The CBSE fiasco!

Leaked papers. Exams cancelled. Retest scheduled. This is a true nightmare. A horror movie at its best.

The class X and XII CBSE exam papers were leaked via social media hours before the exam, affecting around 1.7 million class 10 students and 500,000 class 12 students. (The use of social media is truly a double-edged sword. Thankfully I gave my exams in the stone age!) Class XII Economics paper, and Class X Math paper were circulated in social media creating mass hysteria. The CBSE continued to deny any leak but finally accepted it. This is one of the biggest scandals that has befallen the CBSE. I wonder what went wrong!

The students are totally infuriated and rightly so. Such a situation creates chaos, confusion, and unnecessary ruckus. During the exam season, children are under so much mental strain and pressure. In today’s world where anything less than 99% is ‘not good enough’, such blunders are unwarranted. Students have to reschedule everything, their holidays, the preparation for the next set of exams, and study again for an exam which they had already prepared. The focus from other competitive exams, including the hundreds of entrance tests for admissions into colleges will be diluted. The entire schedule will be messed up, not only for the students but for the academic year in general. Had I been in this situation, I would have completely lost all hope. Taking a retest for a math paper is pure torture and truly the worst nightmare ever!

(pc: Livemint)

This is the first time I have personally seen such a massive failure in the CBSE system. The fact that not one but multiple papers were leaked via social media platforms reveals that there is a major problem within the organization and in its functioning. To be fair though, the CBSE is an overburdened board responsible for too many examinations. Nevertheless, it does not justify such a blunder.

The mole is within the organization and it should be removed before it causes further damage. The question is will CBSE honestly rectify this blunder and take all possible steps to prevent it from happening again or will it ignore the gravity of this situation and move on. The Delhi Police is investigating the matter and has interrogated many students and alleged ‘conspirators’, including a Delhi University Graduate, who is believed to be the main suspect. Of course, in no time the matter was politicized, and every party wanted to their share of media limelight. Only time will tell how seriously the matter is addressed by the government, the Delhi police and the CBSE.

The CBSE held a press conference to announce the dates of the re-tests. The press conference transpired and in the usual expected tone. The retest dates were announced but limited to certain areas only. The retest for Math paper is scheduled for July and only in Delhi and Haryana while the Economics paper will be pan-India, scheduled on April 25. Furthermore, there will be no tests for papers outside India. This is indeed intriguing. How is the board so sure that the papers did not go beyond the national boundaries? Is social media restricted to India or is it an attempt to prevent international criticism?

(pc: NDTV)

The organization was grilled by the media seeking answers and accountability; the Education Secretary Anil Swarup tried his best to defend the position of CBSE. Regarding the identification of the culprits, the CBSE read out the standard lines, ‘An inquiry committee has been set up, it will look into the matter and bla bla bla.’ Honestly whenever the words ‘inquiry’ or ‘committee’ is used in such matters, it’s fairly obvious that it means “We’ll show we have done everything we can do and continue to give news bytes till the news is forgotten and people get back to their lives or till a bigger news replaces it from the headlines.” Most measures taken principally cater to the media. There is a need for a serious reassessment and a complete overhaul in the functioning and security of the organization.

The question of finding the culprit raises another important issue. The real culprit should be identified, not some random person who is made a scapegoat, ‘bali ka bakra’ in the scenario. Stringent action should be taken against those who are playing with the future of millions of children who toil and work so hard for these exams.

Here’s my takeaway:

Exams are hard. They are tough. They completely drain you out. I’ve been there, done that. At that point in time, the sole focus is on giving the exams to the best of one’s abilities. Nothing is more important, nothing is visible but the end goal of performing well in the exams, of acing it. There is a lot of self-inflicted stress, expectations from family, friends and of course the teachers. Amid that madness, when such an incident transpires, one can imagine the instability and disorder it brings in the life of a student. The CBSE has failed its students. This incident will be a major blot on its efficiency, independence and credibility. Unless the board takes strict action against the offenders and appropriate measures to prevent future instances, the board may completely loose the faith and support of the public. It’s time to wake up and act. The stakes are indeed very high and there’s no scope for any more errors.

