June 2015 by james paul

FROM EDITOR’S DESK

MAGAZINE ON EDUCATION

Propaganda through education?

VOLUME 03 | ISSUE 01 | JUNE 2015

Editor James Paul

Politicisation of education has been a common practice across the globe for centuries, irrespective of the colour of flags. Propagating ideology through text books with political intention by rules is not new. The process of politicising India’s education system began much before our freedom struggle. It continues till today through various political parties and its leaders.

Associate Editor Dr. Prasant Palackappilly CMI

An unbiased evaluation of the education initiatives so far by Narandra Modi government, which celebrated its first year in the office on 26th May 2015, also emphasizes the same.

Managing Editor Dr. Varghese Panthalookaran CMI

Columns K. L. Mohanavarma Dr. K. N. Raghavan Prof. K. Aravindakshan M. N. Karassery

Marketing Manager Varghese Kachappilly CMI Design Sajo Joseph

Contact: Rajagiri Media, Rajagiri Valley P.O, Kakkanad, Kochi-39. Phone : 0484 2973979 Mob : +91 9497711010 E-Mail : editor@rajagirimedia.com Web : www.pallikkutam.com

Eminent educationist and social activist Prof. K. Aravindakshan rightly points out in the cover story that reshuffle of personalities holding position of power right from the National Advisory Council, to the National Book Trust to the Indian Council of Historical Research, the NCERT, the UGC and so on reveals government’s motive of politicisation. While Aruna Roy and Jean Drize have been shown their door from the NAC, the eminent novelist Sethu has been removed from the Chairmanship of the NBT, whereas the ICHR is headed by Dr. Sudershan Rao from Akhil Bharatiya Ithihas Sankalam Yojana, affiliated to the Sangh Parivar who comes in the place of the world renowned historian Sabya Sachi Bhattacharya. Shortly after this change came into effect, the Advisory Committee of the Prestigious ICHR Journal, “Indian Historical Review” comprising of internationally acclaimed scholars like Romila Thapar, Santhosh Chandran, Irfan Habib, Muzafar Alam and 17 others was disbanded. The new ICHR Chairman, Prof. Rao has directed the focus of historical study to the Vedic Age, which of course, has its own importance. But, such a study has to be subject to rigorous tools of historical analysis and verification so that it shall have real education value. Apart from politicisation, negligence of the education sector is also alarming. Kothari Commission recommended that at least 5% of the GDP shall have to be earmarked for the development of education sector, but till today it remains around 3% of GDP. The budgetary allocation for higher education in the Union Budget for 2015-16 was against the plan allocation of Rs.16,900 crores, the revised figure has been kept at Rs.13,000 crores. The overall budget allocation for education sector in 2015-16 is down Rs.82,771 crores to Rs.64,074 crores. The allocation for the Rastriya Uchhhathar Siksha Abhiyan (RUSA), a Centrally sponsored scheme launched in 2013 by the UPA Government meant to provide selective strategic support to eligible State schemes has been drastically cost from Rs.2,200 crores to just Rs.397 crores. We should juxtapose the fact that India has not yet produced a world class University as per the global rating, to get a clear picture of the pathetic education scenario of our country. Our cover story is about ‘politicisation of education’ and its impact on the secular society. Read on the reflections of experts.

CONTENTS GUEST COLUMN 54

CO VER ST OR Y COVER STOR ORY

20 Politicisation of education Is Indian education politicised? What is the impact of politicisation of education? How ruling parties propagate their ideologies through curriculum and text books? Observations from a panel of educationalists...

of 22 Politicisation education:

of 30 Importance learning religion

real or imaginary? Prof. K. Aravindakshan

M. N. Karassery

Politicisation of education is more real than imaginary, to say the least.

Giving priority to one religion and teaching their holy book with an intention of implanting ideology with political motives should be opposed.

and education: intrusion in 26 Politics 31 Political complementary or education contradictory? Anil Varma R

R. Krishnan Nair

Politics cannot be kept apart from the educational system as politics as well as education system are and mutually reinforce each other.

Man is a political animal, said Aristotle. There cannot be any area of human activity where in the influence of politics can be avioded.

JUNE 2015 PEDAGOGY

Demanding adults: possible causes of learned helplessness Jose KC

VIEW POINT

Offering Indian tradition to the world

REGULARS NEWS................................. 06 INSIGHTS.......................... 08 INFO TECH........................ 46

James Paul

HEALTH MONITOR

EXPERT COUNSEL PERSONAL

A case of speech arrest…

INNO VATIONS ................... 58 INNOV TIONS...................

Dr. Jagath lal Gangadharan

RAINBO W.......................... 65 RAINBOW

What is in an Attire?

I’m not lazy, but I postpone....

Dr. K.N. Raghavan

Sajit Malliyoor

STORIES OF LIFE

Victims of destructive family systems Dr. Jose Cletus Plackal

CREATIVE LIVING

SUBSCRIBE NOW TURN TO P AGE 63 PA

Bolts from blue and random stimuli Dr. Varghese Panthalookaran

POLICY WATCH

Who should decide what to learn and How? D. Dhanuraj Rahul V Kumar

GUEST COLUMN

Schooling and education K. L. Mohana Varma

ASPECTS

The story of Usasti Cakrayana Dr. Augustine Thottakara

REFLECTIONS

Im-possible? Jose Panthaplamthottiyil

For online subscription, log on to www.pallikkutam.com

NEWS

21 fake Universities in UGC lists

s per information available with the University Grants Commission (UGC), there are 21 Fake Universities which have been listed in the UGC list of Fake Universities and are functioning in contravention or violation of the UGC Act, 1956 in different parts of the country. The lists of Fake Universities/ unrecognized institutions are available on the UGC website www.ugc.ac.in. According to the UGC, some institutions are offering Undergraduate/ Postgraduate degrees in various subjects which are not established under either Central/ State or UGC Act and hence these Fake Universities do not have right to confer/grant any degree. As per the information received from the UGC, some of the actions taken by UGC against these Fake Universities are as follows: (i) For the awareness of general public/students/parents, the UGC puts up the list of fake institutions on its website. All self-styled

unrecognized and unapproved institutions are cautioned that running of Undergraduate and Postgraduate degree courses and giving misleading advertisements shall attract severe action under the provisions of appropriate laws including the UGC Act and the Indian Penal Code, etc. (ii) Cases have also been filed in various courts by UGC against fake universities/ institutions. (iii) The UGC in the interest of general public/ students defends the cases in the court. Action relating to closing down the fake institution is to be taken by the concerned state government and local authorities. (iv) The UGC has also written to the Vice Chancellor/ Director/ In charge of the 21 fake universities to close the down the fake institutions immediately. (v) Reminder letters to the State/UT Principal Secretaries/Education Secretaries have been issued to take the appropriate action against the Fake Universities located in their jurisdiction.

President asks Indian, Russian institutions to broaden engagement

he President of India, Pranab Mukherjee has said that he is happy to be amidst a group of academicians representing some of the best educational institutions in India and Russia. In the present-day knowledge societies, where innovation is at the core of growth, progress and prosperity, educational and research institutions play a critical role. Each of your institutions is a key participant in the national development of India and Russia. He said that, Russia’s educational

institutions have a great legacy of accomplishment. As far back as 1930, during his visit to the Soviet Union, Rabindranath Tagore had described your universities as “miracles in the realm of education”. It is this educational system that has led to Russia’s enviable success as a nation of learning. It has enabled Russia’s technological achievements in areas such as material sciences, aerospace, nuclear science, petrochemicals, mining and heavy engineering.

IIT Bombay, the best technical institute

he Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay has emerged as the best technical institute in India and one among the top 100 worldwide according to subject-wise ranking by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), a leading world university ranking agency. The University of Delhi (DU) topped the 20 leading Indian varsities which featured in the ranking list, bagging the 17th position in the world for its performance in Development Studies, as per QS University World Rankings

by Subject. Nine Indian institutions are listed in the top 100 within nine disciplines, a statement issued by the agency said. “Indian universities display increased international competitiveness in the top 100 with a stronger presence across the subjects,” it said. According to the ranking list, IIT Bombay is the most prevalent Indian institute, appearing in the top 100 for eight subjects Statistics and Operational Research; Material Science; Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering; Electrical and Electronic Engineering; Civil and Structural Engineering; Chemical Engineering; Computer Science and Information System; Art and Design. “IIT Delhi appears in the top 100 for Civil and Structural Engineering, Electrical & Electronic Engineering, Mechanical Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering and Computer Science and Information System,” the statement said.

Pallikkutam | June 2015

NEWS

Centre of Excellence for Adolescents and Youth launched

he Centre of Excellence for Adolescents and Youth, an initiative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), was recently launched by Rajiv Pratap Rudy, minister for skill development and entrepreneurship. The centre is an on-ground and online solution for fulfilling the needs of young people aged 10-24. It aims to improve the availability of knowledge and services for young people. On the reason behind this initiative, Frederika Meijer, UNFPA representative India and country director, Bhutan, said, “India is home to the largest youth population in the world offering a historic opportunity to invest in and enable the `youth bulge’ to become the driver of inclusive and sustainable development.The centre will focus on meeting the needs of young people, by providing them a platform to find information and services to fulfil their health, educa-

comprehensive online database on young people, which will offer them a platform to express their voice.It will provide policymakers data on adolescents and youth so they can develop and strengthen youthcentric policies.

Students opting for German in KVs drop by half after row

he HRD ministry’s decision to discontinue German as a third language in Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs) seems to have had an inadvertent, if not an adverse impact,

Students choosing science in HSE up by 30%

he number of HSE students in the science stream has jumped by 30% in the state from 2011 to 2015, followed by commerce (22%). In the Mumbai region, which includes Thane and Raigad, the rise in science students is 29.5%. HSE student numbers are an indication of the streams opted for in junior college. “Science continues to remain a popular choice among students as it keeps all options open for choosing a career path,” said Anil Deshmukh, professor, Sathaye College, Vile Parle. Mumbai has over half the state’s commerce students. “Being the financial capital of the country, the popularity of the commerce stream is extremely high in Mumbai. A commerce degree also means a job soon after graduation,” said Madhu Nair, dean of commerce, Mumbai University. At the varsity, almost 50% of students are enrolled in commerce.

on the overall teaching of the foreign language in these state-run schools. KV’s enrolment figures for the new academic year show that number of students opting for German as a hobby (read optional) subject has dropped 52 per cent. This year, 11,225 students of Classes VI, VI & VIII from just 89 KVs have enrolled to learn German, against 23,256 students across 459 schools last year when the language row erupted.

In both streams, there is also a great demand for the bifocal option, say experts. “The bifocal option allows students to pick subjects that are more scoring than languages,” said Jyoti Thakur, executive coordinator, Jai Hind College, Churchgate. Colleges are beginning to offer bifocal options in the arts stream as well.

While the number of students opting for arts in the state has dropped by 2.5% from 2011 to 2015, the stream has Last year, the HRD ministry had gained popularity in the Mumbai replaced German with Sanskrit as the third language mid-session in the state- region, where numbers increased from around 40,000 to 49,000. “The tion and skill development needs. It run KVs, triggering a minor diplomatic humanities do not prepare you for a will connect the government and other standoff when German Chancellor particular profession, but for life in service providers, including the Angela Merkel took the issue up with general and are the building blocks for private sector with young people. This Prime Minister Narendra Modi. any career. Sooner or later, people will will, in turn, provide opportunities to The decision was justified on the realize this,” said Marie Fernandes, fuel innovation for the youth.” ground that a foreign language cannot principal, St Andrew’s College, Research and development, a youth be taught as a third language subject in Bandra. portal and a virtual marketplace schools as it violated the threeMinimum competency vocational through which it will assist youth in language formula enshrined in the different aspects of growth, will be the national education policy. The ministry, courses (MCVC), which offer skillbased learning, has seen a rise of three highlights of the centre. The however, assured the Supreme Court youth portal, that KVs will continue teaching German about 7.4% in the state. http:www.youthinfoindia.org, will be a as an additional or optional subject.

Pallikkutam | June 2015

INSIGHTS

We think better on our feet

How to choose the right educational app?

pple app store is already filled with over 80,000 apps marketed as “educational”. Parents are led to believe that these apps provide real learning opportunities for their kids. But scientific research suggests that many of the apps are nothing more than digital candy. In a comprehensive report, researchers from the Penn State University and the University of Delaware provide parents, educators, and app designers with an evidence-based guide to evaluate apps for real educational benefits. The results are published in Psychological Science.

study from the Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Public Health finds that students with standing desks are more attentive than their seated counterparts. The preliminary results show 12 percent greater on-task

engagement in classrooms with standing desks, which equates to an extra seven minutes per hour of engaged instruction time. Standing desks – also known as stand-biased desks – are raised desks that have stools nearby, enabling students to sit or stand during class at their discretion. Ergonomic engineers are interested in the desks as a means to reduce childhood obesity and relieve stress on spinal structures that may occur with traditional desks. Now the lessons learned from the research has led to creation of Stand2Learn™, an offshoot company of a faculty-led startup that manufactures a classroom version of the stand-biased desk. Previous studies have shown that the standing desks can help reduce obesity - with students at standing desks burning 15 percent more calories than students at traditional desks (25 percent for obese children) and there was anecdotal evidence that the desks also increased engagement. The latest study was the first designed specifically to look at the impact of classroom engagement. The key take-away from this research is that schools that put standing desks in classrooms may be able to address two problems at the same time: academic performance and childhood obesity.

According to the report, parents and educators are advised to:

♦ Avoid apps that keep children’s attention through passive activities, like repetitive swiping. Instead, look for apps that require real mental

effort and depend on the child’s active participation.

♦ Avoid apps that feature a lot of distracting “bells and whistles.” Instead, look for apps that support sustained engagement with the task at hand.

♦ Avoid apps that present children with knowledge in a vacuum. Instead, look for apps that help children make meaningful connections between new

information and what they already know.

♦ Avoid apps that don’t involve the most powerful learning resource we have – other humans. Instead, look for apps that encourage social interaction via discussion, competition, or conversation. ♦ Avoid apps that tell your child what to know. Instead, look for apps that use guided exploration to help your child discover new information on their own terms. This guideline empowers parents to make educated decisions about what is actually educational.

Use of self-grown vegetable promotes among kids

f kids grow vegetables, they’re more likely to eat them. When garden-grown vegetables were put into school salads, kids were over four times as likely to opt a salad. The study, conducted by Cornell University, is published in the journal Acta Paediatrica. The study measured the change in vegetable selection and plate waste when school-grown salad greens were incorporated in the cafeteria school lunch. The researchers measured the selections and plate waste of a total of 370 enrolled high school students over three separate days. When the salad bar contained produce grown by students, the percentage of those who selected salads with their meals increased from 2% to 10% and on average, students ate two-thirds of their salads. Unfortunately, in addition to increased salad selection, the amount of plate waste also increased. Overall salad consumption for the entire student body increased from approximately 5 to 12 servings per day. This study implies the larger potential benefits of the school garden programs. The first hurdle in increasing vegetable consumption is simply getting kids to put them on their plate.

Pallikkutam | June 2015

INSIGHTS

Stick more efficient than carrot

hen it comes to rewards and punishments, which is more effective – the carrot or the stick? A simple experiment devised at Washington University in St. Louis suggests that punishments are more likely to influence behavior than rewards. The results are available online in the journal Cognition. The study found that losses – or punishments – had a measured impact two to three times greater than gains – or rewards. When a student was rewarded, he or she tended to repeat the mistake. And that tendency grew stronger as the award increased. When a student was punished, he or she strongly avoided the mistake. However, unlike the response to a reward, no matter how large a sum was lost, the students showed a strong and consistent tendency to avoid the previous mistake. Past studies that focused on the effects of rewards and punishments on behavior have been complex, and it

has been difficult to separately evaluate the distinct effects of rewards and punishments. In this study the researchers were able to more easily pinpoint the effect of a reward or punishment on the subsequent behavior. The researchers plan to look at how behavioral changes in response to rewards and punishments are encoded in the brain next.

Pallikkutam | June 2015

Best US teachers take creative risks U.S. educational policy emphasizes high-stakes testing and scripted lessons, the best teachers in the business are taking creative risks – often drawing from their own interests and hobbies – to help students learn, new research finds. Examining the

and music across varied academic content.

