Demoralisation of the Moral Values

(02 July, 2006)
Two cases that I saw in the recent past have really shaken all my beliefs in the Indian educational institutions. I am sure that I would not want my children to ever be a part of such institutions, so as to be imparted by such low principles and moral values.

Are educational institutes only meant to give textbook knowledge, and ensure good marks for its students? Is that all teachers are supposed to teach their students, the textbooks? Moral values, principles, the real teachings of life seem to have disappeared a long time back. A few teachers who want to make that effort are seen as stupid, wasting time, where not required. Why put in that extra bit, when all that is required is to get the students to score well in their subject. A teacher and an educational institution have far greater responsibility than most of them can comprehend today. Like most of India, people who do not understand even a fraction of their responsibility manage education. Its not a responsibility, it’s a business that is all it is, and it is foolish to expect anything more from a business house than to provide just the requirements.

There is no time for personality building or teaching of principles, they are of least importance. The only thing important is that the institution should get laurels from everywhere possible, building it a big brand name and getting it more and more business and preferably higher price. It does not matter whether the laurels are brought in by a select few, while the others get no attention or coaching. As an example , it will not be deemed important for all students to develop their skills in public speaking, the few who have the inherent knack , can step ahead each time and win all the awards. So though coming from the same school, one will be a great orator, while another student will not be confident enough to so much as sit through an interview. Is that what a school is expected to teach, or for that matter not teach. Is this what an educational institution is? It teaches prejudice at the grass root level. The attention is given to the brighter student rather than the weaker, who needs a lot more of attention to develop his/her skills. Then where can we expect equality to ever come in, when we are taught that inequality reigns from the time we enter a school.

My father had studied in a missionary boarding school, and he used to tell me stories of the kind of punishment they used to get in school. I remember an incidence very well, something I had always found very amusing as a child, was that he was made to write a thousand times, “I will not speak in Bengali in school.” when he was once caught speaking the language in communication with his brother. But today I realize the importance of such lessons in shaping a child’s character. He learnt that it was important to respect the presence of all the others who did not speak that language and also made to understand how important it is to respect others who are present. That is what a school has to do build character. Till date I have never seen him speak in a regional language in public, and really realize the dignity of that character. Unfortunately I feel there are very few who do that any more. Books and studies are something that is an individual’s prerogative, but a school that cannot build the character of its students, has very little to say for itself.

Let me start with the first institution, that being one of the premier (I definitely don’t agree with that adjective) schools in India, Delhi Public School RK Puram. Having been a student there myself (and I am not at all proud of the fact), I know the true picture better than an outsider I believe. Every year, once the class tenth results are put, few of the best students from not only Delhi but all over the country rush for admissions to this school. An uninformed choice is all that I can say it is. This school is nothing more than a business house, absolutely nothing more than that. There is politics, from teachers, to students, there is money grabbing, there is absolutely no effort at character building, unless and until that one rare teacher takes a personal initiative, and that happens at the most in the junior school, and I am talking of a time around 15 years back. Don’t know if any such teachers continue to be there. Trust me curriculum does not build character or personality. And you can hardly blame a teacher who is teaching more than 200 students. I just wish that the teachers realized that they are building a new life, and what a huge responsibility it is, not just teaching them the textbooks, but actually teaching them a lot more. As a few examples young teenage girls wear skirts shorter than those Sharapova wears to the tennis courts. Boys wear denim trousers instead of the school uniform. Its almost impossible to see anyone wearing school shoes, its either branded sports shoes for boys or fancy shoes for girls. And if the school turns a blind eye on all of this there is little one can say for such a school. The results may then surprise you, the fact is there is a huge quantity of students, and the few studious ones who shine bright and give the school its names.

I was surprised when the school simply suspended the students involved in the recent MMS scandal. God what a failure of the school. And what does the school say, they are not to blame. It happened outside the school premises, that the involved students have a bad upbringing, and more so that it is a common occurrence in all other schools. What a shame, what a sham!! Not once did the school feel it should take the students in for counseling and protect them, there was no sense of belonging at all. It was saving the reputation and name more than anything. SAD. That’s all I felt at such a reaction. Character is something, which built, lasts forever; unfortunately, this school could build none, mostly because it has none itself. Were those little kids not your students, would they not have been your great assets had they achieved great results? One mistake and you just wash your hands off them, no love, no affection for them. Yes it’s a difficult age, they are teenagers, young adults, who know just little and wish to experiment, does it not fall in your circle of responsibilities to guide them, help them? No Cell phones on the school premises, isn’t that what was the result of the whole fiasco. Great, let the problem persist, while we eliminate chances of getting ourselves in trouble. What’s even sadder than you disowning the two students and helping them in their time of need was the lesson you taught all the students who continue to be in the school, “One has no responsibility, only to save one’s skin”. What kind of citizens do we expect will be made out of such students, ones who shirk away from all responsibilities and only claim glory. What a sad future for India this school is building.

