दृष्टिकोण – Indra's Viewpoint

Indian policy makers agree that only manufacturing can create employment in millions to absorb the population joining the workforce every year. At least the nation’s manufacturing policy sets the same objective.

The Government historically set up many enterprises under various ministries to produce a large number of critical industrial equipment, particularly in capital equipment, where the private sector was reluctant to enter. Except for very few, others are just white elephants and drain on the national exchequer. Frequently, some get allocation for revival too. But the government never tried to see that all those manufacturing units become globally competitive too. With the choppers scam in media, I wondered why a country like India with all necessary resources could not be self-sufficient in producing helicopters of different applications in more than six try years after the independence. Why has the company such as HAL in aviation sector not been able to produce even reliable helicopters? Can someone justify the India’s total dependence on import? Can someone justify that the country that can launch sophisticated satellites and missiles and build nuclear plants on its own can’t develop reliable helicopters for different applications? If India would have been manufacturing helicopters in the country, it could have created a lot of employment in the manufacturing company as well as with many of the parts-suppliers.

The story of Arjuna, the indigenous battle tanks and Tejas fighter are known. Arjuna has taken decades to get into the Indian army. Tejas is still waiting to be introduced in India’s Air Force. The people in authority in all the wings of defence forces make it difficult to accept locally manufactured machines. Millions are wasted in developing technologies and products, but not accepted by the defence executives and politicians. It all happens because import only can provide huge bribe that is shared at the concerned people at all levels. Instead of getting involved in the development of better equipment in the country, the officers create troubles at all levels.

The disease has been contagious and spreading to even all the civil sectors such as Electricity Boards, Railways and Telecom too. Even the private sector is not sacrosanct and many know about it. We heard few months ago BMEL scam of Tetra trucks for army. BMEL would have by now indigenized Tetra trucks. If that couldn’t Tata Motors or M&M would have done it. That is the reason that the country’s capital industry couldn’t reach the globally competitive scale. The nation will have to rethink the ways and means to correct the situation.

India has already lost its first chance to be a low cost manufacturing nation. Between 2001 and 2010, China’s manufacturers captured nearly 45 percent of the global growth in manufacturing exports from low-cost countries, whereas India accounted for a paltry 5 percent. India could become a viable manufacturing alternative to China in industries ranging from apparel, auto components, and high-technology sector such as aviation and might even dominate some new manufacturing sectors in new technologies.

According McKinsey analysis, ‘rising demand in India, together with the multinationals’ desire to diversify their production to include low-cost plants in countries other than China, could together help India’s manufacturing sector to grow six fold by 2025, to $1 trillion, while creating up to 90 million domestic jobs.’

For any country to be manufacturing power, auto sector of the country historically grew strong. In India, it has happened with almost all major auto manufacturers in the country. One Maruti Suzuki has developed and created the base of vendors of auto parts. For example, Sumi Motherson started to supply wiring harnesses to Maruti has spread to 25 countries with 124 plants. And 76 percent of the company’s business now comes from outside India. Samvardhana Motherson Group (SMG is the holding company with nine business divisions) is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of wiring harness, mirrors and plastic parts, among other products.

To take manufacturing to all corners of the country, it has been established that power sector and highway connectivity must be compatible. Researches have confirmed the positive effects of the Golden Quadrilateral upgrades on the organised manufacturing sector. The government must go to remove the drawbacks in its highway building and power generation and distribution.

However, the government will have to find a way to make all of the government manufacturing enterprises accountable and efficient without any politics getting into it.

दूसरे साल में मेरी छात्र बृति बंद हो गयी, क्योंकि परीक्षा में अव्वल दर्जा नहीं आया  था । श्रीकांत के साथ मैंने बहुत कोशिश की छात्र बृति बहाल हो जाने के लिये पर कुछ नहीं हुआ ।यही आइ. आइ.टी की खूबी थी । श्री राजेंद्र प्रसाद हॉल से लाइब्रेरी पास थी, पढ़ने के लिये वहीं की किताबों पर निर्भर थे हम सभी , क्योंकि कोई टेक्स्ट बुक तो थे नहीं ।

श्री राजेंद्र प्रसाद हॉल में हमारे साथ के मेकानिकल के चार-पांंच लोग ही थे, उनमें एक मखीजा काफी नज़दीकी बन गया, वह कलकता के सेंट ज़ेबियार कॉलेज से था, उनकी रासबिहारी एबेन्यु पर कपड़े की दुकान थी । प्रेसीडेंसी कॉलेज के बहुत थोड़े लड़के आइ० आइ० टी में आये थे । अपना सबसे नज़दीकी दोस्त श्री अशोक कुमार सेनगुप्ता बी० ई० कॉलेज शिवपुर से इंजीनियरिंग किया सिबिल से ।

