Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Kargil - A Decade Later
On the eve of the tenth anniversary of our victory in the Kargil war, one question which begs an answer is “ Can the nation be reassured that there would be no more Kargils in the future, even though the former President of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf, has gone on record saying, that “ Till the Kashmir issue is not resolved , more Kargils cannot be ruled out.”
These words coming from non other than the chief architect of Kargil war, should not be dismissed as yet another statement aimed at playing up to the gallery.
While reflecting back ten years ago, what is indeed astonishing, is the kind of bon homie we witnessed in Indo Pak relationship , just three months before we went to war to counter the infiltration by the Pakistani Army across our side of the LoC, with a clear mandate to cut off Leh from Srinagar by targeting NH 1.
The much hyped bus ride ferrying some of our VVIPs across the Wagah border, turned out to be an exercise in self deception, as it became clear later on , that hectic preparations were going on simultaneously for the Kargil Misadventure by the Northern Light Infantry Regiment of the Pakistan Army..
Political naivety apart, the Kargil war proved it beyond doubt, that our entire intelligence machinery was woefully ill prepared to detect the movement across the LoC, and above all, our mission in Islamabad perhaps also miserably failed to notice the hectic military activity close to the LoC. The price which the nation paid for such pathetic show of incompetence was especially in terms of loss of precious lives of some of our finest youth, who in the highest traditions of our armed forces, took on the enemy from a severely disadvantaged position, and in the most inhospitable climate with freezing temperatures at night. It goes to their credit that they ultimately managed to evict the intruders, at the cost of huge sacrifices made by them.
The ruling NDA alliance celebrated the victory by calling it “Vijay Diwas” , but failed to fix responsibilities on those who had miserably failed in discharging their duties to detect such intrusions on a timely basis, besides of course offering an answer to the nation, on what went wrong in their overall assessment of the intentions of the Pakistani leadership vis a vis India, and to what extent was our mission in Islamabad was to be held accountable for such lapses.
Sadly enough, answers to such questions are still awaited. That we were no better off at least till November 2008, especially where our overall abilities and capabilities to thwart off such nasty surprises from Pakistan were concerned, needs no further elaboration. Add to the fact the mass killings of our police personnel by the Maoists, which of late have become routine news, exposes the utter state of our helplessness to tackle such threats from within as well.
Such balant example of political indifference towards our overall security (both internal and external) environment , and absence of any clear strategy and vision to preempt any nefarious designs from across our borders aimed at creating mayhem in our soil, is alarming indeed, and does not inspire much confidence amongst ordinary citizens, regarding the security of our lives and our borders.
Yes, we are indeed proud of our defence personnel , who could be counted upon to meet any challenge or threat to our security and sanctity of our borders/LoC. But then, do we need to tolerate a totally inept and incompetent bureaucratic and intelligence apparatus, alongwith a relatively indifferent political leadership, just because some of the brightest youth of the nation, who too have loved ones back home, and who perhaps despite stiff opposition from their families, chose to serve our motherland through our defence forces, and are even prepared to make the supreme sacrifice, should the need so arise ?
A serious nationwide debate, and a sincere introspection on this issue, alongwith a changed mindset, and priorities at the level of our political leadership and bureaucratic intelligence apparatus on this front, would be a true homage to all those who had to lay down their lives at the prime of their youth, for the sake of our motherland and we citizens of India, just because of the incompetence or overall indifference of some powers that be.
These words coming from non other than the chief architect of Kargil war, should not be dismissed as yet another statement aimed at playing up to the gallery.
While reflecting back ten years ago, what is indeed astonishing, is the kind of bon homie we witnessed in Indo Pak relationship , just three months before we went to war to counter the infiltration by the Pakistani Army across our side of the LoC, with a clear mandate to cut off Leh from Srinagar by targeting NH 1.
The much hyped bus ride ferrying some of our VVIPs across the Wagah border, turned out to be an exercise in self deception, as it became clear later on , that hectic preparations were going on simultaneously for the Kargil Misadventure by the Northern Light Infantry Regiment of the Pakistan Army..