The next step is a college, a place where the students are to be prepared to face the real world, and a place where they should be imparted with qualities that help to make the place outside the four walls of the college a better place for one and all, and teaches them how to handle themselves in the world outside with dignity and principle I think. A huge task at the hands of the professors, lecturers and deans, the way I see it. Indeed a job only for someone who completely and fully understands the responsibility involved. But sadly that is hardly the case anymore. College is a place for show off and fun more than anything else.

A more recent case is that which has occurred in Wilson College in Bombay. A very old and established institution as it is said to be, it has an ‘honorable’ professor who pulls in a minor, 17 year old girl into his cabin and professes his love for her by holding her hand and then goes on to talk about sex. Disgusting. What a man, and more surprisingly what a college to support such a teacher in his terrible deeds, misguiding its students and giving them hidden threats to support the professor, or else suffer consequences. What is the difference between such a professor and Sunil More a comparatively illiterate police constable? What a lesson to teach the students, its ok to do anything you want to, as long as you are in the position of power and can get away with it. Is that how we want our future citizens to be, is that how we wish India to become? I am ashamed that such an institution continues to be a part of the list of prestigious educational institutions of this country and more importantly the fact that I know this is not the only one. Why can the institute not stand up and throw out a person like that from their staff, and show much greater strength and character than what it is showing by resorting to the cheap and false tricks it currently is. That will give it a much greater reputation.

Teachers, you build the future of this country, you have a very huge responsibility in your hands, you are truly shaping the future of this country and what you see today is a reflection of what you have built, please stand up and own up your responsibility, do the right thing, save the country.

Teach your students to do the right thing and fight for it if needed, help them when they are the most vulnerable, and helpless, guide them so that they don’t repeat these mistakes again. You have the power to bring about a revolution, please, please don’t give up your responsibility, it not just this batch and the one after that, but the future of the whole country that you hold in your hands.

Where Are The Indians?

(January 25, 2008)
Of late I have been wondering if there are any Indians left in this world, I have not seen or met any in ages...... before you get confused, let me elaborate............

There are tons of Malyaliis, Gujaratis, Maharashtrians, Telegu,Bengalis, Tamils, Punjabis and all else, but what about Indians....... I think the last one I saw( or heard) was Vidya Sharma, captain in Kabir Khan's Hockey team in Chak De, the movie, so pretty fictitious. Earlier it was just the use of languages specific to states in a group consisting of people from other places and not even realising that anything is amiss, that used to bother me, but that seems insignificant considering the latest spate of events that I have seen. Newspapers, magazines, TV everywhere there is no India anymore its all about the sub-divisions.

I so wish the Media would learn its responsibilities well. If there is a contest on TV, the participants will request for votes from people of their state.... I wonder if these competitions are all inter state, that's what they should be made I think. I remember well when an established newspaper like Times Of India, in its Nasik edition screamed out aloud about how it was a Marathi Manoos who had won the Indian Idol contest, when Abhijit Sawant won the first edition. God, and I thought it was a good singer who had done it. Ditto when Sachin and Supriya won the first series of Nach Baliye!

Well, I guess as they say, it is each person's individual thinking and preference, well that's great, but what I wish to know is where are the Indians, where are the people who call themselves Indians, and just that. When political parties like the S* thrive, can we say much. When a person( one of the Thackrey clan) openly announces he would not let any non- Maharashtrian step into Bombay, its treated as just a news, isn't it the fundamental right of every 'Indian' to be able to reside anywhere in India? How dare this ^%#%^ challenge the constitution and the fundamental right of every Indian? And no one questions him? I have a lot to say on this clan as well as the political party they 'own'.... but i don't want to waste precious time writing about filth.

I am just eagerly waiting for someone who would stand up as an Indian...someone who would be just an Indian and proudly so, speak the national language and respect it, who would understand the values of India and imbibe it into them self as well as the society.....This is a call to anyone who is an Indian.