♦ Teacher education programs and professional development courses should include a focus on real world, cross-disciplinary lesson plans.

♦ Administrators and policymakers should support opportunities for teachers to take creative and intellectual risks in their work.

Foundational insights: digital higher education

classroom practices of National Teacher of the Year winners and finalists, the study, by Michigan State University scholars, suggests successful educators aren’t afraid to push the boundaries by incorporating real world, cross-disciplinary themes into their lessons. The best teachers are taking their own creative interests from rap music to cooking to kickboxing - and are finding ways to incorporate these into the curriculum. They’re bringing together different subject matters and finding areas of connections so students can learn both in interesting ways. The study is published online in the journal Teachers College Record. America’s test-driven educational policy has “impeded creativity in teaching and learning.” Many teachers struggle to balance high-stakes testing and accountability with the ability to act flexibly, independently and creatively in their classrooms. There’s a lot of fear. And when teachers are teaching in fear, they take few risks. The study makes the following recommendations:

♦ Teachers’ unique creative interests should be incorporated into classroom lessons, along with the infusion of arts

new study urges universities of tomorrow to capitalize on technologies that effectively support student learning, to embrace blended learning environments, and to customize degree programs to serve the needs of students in a digital age. The international study, published on the LINK Research Lab website, also offers strategies for higher education institutions to prepare for the digital wave.

The study considers that the online learning is equally or more effective than in-person instruction. It examines the evolution of learning in digital spaces, including various approaches to credentialing and assessment beyond the traditional grading scale and diploma. Future technology structures are described as part of the tool set for the 21st century education. The study systematizes large amount of research available about the most effective learning and teaching approaches in a single document and offers practical sources of information for policy makers, university leaders, academics and researchers.

PEDAGOGY

Demanding adults: possible causes of learned helplessness PEDAGOGY

Jose KC

the sheer power of words – the power ittle Thomas Alva Edison’s we will have few cases of delinquency, mother misread out his teacher’s of positive reinforcement of a warm, withdrawal, student rebellion and less demanding mother. letter: “Your son is intelligent learned helplessness. Ms Nancy and studious.” In fact, the letter Edison had known more than little actually read, “Your son is addled and Thomas’s teacher that her son was unteachable.” But the great mother sort of ‘unteachable’. But then, was unlike the average parents, who ‘nothing succeeds would not only read like success.’ “Let my the letter as it was son taste success,” with relish but would she must have told Edison’s mother misread out his add fuel to the fire by herself. She was not teacher’s letter: scolding the child the type of adults – such that its selfIn fact, the letter actually like the average esteem meter would verbally harsh school read, dip fatally. teacher – too demanding with That little Edison unduly great soon became a great expectations of their inventor the world would not forget. kids’ academic achievements. Today, Later, he acknowledged: “My mother parents and teachers at large primarily was the making of me. She was so true, desiring their reputation, climb on the so sure of me, and I felt I had someone If our world is peopled with such warm little kids’ back, pressurising the little to live for, someone I must not dragon flies to lift big stones. That is adults, let me call them the Chenrezig disappoint.” That was the why the Indian poet, Kamala Surayya metamorphosis of the so-called addled personalities (after the name of the (2010) cried, “Get off their back.” Buddhist god of infinite-compassion), student into a creative genius. It was

“Your son is intelligent

and studious.” “Your son is addled and unteachable.”

Pallikkutam | June 2015

PEDAGOGY When adults are too demanding, The authoritarian adults cannot indulgent or generate among the indifferent, their students love for children develop, education, as “Parents who punish children for the acquire or learn a Bertrand Russell sense of (1895) says. “...they things they cannot do, without also helplessness, which tend to become praising them for things done well, is called learned sadistic helplessness (LH). disciplinarians, glad are likely to have children with LH “describes the to inspire terror, and maladaptive low self-esteem.” content to inspire passivity that results nothing else. As from believing that these men represent knowledge, the important, often negative events are pupil acquire a horror of knowledge, beyond a person’s control.” (McKean, which among the English upper-class, Joseph, 1994) is supposed to be part of human Causes of children’s learned helplessness 1. Highly expectant adults Three categories of adults – be it parents or teachers – thwart proper childhood development: highly expecting, highly indulgent and indifferent. McDevitt and Ormrod (2004) quotes Harter (1983) and says, “Parents who punish children for the things they cannot do, without also praising them for things done well, are likely to have children with low selfesteem.” Such demanding parents and teachers expect a class homogenous, with all the students performing equally well, without realising the bare fact that different kid-buds need different blooming periods. An unforgettable picture is that of Nandakishore Avasti in the Hindi movie “Taare Zameen par”, in which the little, 7-year old Avasti is unable to form distinct pictures of the English alphabets and numerals. The adults who count in his life, his parents and his teacher, simply disapproves of his inability, scolds him severely and transplant him in a remote boarding school. Luckily for him, a saviourteacher comes to the school and the child is redeemed into a highly talented student. But for this teacher, little Avasti would have been doomed, having to undergo Objective tests, AB-C-D-E grading, heavy home works, closed book examinations, teachers’ word grilling sessions upon failures and so on.

Pallikkutam | June 2015

nature, but is really part of the wellgrounded hatred of the authoritarian pedagogue.” Farah (2012) quotes Cazdin, 1985, “Authoritarian parents are demanding, controlling and highly directive with their children, and value unquestioning obedience and conformity from children. Being detached and less warm, they also discourage verbal give-and-take and favour punitive measures to control their children’s behaviour.” 2. Highly indulgent adults Equally detrimental to early child development are over-indulgent and over-protective adults, especially parents. Some parents in their concern for their “under-functioner” child overdo, for instance, its Home Work, washing clothes and so on, which the child in fact can do. Some parents “step into the kids’ box” and do things for them because (a) that is faster (b) the work done is neater and (c) people around ‘appreciate’ their kid. Such “over-functioner” parents are like the compassionate Biology student in the fable who helps the butterfly come out of its cocoon. The right step here is to let the butterfly do things on its own (under parents’ guidance). In the school, teachers often act like the “over-functioner” father in the above story in different scenarios. Two school practices that reflect

PEDAGOGY Do children learn a popular movie too many student assignments and song because they will be graded for grading them accordingly. Most of singing that song? them would like this time for the A. CA and A-B-C-D-E grading readiness for better lesson delivery. Another concern about the abolition The A-B-C-D-E grading is now Fifth, students are not assessed on a of grading is whether the high globally accepted often in conjunction level ground because some students achievers feel demoralized in no a no with CA (Continuous Assessment) and struggle to do their HWs, for example, grading set-up. This has not been other assessment tools. In the in disabling conditions at home. proved. On the other hand, the finding elementary levels at least, this grading is that the above-average students system be abolished for its inherent don’t feel bad so long as their merit is evils - it has been advised. First, recognized by the teacher, not grading categorizes students into high necessarily with grades but with, achievers and low achievers, ‘winners’ maybe, descriptive feedbacks. and losers’, thus B. Objective testing pulling down the majority’s self-esteem. In order to make “…this comparative Grading categorizes students into high grading easy and approach inevitably safe, schools use achievers and low achievers, ‘winners’ Objective tests, creates “winners” and “losers.” Children which test students’ and losers’, thus pulling down the who routinely find memory, not their themselves at the majority’s self-esteem. critical and evaluative bottom of the heap thinking. This is an must do some fancy undoing in education footwork to keep – the inability to promote critical their self-esteem intact.” (McDevitt, thinking, problem solving and decision Ormrod, 2004). “The obsession with making. No wonder, TV quiz ‘Good Grades’ can be a harmful programmes like ‘Koan Banega classroom disease, says Richard But, in the absence of assessment and Crorepati?’ have become so popular Reynolds, 1966, in ‘Los Angeles these days. grading, how do we know whether Sunday Times’. Second, grades are students study or not or teachers Dr. Glasser (1985) makes an interesting maintained by schools more for teach properly or not? This concern remark that students who can records than for assessing students has no ground. Students will answer facts like exact for what they are. One is reminded of love to learn anything that definitions etc. are bribed with the words of R. K. Narayan, whose they like and teachers teach Grade A for not questioning writings are prescribed in world best the content they facts. The episode in the universities, “Oh, but for this noble love. Hindi movie, ‘Three soul, I’d never have passed in Idiots’, where a student English.” He refers to a Scottish who gives the professor who taught him English definition of a and who never took assessments ‘machine’ exactly as seriously. in the text book is Third, grading indirectly credited by the promotes cheating in teacher whereas examinations. After another student’s interviewing 6000 own, original students and 600 correct answer is deans, a Columbia not accepted. University “Everything researcher found that is antithat 55% of educational, college students even cheat to obtain antihuman, is grades. Fourth, associated most teachers with never hate assessing indirectly over-indulgent teacher behavior are worth a consideration:

Pallikkutam | June 2015

PEDAGOGY taking a chance, never broadening exclusively an adult way of looking at Dr. Glasser (1985) asserts that among one’s outlook, never looking into the the variety of people he interacted with school (and also perhaps at life).” unknown.” He also comments that this Coined by Martin Seligman and Steve obsession with facts enabled us to Maier (1975), LH is a situation in which land a man on the moon much before the victim of an adversity or a problem finding a solution to learns that it has no social discrimination. control over it to Besides, while overcome it or solve responding to the The success of an adult is the success it. Such failures issue of, for example, and it leads to identity created in early childhood and repeat social discrimination, the conclusion of students should not the two main places this identity is helplessness and a be pestered with the sense of created are home and school. hierarchy of the ‘unbelongingness.’ writing process and According to the taxonomy of the Seligman, LH writing types. These produces three deficits: motivational, technical concerns normally confuse a emotional and cognitive. Confronted child and disorganize rather than with similar problems, say a problem in organize the free flow of thoughts. Algebra, the child procrastinates Jose in ‘Bhutan Observer’ (2010) talks solving the problem as it had already about a student’s learned helplessness lost motivation; the child feels low, in writing in a formal situation, who thinking, ‘Only some of my otherwise writes quite well. friends can solve it, not I’ 3. Indifferent adults (low self-esteem and high self contempt); A segment of the adult the child feels his population is indifferent thinking process is and unconcerned about switched off and the child’s growth. Such has no indifferent parents just concentration – provide food and cognitive deficit. shelter to their kids, starving them in their Conclusion emotional needs. The most Unconcerned teachers important just do their teacherly facilitator in the duties of delivering the learning of a young lesson and filling in clerkchild and later the like the various school success of an adult is forms punctually and the success identity politically correctly. Such a created in early childhood scenario is a casualty in ECCD. and the two main places Learned Helplessness and Low this identity is created are Self-esteem home and school. AND, the adults in these two places – The foregoing discussion on adults’ parents and teachers – need to be high expectation, indulgent adults and warm, compassionate and indifferent adults besides their ways of – adults, children, adolescents and unconditionally accepting, never enforcing their demands lead us to an mentally challenged children etc. – authoritarian and judgmental. A nonobvious conclusion – children in such though some adolescents and adults thinking school system, where only adults’ hands will suffer from a rated themselves to be failures, not a facts rule the Gradgrindian way (after condition called ‘learned helplessness’ single young child considered itself to Charles Dickens) and memory the and ‘low self-esteem’, which are big be failure. For, “…failure is almost yardstick of excellence, should hurdles on their way of success in life. undergo an overhauling.

Pallikkutam | June 2015

PEDAGOGY discrimination and physical Dr. Glasser (1985) narrates a telling impairment could contribute to their episode of children labeled misfits. resignation but were not the factor – Seven Caucasian girls in Portland, it was school failure. So Glasser says, Oregon, labeled juvenile delinquents “If school failure does not exist, other by parents or law, described in front handicaps can be easily overcome.” of a large crowd in unambiguous terms that they were Schools can become failures in school breeding grounds and so in life. They for the success find marriage as an identity if they stop “If school failure does not exist, escape, in which the grading system they are not other handicaps can be in the primary levels, confident they avoid the Objective easily overcome.” would succeed. tests, initiate Open They are resigned, Book exams, ban “lackadaisical or excessive home apathetic.” Dr works and teachers Glasser says they grow into Rogerian or Chenrezig had no classical trappings of failure – personalities. they are average or above average in 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 intelligence, some though from 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 The author is senior lecturer in 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 broken families still have one parent 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 English, College of Education, 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 who they think love them. Other 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 Samtse, Bhutan. 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 factors such as poverty, colour

Pallikkutam | June 2015

VIEW POINT

Interview: Sanskrit University VC

Offering Indian tradition to the world James Paul

Dr. M. C. Dileep Kumar

Pallikkutam | June 2015

Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit at Kalady, Ernakulam was established in 1993. The University has been incorporated for the promotion and development of the study of Sanskrit, Indology, Indian Philosophy and other Indian languages. Dr. M. C. Dileep Kumar, the Vice-Chancellor of the University is a teacherwith more than 30 years experience. He was the head Post Graduate and Research Department of Commerce at The Cochin College, Kochi and Research Guide at Mahatma Gandhi University and Bharathiyar University. Many books have been penned by him and he could present research papers in many National and International Seminars, in addition to many articles published in the periodicals and magazines. Above all, his contribution given to the activities of NSS was commendable and he was honoured by the State Government as the best Programme Officer of NSS. He explains his future plans in this exclusive interview with Pallikkutam.

VIEW POINT Why do you think it is necessary to learn Sanskrit in this digital age? What are your plans to make Sanskrit popular?

International School is the first step in this direction. We are conducting massive online courses in Sanskrit. There will be special residential courses for foreign students in the near future. We will offer them all kinds

to offer Indian tradition to the world. This project is in the preliminary stage. We have four Sanskrit departments in the University and eight centres in other parts of Kerala.

Sanskrit is a basic language. It is necessary to learn Sanskrit to understand the cultural heritage of Apart from Sanskrit, what are the India in the true sense. There was a other major departments? period in history, where Sanskrit was Research is the main the most important activity of the language in India. University with 23 Sanskrit lost its research significance as a It is very important to reinvent Sanskrit. departments. Our fine common manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s language in the It is now taught in almost 49 countries arts department is one among the best process of our across the globe. It has been gained in the country. We development. Later, it have produced many was considered as importance in Germany. well known artists the language of elite and theatre and used only in personalities. We temples. In other have full-fledged courses in words, it was denied to common man. performing arts, mural paintings and It is a refined language. It is very other divisions of fine arts. important to reinvent Sanskrit. It is now taught in almost 49 countries We are on the process of upgrading of support including international across the globe. It has been gained our fine arts department. There is a fine standard hostel facilities. We are here importance in Germany. arts consortium also. We got A grade in the NAAC accreditation in first India is slowly trying to regain the cycle itself. We have been allotted Rs. importance of Sanskrit as language. 20 crores for up-gradation by RUSA There are 13 Sanskrit Universities in and planning to construct a new India now. This is the only Sanskrit building for performing arts. University in the State. We are participating in educational meets and Our fee structure is very low and it other similar functions across world to attracted quality students. 40% of our make Sanskrit popular. students are from financially backward families. We offer best quality hostel We have introduced a novel venture to facilities to the research scholars. We learn Sanskrit from anywhere in the have one of the best library with world through online. The newly almost 45000 online books. inaugurated Sree Sankaracharya

Pallikkutam | June 2015

VIEW POINT What are your future plans? We are planning to have tie-ups with other universities, including exchange of teachers and students. We are in discussion with other Indian universities also for similar arrangement. New courses are also in the pipeline. Master of Fine Arts programme will begin from the next academic year itself. We are also planning new diploma coursers in Ayurveda and Journalism. We will be starting B.Arc. course at Kalady centre.

What is your opinion about academic autonomy?

helps a lot to improve our performance and smooth functioning. Do you think that Indian Education is at par with international standards? How can we improve? India is nowhere, comparing to the international education scenario. Our

position is very low in international grading. Our patency is just two per cent. India should adopt new methods of learning to improve. We need dedicated educationists to take India forward. Indian educationists are well accepted in other parts of the world. We should bring back our human resources to create an education ecosystem in the country. We should support all kinds of new initiatives in the academic sector.

How did technology affect the methods of teaching? How much of modern education technology would you adopt at Sree Sankaracharya University?