Political naivety apart, the Kargil war proved it beyond doubt, that our entire intelligence machinery was woefully ill prepared to detect the movement across the LoC, and above all, our mission in Islamabad perhaps also miserably failed to notice the hectic military activity close to the LoC. The price which the nation paid for such pathetic show of incompetence was especially in terms of loss of precious lives of some of our finest youth, who in the highest traditions of our armed forces, took on the enemy from a severely disadvantaged position, and in the most inhospitable climate with freezing temperatures at night. It goes to their credit that they ultimately managed to evict the intruders, at the cost of huge sacrifices made by them.
The ruling NDA alliance celebrated the victory by calling it “Vijay Diwas” , but failed to fix responsibilities on those who had miserably failed in discharging their duties to detect such intrusions on a timely basis, besides of course offering an answer to the nation, on what went wrong in their overall assessment of the intentions of the Pakistani leadership vis a vis India, and to what extent was our mission in Islamabad was to be held accountable for such lapses.
Sadly enough, answers to such questions are still awaited. That we were no better off at least till November 2008, especially where our overall abilities and capabilities to thwart off such nasty surprises from Pakistan were concerned, needs no further elaboration. Add to the fact the mass killings of our police personnel by the Maoists, which of late have become routine news, exposes the utter state of our helplessness to tackle such threats from within as well.
Such balant example of political indifference towards our overall security (both internal and external) environment , and absence of any clear strategy and vision to preempt any nefarious designs from across our borders aimed at creating mayhem in our soil, is alarming indeed, and does not inspire much confidence amongst ordinary citizens, regarding the security of our lives and our borders.
Yes, we are indeed proud of our defence personnel , who could be counted upon to meet any challenge or threat to our security and sanctity of our borders/LoC. But then, do we need to tolerate a totally inept and incompetent bureaucratic and intelligence apparatus, alongwith a relatively indifferent political leadership, just because some of the brightest youth of the nation, who too have loved ones back home, and who perhaps despite stiff opposition from their families, chose to serve our motherland through our defence forces, and are even prepared to make the supreme sacrifice, should the need so arise ?
A serious nationwide debate, and a sincere introspection on this issue, alongwith a changed mindset, and priorities at the level of our political leadership and bureaucratic intelligence apparatus on this front, would be a true homage to all those who had to lay down their lives at the prime of their youth, for the sake of our motherland and we citizens of India, just because of the incompetence or overall indifference of some powers that be.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Education Reforms
The proposal by Mr. Kapil Sibal to make the class X board exams optional, and then ultimately doing away with class XII exams as well, is prima facie quite pragmatic. Instead he has proposed a grading system to evaluate the performance of the students. Among the reasons cited by him include the fact, that such board exams are traumatizing to the students, and the purpose of education should not be to traumatize any student.
I am sure that those of us are in their late thirties and beyond would recall that the first tryst with examinations we faced, was while in the kinder gardens itself , at a tender age of five or six. Besides the much potent threat of ‘failing’, and the social stigma attached with it, we also had to contend with rankings right since those days itself. Those who were among the last ten rankers in the class, were virtually treated as outcastes by others, while those among the top five rankers were looked upon with awe, with everyone clamouring to be among their close friends.
Such tough and often difficult academic environment with all its ‘so called negative impact or traumatizing effect’ on we kids those days, in fact toughened us besides familiarizing us with the concept of competition, right since our primary school itself. Further manifestation of such ‘competitive spirit’ was revealed on the play ground, and during sporting events in school, where the winners or the champions were adored and applauded , while the runners up had to contend with a few claps, forget about the rest who failed to make any mark at all.
Such kind of ‘baptism by fire’ right since a tender age of five or six, in fact enabled us to develop the right perspective and attitudes whole facing this omnipresent element of competition in our later years, be it in school, college, or in our professions.
Today, the extent of competition had increased manifold in every sphere of one’s life over the past few decades, and is likely to maintain its momentum in the years to come. Sadly enough, so has the extent of distractions available kids these days, have grown manifold than what we were bothered with as kids decades ago, and this too is also likely to maintain its momentum in the years to come. Witness the exponential growth in the number of TV channels , video games, websites, and other electronic gadgets which the kids these days are getting addicted to. Of course, while children today need to be technologically savvy and well aware , but they need to tread a fine line between what is beneficial and what can be harmful.
