLISH LANGUAGE COMPREHENSION SKILLS.

THE ABOVE SCHEME SEEMS CATCHY AND VERY MUCH IN SYNCH WITH THE REQUIRED CHANGES ,BUT IN FACT IT IS NO WHERE NEAR.

THE UPSC WAS CAUGHT UNAWARES WHEN THE ABOVE PAPER ATTRACTED A LARGE NUMBER OF STUDENTS FROM ONLY ONE TYPE OF STREAM, THE SCIENCE STUDENTS ,LARGELY THOSE WHO HAD COMPLETED ENGINEERING(FROM PRIVATE COLLEGE PASSOUTS TO IITans AS ALSO THE IIM GRADUATES, THE REASONS FOR THIS AND RELATED ILL EFFECTS WILL BE DEALT IN THE FOLLOWING PARAGRAPHS.

THE BELOW MENTIONED ARE THE PROBLEMS THAT AROSE DUE TO INTRODUCTION OF CSAT.

1.THE UPSC WANTED TO ROOT OUT THE PROBLEM OF INCREASING NUMBER OF COACHING CENTRES WHO WERE  MINTING LARGE AMOUNTS OF MONEY FROM STUDENTS AND HAD MADE IT A BUSINESS OF SORTS. INSTEAD OF CURING THE DISEASE,IT BOOMERANGED ON THE COMMISSION SINCE THE CSAT PAPER GAVE IMMENSE OPPURTUNITES TO THE COACHING CENTRES TO OPEN UP AND DUPE STUDENTS OF THOUSANDS OF RUPEES ON THE PRETEXT OF COACHING THEM TO BECOME IAS OFFICERS. THERE HAS BEEN AN IMMENSE HIKE IN THE NUMBER OF COACHING CENTRES SINCE THE INTRODUCTION OF CSAT, AND CHANGES IN THE SCHEME FORCING MANY COACHING INSTITUTES TO RENT OR CONSTRUCT NEW BUILDINGS FOR THE PURPOSE.

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

.

3.IT IS WELL KNOWN THAT MATHEMATICS IS A SUBJECT WHICH CANNOT BE MASTERED AT THE AGE OF 25 TO 28 (THE AVERAGE AGE OF STUDENTS GIVING THIS PAPER)  WHEN YOU DO NOT HAVE A BACKGROUND IN THIS FIELD, SPECIALLY WHEN YOUR OPPONENTS ARE IIT AND IIM PASSOUTS WHO ARE READY TO KILL YOU AT THE MOMENT THE BATTLE STARTS.

4. THE WRITER MAY SEEM TO BE BIASED AGAINST THE STUDENTS OF ONE STREAM BUT THEN THE RIGHT TO EQUALITY SPECIALLY IN GOVERNMENT JOBS AS ENUMERATED IN THE CONSTITUITON CANNOT BE TAKEN LIGHTLY AND THE OPPURTUNITIES SHOULD PROVIDE A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD. WHEN A RURAL STUDENT OF SAY TAMIL NADU OR HARYANA IS PITTED AGAINST AN URBAN ,LEARNED, IIT PROFESSIONAL, AND THE COMPETITON IS IN THE FIELD WHERE THE URBAN STUDENT HAS AN EDGE ALREADY,THE COMPETITON CANNOT BE CALLED FAIR AND UNBIASED.

5.THE COMMISION DOES NOT NEED CLERKS OR MATHEMATICIANS,THE LOWER LEVEL EXAMINATIONS ALREADY HAVE SUCH QUESTIONS SPECIALLY FROM MATHS, ALSO HOW IS A MASTERY IN ENGLISH OR MATHS OR SCIENCE A REQUISITE FOR ADMINISTRATIVE CAPABILITY?

6.FACTS DO NOT LIE, THE CUT OFFS OF THE PRELIMINARY EXAMINATIONS HAVE SHOT UP FROM 188 MARKS  IN 2011 TO 241 MARKS IN 2013 , BUT THE CUT OFF FOR THE MAINS EXAMINATIONS HAS BEEN GOING DOWN EACH YEAR, CLEARLY ENUMERATING THAT THE LEVEL OF SOME STUDENTS REACHING THAT STAGE ARE NOT OF THE CAPABILITY AS REQUIRED  BY THE NATION.

7. THE NATIONS NEEDS PEOPLE WHO ARE 'JACK OF ALL TRADES' ,THAT IS ALLROUNDERS ,IF WE GET OFFICIALS FROM ONLY ONE FIELD, THE COUNTRY IS BOUND TO SUFFER.

8. LAST BUT NOT THE LEAST THE EXAMINATION WHICH SAW 26 PERCENT OR SO  STUDENTS BEEN SELECTED FROM HINDI IN THE PAST YEARS HAVE COME DOWN TO NEARLY 2 PERCENT, SHOWING THE BIAS TOWARDS THE MOTHER TOUNGUE.