Academic Autonomy is a must to We are 10 years behinds to other ensure quality education. It will be countries in the field of technology. helpful for the teachers to prepare We were suspicious of adopting new syllabus, question papers, conducting technology in education. India has exams and publishing results on time. been looking towards West for all Autonomous structure will improve kinds of technological developments. the student-teacher relationship. This trend is slowly Teaches have some changing. We should prejudices and develop our own We have implemented full autonomy anxiety regarding systems and autonomy and that technology to system in the University and enjoy should be removed improve quality in all benefits of autonomy. It helps a through open education. I find discussions. technological lot to improve our performance Teachers should be revolution in taken into confidence and smooth functioning. educationas a in this regard. We positive trend. But have implemented full we should be careful autonomy system in the University about the use of technology. We need and enjoy all benefits of autonomy. It technology to accrue knowledge. Use it, but donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t misuse it.

Pallikkutam | June 2015

VIEW POINT We have made use of the technology in the University. Our massive online courses are the best example.

How can we assure quality education at affordable cost?

What is your observation about the role of a teacher in the digital era? Teaching was considered as a reputed profession till recently. Teachers were

become facilitators now. People opt for this profession with dedication earlier. Teaching is the last option for a student now a days. Their first choice is Medicine or Engineering. There is severe crunch of good teachers.

I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think that affordability is a big issue. To offer free What are the education in all levels essential qualities is not practical. But of a teacher education should be A good teacher should be dedicated for according to you? affordable. All deserving students He should know his his students and be able to create must be student well. He better citizens. accommodated. must be good friend Government has of the student. He initiated so many should understand projects in this field. the problems of the But private participation is also students and help them to grow in necessary to make education life. A good teacher should be affordable to all. Steps should be taken dedicated for his students and be to assure free education to all, at least considered role models of the society. able to create better citizens. up-to 12th standard. This concept has changed. Teachers

Pallikkutam | June 2015

Politicisation of education

Is Indian education politicised? What is the impact of politicisation of education? How ruling parties propagate their ideologies through curriculum and text books? Observations from a panel of educationalists...

COVER STORY

Politicisation of education: real or imaginary? Prof K. Aravindakshan

manner, should we teach our he Supreme Court of India, has Ravana and the “Flying Charriot”? If students? Should we teach them hardly, through its judgment, the answers to these questions are tried to play politics, much less about Mahaveer, the founder of positive, we may have to face a series Jainism and his ideological respond to contemporary political of other questions too. What about the constitutions? Should we teach our issues, even in a higher vein, while historical and religious significance of hearing matters brought before it. The Bhagwat Gita? What about the birth, Judges usually exercise extreme life and crucifixion of Jesus Christ and constraint and objectivity on such the Bible Stories? Why not we occasions. But there familiarise our have been rare younger generation instances, when they with the life and The Advisory Committee ICHR Journal, have been forced to teaching of make certain Mohammed the comprising internationally acclaimed spontaneous Prophet? scholars like Romila Thapar, Santhosh observations. In a Of course, we may recent instance, Chandran, Irfan Habib, Muzafar Alam sum up what is while hearing a relevant in this and 17 others was disbanded. petition concerning a context of finding public interest answers to these litigation seeking queries in the following manner is our recognition for Christian Courts set up response to them would primarily under the “Cannon Laws”, so that depend on our outlook, our attitude in decree regarding dissolution of this whether we would attach greater students about Gauthama Buddha and marriages granted by such courts value to what is right and what is the so-called “Jataka Tales”? Should could become valid and legally wrong or what is real and what is we not teach our students about the binding, Justice Vikramjit Sen made a mythical or what is relevant and what is “Kurukheshethra” war? Should we not significant observations on February not. While arriving at certain educate our children about king 10, 2015 that “India is a secular conclusions on the above core issues, country but I don’t know how long it we may not or shall not be influenced will remain so.” by narrow regions, regional, What should we teach national or even global the students? considerations. How or in Our decisions, what as far as

Pallikkutam | June 2015

COVER STORY possible, shall be objective rather than subjection and in tune with realities at the grass root level. But the tragic fact is that in the contemporary Indian situations, it is just the other way round. Most of us are prone to look at religion, mythology, history and soon with myopic eyes and prejudiced minds. Naturally, there is every change for confused thinking and wrong and misplaced decisions.

from the NAC, the eminent novelist Sethu has been removed from the Chairmanship of the NBT whereas the ICHR is headed by one Dr. Sudershan Rao from Akhil Bharatiya Ithihas Sankalam Yojana, affiliated to the Sangh Parivar who comes in the place of the world renowned historian Sabya

ICHR Chairman, Prof. Rao has directed the focus of study to the Vedic Age which of course, was its own importance. But, such a study has to be subject to rigorous tools of historical analysis and verification so that it shall have a real education value. But, what causes real concern to the discerning few, is that the express intent of the new focus is to establish a “golden age” and the superior antecedents of It is in this context Hinduism and that that we have to look too at the cost of back a bit to the days Nehru attached little credence to secularisation and when Pandit scientific outlook. mythology as the real content of history Jawaharlal Nehru was Look at what he the Prime Minister, since historical studies form an integral said in the course who placed greater of his speech at a part of our syllabi at any level focus on scientific recent outlook and of education. international technology oriented seminar, “Indian education rather on History is set with giving priority to a higher goal for which our sages religious or patriarchal considerations. delved deep into the remote past.” Nehru attached little credence to More interesting was the fact that mythology as the real content of Sachi Bhattacharya. Shortly after this even since its beginning the history since historical studies form an change came into effect, the Advisory prestigious ICHR Foundation Day integral part of our syllabi at any level Committee of the Prestigious ICHR lecture was delivered for the first of education. It is true, as generally timers this year believed, history by a nonis always written historian, one by the winners, David Frawley but not at all by whose Facebook winners of page described elections from him as a their subjective “western-born point of view. teacher or guru in However, ever the Vedic since Narendra Tradition”. Modi became There is little Prime Minister wonder that ICHR there has been a find itself as a thorough new predicament revision of just in the same priorities and way as Indian reshuffle of Science Congress personalities which had its holding position session in of power right Mumbai, a few from the months after the National regime change and which was Advisory Council, to the National Journal, “Indian Historical Review” inaugurated none other than by Prime Book Trust to the Indian Council of comprising internationally acclaimed Minister Narendra Modi himself. Historical Research, the NCERT, the scholars like Romila Thapar, Santhosh Almost all the papers presented at UGC and so on. While Aruna Roy and Chandran, Irfan Habib, Muzafar Alam Jean Drize have been shown their door and 17 others was disbanded. The new different sessions at the Congress had

Pallikkutam | June 2015

COVER STORY Hasthinapuram palace where obviously a CC TV had been installed! Hence, the inventor of TV was none other than Sanjaya. little to do with science. All of them sought to popularise ideas which had more to do with religion and superstitions than with a scientifically proven facts. Some of the ideas emanating from the so-called scientists of Sangh Parivar variety include the strange India that those who do not have children should domesticate and care for cows while “cloning” is claimed to have its origin ever since the days of Gandari when out of the flesh of a single still – born child one hundred Kauravas were born. Motor vehicles of modern days can be traced to the Rgvedic period known for Chariots without horses attached to pull them. That the television was invented in 1926 by a Scottish scientist John Byard has been confirmed beyond doubt but Sangh Parivar scientists do not agree. They claim that it was Sanjaya, a character in Mahabharatha who is credited with this invention. The blind old man Dhritharashtra was given a graphic and live description of the historic “Mahabharata Yudha” by Sanjaya at

Another interesting claim by Sangh Parivar scientists is that the first test tube baby was Dronacharya who was born not less than 7600 years back, whereas the best example for successful plastic

What is really surprising is that nearly five decades ago the Kothari Commission had recommended that at least 5% of the GDP shall have to be earmarked for education sector development even now it remains around 3% of GDP. The scant attention given to this aspect is neither politics nor economics but sheer nonsense what has really

There is enough space for political maneuvering by either side. With the result that, ‘ache din’ for education is still a far cry.

surgery can be traced to Lord Ganesh! It would appear strange but real that in 2004 when Narendra Modi was Chief Minister of Gujarat, the Social Studies Text Book for ninth standard had showered praise on Adolf Hitler as a true Nationalist and Socialist. However, the State Government was forced to delete this portion when a public interest litigation (PIL) filed against this reference by a Jesuit Priest Cedric Prakash was upheld by the Supreme Court despite the best efforts to wriggle past of the situation by the then Modi Government in Gujarat.

transpired in the course of fifty years is the change of status of the education sector from State subject to concurrent subject which means no change at all, except that it was given ample scope for

While going ahead with organized attempts through executive orders and administrative decisions to twist and misrepresent proven historical and scientific facts, the Modi government is bent upon denying right to creative writing and free and fair expression of views on various matters of public interest even if these are done in the most practical and democratic way. We may glance through the global rankings list of top 200 Universities prepared by “The Times Higher Education Supplement”, in which there is not a single Indian University. Is it not a shame? Of course, it is.

Pallikkutam | June 2015

COVER STORY shirking responsibility and shifting blame from the centre to the state of vice versa. In other words, there is enough space for political maneuvering by either side.With the result that, ‘ache din’ for education is still a far cry. Look at the budgetary allocation for higher education in the Union Budget for 2015-16. Against the plan allocation of Rs.16,900 crores, the revised

Abhiyan (RUSA), a Centrally sponsored scheme launched in 2013 by the UPA Government meant to provide selective strategic functioning for eligible State schemes has been drastically cost from Rs.2,200 crores to just Rs.397 crores, for reasons that remain anybody’s guess. Education, obviously, is sought to be

There need be hardly any doubt that under the dispensation of Narendra Modi Government the entire education system will find itself politicised, sooner than later. figure has been kept at Rs.13,000 crores. The overall budget allocation for education sector under Modi-Jaitley dispensation is down Rs.82,771 crores to Rs.64,074 crores. The allocation for the Rastriya Uchhhathar Siksha

Pallikkutam | June 2015

converted into an instrument to promote centralization of authority on the one hand and as a means to destroy autonomy, creativity and diversity which are salient features of Indian Society and Culture. These are the ideals held high, and win sacrosanct by a majority of Indian population. And our nations’ unity is maintained despite its diversity, because of preservation of these ideals. Any attempt to undermine or sabotage these ideals through the process of centralization, no doubt, smacks of politicisation. The move to promote a common syllabus at different levels of education is also a move in the same directions, especially when it is viewed against the clandestine attempts towards saffronisation. It is becoming obvious, after every passing day, that the Sangh Parivar is spearheading the agenda of Modi Government. This agenda embraces education, culture, creative writing, cinema, art, theatre, history, science and what not. The entire syllabi is sought to be revised in such a way that it reflects the ideas relating to mythology and religious taste. No, wonder Dinanath Batra, the Sangh

Parivar ideologue admitted quote openly, without mincing words that “political change has taken place now, that there should be a total revamp of education.” Naturally, various educational and cultural as well as research institutions, the central universities and so on had to be headed by persons owing allegiance to extreme Hindutva ideology. And this process has been completed with breakneck speed and accuracy not only at the Centre but also with the States were BJP Government have come to power. In short, there need be hardly any doubt that under the dispensation of Narendra Modi Governemnet the entire education system will find itself politicised, sooner than later. Politicisation of education is more real than imaginary, to say the least. 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 The author is former principal of 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 Maharajas College Ernakulam. He 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 was Senate Member of Cochin 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 University and Member of Higher 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 Education Council. 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456

COVER STORY

Politics and education

Anil Varma R

Complementary or contradictory?

he relationship between politics institutional level, shaping the young are 381,446,079 and female are and education is always a point for the future is the greatest of 359,802,209. But this dividend can be of debate. When the ideologies challenges that any nation faces. materialised in to greater social good of power play politics often take only if the working hands are provided inroads into education, it has been a with enough skills and knowledge to matter of heated debates on two lead the society towards a brighter aspects. First as to whether such a future. This is the penetration would be primary and desirable or not. fundamental task of Second, if at all it is the education system desirable up to what in a country. The basic argument is that education and extend it is desirable? The common The basic argument is politics are complementary rather question here leads that education and us to the objective of than contradictory. politics are education. The complementary rather primary debate is than contradictory. whether it is on the Complementarities social goals or on the between Politics and education individual gains such as jobs and skill generation of the workers etc. that the In the social development process education system should concentrate there is interplay of various forces upon. It is engaged in a painstaking which is dynamic and hence ever Everyone wants their young to be fit endeavour in explaining the need for changing, with the kind of activities, for tomorrow. For example, in India we maintaining a well thought out and sphere, method of governance, and often hear that the nation enjoys a meticulously articulated educational their relationships with an involved â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;demographic dividendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; as the power play which is innate and most percentage of young working hands is system which maintains a judicious balance between the social goals and prominent. Governance is on relatively much higher than that of individual gains from an educational resources, and in this context, people dependents. According to the 2011 system. The web of day to day affairs are the most prominent of all. An census the people in the working age Education system works with the group of 15â&#x20AC;&#x201C;64 years constitute 63.6% is ever intricate and complex with the interaction of power relations in the following objectives. At an of the total population of which male

Pallikkutam | June 2015

COVER STORY

engaging in economic activity and which mechanism is to be employed by the society to judiciously disseminate the welfare created by the Talking about shaping individualâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s of a nation through economic activity? shaping people, it is societies Education as a nation building process is How the skill that is central equitably and to the debate on directly related to its inherent nature of judiciously impart education. Skill makes skill - that is to providing private gains to individuals a human more educate- to the efficient and working people? who invest in it and disseminating productive This is a matter of social gains. contributing to better perspective, on the returns. When vision of skills the production became nation requires for more sophisticated, technical, and its building up and how it is done. It innovation, skill is the only built upon is not the nature of the perspective factor that could bring about higher that we have to bank upon, but on the returns. If this could be truer in the nature of education as a nation back drop of industrialized production, building process. skill formation is equally important in Education as a nation building social relations as well. Hence greater process is directly related to its skill acquisition will bring about inherent nature of providing private greater social relation. The individualâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gains to individuals who invest in it desire to acquire greater skill depends and disseminating social gains. More on his desire to maximise his marginal technically it is the positive benefit from engaging in the economic externalities associated with the activity of the society. The society on education process. Hence the the other hand is engaged in question of imparting skills disseminating the surplus created by judiciously and equitably, the individualâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economic activity. The disseminating its gains within the later have to collectively bring about a society and lucratively building up system of social relations to the nation are the painstaking web of judiciously disseminate the surplus. complex socio political and economic Here arises a more crucial question. development process of a society. Which type of such skills to be This bottleneck in the development imparted for the individuals to process needs assistance from the maximise their private gains from political involvement. It was society- between the government and the governed, and between the governed themselves.

Pallikkutam | June 2015

COVER STORY

maintained well in advance that the policy level interventions and spend some space here to examine education system and politics are dynamics in global environment and how far the two â&#x20AC;&#x201C; education and two complementary aspects rather situations. But it is beyond the politics are mutually complementary than mutually exclusive. It was also rather than contradictory. pointed out that the civil societies As pointed out the educational and the idealistic middleclass system have a responsibility to identify the political parties reverse the trend as corrupt, quiet in de-politicisation sensitive to power, in a democratic and intrinsically society. A averse to the common It was maintained well in advance that the democratic society good of the masses. education system and politics are two works through the Studying the present political parties day working of the complementary aspects rather than and the political mass political parties are not mutually exclusive. organisations in the able to cover the world in general and threshold that of the developing expectations of the countries like India in particular, we, masses. It is the responsibility of as rational human beings would the education system to impart never hesitate to admit that this values, conscience and perception is not quiet baseless. responsibility into the political There are serious attempts to link purview of our endeavour here to deal parties and systems. this moral degradation to certain with all those matters. Instead we may

Pallikkutam | June 2015

COVER STORY What is the role of politics in education?

Such a mechanism may be based on the outlook of a more humane more conducive for the development of the society, to which politics have much to contribute.