If unchecked such kind of addictions could severely dent the overall focus and mindset of the children these days. The school exams, and especially the board exams act as a strong counterforce to such distractions today, as the fear of failure or sub standard performance which could then adversely impact the prospects of getting admissions in reputed colleges and other institutions , is sufficient for serious students to concentrate and focus on their studies.
Now, by making the board exams optional , and doing away with them subsequently, aren’t we robbing the students of a powerful incentive to focus on studies, and kindle that sprit of competition within them ? If yes, then how do we expect them to sustain and endure the dog eat dog kind of competition later on their lives and especially in their professional lives later on, and which is likely to get fiercer by the day ?
Of course, it is assumed here that the grading system as proposed as an alternative would not be able to fulfill such requirements.
Yes, what is required is a change in the quality of questions which are administered during the school exams. Rather than testing the ability of the student to merely memorize a few facts, the examinations should test the comprehension and analytical powers of the students, a trait critically required during the later part of any student’s life.
While we certainly need to reform our education system, doing away with examinations and rankings are certainly not called for, as it would make the present and future generations of kids more vulnerable to evergrowing distractions in their lives, besides of course denying them any powerful and effective motivation to focus and concentrate in their studies, in order to excel academically, and have the skills and confidence to compete internationally, and especially when they enter their respective professions later on.
I am sure that those of us are in their late thirties and beyond would recall that the first tryst with examinations we faced, was while in the kinder gardens itself , at a tender age of five or six. Besides the much potent threat of ‘failing’, and the social stigma attached with it, we also had to contend with rankings right since those days itself. Those who were among the last ten rankers in the class, were virtually treated as outcastes by others, while those among the top five rankers were looked upon with awe, with everyone clamouring to be among their close friends.
Such tough and often difficult academic environment with all its ‘so called negative impact or traumatizing effect’ on we kids those days, in fact toughened us besides familiarizing us with the concept of competition, right since our primary school itself. Further manifestation of such ‘competitive spirit’ was revealed on the play ground, and during sporting events in school, where the winners or the champions were adored and applauded , while the runners up had to contend with a few claps, forget about the rest who failed to make any mark at all.
Such kind of ‘baptism by fire’ right since a tender age of five or six, in fact enabled us to develop the right perspective and attitudes whole facing this omnipresent element of competition in our later years, be it in school, college, or in our professions.
Today, the extent of competition had increased manifold in every sphere of one’s life over the past few decades, and is likely to maintain its momentum in the years to come. Sadly enough, so has the extent of distractions available kids these days, have grown manifold than what we were bothered with as kids decades ago, and this too is also likely to maintain its momentum in the years to come. Witness the exponential growth in the number of TV channels , video games, websites, and other electronic gadgets which the kids these days are getting addicted to. Of course, while children today need to be technologically savvy and well aware , but they need to tread a fine line between what is beneficial and what can be harmful.
If unchecked such kind of addictions could severely dent the overall focus and mindset of the children these days. The school exams, and especially the board exams act as a strong counterforce to such distractions today, as the fear of failure or sub standard performance which could then adversely impact the prospects of getting admissions in reputed colleges and other institutions , is sufficient for serious students to concentrate and focus on their studies.
Now, by making the board exams optional , and doing away with them subsequently, aren’t we robbing the students of a powerful incentive to focus on studies, and kindle that sprit of competition within them ? If yes, then how do we expect them to sustain and endure the dog eat dog kind of competition later on their lives and especially in their professional lives later on, and which is likely to get fiercer by the day ?
Of course, it is assumed here that the grading system as proposed as an alternative would not be able to fulfill such requirements.
Yes, what is required is a change in the quality of questions which are administered during the school exams. Rather than testing the ability of the student to merely memorize a few facts, the examinations should test the comprehension and analytical powers of the students, a trait critically required during the later part of any student’s life.
While we certainly need to reform our education system, doing away with examinations and rankings are certainly not called for, as it would make the present and future generations of kids more vulnerable to evergrowing distractions in their lives, besides of course denying them any powerful and effective motivation to focus and concentrate in their studies, in order to excel academically, and have the skills and confidence to compete internationally, and especially when they enter their respective professions later on.
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