१९६३ में एक औद्योगिक यात्रा का आयोजान डिपार्टमेंट द्वारा किया गया था, हम पहली बार जमशेदपुर, आसनासौल कुल्टी, चितरंजन  और कलकत्ता गये और वंहा के बड़े औद्योगिक प्रतिष्ढ़ानों को देखे । उस समय यह क्षेत्र उद्योग में देश में सब क्षेत्रों में आगे था ।एक रेलवे बोगी रिज़र्व किया गया था । यह यात्रा काफी अच्छी और उद्योगिक ज्ञान बढ़ानेवाली रही थी । टाटा स्टील, टाटा मोटर्स, टेक्स्मेको, बर्न आदि काफी बड़े संस्थान थे और हजारों लोग उनमें काम करते थे । आसनसोल में घटी दो घटनाएं अभी भी याद आने पर हंसी आती है ।हम चार पांच दोस्त आसनसोल स्टेशन के कैफ़ेटेरिया में गये नाश्ते के लिये ।हममें से एक को टमाटर का केचअप बहूत ही भा गया ।वे बोतल का सारा केचअप चट कर गये ।दूसरे दोस्त ने जब बेयरे से केच अप मांगा, तो वह आश्चर्य से बोतल की तरफ देखा, पर कहा कुछ नहीं और एक छोटी कटोरी में ला रख दिया । हम बहूत दिनों तक केचआप की कहानी का मज़ा लेते रहे थे ।उसी दिन शाम को साउथ इंस्टीच्यूट में हम एक मूवी देखने गये ।हम बैठे ही थे कि एक दोस्त ने कहा, ‘ देखो, शर्मिला टैगोर जा रही है ।’ उसी समय उसकी पहली मूवी आइ थी बंगाली में । अब क्या था, हमारे सभी मित्र उचक उचक उसी तरफ देखने लगे और यह सिलसिला तबतक चलता रहा, जब तक हाँल की बत्ती गुल नहीं हुइ ।

कलकत्ता में हम मिंट देखने गये जो नया नया बना था, और टेक्स्मैको भी देखे जो इंजीनियरिंग की नामी फैक्टरी थी । हम कुछ अन्य फ़ैक्ट्रीयां भी गये ।हां, कलकता के महात्मा गांधी रोड पर उन्ही दिनों एक नया भोजनालय खुला था इन्द्रपुरी । वहाँ हम दोस्तों में रबड़ी खाने की प्रतियोगिता हो गयी और थापा जीता । 

अगले साल हम मद्रास, बंगलौर और बम्बई गये । बहूत सी फ़ैक्टरियों को देखे ।आज केवल HMT, Integral Coach Factory ही याद हैं । NCC के एक कैंप में भी शामिल हुये, जो मेरठ में था । वंहा बड़े खाने पर आर्मी के एक बड़े ओहदवाले सज्जन से भोजपुरी में बात कर बड़ी खुशी हुइ ।लौटते समय ब्रज भूषण पांडेय साथ थे । उनके साथ ही दिल्ली में घूमे और बनारस में रुक  विश्वनाथ मंदिर और सारनाथ भी देखे ।

दूसरे और तीसरे साल के गर्मी के अवकाश में फ़ैक्टरी में कुछ सीखने के लिये गये और महीने से ऊपर रहे ।पहली बिरलापुर के जुट मिल में और दूसरी जमशेदपुर के टाटा मोटर्स में थी ।टाटानगर में हम पांच उत्कल निवास में ठहरे ।सायकिल लाया गया था फ़ैक्टरी तक जाने के लिये । पर टाटानगर के उँचे नीचे रास्ते पर उतनी दूरी तक सायकिल चलाना बहुत कष्ट का काम था ।सभी की तरह हम भी आटो से जाने आने लगे, खर्चा पड़ता था एक चौअनी जाने में और उतना ही आने में । गर्मी के कारण हम भी बाहर सोने लगे रात को और सबेरे तक ब्लॉस्ट फर्नेस की धूल की एक परत शरीर पर मिलती थी ।खैर, काफी सीखा, जो बाद में भी काम आया । 

फिर कभी…..

Two recent media reports about the performances of the students and the teachers of Indian school systems were nothing but shocking.