Education system is in the verge of a serious crisis. The most important nature Politics cannot be Politics cannot be kept apart from the of the crisis is the kept apart from the withdrawal of the educational system as politics as well as educational system social control of the as politics as well education system are and mutually education system, as education thereby draining the reinforce each other. system are and democratic ethos and mutually reinforce moral values of the each other. society. Politics can Education system can nourish creatively engage in this situation. As values in the society which can lead a social infrastructure, it needs to be to creation of a well nourished revamped and reformulated for greater political system with nation building skill generation. Politics can possibly as its objective. This helps in categories. A thoroughly defined and influence the education system in two reversing the downward trend in the meticulously articulated human ways. One is its involvement in morality of political systems to resource policy in many of these curriculum with an objective to countries provides a guideline for the restore its past glory. On the other revamp it and develop it with the hand, the political system can help in creation of a highly skilled workforce aforementioned twin objectives in building up an educational system though the imparting of chosen skills mind. Secondly politics can that is accountable to the society at through their education system. effectively take part in managing and the first instance and help in the skill Many of these societies are controlling the educational system. development of the individual. monocultures and highly In western educational systems, industrialised. However in societies curriculum development committees 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 like us, the differences in culture, 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 are entrusted with the task of The author is assistant professor of 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 living conditions and occupational 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 Economics, Zamorinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s formulating curriculum in line with the 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 conditions demand a different 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 Guruvayurappan College , projected demand for skilled human 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 curriculum development mechanism. 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 Kozhikode. resource under various occupational 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456

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COVER STORY

Importance of learning religion M. N. Karassery

n a common class room, students is difficult to separate religion from from different culture and religion history, culture, philosophy and social sit together and learn. Even commitment. We, Indians respect all though there is no the religions and need to teach religion their holy books. in schools, it is priority to Indians respect all the religions and their Giving important to know all one religion and religions. holy book. Giving priority to one religion teaching their holy book alone with an Christians in Sunday and teaching their holy book with an intention of schools, Muslims in implanting ideology intention of implanting ideology with Madrasaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and with political Hindus in Vedic political motives should be opposed. motives should be Centres learn their conflicting. respective religions. Atheists and It is not appropriate to injecting a agnostics are also propagating their particular philosophy in a secular ideology. It is our fundamental right to atmosphere. Let our students learn all learn and choose what we like. All religions and extract what they religions are part of our culture. want. Secularism is the base of They contributed to the Indian democracy. All religions development of mankind in their have their own right to own way. Students need to have a publicize their ideology. It is basic idea about all religions to our fundamental right and is keep harmony in the society and deep rooted in our concept of a not to hurt the religious democratic country. sentiments of others. We look into the issues of Philosophy is very important religions as a secular country when we look into the history of in the light of freedom of this nation. Different religious expression and freedom of leaders contributed their ideology faith. Not looking into the view to develop the secular outlook of point of religion but looking this country. We canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ignore into the religion through the these contributions. Our students view point of common man, is should learn about the valuable advisable. When a government contributions of all our great move against the fundamental religious leaders. Their teachings rights of its people, it leads to played an important role in the communal disharmony. creation and culture of India. We cannot teach goodness, truth, 123456789012345678901234567890121234567 123456789012345678901234567890121234567 123456789012345678901234567890121234567 123456789012345678901234567890121234567 love or kindness without The author was a professor 123456789012345678901234567890121234567 123456789012345678901234567890121234567 123456789012345678901234567890121234567 and head of the department mentioning to this great religious 123456789012345678901234567890121234567 123456789012345678901234567890121234567 123456789012345678901234567890121234567 of Malayalam in Calicut 123456789012345678901234567890121234567 knowledge. It is so inter woven. 123456789012345678901234567890121234567 123456789012345678901234567890121234567 123456789012345678901234567890121234567 University. A writer and Education will be irrelevant, 123456789012345678901234567890121234567 123456789012345678901234567890121234567 123456789012345678901234567890121234567 columnist, who has many without teaching the values 123456789012345678901234567890121234567 123456789012345678901234567890121234567 123456789012345678901234567890121234567 books to his credit. He is a 123456789012345678901234567890121234567 taught to us by all religions. 123456789012345678901234567890121234567 123456789012345678901234567890121234567 human rights activist and a 123456789012345678901234567890121234567 These philosophies will convert 123456789012345678901234567890121234567 123456789012345678901234567890121234567 123456789012345678901234567890121234567 warrior of gender justice. 123456789012345678901234567890121234567 our students to better citizens. It

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COVER STORY

Political intrusion in education R. Krishnan Nair

an is a political animal, said independence. Since attaining and suceeding in winning the election. Aristotle. There cannot be independence this trend continued Rank corruption, money power, muscle any area of human activity unabated and in every educational power determine the success in where the influence of politics can be institution political activity intensified election. Unfortunately this type of avioded. In fact, the world has evolved leading to party based politics also. All politics has strayed into political through various systems of is fair in love and war but now, so is activities in educational institutions governance and as we know the liberal also. It would have been ideal if and desirable system is democracy. In students in schools and colleges took a genuine democracy political parties an active and healthy interest in public fight tooth and nail to seize power as affairs and the unions we find in U.K, U.S.A fought elections and India or strictly adhering into controlled some basic Politics and consequent fights often democracies like principles. This ending in violence had vitiated the China and Russia would have exercising inculcated a noble situation so much so that only unquestioned power. vision with regard to a few can survive and Surprisingly even in governanvce among this modern age all the students while secure their future. where science, at the same time technology and concentrating on communication have their studies which is the fundamental advanced by leaps and bounds, there motive of joining these institutions. are still monarchies and dictatorships But politics and consequent fights still holding power and that too more often ending in violence had vitiated successfully than in some democratic the case with politics as well. So it the situation so much so that only a systems. Ideally as Plato said the king happened that over the years even few can survive and secure their should be a philosopher which means basic principles and values not to future. the ruler should be an all The bottomline we knowing, altruistic know is that the person with grand students join the visions for the welfare of educational institutions his people. with a view to securing Politics being the cine a job and ensuring a qua non in any society predictable future. How we cannot wish away its many educational impact on education as institutions including well. India in particular professional colleges had its independence equip the students for struggle wholeheartedly successfully passing supported by bright the examinations? Very minds who left schools few, with the result that and colleges and joined most students even in the fight for freedom. professional colleges Gandijiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exhortations go for private tutions. speak of ethics were given a go-by and went out to all educational institutions Even government professional politicianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only motto turned out to and the youth inspired by genuine colleges do not have the required seize power. Thus we see the strange patriotic sentiments sacrificed their spectacle of criminals entering politics faculty or infrastructure and yet more careers for our struggle for and more such institutions sprout.

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COVER STORY Such a worsening of standards and enjoy life in peace and harmony, how the academic commities should be systems in educational institutions has could some Satans convert the young acceptable by the party in power. To provided the ideal feeding ground for men and women to mercilessly kill their get included in the committee the political infiltration. Senates and own brothers and sisters? This approval should come from the party syndicates are divided along political brainwashing happening in office or government. History is battlelines. We hear stories of educational institutions is the greatest twisted to suit the ideas of party in decisions being overturned by political threat that humanity is facing after the power. Actual heroes and valiant influence, Vice Chancellors gheroed holocaust that Hitler had unleashed. battles are sidelined to suit the new and threatened. Perhaps the most theories brought forward by those vicious politicisation of the academic who command. What is to be field is in the appointment of Vice emphatically opposed is the spread of Chancellors with suspected credentials any ideology, political or religious but with the support of party in power. through educational process – except We hear of Vice the ideology of Chancellors whose humanism, scientific degrees are thinking and questioned, vice Sad that politicians are not the ideal role spirituality. The chancellors who freedom to open models for this. That alone is reason misuse their ones mind to new authorities for selfish horizons of thought enough to keep politics at arms length ends. Why, today a should never be from educational institutions. vice chancellor is curtailed. Education facing criminal worth its name prosecution for should inculcate corruption. What a values of life – love of all beings and fall from those days when illustrious nature, compassion, altruism, a sense personalities decorated those seats? It of justice, a desire to actualise the is most fulfilment of unfortunate life through that all the selfless political service to parties indulge society. in this kind of Education nefarious should aim at interfearence jettisoning in academic avarice, matters. cruelty, hypocrisy Horror of and double horrors – the speak. Sad educational that process is not politicians only are not the politicised but ideal role today we find models for it indodrithis. That nated through alone is religious reason brainwashing. enough to Thousands keep politics are being butchered in the middle east Another sad area in our country is not at arms length from educational only that politically favoured ones are countries every day. How do those institutions. A noble desire, but will it organisations get young people to join promoted in faculties but the 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 ever work? 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 curriculum is also ordained by the in this blood bath? When all religions 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 The author is Retired Director 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 ruling class and not by academicians. speak of holiness of life, virtues of 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 General of Police, Kerala and 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 Textbooks are rewritten when parties humanism and the rarest gift of God 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 recipient of President’s Medal for 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 change power. Lessons approved by this beautiful earth, where man can 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 meritorious service.

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HEALTH MONITOR

A case of “speech arrest” Dr. Jagath lal Gangadharan

t was 8 am in the morning. I had function at his wife’s place hardly 10 stabilised with intravenous fluids, a got up late on a Sunday morning, kilometres from his blood sugar check was found to be normal. There were some abrasions on wondering on ways to relax on a his face and his clothes were soiled. coveted holiday. The preceding week After sometime, the patient slowly was tiring with cases going up to late night on most days. started responding While sipping a to the commands. hot coffee and He opened his glancing through This case required more than just anatomical eyes but was looking confused. the day’s navigation as we needed to identify which He was shifted for headlines, the area of the brain produced the speech in mobile started an emergency CT ringing. It was scan of the head. the patient. For this, the patient had from the medical The imaging to be awake during the surgery! revealed a lesion in officer in the the brain on the casualty. He left side, with some wanted to report about a 40 year old gentleman, edema around. The neurologist who Mr.Vincent, who was wheeled in to the was called to inform about the casualty in the wee hours of the unconscious patient immediately residence. He was staying awake on opined to inform the neurosurgeon morning in an unconscious state. He the previous two nights, arranging for after reading the CT report. The was found near his house by the medical officer made no delay in neighbour, with blood and froth in his it and came back to his house in the mouth. His family was attending a early morning. He was immediately placing the call to me before leaving

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HEALTH MONITOR after his long night shift. Mr. Vincent’s injection for the pain and to reduce the on shifts and could have injured him. By that time the MRI scan had been wife had arrived by the time I reached brain swelling. He was planned for an completed and the patient’s wife also the casualty. She appeared tense in the MRI scan of the Brain for a clearer turn of events, probably after seeing a picture of the location of the tumor, the joined for discussion. As I studied the MRI and its various sequences, I neurosurgeon attending on her learned that I was probably dealing husband. He was conscious enough to with a case of a low grade glioma in the answer my questions and could left insula, an island like area sunken remember returning to his home in the under the frontal and temporal lobes early morning but couldn’t recollect on the brain. The any event after tumor was quite that. He was also large and required having pain on the right side of I understood that the episodes were speech surgical removal. The area was very his body, arrest, a part of the seizure and the critical as it was especially the covered by the chest wall. With abnormal smell an ‘aura’, a frontal operculum, all probability, I hallmark of the seizure. where Broca’s area told them that he or the part of the had an episode of brain concerned seizure, a with producing our generalised tonicspeech was localised. clonic type, where he lost his consciousness following the The starring episodes with speech convulsion. His wife denied seeing arrest could have occurred as the any similar events in the recent past. grade or aggressiveness and a map for abnormal electric current originating However, she had a faint memory of neuro navigation. from the tumor area spread to the his difficulty in speaking at work place, frontal lobe of the brain, inactivating His close friend was waiting near the but couldn’t provide further details. hospital ward on the next day morning. the speech area first. This meant that I took him to my clinic where I thought, the tumor was located close to the could take a detailed history. He told that he had noticed a peculiar behaviour of Mr.Vincent.While talking, he used to abruptly stop the sentence without completing it. He then used to stare for a few seconds and resume his work as if nothing had happened. He used to complain that he was having a smell of burnt rubber though nothing was found to be burning. This had annoyed him quite a bit, more so in the last speech area and any approach to On seeing the CT scan, I could identify few months. I understood that the remove the tumor near those areas of a mass in the left side of the brain, in episodes were speech arrest, a part of brain places one at a risk of losing the the frontal area, probably near the area the seizure and the abnormal smell an where the control of a person’s speech ‘aura’, a hallmark of the seizure. But he speech permanently. Added to this was the fact that the main blood vessel is located. The patient was admitted, never had a convulsionas in the started on medicines to prevent further previous day. He was relieved because supplying the left side of the brain seizures. He was also given an he used to work with heavy machinery surface, the middle cerebral artery was

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HEALTH MONITOR also located nearby. Any damage to that vessel could leave the patient

For this, the patient had to be awake during the surgery! I thought about

permanently paralysed for his lifetime. I explained the MRI picture to the patient’s relative.

this for a while and decided on performing a difficult surgery for this patient – an awake craniotomy.

operation. The overall aim is to minimise the risks of such operations.

In the operation room, the patientis given medicines to make him relaxed. The neuronavigation system is then used to mark out the incision and a I also explained the MRI tractography What is an awake craniotomy? very small amount of hair shaved of the patient which showed the tumor An awake craniotomy is an operation along the line of the incision before it in relation with the normal fibres of the performed in the same manner as is cleaned with antiseptic solutions brain. This helps in knowing the tracts a routine craniotomy but with the and then local anaesthetic is inserted of the brain (the tracts are the around the incision which will go highways through which the brain numb.Some drapes are placed around controls the body). the wound so that the patient is able to These MRI images were loaded to a talk to the device called neuropsychologist Neuronavigation’. and be able to This is very move his arms and similar to the GPS While removing the tumour, the surgeon will legs freely during navigation which continuously test the speech of the patient, the operation. we all use while This involves and if anything changes he will stop driving a vehicle, stimulating the to identifya further tumor removal. brain surface with a particular place or tiny electrical road. Before probe. If the starting the speech area is surgery, certain points on the face of stimulated, it will prevent the patient the patient are matched with the MRI from speaking very briefly. By mapping image.This co-registration will help us out the important regions of the brain to identify the point where we are patient awake during the procedure. first, the surgeon can aim to avoid and touching in the brain during surgery, This is a preferred technique for protect them during the operation. by highlighting the same point in the operations to remove lesions close to, While removing the tumour, the MRI scan. Thus the surgeon confirms or involving, eloquent (functionally surgeon will continuously test the where he is operating. important) regions of the brain. This speech of the patient, and if anything allows us to test regions of the brain But this case required more than just changes he will stop further tumor before they are incised or removed and anatomical navigation as we needed to removal. While operating in the brain, allows us to test patient’s function identify which area of the brain a musician is made to sing or even play continuously throughout the produced the speech in the patient. a musical instrument to identify and

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HEALTH MONITOR preserve eloquent areas. In some cases motor activity like squeezing with fingers or lifting the leg on command is tested during surgery.

while he was awake. He seemed to be much focussed and had an insight into his disease. I showed him the MRI image of the tumor that was white in colour, large enough to threaten his life, leave alone speech. But removing the tumor by conserving his speech and without causing any further deficits though a challenge, was the charm of modern neurosurgery, a dream in the past.

