Economics Teaching Conference
1 month ago
LIVE from B-School !
Am in a B-School finally & this is my first post from the hallowed portals of Xavier Institute of Management,Bhubaneswar.All these years at various points of time i have written about B-Schools & their unique culture.Now,finally am a part of it.Am not quite liking the culture prevalent here with all the usual drama & politics but then thats what management is all about.You experience different moods & eventually become indifferent to the surrounding.You must be having second thoughts about a business education but there are many positives of a business education also & the foremost being the art of time management.Here,multi tasking skills are of paramount importance & so is the ability to prioritize.So,am trying to learn & sync myself with the environment.Watch out for this space.
Passion For Cinema
Am a great believer of the old adage idle mind is devil's workshop.So, I always challenge my brain even if it’s as mundane a activity as watching movies. Cinema has always been a favoured mode of entertainment for me. So, now that I have a lot of leisure time I decided to watch some serious cinema & exercise my brain in the process.2008 has been a bad year for Indian film industry & to be very honest hardly there has been a movie for the thinking man. We have had a few decent movies though but then they were not of the brain challenging type. Well, I have this odd habit of watching these senseless movies in the cineplex, whereas I savour the serious ones on my laptop. So, I brought home the DVDs of two movies The Blood Diamond &The Terminal
Let’s start with Blood Diamond. The movie is an amazing piece of work about a sensitive issue like Conflict Diamonds.Set in Sierra Leone it speaks of the story of Djimon Hounsou,a fisherman & his tryst with destiny.His companions in journey are Leonardo Di Caprio,an Arms trader & Diamond smuggler and Jennifer Connelly,an American journalist One of the high points of this movie is acting prowess displayed by Djimon Hounsou, Leonardo Di Caprio & Jennifer Connelly. Di Caprio with his Rhodesian accent was acclaimed by the critics & I must single out his performance as truly mindblowing.He was also nominated for "Best Actor In A Leading Role" for the 79th OSCARS.Djimon Hounsou was also nominated for "Best Actor In A Supporting Role". You can learn more about the movie at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_Diamond_%28film%29. Sometimes, I wonder why new Indian filmmakers can’t make such realistic movies considering the fact that we have no dearth of such critical issues.
The Terminal is also a very enjoyable movie, typical Steven Spielberg stuff. The high Point of this movie is Tom Hanks’ acting. As Viktor novoroski, no where does he let you feel that he is an American & not a East European. Be it his accent, mannerisms or dressing he is just perfect. This movie is entirely shot in an airport terminal except for few portions. Amazing; isn't it? Importantly, you don't get bored & feel monotonous.
I would advise readers to watch these two movies & mail me their opinion or reviews.
Let’s start with Blood Diamond. The movie is an amazing piece of work about a sensitive issue like Conflict Diamonds.Set in Sierra Leone it speaks of the story of Djimon Hounsou,a fisherman & his tryst with destiny.His companions in journey are Leonardo Di Caprio,an Arms trader & Diamond smuggler and Jennifer Connelly,an American journalist One of the high points of this movie is acting prowess displayed by Djimon Hounsou, Leonardo Di Caprio & Jennifer Connelly. Di Caprio with his Rhodesian accent was acclaimed by the critics & I must single out his performance as truly mindblowing.He was also nominated for "Best Actor In A Leading Role" for the 79th OSCARS.Djimon Hounsou was also nominated for "Best Actor In A Supporting Role". You can learn more about the movie at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_Diamond_%28film%29. Sometimes, I wonder why new Indian filmmakers can’t make such realistic movies considering the fact that we have no dearth of such critical issues.
The Terminal is also a very enjoyable movie, typical Steven Spielberg stuff. The high Point of this movie is Tom Hanks’ acting. As Viktor novoroski, no where does he let you feel that he is an American & not a East European. Be it his accent, mannerisms or dressing he is just perfect. This movie is entirely shot in an airport terminal except for few portions. Amazing; isn't it? Importantly, you don't get bored & feel monotonous.
I would advise readers to watch these two movies & mail me their opinion or reviews.
The Tale Of Indian Press
Of lately i have been talking to a lot of activists.Once i asked this lady-a vociferous activist-how does one form an opinion on a particular issue?she tried to relate it to her work & emphasized on status studies & field surveys.I put it across her in an even simpler manner.What if its about an issue like say The Tibet issue?
An unusual silence followed.Soon,she started & remarked how as a student she used to browse newspapers & magazines & jotted down notes on important issues.She added on,unlike nowadays access to English newspaper & magazines were limited those days& the only access point was her university library.Even today I read three newspapers & two magazines,she proudly proclaimed."Madam,then isn't your opinion on national & international issues influenced by the articles published in the newspaper & the magazine?"i asked her.