THOUSANDS OF ASPIRANTS HAVE BEEN FIGHTING THE BATTLE FOR A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD, THERE WAS A 6 DAYS FAST UNTO DEATH BY STUDENTS IN MUKHERJEE NAGAR AREA OF DELHI, AT 200 OTHER UNIVERSITIES IN INDIA,ALSO PROTESTS BY A STUDENT POLITICAL WING OF A POLITICAL PARTY TO SCRAP CSAT, THE GOVERNMENT HAS RIGHTLY WRITTEN TO THE UPSC TO EITHER DELAY THE PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION THIS YEAR OR PROVIDE FOR A BETTER SCHEME FOR THE EXAMINATION.

STUDENTS ARE WORRIED ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES, SINCE IT IS A QUESTION OF THEIR CAREERS, THE GOVT. AND UPSC SHOULD FIND A MIDDLE PATH FOR THIS YEAR LIKE AN EXAMINATION IN WHICH THE CSAT IS OF QUALIFYING NATURE, OR OF A SINGLE PAPER PF GS AND CSAT WITH LESS WEIGHTAGE TO CSAT OR ALSO A SECTIONAL CUT OFF WHEREIN THE CSAT PAPER WOULD BE CHECKED ONLY IF THE STUDENT GETS A CERTAIN SPECIFIED MARKS IN THE GS PAPER.

THE ABOVEMENTIONED ARE JUST A FEW SUGGESTIONS FOR THIS YEARS PAPER,BUT IN THE LONG RUN, THE PARLIAMENT AND THE COMMISION SHOULD BRING IN A JUST AND DESIRABLE SCHEME SO THAT THE STUDENTS OF ALL STREAMS GET AN EQUAL OPPURTUNITY TO BE OFFICERS TO SERVE THE NATION.

RANJAN TOMAR

YES WE NEED ACTION & RIGHT                                                     NOW:NAXALISM                      

" तुम उसके लिए शोक करते हो जो शोक करने के योग्य नहीं हैं, और फिर भी ज्ञान की बाते करते हो.बुद्धिमान व्यक्ति ना जीवित और ना ही मृत व्यक्ति के लिए शोक करते हैं." : BHAGWATGEETA 

THE QUOTE ABOVE SUMS UP WHAT I REALLY NEED TO EMPHASISE IN THIS SHORT WRITEUP OF MINE....FOR THOSE WHO WISH AN ENGLISH INTERPRETATION IT MEANS.

"You grieve for those who are not worthy of grief, and yet speak the words of wisdom. The wise grieve neither for the living nor for the dead."

THE RECENT KILLINGS IN CHATTISGARH BRING TO THE FOREFRONT  A GRUESOME MIXTURE  OF BETRAYAL,POLITICS,UNSETTLED CLAIMS,AN UNSATISFIED CITIZENRY,AND A FAILED POLITICAL AND BEAURAUCRATIC SYSTEM THAT HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DO JUSTICE TO WHAT THEY REALLY POSESS,THE POWER TO RUN AND CHANGE THE FACE OF THE COUNTRY.

THE NAXAL ATTACKS ,KILLING TOP STATE LEVEL POLITICIANS OF A NATIONAL PARTY AS ALSO OTHERS GUARDING THEM CAN NOT BE JUSTIFIED BY TAKING RECOURSE TO ANY MEASURES(SPECIFICALLY THOSE SUGGESTED BY THE SO CALLED HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS,BY THE WAY ,WHERE ARE THEY RIGHT NOW???). SUCH COLLECTIVE FAILURE OF THE SYSTEM HAS SHAKEN THE VERY FOUNDATION OF OUR DEMOCRACY. WHEN THE PEOPLE ARE NOT SAFE EVEN INSIDE THE BORDERS,HOW CAN WE THINK OF A SAFETY BEYOND THEM? 

THERE WERE ALSO REPORTS OF NAXALITES KILLING A TOP 'SALWA JUDUM' VOLUNTEER A FEW DAYS AFTER THE INCIDENT,AND NAXALS HAVE ALSO WARNED OF BIGGER ATTACKS SPECIFICALLY IN BIGGER CITIES. IF EVEN THIS DOESN'T ALARM THE GOVT, THEN WHAT ELSE WILL??

THERE ARE MANY WAYS OF COMING OUT OF THIS MENACE,ONE IS THE 'SRI LANKA' WAY(LTTE) (BY HUNTING THEM DOWN)AND THE OTHER BY WAYS AND MEANS SUGGESTED BY THE INTELLECTUALS BUT NOT BROUGHT TO FORCE BY THE POLITICALLY INSPIRED BEAURACRACY AND THEIR 'CONSTITUTIONALLY' ELECTED  BOSSES.

AND THAT IS WHAT HAS LED TO THIS PROBLEM DEVELOPING INTO CATASTROPHIC PROPORTIONS.

I MAY AGAIN QUOTE FROM THE SACRED TEXT OF GEETA

" Perform your obligatory duty, because action is indeed better than inaction.”