As in any other field, a complex brain surgery is a team work. The team consisted of the anaesthetist specialised in neurosurgery, neuroradiologist who guided us in interpreting the special MRI sequences, the neuropsychologist who analysed the speech and To operate on the brain of a patient cognition and the neurophysiologist while he is awake is not always an easy who analysed the electrical impulses in task. The participation of a brave, the brain and above all the scrub nurse understanding patient who will who assisted the neurosurgeon in the completely cooperate with the surgeon surgery. We had studied the MRI scan throughout the surgery is very of the patient, reviewed his neuroimportant for this to succeed. With this psychological report and devised a

in mind, I started explaining to the patient about the pros and cons of his surgery and the need to perform it

plan of action, specifying the role to be played by each. And after all preparations came the most important day in our lives.The patient, Mr.Vincent was extremely composed as he was well explained in detail about the steps of surgery and expected time required for it. A detailed consent was taken from him and his relatives. The steps of surgery done can be summarised as follows. The first step was fixing the head of the patient comfortably on the head clamp. This was done under sedation and injecting local anaesthetic drug all around the head, in order to block each and every nerve and making the scalp and skull

numb. This field block was performed by the experienced neuroanaesthetist. The next step was registering the patients head on neuronavigation and accurately marking the area over the

tumor where the skull had to be opened. Under further sedation, craniotomy or opening the skull bone was done using a machine called craniotome drill. The patient was administered a medicine called Fentanyl that totally removed the pain sensation. Now he could feel the vibration and movement but was comfortable. After exposing the brain, the patient was asked to count numbers, read some text and fill in the

blanks by the neuropsychologist. Sentences like â&#x20AC;&#x153;My mother pluck flowers from the ___â&#x20AC;? was asked. He was also asked to name the pictures of common objects like pen, car, watchand colours. At this point, I stimulated the surface of the brain using an electrode probe, while the neurophysiologist controlled the power of current applied and studied the electrical waves coming from the

Pallikkutam | June 2015

HEALTH MONITOR COVER STORY brain. As the patient was noted to have speech arrest at a particular

Intra op fluorescence microscope was used to identify the tumor separately. The patient was continuously engaged throughout the surgery, by monitoring his speech and the tumor removal was completed without any speech

the head was done on the next day to look for the extent of tumor removal and to rule out complications like bleeding. This was a wonderful experience for our team and we still cherish those moments when we took

This was a wonderful experience for our team and we still cherish those moments when we took care of that patient. We believe that every such opportunity is gifted by God.

point, I marked that area as the speech area. After performing the brain mapping, I went deeper to see the tumor and remove it little by little using a special

deterioration in about one and a half hours. The covering of the brain was closed water tight, skull bone was replaced and fixed with screws and the scalp skin was closed with sutures. The patient made an uneventful

care of that patient. We believe that every such opportunity is gifted by God. This story demonstrates the

marvellous application of technology in modern neurosurgery to make the brain surgery safe for the patient, fully preserving his function. Finally, this patientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;sstory emphasises the importance of teamwork in medicine as in any other field of life.

equipment called CUSA. A surgical microscope was used during the surgery for magnification and careful dissection of vessels from the tumor.

Pallikkutam | June 2015

recovery and as he was awake, could communicate soon after the surgery. He started taking oral feeds on the same night and was shifted to the ward, the very next day. A CT scan of

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EXPERT COUNSEL

What is in an Attire? Dr. K.N. Raghavan

he “dress code row” where in When informed of the reason, the Amit Kataria, the District host apologised profusely and Collector of Bastar received the admonished the guard for his Prime Minister of India behaviour. We were sporting sun glasses taught that the and without wearing moral of the story the official “bandh was that the real The real worth of a person was to be gala” suit has been worth of a person judged based on his intellectual making waves in the was to be judged social media. This based on his capacity and not on the incident brought to my intellectual capacity cloths he wore. mind two such and not on the instances in the past, cloths he wore. one which I had read The other instance about and the other which I had which I had the fortune of following followed at close quarters, where the involved a close friend of mine who is question where “dress code” had also a member of civil services. This created some amount of controversy. gentleman, who The first one, we shall call Mr D, which was an had appeared for incident that I UPSC Civil studied in my Services interview Moral Science barefoot, wearing class during my a dhoti and khadi school days, shirt. When the involved Iswar interviewers asked Chandra him about his Vidyasagar, the attire, he replied famous Indian that he had never philosopher and worn anything social reformer. other than dhoti; Vidyasagar was when further invited for a dinner asked what he and when he would do if he reached the gate of was selected for a the venue wearing service which traditional Bengali required wearing attire he was of a uniform, he stopped by the replied that he had guard who not listed any informed him that such service only those in amongst his western dress options. would be permitted When the inside. Vidyasagar went home and offering food to his coat and pants interview was over, the Chairman of returned in western attire upon which which brought forth inquires from the the board told him that in case he was he was allowed to go in. When he was host. selected he would be required to wear seated for dinner Vidyasagar started

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EXPERT COUNSEL footwear and he agreed that he would do so if he won selection.

the Course Director stating that dhoti was the national dress of Kerala but to no avail. He found himself in receipt of a communication from the Course Director barring him from attending

classes till he wore a shirt and pant. His attempts to meet the Director General of the academy failed and, left with no other recourse, he left for New Delhi.

Mr D kept his word and wore footwear when he reported for the Foundation Course for officers at National Police At Delhi he called on the Chairman of Academy at Hyderabad. However the Central Board of Direct Taxes and unusual sight of a new probationer explained his predicament. Chairman wearing dhoti and walking around the took note of the academy created matter and sought a ripples there and soon “For regular work: shirt and pant or report from NADT he was told by a senior who informed him officer that he should national dress of the officer with that this was case of be wearing pants when indiscipline. At this he went to mess hall appropriate footwear”; “for formal and attended classes. occasions involving visit of dignitaries Chairman communicated to Mr Mr D protested and the D his inability to matter was referred to etc. Bandh gala or suit with tie and help him. A meeting the Course Director pants with appropriate footwear.” with Revenue who called him over for Secretary did not a chat. Course Director yield any results and finally he found the reasons given by Mr D for secured an appointment with the his attire to be entire legitimate and Union Finance Minister of the day. allowed him to continue wearing it The Minister also called for a report during the three month long but when he was informed about Foundation Course. the matter of indiscipline he However, Mr D faced a sterner also washed his hands off. test when he reported at Meanwhile Mr D received National Academy of Direct yet another communication Taxes (NADT) for his basic asking him to show cause training as an officer of why he should not be Indian Revenue Service dismissed from service on (Income Tax). He was grounds of absenting summoned by his Course himself from classes. Left Director there and told that with no other recourse he he was required to wear moved the Central pants for attending Administrative Tribunal classes. Meanwhile, Mr D seeking permission to checked up the code of wear his national dress etiquette prescribed in the and to quash actions book handed over to initiated against him. probationers titled NADT informed CAT “Shistaachar” where in about the charge of the dress code was indiscipline but did not prescribed as follows have any answers to the “for regular work: shirt questions posed and pant or national dress regarding the contents of of the officer with Shistaachar. Their stand appropriate footwear”; that they had amended “for formal occasions the contents of the book involving visit of subsequently removing dignitaries etc. Bandh the words “or national gala or suit with tie and dress” only invited the ire pants with appropriate of the Tribunal. After footwear.” Mr D pointed out these provisions to

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EXPERT COUNSEL

hearing both sides Tribunal ordered that Mr D was well within his rights to attend classes in a dhoti and that amendments made to Shistaachar would have only prospective effect. NADT was also warned to desist from taking any action against Mr D on this ground. Mr D continued his training in NADT and passed out with flying colours. He is today

“when the rule book says you are bound to follow a dress code, you should follow it unless one is exempted from doing so; if the Collector felt that heat was unbearable enough to warrant dispensing with the formal dress, he should have intimated this fact to his superiors and obtained permission instead of doing so by himself”.

A person is not judged by what he wears except that it should be neat, clean, meet the modicums of decency and conform to the dignity of the occasion.

a senior officer in the department respected by colleagues, loved by his subordinates and held in awe by the members of the public and assesses. He has developed a well deserved reputation for his impeccable integrity, selfless devotion to duty, incredible capacity to help colleagues and ceaseless efforts to root out tax evasion. He continues to wear the dhoti and khadi shirt with pride. When the controversy over the District Collector wearing sun glasses and being in mere work attire while receiving the dignitary erupted I thought I should find out what Mr D had to say in this regard. His response was quick and categorical “no officer should receive a guest, let alone a VIP wearing sun glasses”. Regarding formal wear and the reported statement of officer that he could not wear it on account of the high summer temperatures, he stated

To me, personally, that was the last word on the subject. A person is not judged by what he wears except that it should be neat, clean, meet the modicums of decency and conform to the dignity of the occasion. However, when norms and etiquette prescribe a certain code for dress and attire, one is required to follow them. One sees lawyers attired in coat and gown while appearing in courts all over the country, even in the peak of summer. Wearing a bandh gala in extreme heat might have been uncomfortable for the officer, but even more discomfiting were the questions that arose about it not being worn. Had Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar or Mr D been the Collector at Bastar they would have worn the bandh gala and left out the sun glasses. 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 The author is the Commissioner of 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 Customs in Kochi, Kerala. 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456

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PERSONAL

I’m not lazy, but I postpone.... Sajit Malliyoor

ear Sir, I have a problem that Be assured! You are not alone here; in sounding word procrastination; it is affects my academic nothing but the habit of putting tasks fact you have got lots of company! performance to a large extent. One survey conducted among off to the last possible minute. There is I am studying for a post-graduation a beautiful little Greek mythological American school students reports, 70 course in an art stream. My course story behind the etymology of the to 90% of those interviewed admit to work involves several submissions, word procrastination. Procrustes was putting off tasks, that is, they write-ups, assignments and projects. the son of Poseidon, who reigned on procrastinate on matters of academic My problem is that I am unable to mount Korydallos, on the sacred path finish anything in time. This tendency between Athens and Eleusis. There he to postpone work is there with me had an iron bed, in which he invited since my degree days. I don’t consider every passer- by to myself as a lazy person, spend the night. but whenever it comes Once the guest is to finishing things fast asleep, he set to Only about 20% of the people are chronic work on them with within a timeframe, I never succeed. When procrastinators, a habit that stops them his hammer to an assignment is given stretch them to fit from fulfilling their potential and in the class, often I the bed! From this decide not to repeat ‘stretching’ came disrupting their career. the habit and finish it the word before the schedule, procrastination, this one time. But which is stretching when I sit down to do the actual work, off things you should be doing right I will find some distraction, like my now to the very last moment. In a phone messages or Facebook, and nutshell, you procrastinate when you never really get down to the task until importance! But that mind bogglingly put off things that you should be the very last minute. Then it’s all a fire high number is about people who have focusing on right now, usually in fighting at the end and somehow favour of doing something that is more procrastinated occasionally. Many of finishes the assignment, at times, far enjoyable or that you’re more us do procrastinate to some degree from being a perfect one. Later on I comfortable doing. Psychologists and often that is situation specific. feel guilty about not utilising the time Only about 20% of the people are define procrastination as a gap effectively, but invariably the cycle between intention and action. It is chronic procrastinators, a habit that repeats! Please advise me some tips different from laziness. In laziness stops them from fulfilling their on how to overcome this habit. there is no desire to act, whereas in potential and disrupting their career. procrastinators thereis desire to act Now, don’t be put off by the difficult

Pallikkutam | June 2015

PERSONAL but it consistently loses out to our Now let’s take a closer look at some of on your to-do list than you can appetite for delay. And finally they end reasonably complete. This can quickly the strategies for overcoming up working for long and hard before procrastination. Unfortunately, there’s lead to overwhelm, and ironically you the deadlines. Dr Joseph Ferrari of De no single ‘best way’ to conquer the Paul University, Chicago, is one of the problem. Moreover, procrastination psychologists who have worked being a habit - a deeply ingrained extensively in the field. He says there pattern of behaviour- you won’t just are five signs that break it overnight! differentiate a Habits only stop procrastinator. 1. They being habits when overestimate the time you have Always state your intentions clearly. It they have left to persistently stopped perform a task. 2. They practising them, so helps to create a to-do list with a underestimate the time use as many date next to each item, if you it takes to complete the approaches as task. 3. They possible to maximize have a deadline to meet. overestimate how your chances of motivated they will feel beating them.To the next day, the next overcome week, or the next month — whenever procrastination, first you need to have they are putting things off to.4. They an understanding on the reasons why mistakenly think that succeeding at a you procrastinate. It could be one or task requires that they feel like doing many of the reasons we discussed may be more likely to procrastinate it.5.They mistakenly believe that above. Develop a thorough awareness when you can least afford it. Yet working when not in the mood is and self-knowledge on the functions, another reason for procrastination is suboptimal.They also actively look for your level of impulsivity. Some people procrastination plays in your life. distractions. Frequently checking Understanding the hidden roots of are highly distractible and they may emails, Social Medias like Facebook or think, they will take only a minute to procrastination itself seems to weaken What’sApp etc. may be the most them. Also, knowing our true reasons update the Facebook or check on common distractions for procrastinating among the current makes it easier to generation of stop. students. There are Always state your also different reasons intentions clearly. why someone It helps to create a postpones things. to-do list with a We most commonly date next to each procrastinate on item, if you have a things we find deadline to meet. aversive. We put off Estimate how long things we don’t like each task will take to do or that upset us to complete, and in some way. For then double that example, an number so that assignment makes us you don’t fall feel anxious or into the cognitive overwhelmed, so we trap of “give in to feel underestimating good,” seeking how long each immediate emotional relief, and we walk What’s App message before settling project will take. If you are putting off away, leaving the task for tomorrow. down to work! Self-deception goes in starting an assignment because you hand with procrastination! Another You are also likely to postpone tasks, find it overwhelming, then you break common form of erroneous thinking when you are stressed or when the the project down into more associated with procrastination is task at hand looks overwhelming. It is manageable items. For example, in perfectionism. Perfectionists tend to difficult to be productive under writing a paper for the class, you may avoid tasks that they imagine are stressful and anxious situations. assign two days each for a series of unlikely to be completed to the Sometimes you may have more items small steps, like gathering texts and perfection.

Pallikkutam | June 2015

PERSONAL notes, writing the introduction etc. As technique as “nothing alternative”, either. The alternative to working on you start to tackle items on your list, that is, if you want to get yourself to your task is to do nothing! The rest pay attention to when thoughts of comes of itself! Interesting, right? procrastination start to creep into your In one of my earlier column in this mind. If you find yourself thinking “I magazine, I have discussed about don’t feel like doing this now” or “I’ll self- regulation have time to work on exercises. Those this later,” then you techniques also need to recognize that The problem of procrastination isn’t would help you to you are about to improve your will procrastinate. Instead going away on its own. You must power to conquer of giving into the urge, take the initiative. The upside is the beast of force yourself to spend procrastination. at least a few minutes that tackling this problem yields The problem of working on the task. In procrastination tremendous personal growth. many cases, you might isn’t going away find that it is easier to on its own. You complete once you get must take the initiative. The upside is started. that tackling this problem yields While you are at it, do keep a tab on tremendous personal growth. The your distractions. Shut down your benefits will become hugely do something, make the alternative to smart phone and isolate yourself as significant over your lifetime, making the task to do nothing. much as you can. Rewarding yourself you a stronger, more disciplined, once you have completed a task (or a The rule goes this way. You keep aside driven and focused individual. small portion of a large task) will boost a certain time period to work, say, six to the likelihood of positive results. And eight in the evening, and when you sit 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 make sure you notice how good it feels down to write your assignment you 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 Send queries to 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 to complete a task. There is another 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 don’t force yourself to write it, but you 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 malliyoor@outlook.com 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 interesting technique Roy Baumeister 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 don’t let yourself do anything else (Sajit Malliyoor regrets he can not 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 suggests in his book on enter into personal correspondence) 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 procrastination. He calls the