Let’s talk ‘nepotism’!

I’m not a prodigy of nepotism. I don’t have a godfather/godmother (why only godfathers, equality! And somehow thanks to the classic movie ‘The Godfather’, it has gained a negative connotation! While a godmother is an angel, a proud tag for a lady!) And so, I can talk about nepotism. I can question it and condemn it! (FYI, this is just a light hearted read, no offense to those who are fortunate to have one!)

Nepotism. A word which is in vogue. It’s everywhere. Made famous by the outspoken Kangana Ranaut, never really gave the word so much importance nor did I read about this one word so extensively. Branding the ‘star kid godfather’ Mr. Johar as being the brand ambassador of nepotism in his own show, Ms. Ranaut got the whole world talking about it. I know this is little late, nonetheless this is an interesting subject.

Kangana KJo battle! (pc. The Indian Express)

Now first let’s get to the basics. What is nepotism. How is it defined. The Oxford Dictionary defines it as, “The practice among those with power or influence of favouring relatives or friends, especially by giving them jobs.“ The origin being
Mid 17th century: from French népotisme, from Italian nepotismo, from nipote ‘nephew’ (with reference to privileges bestowed on the ‘nephews’ of popes, who were in many cases their illegitimate sons).

Now, if this is the definition of the term, I guess nepotism is as rampant as corruption. The powerful and influential always use their status to get what they want. That’s so obvious. The whole idea of being powerful and influential is to exploit that for one’s own advantage. We aren’t living in some moralistic world with values. This is the brutal cut throat, dog-eat-dog world.

I’ve personally witnessed it. I’ve seen nepotism around me. I’ve been where Kangana Ranau has, and I feel the pain!! But that’s how things work in the real world. There’s no denying that influence and power can always help.

Sure, this happens in all fields. It’s not just the big bad world of bollywood. Star kids surely have it easily. They get the big break with a big film and a big production house. Everything is set for them from the beginning for their glorious start in the industry. That does make it difficult for those without any such connections. It makes their struggle far more difficult and challenging.

(Pc: https://www.papermasters.com/nepotism.html)

My family is one mixed bag, parents both are medical specialists, physicians; eldest sister is a microbiologist; the other is a management executive and me a lawyer. There’s no help, no connection in the field. I am finding my own path, paving my own way to find where I belong. Now would it hurt if I had someone assisting me, showing me the way, and perhaps even helping me land my dream job? Surely not. I mean one will be clearly lying if they say no to it, especially in the present times when there is such a dearth of jobs. If one doesn’t opt for that kind of help, they are just too holy for this world! Holier than thou!

I’ve seen examples of people pushing their children to choose careers paths not of their liking, choosing paths that do not define who they are, all because the parent wants him/her to continue their professions. Essentially because they believe that they can guarantee success or atleast a great start for the prodigy. Unfortunately that is rarely so. In most cases, it ends in a colossal failure.

Irrespective of the scenario, there’s one undeniable truth. At the end of the day, it is simply the talent, effort and hard work that will ensure that one continues to shine in their area of work. The entry might be easy, one might get all the information that is possibly available which may aid in navigating the complexities of work life but unless there’s true talent and a commitment to work, nobody can survive in this world. Merely having power or influence cannot get one ahead in life, except of course in politics! Careers which require merit, that merit, and not the influence or power will ultimately be the deciding factor. That very merit will dictate how far one can go in life. As far as nepotism is concerned, it’s there, it’s not going to vanish. We might as well make peace with it!

Nepotism or not, just keep working, keep struggling and remain focused. One day or the other, you are bound to reach your goal.

Cheers!

-Saif Rasul Khan

The Oscars and the ideals of inclusivity

The fantasy sci-fi (the exact genre being debatable) ‘The Shape of Water’ reined supreme at the recently concluded Oscars 2018. The fantasy romantic movie of a mute lady and a ‘fish-man’, directed by the Mexican Guillermo del Toro received the Best Picture including a nod for the director, in addition to other awards as well.

