... Follow Ups.

To carry forward with the previous post, today, I have been witness to some more nostalgia that brings the vivid pictures of my childhood. The Border, a patriotic movie and Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge captured all imaginations. 5th September, the birthday of Dr. S. Radhakrishnan is being celebrated as according to his desire, as Teacher's Day, since 1964. This, being a day to mark the tryst that the teachers of the nation use to put it annualy to reap a good mind in almost every child. With galore of Oldies being played by the cable channels, this impetus was enough to trigger the thought process to recollect the good old days of my school. Each year, on the occassion of Teachers' Day, the school was being decorated to the maximum, especially the auditorium where the main programs were being organized and the staff room. e used to celebrate the music and the air of celebrations, that we always had and expected to deliver to our teachers. There was always two segments of the program, one being the soccer match where the Sirs used to participate against a student team and the cultural and game-show program, where the lady teachers used to predominate the proceedings. .....ahhh, those days of Calcutta Boys' School.

But... as every post has a twisting social values within, I would like to write about the lack lustre texture of Teachers' Day. A few sms from some of my students who never fail to forget me (ahem...am not blowing it out of proportions!) But I wonder, how the term or celebration of Teacher's Day stands, by today's standards? A Teacher, has changed the meaning, thanks to some un-toward incidents that take place day in and day out.  And the Student has also done the same somesault to change it's meaning. Some incidents:
1) A Teacher asks for a Laptop, in one of the prestigious school in Kolkata, in return to promote a child. Even after recieving the Token of Gift (understand as alms to a beggar), the greed stepped up its tempo, ending the story into a tarnished image.
2) Same school, different incident leads to a student suicide.
3) In another case, a student commits suicide because he has been greeted with THE cane, when he was trying to slip in the class late. To add to the drama, the parents were blindly adamant to punish the teacher because the teacher landed a legtimate punishment to the child... (I have been detained outside the class, for the whole day for coming late and also for missing out a few books on another occasion. Both the time, I gained respect for Mrs. Zaffar, our class teacher in Class II and one of my favorite teacher. My Mom nor Dad have moved to the court, nor did I commit some "SWEET SITE"; as I would pronounce the act in those days. ;-P )

All the above action comes from the Jet Age, that lacks dignity at the helm.

Moving into politics, I guess Dr. Radhakrishnan wouldn't have liked the trend of reservation. The authorities may increase the seats....but not decrease the opportunity for the real bright students, in the face of farce of Education system in India. Today, the Victorian structure of Indian Education system makes the brains sharper than the Americans, who prefer to take a snap shot in their Polaroids, of the Board Work, rather than take down notes! At least we can use the lines of our fingers to calculate 3+ 4 = 7!!!

Why not 2+2....! Well, I had to prove my point...the American juggernauts know that by now, after hearing the jokes on them.. being thrown at the Beer Counter at the Billy's.... eh man?!

Politics within education and education for politics are the two fangs thats gripping the Indian Education system. I have always protested, and on this day, I woudl delightfully pick up the pen to protest again.  Please donot take Education as a weapon to win elections! Which ever the government that comes to the helm, they always deprive the good brain thanks to the Quota system for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other Backward Classes. Its a personal observation that these backwards classes live in posh locations around Kolkata. The political parties try to recapitulate the situation, on a path that is totally logic less as per the calculations! Divide on basis of Caste and Creed! In a land, where men like Mahatma Gandhi, Emperor Akbar have taken birth, tryin to erase all kind of castismn, seggregation on based of education ignites the splinter that the a secular nation like India tries to supress! Still the seggregation continues, although the Parties mention in Unity!

Copyright: Dec 2006. My M.Sc Classmates, Dept of Genetics, University of Calcutta.