Pallikkutam | June 2015

STORIES OF LIFE

Victims of destructive family systems Dr. Jose Cletus Plackal

t was Sigmund Freud who mental break-down. A dysfunctional wife. Eventually Jessy was completely started analyzing the source of family system can produce a mental isolated, attacked and mentally psychological problems by patient. Jessy (name changed) is 40 tortured, that she ended up in a mental tracing the patient’s past as far back as year old, mother of two college-going hospital. infancy, and to psycho-sexual girls, good-looking, hard-working, It was at the recovery period that Joe developmental stages. The analysis God-fearing, educated, etc. Jessy’s and Jessy came to counselling. From was done mainly on the individual’s husband, Jose, 50 years old, shortthe beginning it was quite evident that intra-psychic problem-world and less tempered, farmer, drop-out from Joe was not willing to work in couple attention was given to psycho-social 10th Std, abuses alcohol, has five counselling. He just wanted his wife to factors. It was Dr Murray Bowen M.D, sisters who are over-involved in his be ‘normal’ and functioning. So the life, very low self esteem, etc. From the a U. S. surgeon-turned Psychiatristgoal of therapy had to be focused on very beginning of their married life turned Family Therapist, who Jessy and the two daughters. In the there were problems of mutual addressed this issue seriously. The course of therapy Jessy and the girls adjustment. As days and months went theoretical system that he introduced had to work on their emotional by, Jose became restless and so was called, Family Systems Theory wounded-ness and negative memories. threatened that he started discounting (Bowen M. 1913–1998). As per An alternate support Bowen’s Theory, each system was evolved, family works as a single According to Bowen, it is the family, the “sisters’ union” was emotional unit. The innocuous, the members are intensely not the individual who is the basic made terrible low self-esteem connected emotionally and of Joe was brought to unit of emotional functioning. their reactivity makes the light…. Serious functioning of family attempts were made to members interdependent. bring about The interwoven relationship a rapprochement and between all the members of differentiation from the family are the Undifferentiated interconnected and Family Ego Mass. influence mutually. The (Bowen 1965). emotional ecosystem Gradually Jessy started affects most human activity acting more pro-active and is the principal driving and less reactive force in the development of which resulted in Joe’s “sick members” in families. reduced temper According to Bowen, it is tantrums. Two years the family, not the into therapy Jessy had individual who is the basic no more mental breakunit of emotional downs, she has found his wife, disparaging her even in functioning. Hence families should be support system in the church, has set public. When this marital war studied as systems and in place of the her goals for supporting her escalated, it was brought into the identified “patient” the family with its daughters in their emotional needs. No bedroom and it took a vicious turn, emotional ecosystem becomes the doubt, the family system has ending in physical violence. At about focus of psychological attention, tremendous power to make or mar an this time Joe did two strategic moves. investigation, analysis and change. individual. First he cut all communications with The following is an illustration of how 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 Jessy’s family which is far away; a healthy individual, cut off from the The author is licensed clinical 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 second, he joined his sisters in family of origin, slowly slips into 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 psychologist (HRT), Jeevas Centre 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 dysfunctional behavior, to the point of planning and scheming against his 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 Aluva, Kerala. 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456

Pallikkutam | June 2015

INFOTECH

Apps

Four Amdavadis launch New app lets you share app on Swachh Bharat photos with friends

acebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is yet to fulfill his promise of building a mobile application to support Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Swachh Bharat initiative, but four Amdavadis have already launched an app to enable citizens to participate

here’s a new app in market with which you can share photo timelines with your friends, but only for a day. The newly launched social photo-sharing app Rewind, is very much like it’s name, and while you can post your most recent pictures

quickly by sliding your finger to scroll through Rewind’s “timeline” feature, Interestingly, officials will not be able the images disappear from the app to change the status of complaints. after 24 hours, TechCrunch reported. The app empowers the complainant to Co-founder and CEO Anthony Duca, close his complaint once it is resolved. said the idea was to “let users share as Called UthoIndians, the app provides a many photos as they want, without crowd sourcing platform where citizens feeling like they’re spamming their can share pictures of unclean spots in feeds or being too noisy.” The app is their areas and launch a campaign different from Instagram, which slows the sharing process by making one against errant officials, said Urvish carefully choose the photos worthy of Patel, one of the developers. Other being edited and shared, and just team members include Amit Parmar, motivates one to share all the snaps. Ravi Panchal and Paras Shah. in the cleanliness mission.

DD News mobile app launched

nformation and Broadcasting Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday launched a mobile application of DD News and said the audience was extremely keen to have a comprehensive view of issues and events.

Jaitley said there were multifarious channels of information dissemination and objective presentation of news should never become a casualty. There was space for news based on facts and correct information in a news scenario which was competitive, event-based and anchor-driven, he said. The minister said the launch of the application by DD News was an important milestone for Prasar Bharati as it catered to the information needs of a pan-India audience.

News

5 Delhi Metro stations to get Wi-Fi soon

elhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has signed an agreement with the RailTel Corporation of India for starting Wi-Fi internet services at some select stations on its network.Five stations of the Delhi Metro system have been identified for these service initially. “The stations are Rajiv Chowk, Kashmere Gate, Vishwavidyalaya, Central Secretariat and Hauz Khas,” a senior official of the DMRC said.“As per the Memorandum of Understanding, the installation of the equipment is expected to be completed within the next seven months,” he said.RailTel shall conduct the necessary surveys, install equipment

and carry out maintenance of the installed infrastructure. Asked if it will be a free or paid service, the official said, “Those modalities will be worked out once the infrastructure is in place.” The facility would be available at these stations only and not inside the trains.“Later trains may be included.” The agreement was signed at the Metro Bhawan in the presence of DMRC’s managing director Mangu Singh and RailTel Corporation of India’s chairman and mnaging director R K Bahuguna.“DMRC is exploring the possibilities of introducing Wi-Fi internet facilities at its metro stations as well as trains. This MoU is the first step towards that direction”.

Modi gains 12 million Facebook followers

ndian Prime Minister Narendra Modi gained as many as 12 million followers on Facebook in his first year in office, according to data released by the world’s biggest social networking website. With a total of 28 million followers on Facebook, Modi maintains his position as the second most-followed world leader, behind US president Barack Obama, who has 43 million followers. Modi is way ahead of third-placed Recep Tayyip Erdoðan, the Turkish president, who has 7 million followers. Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Egyptian president, has 4.5 million and Mexican President Pena Nieto has 4.2 million followers.

Pallikkutam | June 2015

INFOTECH

Mobile

iBall launches cheapest Videocon Z45 Nova+ Windows 8.1 tablet yet smartphone launched

Meizu M1 Note launched at Rs 11,999

omestic device maker iBall has launched Slide i701 tablet that runs Windows 8.1. Priced at Rs 4,999, it’s the cheapest Windows tablet

ideocon Mobile Phones has launched a budget smartphone with quad-core processor at Rs 4,900 in the Indian market. Named Z45

fter Xiaomi, OnePlus, Oppo and Vivo, Chinese smartphone brand Meizu has made its Indian debut with its M1 Note smartphone. Priced at Rs 11,999, the phone will be exclusively available

available at the moment. The tablet will be available online and through physical retail stores starting 21 May. iBall will bundle a free back cover, HDMI cable and three protective covers with the tablet. The Slide i701 sports a 7-inch IPS HD display (720x1280p) and is powered by a quadcore Intel Atom processor and 1GB RAM. It comes with 16GB internal storage and a microSD card slot that supports cards of up to 32GB. It runs Windows 8.1 and the company says that users will get a free upgrade to Windows 10 when it releases to the public.

Nova+, this model’s chief competitors will be the first-generation Moto E, Micromax Canvas Spark and InFocus M2. The new Videocon Z45 Nova+ has a 4.5-inch IPS display panel with 480x854p resolution and runs on Android 4.4.2 (KitKat) operating system. It is powered by a quad-core processor running at 1.2GHz, packs 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage; buyers can expand the phone’s storage by up to 32GB using microSD cards. Z45 Nova+ has a 5MP rear camera with LED flash, while the front camera has 2MP resolution.

online on Amazon India starting May 20 at 2pm. Unlike its rivals, Meizu will offer the phone as part of an open sale and will not require pre-registration. It was launched at a starting price of CNY 999 (Rs 10,000, approximately) in China. Meizu had launched the M1 Note in China in December. The phablet sports a 5.5-inch full-HD (1080x1920p) display. Powered by a 1.7GHz octa-core MediaTek MT6752 64 bit processor and 2GB RAM, the phone is available in 16GB storage variant. It doesn’t feature a microSD card and has a 3140mAh battery.

Search for love online can lead to fraud, warns FBI

f you think the internet could provide relief to your lovelorn heart, beware! The individual at the other end could be a con, the FBI reported in a survey of computer crime.

personnel – pretending to seek love online, IC3 said.

The National White Collar Crime Center, which coordinates IC3 with FBI, said online fraud is actually estimated to cost residents and Last year, the total financial losses in businesses more than $3.5 billion a the US due to online fraud reported to year, NBCnews.com reported. the government was to the tune of In 2014, people who over-shared on $800 million, the Internet Crime Facebook and other social media sites Complaint Center, or IC3, said in its became the most common victims of annual online fraud report. cybercreeps, the report added. But authorities worry that this is just a “Criminals search dating websites, fraction of the actual amount people may have been robbed of during 2014 chat rooms, and social media websites for personally identifiable information, as most cases go unreported. and use well-rehearsed scripts to People who surfed the internet in attract potential victims,” it said. search of love were mostly at the “Victims of these scams believe they receiving end of the internet fraud. are in a relationship with someone who Women, especially, were soft targets for cons. The worst schemes involve is honest and trustworthy without scammers – masquerading as military meeting them in person.”

Pallikkutam | June 2015

IC3 offered several tips for flushing out suspicious schemes:

♦ Do not respond to any unsolicited email, phone call or mail requesting your personal information. ♦ Do not fill out forms in email messages asking for personal information. ♦ Do not click on email links. Instead, go to the official website of the business or group and start from there.

♦ Maintain at least two email addresses - one for people you know and one for all other purposes.

♦ Do not engage in business with people or companies that operate only from a post office box address. ♦ If someone you have never met tells you he or she loves you but needs money to visit you, do not buy it.

CREA TIVE LIVING CREATIVE

Bolts from blue and random stimuli Dr. Varghese Panthalookaran

reative ideas are often results of some bolts from the blue. Originating ex nihilo, out of void, they charge creative minds with creative prowess. They facilitate immediate synthesis of fragments of thoughts in the mind into a creative whole. They create an undeletable mark in the core of their being as an abiding source for creative thinking.

Many creative minds have experienced such intense moments of perennial charging that transformed their lives into creative sagas. Random stimuli are milder version of the bolts from the blue.

They also trigger creative charging of individuals and enhance their creative skills. For Isaac Newton, the stimulus was an apple

Random stimuli are milder version of the bolts from the blue. They also trigger creative charging of individuals and enhance their creative skills. falling on his head! In the pain of it, he instead thought about the forces that have driven the apple exactly on to his head! He conceived of a new type of force acting on the apple and directed to the heart of earth. Newton concluded that gravitational force is exerted by earth on all free-falling objects due to the mutual gravitation between the object and the earth. If you drill a hole of depth 6,371 kilometers on the surface of earth, the apple would have continued to fall through that hole, till it reaches the very centre of earth. This constitutes Newtonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s theory of universal gravitation. This theory explains not only how an apple falls towards the surface of the earth, but also provides the reason why the moon does not similarly collapse to the earth. A similar trigger occurred to Einstein when he developed the theory of LASER as he

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CREA TIVE LIVING CREATIVE reflected over the absorption and emission of radiation by a material body. When he considered the equilibrium between rate of absorption of light by a material body and that of emission by the same body, an essential mismatch between them was exposed. Einstein predicted the existence of a new type of emission to balance the absorption, namely the “stimulated emission”. LASER, by the way, is an abbreviation of Light Amplification due to Stimulated Emission of Radiation. Einstein writes to his friend Michele Angelo Besso in November 1916, immediately after this discovery:”A splendid light has dawned on me about the absorption and emission of radiation...” That splendid light was LASER!

of Sanskrit literature, the opening verse of the epic Ramayana. The incident serves as a classic example to show how a powerful incident could trigger a totally new stream of thought. Poetry after all is a result of overflow of powerful emotions!

Einstein, powerful leaders like Moses or poets like Valmiki. How do random stimuli work?

The milder version of bolt from the blue is the random stimuli. It is analogous to the Newton’s apple or Einstein’s splendid light. However, How do ‘bolts from the blue’ work? random stimuli are seemingly irrelevant A bolt from the blue strikes from the external influences acting on creative cloud to the ground, resulting in minds. They are powerful enough to brilliant lightning that touches the generate radically new ideas. How earth. It is a result of some atmospheric does it work? disturbances (like differences in Human brains work based on a kind of temperature, dust storms, forest fires, pattern recognition. The mental patterns are framed in the course of time along with the growth of synaptic connections between neurons. This leads to the unique thinking style To Moses, it thought Vâlmîki burst into a shot of temper and cried out and appeared like a pattern of an ‘bush fire’: the individual. “ ”, “Forbid you, hunter”. That was bush, though it Such patterns was set on fire, it the first ever of Sanskrit literature, the help in was not making opening verse of the epic . consumed by it. thinking He exposed process himself to a efficient. great call from within to liberate his However, it also renders humans own people in order to lead them to a creatures of habit, naturally resistant ‘promised land’. Moses thus became to novel thoughts. Humans are an icon and role model of a visionary generally apprehensive of new ideas leader, who buried an inspiring tornadoes, volcanic eruptions), which that do not fit our pre-established mystery of a ‘burning bush’ in the ‘mental patterns’. Human brains are electrically polarize the atmosphere, chest of his heart as he led masses to a leading to the formation of electrically made elastic and it always regains its welfare nation. Even when his own original shapes and patterns, once conducting plasma channels through people rebelled against his person, relieved of external stimuli. This also the air, which appears as the flash of Moses could continue to lead them by means that to generate new ideas, lighting that neutralizes the being in touch with a mysterious fire atmospheric charges. About 1.4 billion humans need to compromise with their enshrined within his inner core. mental frameworks and even break it. such flashes are estimated to happen This happened to Vâlmîki who stepped in a year, whose energy, when properly They need to render their brains more plastic, so that they oblige to an into the river Ganges for his daily harnessed, is sufficient to partially external stimuli freely. ablutions, when he saw a happy crane meet the primary energy needs of

Ma Nishada

Sloka

Ramayana

couple mating. Suddenly, hit by an arrow, the male bird died on the spot and its mate screamed in agony and sorrow and died of shock. Vâlmîki’s heart was broken at this pitiful sight and when he looked around to find out who had shot the bird, he saw a hunter with a bow and arrows, nearby. Vâlmîki burst into a shot of temper and cried out “Ma Nishada”, “Forbid you, hunter”. That was the first ever Sloka

Pallikkutam | June 2015

earth. Similarly works the bolts from the blue that trigger individuals. It renders creative minds with tremendous energy sufficient to transform their lives entirely. They are molded into creatures, throbbing with everlasting creativity. Those events translate into a perpetual source of their creative prowess in them. They become scientists like Isaac Newton or

At the same time, human brains are excellent self-organizing systems. They knot new connections rather easily, if not freely. Hence, a chance or random event can open up a new vantage point to enter the existing patterns of thinking and to engender new connections in the brain. The new mental associations generated with the aid of random stimuli may produce ‘Eureka effect’, intuition or insight.

CREA TIVE LIVING CREATIVE Such mental intrusions due to external 1. Choose a random word or a random stimuli could happen accidentally, as image occurred to Sir Isaac Newton. 2. List different attributes and However, such accidental external associations of the random word or stimulus is unpredictable and often image extremely slow. One could also break the mental patterns deliberately. This can be compared shaking the apple tree well so as to cause apples to fall down the tree, triggering creative minds. Such deliberate tools may work faster The Random Stimuli Method is a and effective.

attributes of banana includes its ability to attract insects. Banana works as an effective magnet for insects towards a trap. Can you develop something that attracts the unsolicited emails in order to separate them from the wanted emails, selectively trapping them in view of their deletion? Can you develop a new generation trap for junk mail based on this idea? Or suppose you are pondering over a new powerful generation school sitting on a beach. For example, to method of lateral thinking that delinks your You observe a Sea work out a mental Gull landing over mind with its usual patterns and freely impasse, I used to the sea. That may randomly select associates it with new concepts inspire you to think and read a text of a new from an arbitrary generation school source, be it a that equips the students to deftly land news paper, holy books, or some on turbulent waters of a globalized random book. I have invariably found world. You may decide that your new that those randomly chosen texts 3. Make free school focuses on suitable skill always contain messages suited for associations of these attributes to the development to enable your students creative problem solving. One may problem at hand to be experts in that. ascribe such Guidance from without as manifestations of Divine Providence that beacons the paths of life. How true! It is equally important to multiply the God-given creativity talents with our own careful efforts. The Random Stimuli Method The Random Stimuli method is useful when you are at the end of your wits, as you run out of ideas or when you get stuck with in your project or when you want to generate creative ideas for a fresh project or when you want to get out of a stalemate. Edward de Bono provides in his book, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Teach your child to thinkâ&#x20AC;? a powerful lateralthinking technique, random input that is very easy to use. The random input could be either a random word or a random image. The general procedure of both these methods is identical:

4. List all ideas thus generated For example, consider that you are tired of getting unsolicited email and you are searching for a solution. Your random word is BANANA. The

In adopting the Random Stimuli Method for lateral/creative thinking care must be taken to avoid the following: 1. Do not discard the random input and move on to another random input 2. Do not discard this method and shift to an another method of creative thinking 3. Never give up the efforts in the middle of the program The Random Stimuli Method is a powerful method of lateral thinking that delinks your mind with its usual patterns and freely associates it with new concepts. It enhances your imagination skills, and equips you to think creatively.