The Shape of Water

This year the tone of the ceremony was set at the very beginning by Jimmy Kimmel in his opening monologue. Metoo, Times up, Never again, diversity and inclusivity everything was discussed. Even Donald Trump and Mike Pence featured in it, which was not really that surprising. Mr. Trump is quite the ‘bakra’ for the Hollywood stars and he perhaps deserves them too.

“I hope you will listen to many brave and outspoken supporters of movements like “Me Too” and “Time’s Up” and “Never Again,” because what they’re doing is important. Things are changing for the better. They’re making sure of that. It is positive change.”

This year’s Oscars was quite unique. The nominations were more inclusive, movies that really spoke of important issues, of themes which are largely discussed around the world received appreciation and acknowledgement by the Academy. Racism, feminism, ageism, the freedom of press, LGBTQ issues, everything featured in the celebration of 90 years of the Oscars. Even the presenters made a point to express their viewpoints to further the conversation. Kumel and Lupita spoke on immigration, the fact that there was only one female director in the midst of all male directors was stressed by Emma Stone. These minute things go a long way in ensuring a change in the conversation, to truly appreciate those who deserve it.

The main acting awards went to the predictable ones, and so did the technical awards which primarily went to Dunkirk, the amazing story of the miracle rescue helmet by Christopher Nolan.

The gay love story, ‘Call me by your name’ and the horror movie ‘Get Out’ which dwelled on racial discrimination were awarded for screenplay, adapted and orginal; a reflection of the relevance and appreciation of these themes in our society. The best picture, ‘The Shape of Water’ however, received conflicting views; while some loved the movie and others not so much. I personally am in the latter though yes, the movie did tick the major themes and was beautifully presented and the performance by Sally Hawkins was simply sublime. Nevertheless, a love story of a fish man is a wee bit difficult to digest!

As Jimmy Kimmel rightly said so,

“The most nominated movie tonight, a film that’s up for 13 Oscars, is “The Shape of Water,” written and directed by Guillermo del Toro, a wonderful man. Congratulations, I’m very happy for Guillermo. You made a beautiful movie and thanks to Guillermo, we will always remember this year as the year men screwed up so badly, women started dating fish.”

Perhaps the biggest disappointment was the lack of any awards for ‘Lady Bird’ . Though the movie has received critical acclaim and love from the masses, the movie failed to receive any award in the ceremony, even though it had multiple nominations. So was the fate of ‘The Post’ . ‘The Post’ which features the extremely talented Meryl Streep was mired in controversy over her relations and equation with Harvey Weinstein and her initial silence which was misconstrued as support for the defamed producer.

So here’s my takeaway from this year’s Oscars:

“The celebration, though long, was an entertaining one. The broader question is will these changes in behaviour and outlook make any difference in the real world. The fact that such movies have been selected and recognized is a reflection of the times. The world needs to change, move away from the myopic view and appreciate and accept the changes and the truth of the world. The Oscars is a celebration of movie making, the world of cinema. The fact that such new and novel movies are made and appreciated by the audience worldwide reflects that change is happening but perhaps at a very slow pace and in a scattered manner. There is more acceptance for real grounded stories, reflective of the true struggles of the society. Ten years ago, perhaps a ‘Call me by your name’ would not have featured in the nominations for best picture, or a Jordan Peele may have lost out on any nomination, let alone a win. A Greta Gerwig would have struggled to find a place in the all male dominated directors group. These are positive changes and the momentum has to be maintained. It should not merely remain a one time incident but must foster radical change in the perception and understanding of the human mind and soul. Movies are a reflection of our lives, culture and ethics. The more we are diverse and inclusive, the better beings we will be. Inclusivity of all kinds is needed, be it sex or gender, religion, color or sexual orientation.

– Saif Rasul Khan

THE SAVAGES IN BETWEEN US: BECAUSE EXPLOITING COMES NATURALLY

URL Courtesy: http://www.arkive.org/lappet-faced-vulture/torgos-tracheliotos/image-G20903.html

A revelation of experience has much to offer, not only it states a phenomenon but also expresses a deep emotional touch. One of such experiences is that of an ordinary Indian faculty, a person so passionate to teach but meddled with worldly stupidity. The great thing about Indian education system, more specifically that of the private institution is to earn a big profit, whereas principles and ideas take a backseat in this ride of misery. Imagine a youthful person filled with exorbitant energy to do something good, change people mindset and contribute to this society, thousands of people with this aspiration join the field of teaching only to realize that only few can get into a good government settled job, the rest have to settle with private institutions.