Let us start with the performances of the teachers. In a recent teachers’ eligibility test, conducted by the Tamil Nadu Recruitment Board, as many as 42,000 out of 6.5 lakh teachers who took the test did not know how to fill the application forms and committed a variety of mistakes, including omission to fill their names in the allotted column. Even if this could be excused, when the answer sheets were evaluated, only 2,448 could be declared to have passed.

According to the Central Board of Secondary Education, last year, 795,000 candidates took the Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET). More than 99% of these candidates failed to pass the test. CTET certification is mandatory to become a teacher for grades one to eight in central government schools.

It is unfortunate that the teachers, quite a large percentage of them, besides being poorly qualified are also not motivated and focused enough to improve their own performance and, in turns, that of their students. It is they who are, without any excuses, to find the ways and means for their students to learn rather than passing examinations. By self study and a little devotion to the task, all the employed teachers can improve their knowledge to teach better. If necessary, they themselves can take tuition from the senior and dedicated teachers. There might have been certain erosion in the values regarding the traditional respectability for the teachers’ community, but it is for them to build it up. Teaching must be apolitical profession and the teachers must be kept out of the extra-academic assignments for the election or census.

The second report is about the deteriorating standards of learning in the primary schools as per the latest one by Pratham, a Mumbai-based NGO, ASER 2012:

“According to the report, around 13% of children in grades one to five could not read at all and around 11% were not able recognize numbers from one to nine. Only 46.8% of all children in grade five were able to read a grade two level text. This number, in fact, has been declining over the past two years from 53.7% in 2010 and 48.2% in 2011. In mathematics, too, there has been a significant drop. In 2010, 70.9% of the children enrolled in grade five were able to solve simple two-digit subtraction problems with borrowing. This proportion declined to 61% in 2011 and 53.5% in 2012.”

It is shameful for the teachers’ community. However, as the majority of the teachers are teaching only up to class V in a primary school and that can be improved only if the teachers work hard and honestly with a mission, if necessary for extra hours of teaching. Only the respective teachers can innovate the ways and means to get over all the problems. Teachers must impress on the children the need of education and success that it brings. Teachers must be made accountable and the black sheep must be weeded out, if they do not show interest in taking their responsibility on their own.

I shall like to give some tips below for the teachers working for the children of deprived class in the country.

1. Use motivating stories, be it of Arjuna about the need of focusing on the task, or of Eklavya emphasizing the importance of self-study, or of Bopdev for the need of practising again and again.
2. Create and activity centres with locally available materials and cheap equipment such screw drivers, pliers, mud, bricks, and whatever, you get. Reserve few hours of the week to allow the children to show their creativity. Allocate an hour or less every day for sports, music and games.
3. Set up a library with donation and fix a library hour for every child. Encourage the child to report or at least talk about what he learns by reading. Have multiple copies of books such as Bharat ke Baigyanik, History of scientists of ancient India.
4. Call the parents of the child and appeal them to learn from their wards as that can further the learning of the child.
5. Encourage the children to form informal groups and learn collectively while helping each other.
6. Convince them with stories that they can get over all the hurdles if they sincerely try to find a way out, and sky is the limit of attaining what they aspire and if they work hard without any godfather or wealth of the parents.

I wish the educationists would have agreed for the change in curricula for up to secondary class VIII as suggested below:
A. Teach the vernacular and English together. Emphasise on increasing the vocabulary of the, grammar, writing, speaking and reading. Abandon the Traditional way of teaching a lesson and expect the children to answer question on the subject by rote learning. Drop all subjects such as history, geography, hygiene, science as separate subject and incorporate the stories in the content of the language gradually. Ensure that after eight years of teaching of the vernacular, every child attains the proficiency in writing and speaking the languages well. Use digital aids both audio and video for the language.

B. The second subject must be mathematics starting with arithmetic and tables, where the learning must based on real life applications.

The government and the private entrepreneurs entering education sector must focus on the primary schools, more so in rural India. The quality education at the primary level will only ensure the quality at all level of higher education.

Even today with improved enrolment in schools, there are around 4 percent children out of the schools and that is huge number in absolute sense.

One more suggestion from my side is for the government. As there is hardly any supervision on the working of the rural schools and their working, every panchayat must elect a member specifically for education. This member preferable may be a retired senior teacher, or some from defence forces or someone really interested and committed about improving the education of the community.

The Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) declared the sixth accused a minor on the basis of school certificate provided by a government school in Badaun, and his case will be heard by the board. As per the media report, the juvenile was the one who allured the couple to come in the bus for their destination that was a total lie, and he was the one who assaulted her brutally. And he will be one who will be the state’s guest in a reform house and get out of it soon.