Pallikkutam | June 2015

POLICY WATCH

Challenges in education- II

Who should decide what to learn and how?

D. Dhanuraj

Rahul V Kumar

he observations of high dropouts in Wayanad and Palakkad among the ST community forced us to ponder on what was the actual challenge facing Kerala in school education. The general understanding among the experts in education sector is that Kerala has moved from its first generation challenge of

On the forefront of these problems is the tight control and regulation which prevents innovations in education. We found the existence of informal and single teacher schools which indicated the demand for such systems as against the institutional system (which has become the norm). In Wayanad alone there were reportedly 38 such schools. In 2010 there were approximately 1500 students studying in such schools. Teachers continued to teach in these schools irrespective of the fact that they earned a meagre salary of less than Rs 3000. However, the state administration and the SSA continues to believe that these systems need to be formalized and institutionalised as per the existing standards (they

Education is still seen in Kerala as emanating from formal and standardized institutions based on criteria set by the state. providing universal education to a set of second generation challenges where as SSA trying to address the first generation challenges. The second generation challenges consider quality and inclusion as major factors needing attention of the state while the access and availability are considered to be the first generation challenges. In various interactions we had with stakeholders in the educational sector we found that these first and second generation challenges while continuing to exist, there are more inherent problems facing the sector in Kerala.

Pallikkutam | June 2015

cite MHRD instructions to justify their stand). In that process what has happened is that some of these one teacher schools are closed down. In our field trips, we were not able to track most of those children who discontinued their education because of the closure of one teacher school. Education is still seen in Kerala as emanating from formal and standardized institutions based on criteria set by the state. It is curiosity which drives the process of education and not compulsion and conformity. Famous educationist Sir Ken Robinson views the conformity system in education as directly affecting

POLICY WATCH creativity in schools. What is killed in the process is imagination and innovative practices.

have not solved the issue at least for students or parents). Identifying groups like the ST students in the incentives to lure children to the classes has been a traditional response districts that we visited. It largely reflects the cost of resources and man Many of the stakeholders continue to power wasted on these efforts. Several believe that the state could do more in options came up during our the field of education. They perceive discussions and most of it had direct education in a principal-agent implications on framework. The the taxpayersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; assumption is that money. A education can be it is obvious that the incentives which ranged consensus on the made attractive right incentive through incentives from scholarships to free umbrellas have and the right by the state made target was never not solved the issue at least for groups to its agents. reached. However, this is a like the ST students in the districts complex web. It is So we were forced that we visited. extremely difficult to ask the to identify the kind question: Has of incentive Kerala failed to identify the right kind (whether midday meals or umbrellas or of incentive to cure the second cash transfers) that could attract generation challenge, or have we failed children to classes or for that matter to expand the scope and purpose of of the state to show inflated enrolment who should be receiving it education? Such an expansion in figures. But it is obvious that these (teachers or scope and purpose, we believe, ought incentives which ranged from to be the priority considering the fact scholarships to free that information technology and umbrellas communication is developing at an unprecedented pace as never before.

Pallikkutam | June 2015

POLICY WATCH notably by Annual Survey of Education Report (2014) and NCERT. The findings of the National University of Educational Planning and Administration (NUEPA) in 2012 was substantiated by these findings. All these findings indicated that the Kerala was indeed losing its position There are no simple steps to solve as a forerunner in school level poverty but there are underlying achievements. The case of Wayanad issues which if addressed could and Palakkad were pointers towards provide people with alternatives. In the gaps in our discussion educational with experts what achievements. A was repeated time very minimal and again was the All the findings indicated that the Kerala number of view that the ST students master was indeed losing its position as a dropouts were the ability to read students who forerunner in school level and write when were waiting to they progress achievements. be helped. ST through the groups were schooling system always in Kerala. categorised as the “others” who never Although there is sufficient access to understood the importance of higher education, failure of the school education. Hence policies targeting level system significantly influence specific groups were forcing them to the quality of higher education in the join the mainstream state. The and perform phenomenon of near standardized tasks. universal pass at the In education what tenth grade by we saw was that giving extra marks to such students who even standardizations fail to achieve ten backfired. Sitting in marks for individual class was often exams displays gross difficult beyond a misunderstandings few hours for some on what education of these students. implies. The state The problem is follows a system simple when it is which endorses a assumed and ‘certificate economy’ believed that ST as a prerequisite for students who jobs. This in turn dropout are not undermines the ‘skill rational enough to economy’ which status quo with greater intervention understand the need for education. from the government at various levels. should have taken its place. It is high However, the state and its time that we expand and widen the These have created denser administrative instruments bypasses scope of the term ‘education’ bureaucratic networks and newer the need to re-examine its lags and providing it with the option of constituencies of people looking problems. It need not be that the forward to depend on these networks. flexibility as per the demand. “others” are irrational it can be that the In time this has also reduced administration is “irrational”. Poverty 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 incentives to depend on individual 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 limits mobility as well as the ability to Dr. D. Dhanuraj is the Chairman, 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 insights and experiences to move 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 choose from different options. When Centre for Public Policy Research, 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 ahead. There is a brewing crisis in 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 Kochi. Rahul V. Kumar is the Director the government subsidises and directs 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 Kerala’s school education. This is 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 (Reasearch), Centre for Public Policy the process of education to particular 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 reflected in several recent studies most 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 Research, Kochi. groups it is reaffirming limited mobility 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 Apart from the innumerable problems highlighted by experts for the increase in dropout rates the most obvious was the state of poverty which had direct influence on high dropouts of ST students. This is indeed a major issue that needs to be addressed.

Pallikkutam | June 2015

and choice for these groups. How? When you are paid to stay in the same place and to educate under the similar circumstances there seems little choice or incentive for you to move ahead. It was quiet evident in our discussion with peoples representatives and teachers unions that they prefer the

GUEST COLUMN

K. L. Mohana Varma

Schooling and education

ark Twain’s famous statement is a gem. I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.

believing in it as correct. They of course believed in it and gave with all

be successful in life, how to be happy! Do this. Do that. Don’t do this. Don’t do that. This is what is right. This is what is wrong. If you don’t follow it or question it, the teachers or the parents or police or society will punish you. If you escape all, the invisible God is there waiting to punish you.

Schooling starts from Day One of our life and ends only on Day Last. From mother’s lap to ventilator bed. It is predetermined, closely Schooling starts from Day One of our compartmentalized I had a teacher in and fairly arbitrary. In commerce in 1953-55 life and ends only on Day Last. From schooling one plus at S D College, mother’s lap to ventilator bed. one is always two. Alappuzha where I Not a big one as the had my B Com. He little schooled genius was actually not a of malayalam conventional literature Vaikom pr0fessor and I think he had not taken Mohammed Basheer found out or classes anywhere. He was the top eleven as I doubted when I was four. lawyer and civic leader and very active We have no alternative. Schooling is in all social and cultural activities of what the generations passed on as the best intentions. How to attain Alapuzha. He was connected with the physical and mental discipline, how to ultimate knowledge and wisdom firmly

Pallikkutam | June 2015

GUEST COLUMN

management of the school. The bonhomie. The day when he comes to helped the university to graft and draft subject of commerce was just the college, he will be with us for two as member of the advisory committee introduced in Travancore University or three hours and the other lecturers on the subject. and regular full time teachers for will happily forgo their periods. Pappa He never taught us law, but when we commerce subjects were not available Swamy spent most of the time in went through the acts and case and actually were unnecessary for the studies, we knew how to learn it, faculty. Our professor was George sir, interpret it and apply it. We never who was ex-finance minister of learnt anything bye-heart, but we Jodhpur state, out of job when the became the best maharaja himself knowledgeable became jobless after students in the British left in 1947. commercial law. Later Almost every other He never taught us law, but when we on, when I was lecturer had their own went through the acts and case appearing for the IAS jobs in banking or etc examinations, I auditing or business studies, we knew how to learn had no hesitation in and came to the selecting mercantile it, interpret it and apply it. college for a few law as one optional hours every week on subjects. I remember part-time basis. The there was a question atmosphere was more based on the then top international open and friendly than the classes in maritime conflict on Suez Canal issue. I other subjects. just remembered Pappa Swamyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s way Pappa Swamy, who had taken upon of analysis inculcated in me and came enlightening us about the current himself the duty of teaching us upon my own answers. When the final affairs mixed with history, art, culture, mercantile law used to come for taking mark list came, I got 142 out of 200 in economics and of course law. He will classes only for a two or three days in mercantile law, higher than my other only just casually mention contract a term. Thus maximum we had his act, sale of goods act or companies act two optional subjects, British History presence was around ten days in a and other mundane boring parts of the and Accountancy. year. The last one was always at his curriculum which he himself had home. He hosted the class for

Pallikkutam | June 2015

GUEST COLUMN An unfortunate part of our system is education. Countries like the erstwhile teaching and learning changed with that we do not separate education and USSR introduced Lenin and Stalin in surroundings and political and social schooling. Schooling is controlled by undercurrents. The historians College and University syllabi. The past where the protagonists of the 20th century also witnessed the rise of compartmentalized them to Rig Veda existing system with their vested period, Brahmani period, Upanishada interests unknowingly always had period, Sutra (Hymn) period, Smriti upper hand. Politicization of schooling period etc but during all these periods, which we term as education at the due to predominance rulers’ whim and of the Vedas, there fancy has been a was no change in the common practice all aims and ideals of In India, the systematic schooling was educations. around the globe. In many countries, confined to the Brahmins, the elite “Swadesh Pujyate education has been Raja, Vidwan among the four castes. The study used as political Sarvatra Pujyate.” weapon for many of Vedas was the aim. centuries. In medieval “The King is Britain, Henry, the worshipped by his VIII, not only citizens, but the politicized education but also the Learned are worshipped by all.” Church. The King held a personal Brahma is developed a system of grudge against the Pope as he was not education which survived even in the allowed to get a divorce from his Hitler who preached extreme events of the crumbling of empires and queen. He decided to support a new nationalism in the students. In the the changes of society, and managed Protestant sect. Many schools and West, politics and state always played to keep the glow of learning for churches came under its influence and an important role in guiding the thousands of years to themselves. they preached political philosophy of system. Education was kept free from any the king. Those were the early days of external control like that of the state In India, the systematic schooling was politicization of education in Europe. and government. It was the king’s confined to the Brahmins, the elite Later in 20th century, other European solemn responsibility to see that among the four castes. The study of countries tried to adopt secular learned Brahmins pursued their studies Vedas was the aim. The way of

Pallikkutam | June 2015

GUEST COLUMN and performed their duty of imparting knowledge without interference from any source what so ever.

Once when asked about his views over the miserable condition of poor farmers in the country, Gandhiji wrote in Hind Swaraj: “I am not overtly concerned over the farmers’ plight, but when I see

a backward and illiterate India into a modern and progressive nation. At present, our educational schooling system is under a three point tug of war. The gradual and subtle political inroads of what we call saffronisation, left wing academicians’ intellectual secularism and the century-old minority religious moral and cultural links inculcated in the discipline.

In India, education system was always autonomous, free from State control. We have shining examples of universities like Nalanda and Taxila which were self-reliant and capable of generating their resources through generous land grants. The Nalanda Our Nobel laureate After independence, Gandhian legacy University was given of Indian descent, V and thought were not celebrated the right to collect S Naipaul, said that direct tax from 100 India is the only properly by those in power. His villages. There is an country in the world interesting episode in where history text ideas were generally ignored. Mahabharata. book teaches a Yuddhistira, the history which dilutes eldest of the the nationalist Pandavas had to bet his entire elements than strengthening it. In kingdom in a dice game with Kaurava’s India, we consider the Indian history representative, Sakuni. There he makes written by foreign authors more an exception. He insists that the authentic than the books penned by the educated youth of our country, bet does not include land properties Indian historians. Our entire it makes me deeply worried about given to educational and religious educational establishment has institutions. become captive of this colonial mind set. Our The process of present schooling politicization in India’s system needs more educational system started vision and direction. after the Mogul period with The present hollowness the advent of European creates a sense of colonizers,who made the confusion and due to education universal, of rampant politicization course with the aim of and commercialization, conversion to their the focus has shifted religious beliefs. Till Mogul from innovative period, religious thinking and character conversion was by using building to making the brutal force, but now it student suitable for job became a factor through decision India’s future. If we want to be free market. The system should be guided making on one’s own, through from British rule then aping Britain in by three objectives ie, character education. In the 18th century, an East independent India would make swaraj building, nation building and skill India Company employee named meaningless.” The Mahatma wanted development and we should strive for Charles Grant propagated the idea of an education system which upheld the this. Education can and should never educating the native Indians who, age old cultural values of the country. be limited to textbook knowledge. Real according to him, were ignorant, After independence, Gandhian legacy education goes beyond that. As the miserable and even corrupt. Lord and thought were not celebrated great Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar says: Macaulay pushed forward the agenda. properly by those in power. His ideas “Let a man learn thoroughly whatever He advocated creation of a class of were generally ignored. The people he may learn and let his conduct persons who would be Indian in blood who enjoyed power were so fascinated be worthy of his learning.” and colour but English in tastes, by the western education that they did 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 in opinions, and in intellects. The not feel the need to change the 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 The author is a Kochi-based British rulers established three colonial pattern for education. They 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 novelist, short story writer and 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 Universities around 1850s and a heavy believed that western education was 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 columnist. colonial impact was clearly visible. the only available option to transform 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456

Pallikkutam | June 2015

INNO VATIONS INNOV

What lies beneath East Asia?

he Tibetan Plateau, known as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;the roof of the world,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; rises about three miles, or five kilometers above sea level. The leading theory holds that the plateau formed and is maintained by the northward motion of the India plate, which forces the plateau to shorten horizontally and move upward simultaneously. The details of how it formed remain hidden to scientists today. Based on simulations on 3-D supercomputer of Texas Advanced Computing Center and using seismic data from 227 East Asia earthquakes during 2007-2011, researchers have developed a 3D image of deep underground of East Asia. The results are published in the American Geophysical Union Journal of

Geophysical Research, Solid Earth. Notable structures include a high velocity colossus beneath the Tibetan plateau, and a deep mantle upwelling beneath the Hangai Dome in Mongolia. Like a thrown pebble generates ripples in a pond, earthquakes make waves that can travel thousands of miles through the Earth. A seismic wave slows down or speeds up a small percentage as it travels through changes in rock composition and temperature. Using supercomputers the researchers combined different kinds of seismic waves to render a more coherent image of scientifically accurate, high-resolution 3-D images of the subsurface beneath immense geological formations the Earth. They mapped these wave speed changes to

model the physical properties of rock hidden below ground. The ultimate goal for the research team is to match the observed ground-shaking information at seismographic stations to fully numerical simulations run on supercomputers. It sounded something like a Google Earth for inside the Earth itself.

Enhance nutritional value by germination

an germination enhance the nutritional value of seeds? Yes, suggests a report published in the Journal of Food Science. Germinated buckwheat, an important raw material for food production, developed better nutritional value than un-germinated buckwheat. The study was led by researchers at

Wilmar (Shanghai) Biotechnology Research and Development Center Co., Ltd. Germination is a complex process in which significant changes in the biochemical, nutritional, and sensory characteristics occur due to the activation of dormant enzymes. As a result, the germinated seeds or sprouts are nutritionally superior to their original seeds with higher levels of nutrients, lower amounts of compounds that interfere with the absorption of nutrients, and increased protein and starch digestibility. The germinated seeds could help in the prevention and treatment of various human diseases, but could also be helpful in improving the development of active components for functional food products and pharmaceuticals.