And believe me it is not a lush garden with a Jacuzzi on, it’s an afternoon walk in the middle of the Thar Desert. Hear me clear fully, these private universities know that for a young faculty getting a job in government institute is next to impossible unless the person has serious links in the ministry. So they very well know that this young faculty is at their mercy for job, because a young faculty won’t be hired any other university unless he has an experience of a year, and the hiring University is well acquainted with this fact so it makes sure it pays half of what the government pays but skew every bit of energy from this faculty possible, treat him like a third grade slave, who in spite of having all the qualification has to suffer this unwanted, undeserved ordeal. The cherry on the cake is the office politics if some minute dignity is left after you have been harassed by these scavenging vultures rest assure the rest will be stripped down by the office politics. I can’t help but remember the famous quote by Oscar Wilde ‘We all live in the gutter but some of us look towards star’. Well, I truly believe that star was a shooting star with its end came to an end all of my principles, enthusiasm and aspiration, all that I am left with is enduring friends.

 

• Ashit Kumar Srivastava (AKS)

All hail the woman!

The strength of a woman! It’s the intangible, powerful and earth shattering superpower that women are endowed with, something that literally moves the world. I’ve been surrounded by such women throughout my life. This is a short piece on these wonderful women who have carved my personality and made me who I am today.

This blog is not the usual lecture on issues of our world or on human rights and definitely not a sermon about feminism. I’m a proud feminist. I believe and have always been around women who are strong, decisive, and truly inspiring. I am writing this piece not as the obligatory ‘Happy Women’s Day’ blog but as a thank you to all the amazing women who have been a part of my life. Read it. Thank the ones who’ve been there for you. They deserve our respect and appreciation.

This is a light hearted piece on the various kinds of women I have encountered. I’m sure each one of you have come across different types of women. They are unique in their own ways but one thing that binds them is that they are simply amazing! Well most of them are, there are always some exceptions.

The first type I came across was when I was born, the head of the royal family, my mother, my Amma. She’s the all towering, no-nonsense, I’ll get the work done type of lady. When she decides to do something, it will happen, it’s will materialize and there is no questioning that. A truly inspiring personality, headstrong and an achiever, my mother is the perfect example of the kind of lady who has a great sense of the practical world; is always doing something and is invariably always right.

Then there are the adorable siblings, particularly the elder sisters. I have two so I have adequate experience in that. They are the best and the most helpful ones. Anything I want, I can simply tell them and it’s done. They form a bond which is so strong and it’s the best scenario for a younger brother.! I’ve been blessed to have such amazing sisters who have set the bar so high that I simply feel inadequate. They are achievers, managing work and home with ease and are simply the best examples of what is truly the essence of a woman.

Then there’s the perfect (girl) friends. They are your go-to person, the girls who have been there for you through thick and thin and who, the rumor mongers say have ‘friendzoned’ you. I still wonder why people find it hard to believe that a guy and a girl can’t be the best of friends. I think Karan Johar and his brand of ‘pyaar dosti hai’ has ruined the reality of it. These type of friends are the best. You can say everything and anything, they understand you, help you check out other girls, introduce you to prospective ones, and hold you close when you fall. I’ve been lucky to have so many such amazing friends throughout my life.

The wonderful, brilliant and inspiring teachers, professors, gurus, guides. They are your guiding force, they help you navigate college, school whatever it is to help you rise and shine. They are selfless, ever-welcoming and with a warm motherly touch. I’ve been blessed to have so many such wonderful gurus throughout my schooling and college life. These women have inspired me each day, set an example for me to follow and have made me a better human being.

So whatever be the kind of woman, there’s no denying that women truly run the world. In the midst of all the discrimination, violence, harassment, women continue to break barriers and shatter all limitations. They are achievers and given the opportunity, they can do wonders. I’ve been lucky to have the opportunity to interact and be with such amazing and inspiring women. We must all encourage them, give them the space to make a mark in this world. The world needs to be shared equally. The world will be so much better when there’s equal space. I’ve seen it up close and personal.