Can the school certificate be believed? Has it not been procured on a payment just to get the criminal out or to save the son of the soil by placing him in juvenile age from the many years of imprisonment for the heinous rape crime? Had the school recorded the date of birth on the basis of any document? Was the date or age recorded by the school clerk or the concerned teacher on their own estimate at the time of admission? As reported, ‘the mother of the juvenile accused was not sure about the exact date and time of birth of her son. Besides, the natives of the accused’s village too seemed unclear about his birth date.’

It is but understandable. In my whole village, my grandfather had only recorded the birth dates of our family members. Neither my mother nor my wife or any one in their family knew their exact birth dates. So the birth certificate from the school can’t be a proof of his being juvenile.

I don’t know how the upper age of a juvenile has been fixed at eighteen. As per Indian scriptures, the age is to be sixteen, if not lower now. At least Chanakya, the pioneer on the knowledge of statecraft writes: “Treat your kid like a darling for the first five years. For the next five years, scold them. By the time they turn sixteen, treat them like a friend. Your grown up children are your best friends.
”लालयेत् पंच वर्षाणि दश वर्षाणि ताडयेत् ।
प्राप्ते तु षोडशे वर्षे पुत्रं मित्रवदाचरेत् ॥
Laalayet pancha varshaani dasha varshaani taadayet
Praapte tu shodashe varshe putram mitravadaacharet

So the maximum age of a juvenile would have been sixteen years.

However, my logic is different. A juvenile such as one involved in Delhi gang case doesn’t belong to that category that may alright for a developed country. In our country for 60 percent or more of the population, a boy gets married at around the age of ten. He starts discussing sexual pleasures of all kinds with his friends and getting into the act of sex with his wife. When such a person goes for the act of rape and particularly in a group, he is as good as or as bad as adults. There can’t be any reason for treating such a person differently and certainly not excused for being juvenile. Further, as the fellow looked like a juvenile, the rest of the adults used the fellow for advancing their cause.

Considering the brutality of the case, the juvenile board would not have allowed the criminal as juvenile. I doubt that in our country we are having reform houses where the reformation takes place. At least I have not heard of any. Interestingly, the government is still thinking of reducing the age.

स्‍कूल के दिनों की एक याद है ख़ाना बनाने से सम्बधित ।उन दिनों मैं और मुक्तेश्वर चाचा थे बिरलापुर में ।चाचाजी मुझसे तीन साल आगे थे स्‍कूल में ।वे १९५२ में स्कूल फाइनल दिये, मैं १९५५ में । अच्छा खाना बना लेते थे। एक दिन सबेरे चाचाजी सब्‍जी, दाल बना मुझे चावल जो चूल्हे पर था उसे ठीक दस मिनट बाद उतार देने को समझा अपने ट्यूशन के लिये चले गये ।उस समय मैं पढ़ रहा था, पता नहीं कैसे मुझे अपनी ज़िम्मेवारी का जरा भी ख़्याल नहीं रहा । अलम्युनियम का पतिला पूरी तरह गल गया, पानी निकाल चूल्हा बुझ गया और चावल भी राख हो गया, पर मुझे पता नहीं चला ।जब घंटे बाद याद आइ तो देखकर बहुत क्षोभ हुआ ।चाचाजी लौटने पर देखे, पर कुछ नहीं कहे ।दादाजी को बहुत दिनों बाद यह कहानी बताया गया ।

हिंदमोटर्स में भी एकबार बच्चों के लिये रसोइ में कुछ प्रयोग करना पड़ा था, क्योंकि यमुना गांव गयी थीं और नौकर अचानक गायब हो गया था ।और उस खाने के स्वाद की बाद में भी चर्चा होती रही थी ।

अगस्त २०१२ में अमरीका से लौटने के बाद से मेरी रुचि खाना बनाने में हो गयी है । और अब मुझे इसमें आनंद आने लगा है । यमुना बार बार मुझे इससे हटाना चाहतीं हैं, पर मैं नहीं चाहता । मै सभी सब्जियाँ, दाल बना लेता हूँ । चावल तो राइस कुकर में बन जाता है । पिछले चार महीनों में कोइ गलती नहीं हुइ हैं और रोज़ मेरा आत्म बिशवास बढ़ता जा रहा है ।हां, रोटी नही बना पाता हूँ ।यद्यपि मैं देर से सीखा, पर इस बिधा की जानकारी बहुत जरूरी है जिंदगी सुचारू रूप से चलाने के लिये ।