Reduce antibiotics use in infancy

ntibiotics are by far the most common prescription drugs given to children. They account for about one-fourth of all medications prescribed to children, with a third of these prescriptions considered unnecessary. Other studies have shown profound shortand long-term effects of antibiotics on the diversity and composition of the bacteria in our bodies, called our microbiome. Researchers at the University of Minnesota warn against unwanted use of antibiotics in infants. They have found a three-way link among antibiotic use in infants, changes in the gut bacteria, and disease later in life. The imbalances in gut microbes, called dysbiosis, have

been tied to infectious diseases, allergies and other autoimmune disorders, and even obesity, later in life. The findings are published in the scientific journal Cell Host & Microbe. Researchers developed a framework to map how antibiotics act in the gut to cause disease later in life. In the case of allergies, for example, the use of antibiotics may eradicate key gut bacteria that help immune cells mature. These cells would have been essential for keeping the immune system at bay when confronted with allergens. Even if these bacteria return, the immune system remains impaired. Related to obesity, antibiotic-induced changes in the gut microbiota resulted in increased levels of short-chain fatty acids that affect metabolism.

Pallikkutam | June 2015

INNO VATIONS INNOV

Cyber security: a rising concern for artificial organs

systems, which typically include a continuous glucose monitor, fingerstick blood glucose device, and insulin pump.

As the technology keeps advancing, we have to be vigilant about interference with medical devices, especially those that automatically control insulin infusion in the artificial pancreas. Authors bring out many challenges one faces while making sure the upcoming devices are safe.

rtificial organs are often controlled by software that runs on mobile computing platforms such as laptops, tablets, and smart-phones, and operates over wireless networks under local or remote medical supervision. As optimal function of the organs is critical to an individual’s health, safety, and privacy, the risk of security threats targeting artificial organs is of paramount concern, which has not been sufficiently considered in the research and

development of these emerging medical devices. For example, artificial pancreas is designed for blood glucose control in diabetes, which requires absolute cyber security for its functioning. A perspective article which identifies security vulnerabilities related to both internal and external factors that could put users at risk is published in Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics (DTT). The vulnerabilities include software integrity and the risk of malware such viruses, worms, or spyware, access to personal information, or device manipulation. External concerns may include exposure to electromagnetic fields that could interfere with proper function of the system. In the article “Cybersecurity in Artificial Pancreas Experiments,” the authors propose the need for a more formal and consistent approach in reporting the technical characteristics and performance of an artificial pancreas during experimental studies. This would encompass the various components of these complex

Pallikkutam | June 2015

A new drug against leukemia

ost cancer drugs have to go inside a cell to kill it. Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories, the University of Maryland and the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston work on an alternate drug that could destroy the deadly childhood disease known as acute lymphoblastic leukemia and potentially other cancers as well. The drug rather withholds an essential nutrient from the cell affected with cancer, essentially starving it until it self-destructs. The removed nutrient is called asparagine, which cancer cells can’t produce on their own. It’s wellknown that chemical attempts using drugs to kill cancers often sicken the patient. In the case of the cancer drug L-asparaginase type 2 (L-ASN2), whose primary effect is depleting asparagines, side effects are generally attributed to the corresponding depletion of a chemically similar molecule called glutamine. All human cells need asparagine and glutamine to survive because each is essential to key biological processes. While most normal cells can synthesize their own asparagine, certain cancer cells cannot. So the ideal nutrient-deprivation strategy for cancers requires a difficult balancing act: Remove enough asparagine from the blood to cripple the cancer, but leave enough glutamine that the patient can tolerate chemotherapy. Laboratory tests showed that the predictions worked and that the new drug kills a variety of leukemias. The results are published in the journal Blood.

The first ever warmblooded fish

esearchers at NOAA Fisheries has identified the first fully warm-blooded fish, the opah, or moonfish, as the first that circulates heated blood throughout its body much like mammals and birds, giving it a competitive advantage in the cold ocean depths. The silvery fish, roughly the size of a large automobile tire, is known from oceans around the world and dwells hundreds of feet beneath the surface in chilly, dimly lit waters. The discovery is reported in the journal Science. Fish that typically inhabit such cold depths tend to be slow and sluggish, conserving energy by ambushing prey instead of chasing it. That warmblooded advantage turns the opah

into a high-performance predator that swims faster, reacts more quickly and sees more sharply. Because it can warm its body, it turns out to be a very active predator that chases down agile prey like squid and can migrate long distances. Researchers recognized an unusual design: Blood vessels that carry warm blood into the fish’s gills wind around those carrying cold blood back to the body core after absorbing oxygen from water. The design is known in engineering as “counter-current heat exchange.” Resembling a car radiator, it’s a natural adaptation that conserves heat. While mammals and birds typically maintain much warmer body temperatures, the opah is the first fish found to keep its whole body warmer than the environment.

ASPECTS

The story of Usasti Cakrayana

Dr. Augustine Thottakara

eminent philosophers of the aste system, or the hierarchical its smooth running and for safeguarding the rta, the harmony, in Upanisadic times were women. It was division of society into different with the establishment of Law Codes classes, is an old institution, as (Dharma-sastras) that the caste old as the Vedas themselves. Purusabelongingness was made a birth right. sukta (Rgveda X.90) narrates the The present story has also to deal with sacrifice of the Purusa for the sake of this caste issue. creation. Verses eleven and twelve of The Story this hymn, recount This story in the origin of the four Education was not denied to any. In Chandogya Up. I.10castes of human 11 happened in the fact, some of the eminent society. From the Kuru country. In one mouth of the philosophers of the Upanisadic year, all the crops of sacrificed Purusa the this country were times were women. Brahmin was born, totally destroyed by from his two arms the a violent hailstorm. A Kshatriya (Rajanya) severe famine was born, from the followed; people had nothing to eat. two thighs of the Purusa the Vaisya There lived at that time in that place a was born, and from his feet the Sudra, man called Usasti Cakrayana with his the fourth caste, was created. young wife in abject poverty. They the social behaviour of the However, it is to be presumed that the were twice-borns, Brahmanas, but people. Education was practice of caste system in the Vedic were living in a village of not denied to any. In period was not based on birth, nor was elephant drivers. Elephant fact, some of it hierarchical. It was a functional drivers were low the division of society for

Pallikkutam | June 2015

ASPECTS for it. In fact, he set out from home in caste people. Usasti and his wife had for some priestly function’. His wife then said to him, ‘The beans you gave search of money. He found here an nothing to eat for days. One day he opportunity secure some wealth. The saw an elephant driver eating beans of me yesterday are here; you eat them King was ready to pay him for his and go’. He ate the beans and inferior quality, probably rotten beans. priestly service. proceeded to the palace. In normal situations people would not eat it. Usasti went up to him and Then Usasti asked the singers to begged for some beans. The elephant continue singing. But the singers driver willingly gave him some. Then wanted to know from him the names he offered him also water. But Usasti and nature of the deities to whom they said, ‘The water is defiled as it is in are singing, about your possession’. which he questioned Thereupon the them. The Prastotr elephant driver asked Life is more precious than the law of wanted to know the him, ‘Then what deity of Prastava. purity and defilement. There is no about my beans; are Usasti replied that they not defiled?’ scarcity of water here. Therefore, the presiding deity of Usasti replied, ‘If I do the Prastava is receiving defiled water from not eat it, I shall Prana. At the time of surely die; my wife you is not lawful’. dissolution, all these shall also die; life is beings merge into more precious than Prana; and at the the law of purity and defilement. There time of creation all these beings come is no scarcity of water here. Therefore, out of Prana. Then the Udgatr came receiving defiled water from you is not to him and asked about deity to whom lawful’. the Udgitha hymns are addressed. In the palace he saw three types of He ate some beans; and the rest he took for his wife. The wife, in the mean time, because of excruciating hunger, begged food from neighbours, and got some to satiate her hunger. Therefore, she kept aside the beans for future use. Next day morning Usasti said to himself loud, ‘If I had some food, I could eat it, and with the strength of it I can walk to the King’s palace. The King is organizing a big sacrifice today. I being a Brahmin, he may perhaps appoint me

Pallikkutam | June 2015

priests, namely, Prastotr, Udgatr and Pratihartr, singing Prastava, Udgitha and Pratihara hymns respectively. He asked the singers individually, ‘Do you know the deity to whom your hymns are addressed? If you do not know the deity, then your head will fall down (you will gain demerit)’. Hearing this, all the priests stopped singing; there was total silence in the sacrificial hall. The King, the Yajamana of the sacrifice, who was seated in the middle, asked him, who he was. Usasti replied, ‘I am Usasti Cakrayana’. The King said, ‘I have heard about you, Sir. I was searching for you to entrust this ritual to you. But I did not find you. Therefore, I appointed other priests. Now, I request you to take over the sacrifice, preside over it, and complete it’. Usasti Cakrayana accepted the offer, but demanded adequate remuneration

Usasti said that the presiding deity of Udgitha is the sun. Sun enlightens and enlivens everything; all the beings sing the praises of the sun when he comes up. Then the Pratihartr wanted to know the deity of Pratihara. The answer was ‘food’. Every being lives by food; without food no one can survive; food enlivens, energizes and nourishes everything. What is meant is that the seeker has to meditate on these three important realities, namely, Prana, Sun and Food. All these three are life-supporting and life-enhancing realities; they are benefactors of all living beings; without their active support and help, nobody can survive. Without the vital breath and animation of Prana, without the light and warmth of the sun, without the nourishment and

ASPECTS energy of food, no life can stay alive. Observations By all Means Stay in Life Life is a precious gift of God. We have the serious and unavoidable duty and obligation of protecting and safeguarding it by all means. In danger of death, we may even break the positive laws to stay in life. In danger of death, the supreme obligation is to find out ways and means to avoid death, and be alive. Nobody has the right to destroy willingly one’s own life, or the life of another person, because the ownership over life belongs to God. That is why suicide and homicide are

decided to break the caste-laws to live. The common saying is, vyasanesu dhanam matih , ‘in the time of misery your wealth is your intelligence (prudence)’, meaning, using your intelligence, take prudent decisions. That is precisely what Usasti did.

proceedings of the ritual; and daringly corrects the mistakes of the officiating priests. The King gets convinced of his knowledge and ability and hands over the supervision of the ritual proceedings to him, and promises him to pay generously.

Humility of Usasti Cakarayana Usasti Cakrayana is an exceptionally learned Brahmin; he is highly respected in the society; even the King of the place has heard about his scholarship, and wanted to honour him (as will be evident from the events that followed); he was thoroughly informed about the rubrics and instructions concerning the conduct of liturgy and

Life is a precious gift of God. We have the serious and unavoidable duty and obligation of protecting and safeguarding it by all means.

equally culpable. Usasti Cakrayana and his wife were passing though such a critical moment; if they did not eat something, death was inevitable. Laws of castes, regulations of purity and pollution, rules of states of life, injunctions of Dharma-sastras concerning dharma of individuals and of community (sva-dharma and samanya-dharma), etc. are not relevant at this critical and crucial point of time. The advice of Hitopadesa is relevant here: “One should be ready to renounce one person for the sake of the family/race, and the family for the sake of the village, and village for the sake of the country; but one should be ready to renounce the entire world to save oneself/himself.” Therefore, Usasti

worship, rules of public discourse, esoteric meanings of the mantras and sacred formulas, etc. But he becomes very humble and goes over to the low caste elephant driver and begs for some sub-standard beans. His Scholarship Pays off Videsesu dhanam vidya, ‘in foreign countries your wealth would be your knowledge’ – so goes the saying. If you are well-educated, you can survive even in an unknown foreign country, even if you do not have any money in your pocket. That is what happened in the life of Usasti Cakrayana. He boldly enters the sacrificial hall of the palace; shows his mastery over religious-philosophical matters; fearlessly brings order in the

Pallikkutam | June 2015

STUDENTS CLUB

Animal rights

Stop cruelty against animals Varghese S V XI A, The Viswajyothi School, Angamali

very creature, with a world to live in has a right to live free from any sort of pain, suffering or disturbance. Only 120 billion people have ever lived, around 7 billion alive today and we torture and kill 2 billion animals every month. We are now facing the 6th mass extinction in cosmological history. Hundreds of species are wiped out every year. If any other organism did this a biologist would call it a virus! When a man purposefully destroys one of the creations of man we call him a vandal, when he destroys one of the creations of God we call him a sportsperson. Don’t you think that deer hunting would have been a fine sport only if the deer too had guns… hunting down such harmless poor animals for the sake of fun, I believe is the cruelest of human expressions… P.G Wodehouse once said “The fascination of shooting as a sport totally depends on which end of the gun you are at… ! When you ask people why they have deer heads on their walls, they always say because it is such a beautiful animal. But, most of us refer to our parents or grandparents or who ever be as

The basis of all cry for animal rights is the golden rule: “treat them the way you would want to be treated if they were you and you were them.. !

beautiful people, but keep photographs of theirs instead. If you ask, why there are experiments on animals they would probably say “because animals are like humans” and if you ask them if it is morally okay to experiment on animals they would say “because animals are not like humans”… this clearly shows that animal experimentation rests on a mere logical contradiction. We have enslaved the rest of the animal creation, and have treated our distant cousins in fur and feathers so badly that beyond doubt, if they would ever be able to formulate a religion, they would depict the devil in human form… The basis of all cry for animal rights is the golden rule: “treat them the way you would want to be treated if they were you and you were them.. ! “We MUST fight against the spirit of unconscious cruelty with which we treat animals. True humanity does not allow us to impose such sufferings on them. We must realize that animals do not have any less of a claim to existence, less of a claim to possibility of survival, less of a claim to dignity or less of a claim to be treated with respect.

Pallikkutam | June 2015

RAINBOW

Sudoku 05

Sudoku 04 - Answer

Send your classroom jokes to editor@rajagirimedia.com

Pallikkutam | June 2015

REFLECTIONS

Im-possible? Jose Panthaplamthottiyil

anama Canal is the waterway lost 22,000 lives due to disease. While the co-worker asked him. “By that connects between the the canal work was stalling the completing the work ahead of time,” Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Americans came up with a proposal to Goethals answered him. Ocean. This 77.1 kilometer-long canal build a canal through Nicaragua. Goethals answered the critics by helps ships avoid the long route completing the work and opening the around the tip of the South American Canal for traffic on August 15, 1914 Continent. Counted among the seven which was two years ahead of wonders of the modern world by the schedule. By that time all his critics American Society of had become his Civil Engineers ardent admirers! The (ASCE) the Canal word ‘impossible’ was was mostly built We need to remember that we will not not in the dictionary under the leadership of Goethals. That is succeed until we begin to look at of American engineer why he took over George Washington what seemed to be an the so-called impossible Goethals (1858-1928). impossible task for things as possible. When the United many. He had no States decided to animosity toward his build the canal critics. On the almost all the experts said it was contrary he had only sympathy for impossible to construct the canal as them knowing that they could not proposed. Well, they had reasons to dream and work hard like he did. say so because the previous failed Almost all of us use the word Instead of competing with the attempts in this direction. There were impossible every now and then. When Americans the French handed over thoughts about connecting the two someone comes up with a great dream their project to them saving some oceans beginning with the earliest we call it an impossible one. Or when money in the business deal. The explorers of the American continents. someone comes up with a great idea Americans started the work of the However, it was German Scientist we brand it impractical. This is because Panama Canal in 1904 which invited Alexander von Humboldtwho we don’t want to get out of our severe criticism from the so-called seriously put forward the idea of comfort zones and take up any serious experts saying that it would be building a canal to facilitate challenge in life. However, we need to impossible to complete the work. It navigation across the two great remember that we will not succeed was in the midst of confusion and oceans. anxieties about the future of the Canal until we begin to look at the so-called The Spanish government followed up George Goethals took over the impossible things as possible. on the idea by doing some surveys leadership of the construction project. We need not delete the word between 1850 and 1875. However, it The criticisms still continued. “impossible” from the dictionary of our was the French government which However, Goethals never paid any life. But we should learn to use it less took the initiative to build the canal attention to them. At that time one of often. Moreover, we should also learn and the work was started in January his co-workers asked him, “Why don’t the art of making the impossible 1881. The work went on for a few you try to answer the criticisms of the possible like Goethals did with years but it did not make any real press and the public?” Then he said, “I imagination and hard work. breakthrough. Moreover, they also will do it when it is time.” “But how?”

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