WHAT I WISH TO SAY IS THAT THE TIME IS RIPE THAT A FULL FLEDGED  'NATIONAL POLICY ON INTERNAL REBELLIONS AND THEIR SOLUTIONS'    BE FINALISED.

THERE MAY BE MANY OPTIONS AS TO HOW TO IMPLEMENT THEM,WHAT IS REALLY THE MACRO REASONS BEHIND THESE RECURRING INSTANCES NEED TO BE BOUGHT OUT AND A CONTINUED PROGRAMME TO ELIMINATE THEM BE TAKEN UP.

LIKE PROVISION OF EXTRA FUNDS AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES IN THESE AREAS,SO THAT RAPID DEVELOPMENT PROVIDED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE,ALSO MILITARY HELP BE TAKEN WHEREVER THERE ARE THREATS TO THESE PROGRAMMES.

THE GOVT. NEEDS TO BRING OUT POLICIES WHEREIN IT IS POSSIBLE TO REACH TO THE VILLAGERS IN THESE AREAS AND SENSITISE THEM ABOUT GOVT. INITIATIVES AND HOW THEY CAN BE PARTNERS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE COUNTRY.

THE POLITICS-NAXAL NEXUS BE BROKEN BY CAREFUL SCRUTINY AND ALL POWER AND BACKUP SOURCES THEY POSSES BE CUT THROUGH.

SUCH MEASURE CAN BE TERMED AS LONG TERM OR 'MACRO LEVEL 'ACTIVITIES ,BUT WE ALSO NEED THE ACTION PER SE POLICIES(MICRO LEVEL), THE PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THESE ATTACKS NEED TO BE TAUGHT A LESSON,HOW CAN ANYBODY BE LET TO  GET AWAY AFTER COMITTING ATROCITIES ON HUMANITY IN A COUNTRY THAT CLAIMS TO HAVE A 'RULE OF LAW' .

WE SAY THAT THEY ARE OUR BROTHERS AND FELLOWMEN BUT DONT WE FILE POLICE CASES AGAINST OUR FELLOW CITIZENS WHEN THEY DO WRONG...ARENT NORMAL CITIZENS GIVEN CAPITAL PUNISHMENT? WHOVEVER GOES AGAINST THE SOCIETY AND ITS LAID DOWN NORMS OF MUTUAL LIVING NEED TO BE CONTROLLED AND PUNISHED IF NEED BE.

ALSO THOSE WHO COMMIT SUCH GRUESOME CRIMES CANNOT BE PARDONED ON GROUNDS OF 'HUMANITY' BECAUSE THEY ARENT HUMAN AFTER ALL, AS HAS BEEN JUSTLY LAID DOWN BY THE SUPREME COURT IN THE RECENT DECISION OF THE 'BHULLAR'S" CASE.

WHAT I SAY NOW MAY FIND MANY TAKERS AS ALSO MANY HOLDING AN OPINION COMPLETELY AGAINST MY  VIEWS,AND I RESPECT THEM,BUT ITS A DEMOCRACY AND I HAVE ALL THE RIGHTS TO SPEAK MY MIND....

'WHAT DO WE DO WHEN A WILD DOG GETS RABIES AND IS DECLARED MAD????DO WE KEEP HIM AT HOME OR IN OUR MOHALLAS,SOCIETIES OR NEAR US?NO ,WHAT DO WE DO WHEN THERE ARE FLU'S?LIKE THE BIRD FLU? DO WE KEEP THEM WITH US? NO,WE KILL THEM,SO THAT THE OTHER SPECIES IN GENERAL AND COMMUNITY IN SPECIFIC IS SAVED FROM SUCH A DISEASE....WHAT WE DO WHEN AN ALIEN COUNTRY ATTACKS US?WE FIGHT AND KILL THOSE AGAINST US.... DONT WE? AND WE REJOICE ON OUR MILITARY'S MIGHT....THEN WHY DO WE LAY DOWN DIFFERENT RULES FOR THOSE WHO ARE LIVING AMONGST US AND CREATING HAVOC...ARENT THEY MORE DANGEROUS THAN OUR CUSTOMAY ENEMIES? YES THEY ARE......

WHAT GOVT NEEDS TO DO IS PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE POLICY  CONTAINING BOTH THE MACRO AND MICRO ASPECTS .

FOR SHORT TERM ,POLICIES THAT OF COMBAT AGAINST THESE HARCORE CRIMINALS,BRINGING THEM TO THE DOORS OF JUSTICE ,THEY SHOULD BE HOWEVER GIVEN A CHANCE TO SURRENDER AND BE TOLD THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY TO GET THEIR RIGHTS IN A DEMOCRACY...=.SIT AROUND A TABLE AND DISCUSS..OTHERWISE THERE AS SO MANY INTEREST GROUPS IN THIS  COMPOSITE CULTURE CALLED ' INDIA' THAT IF WE BOW DOWN TO ONE GROUP,MANY MORE ARE BOUND TO APPEAR....!!!!!!!

WRITTEN BY -

RANJAN TOMAR

30TH MAY 2013