स्‍कूल के दिनों में जरूरत नहीं पड़ा । नौकरी में बराबर नौकर रहे । पर आज अच्छा नौकर मिलना बड़े भाग्य की बात है ।पर मै निश्चित रूप से कह सकता हू अपनी जानकारी हर रूप में लाभदायक ही होगी । मैं तो रसोइ में काम करते हुए उसमें प्रबंधन और प्राद्योगिकि के सिधान्‍तों के उपयोग के बारे में सोचता रहता हूँ । बहुत नयी बिधा से समय और श्रम कम किया जा सकता है ।पर भारतीय रसोइ में कुछ कार्य बहुत तकलीफ देनेवाले होते हैं और इसके लिये कुछ नये उपकरणों का इजाद करना जरूरी है ।प्याज, लहसुन को छिलना एक दुस्तर कार्य है । इसीतरह सब्‍जी बनाने का एक राइस कुकर की तरह उपकरण होना चाहिये । आज से कुछ बर्षों बाद नौकर शायद ही मिले, उचित और बहुउपयोगी उपकरण इस समस्या का हाल बन सकते हैं ।कुछ आदतें भी बदलने से खाना बनाना समस्या न हो, एक मनोरंजन का साधन बन सकता है ।

आज परिबार छोटा होता जा रहा है और सदस्यों की संख्या दो जो फिर एक बहूत जल्दी ही हो जाती है । स्वत: ही खाना बनाना हर दृष्टि से फायेदे की चीज है ।

हां, एक चीज और । घर की महिलाएं, बिशेष कर भारतीय, कभी नहीं चाहती पुरूषों का रसोइघर पर अधिकार, अत: सावधानी से काम करना जरूरी है ।

I don’t know if I should believe the claim of the faculty of Amity University being the only university of the country filing 400 patents. On the channels of NDTV, an advertisement comes quite regularly with this content. Last year it was advertising with its strength of 100 PhDs in its faculty busy in research work. I wish it to be correct and be example for other private and state universities. Are these advertisements for attracting aspiring students passing class XII from different education boards of the country or for convincing the regulatory authorities about its infrastructure? However, it is certainly a good marketing of the educational institute.

Indian universities have lagged behind in focusing on R&D. I still don’t know if it is because of the inferior quality of the faculty in the universities or the scarcity of fund for the necessary infrastructure. Unfortunately, more than anything else, it is lack of zeal required for research work and innovation and deteriorating dedication in the profession that was a very respectable one once.

I came across a good programme on two private B-Schools of the country on CNN-IBN recently. However, there is difference in claims in ads and the reports that the channel prepares and transmits for the information of the general public. I wonder these are not the paid ones sponsored by the institutes for its publicity. Many of these institutes are claiming today about its research programme.

However, the serious most for good education for any country is its primary education system that lays the foundation of the knowledge society.

India has perhaps the largest student community in the world. However, the primary schooling, particularly in rural India, is of very poor quality and this is the challenge that India must face with all its resources including the assistance from India Inc, and its mandatory CSR. As per the recent reports the country has seen a tremendous rise in enrolment going up to 96 percent, but the number of dropouts between primary school and higher institutes are extremely high and certainly unacceptable, as it means poor productivity of the teaching system.

India has already got successful models of schools in Kendriya Vidyalayas, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas, and Kasturba Gandhi Vidyalayas and many in private sector. And some of the leading business houses such as Ambanis, Tatas, Birlas, and many willing ones must adopt 100 rural schools each to take education of the right quality to the remote villages in next five years.

It is the need of the day and was clear in the emphasis that President Pranab Mukherji in his Republic Day Address: “Education is the ladder that can help those at the bottom to rise to the pinnacles of professional and social status. Education is the mantra that can transform our economic fortunes and eliminate the gaps that have made our society unequal. So far education has not reached, to the extent desired, to those most in need of this ladder. India can double its growth rate by turning today’s disadvantaged into multiple engines of economic development.”

The government departments must save from its expenditure and spend in setting up hundreds of schools of proven models, one in every panchayat of the country. Let us look at the tremendous potentials of the country through these numbers: The number of school children is 226.7 million school students as per the most recent 8th All India Education Survey (AIES) and as many as 1.3 million schools, which means that on the average there was a school for every 173 students. What will be the potential impact of the schooling system if there are no dropouts and each child in school system could go for the higher education or certain employable skill training?

We keep on hearing the news of closing down of private colleges of management and engineering because of the lack of the students not coming for the entrance. School education, particularly in rural India, must get the maximum attention of all, be it government, be it India Inc. or NGOs and philanthropists.