Rightly said! (pc: The daily quote)

So here’s wishing all a very Happy Women’s Day and let’s make each day a celebration of both the sexes, of humanity above all.

-Saif Rasul Khan

Papon, morality and controversy

How does one define morality? What are the boundaries and dimensions of it? Why is morality unequally applied in the world? The term is defined in a regular dictionary as “principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong or good and bad behaviour.“ Instead of clarifying the concept, the meaning raises more questions. What is right, what is wrong? Who decides these concepts?

Morality is such a subjective matter. It changes with time, with generations, with development. There can never be one universally accepted definition. However, there are certain principles, habits, ethics which are largely accepted as the fundamentals of morality in any given society. These need to be studied, discussed and inculcated in every human being.

Papon, a well renowned and much respected singer is embroiled in controversy following a video which was posted in social media in which he is seen kissing a minor girl, a participant in a show which he judges. The video spread like wild fire and judgments were passed, declaring him to be guilty of an abhorrent act on a minor child who he mentors. An advocate by the name of Runa Bhuyan filed the complaint under various acts for sexual abuse against a minor.

The issue has two clear propositions. One, that the act was intentional, demeaning and depictive of sexual abuse by a man in power at that stage. The other being that it was an innocent reflection of affection of the singer towards his prodigy and a case of bad timing and ill luck.

The singer has defended his act with a long post in social media describing his innocence and genuine affection and calling it a bad play of angles, time and misjudged action.

“Anyone who knows me would be aware that I am an extremely affectionate and expressive person.

However, this is not to say that I havent made a mistake. I might have done it spontaneously but in todays environment, to touch a girl child, however innocent your thoughts are, is not advisable. I am sorry for that. Please do accuse me of being naïve and stupid even but please do not call me all those disgusting names. “

Surprisingly, the parents of the minor have come forth in support of the singer and have questioned the relevance of the controversy.

“What you saw in the video is not intentional. It was just a moment of affection that is being portrayed otherwise. I would request and urge the media to not pursue this further”

The facts being such, the larger question that comes forth is of morality and the impact of social media in this world. This is a case of a minor who perhaps could not deflect the attention that Papon extended to her. Was it something akin to the entire Harvey Weinstein controversy? Did he misuse his position and coerce the girl? If that’s so, then why did the parents come out defending the singer rather than safeguarding their own daughter. Was there some sort of influence or pressure? These are some questions that demand answers. Or was it a simple mistake or accident which has been blow out of proportion by the advocate, who perhaps has her own vested interests as well. A controversy which, due to its viral nature and outburst, might end up destroying the lives of everyone involved in this, and make things worse for the minor.

There’s no point taking sides in this entire controversy. This was never one, if one reviews the attitude of the parents. The entire issues seems to have been sorted out between the parties. The law will take its course and the singer has been condemned for his unnecessary act. Anyhow, what he said is apt. Men should maintain a distance today. Any act, even if done with an innocent thought, might end up ruining one’s life. There are differences in which morality is applied in life. There wouldn’t be a controversy if it had been a female singer and a minor boy; this would have been called ‘cute’ or ‘adorable’.

It is true that the precedents set by men in power do not reflect the average guy in this world. However, at the same time it is not just about the men in power. With the rising cases of rape and harassment in India, there is surely a need to revisit how men are raised in this country. This incident is just one of the many that happens on a daily basis and surely will be another soon enough of a more abhorrent nature, which will reflect the overbearing masculinity and deplorable patriarchy.

Basic morality and moral sciences are eroding with each passing generation. There is little done, within families or in formal institutions to inculcate basic ideals of morality and ethics. It’s perhaps time to go back to the basics, the days when we were taught moral sciences as a formal subject. Such training will go a long way in ensuring that the arrogance and entitlement is minimized to make better citizens in this world. There is a need to develop an equal society but perhaps for now, that remains an utopian dream!

– Saif Rasul Khan