She hesitantly replied,"Well,in a way yes,but not always".
Not just her,across the length & breadth of India, starting from students to top bureaucrats form their opinions on the basis of what the newspapers write.There is nothing wrong in that except for the fact that in India its pretty difficult to find a newspaper thats unbiased.Biasness in journalism distorts the concept of freedom of press.In a democracy like ours,the press has a very important role to play in disseminating true & correct information & newspapers are the cheapest & easily accessible source of comprehensive information.Down south & in Maharashtra political parties have their own newspapers & television channels.Its expected of them to promote their patrons & be used for political propaganda.But what about mainstream newspapers having mass readership base?If they start doing the same for purely commercial or personal interests then what can be done?Globally,newspaper readership base is shrinking & india seems to be the aberration.In these conditions ideally,we should see a scenario wherein there is tremendous competition to provide well crafted news articles & thought provoking columns;alas it doesn't happen that way.
There are some newspapers who go to any length to justify their biasness either towards the right or the left.For example,a prominent south based English newspaper echoed the lines of the Communist top brass in the Nandigram issue as well as in the recent Tibet issue,even if that was against the stand taken by democratic figureheads like Governor or for that matter the Union of India.Now,it is the same newspaper that had taken a strong stand in the case of Gujarat riots & other acts of Hindu fanaticism.The point is what signals are they sending to the reader?why are they trying to mislead the readers by providing distorting facts or for that suppressing the true facts?Similarly,there is a popular news magazine,that speaks no ill about India's so called first family.Now sycophancy is expected of the loyalists& members of the political party over which this family rules,but why a respected news magazine?If at all,it has to support a particular party or family,why doesn't it state in bold letters in its cover that it is affiliated to that particular political party.There are some other vernacular newspapers that try to influence people's emotions by touching upon sensitive issues such as motherland,religion etc.Then we have those glossy newspapers more in style & less in substance;no wonder these are the ones that sell the most because they exploit the indian mentality of loving everything western & the fondness for paparazzi journalism.The only saving grace has been the presence of some journals & weeklies who have braved all odds to bring us unbiased & accurate news articles.But,then their readership base is limited.
Now where do we go from here?In the near future its not improbable to see a situation wherein like their American& European peers the Indian newspapers see their readers diverting to the web medium for their daily dose of news & views about the issues confronting the mankind.It'll be very interesting & perhaps the fact about Press being a pillar of democracy shall actually be true.
An unusual silence followed.Soon,she started & remarked how as a student she used to browse newspapers & magazines & jotted down notes on important issues.She added on,unlike nowadays access to English newspaper & magazines were limited those days& the only access point was her university library.Even today I read three newspapers & two magazines,she proudly proclaimed."Madam,then isn't your opinion on national & international issues influenced by the articles published in the newspaper & the magazine?"i asked her.
She hesitantly replied,"Well,in a way yes,but not always".
Not just her,across the length & breadth of India, starting from students to top bureaucrats form their opinions on the basis of what the newspapers write.There is nothing wrong in that except for the fact that in India its pretty difficult to find a newspaper thats unbiased.Biasness in journalism distorts the concept of freedom of press.In a democracy like ours,the press has a very important role to play in disseminating true & correct information & newspapers are the cheapest & easily accessible source of comprehensive information.Down south & in Maharashtra political parties have their own newspapers & television channels.Its expected of them to promote their patrons & be used for political propaganda.But what about mainstream newspapers having mass readership base?If they start doing the same for purely commercial or personal interests then what can be done?Globally,newspaper readership base is shrinking & india seems to be the aberration.In these conditions ideally,we should see a scenario wherein there is tremendous competition to provide well crafted news articles & thought provoking columns;alas it doesn't happen that way.
There are some newspapers who go to any length to justify their biasness either towards the right or the left.For example,a prominent south based English newspaper echoed the lines of the Communist top brass in the Nandigram issue as well as in the recent Tibet issue,even if that was against the stand taken by democratic figureheads like Governor or for that matter the Union of India.Now,it is the same newspaper that had taken a strong stand in the case of Gujarat riots & other acts of Hindu fanaticism.The point is what signals are they sending to the reader?why are they trying to mislead the readers by providing distorting facts or for that suppressing the true facts?Similarly,there is a popular news magazine,that speaks no ill about India's so called first family.Now sycophancy is expected of the loyalists& members of the political party over which this family rules,but why a respected news magazine?If at all,it has to support a particular party or family,why doesn't it state in bold letters in its cover that it is affiliated to that particular political party.There are some other vernacular newspapers that try to influence people's emotions by touching upon sensitive issues such as motherland,religion etc.Then we have those glossy newspapers more in style & less in substance;no wonder these are the ones that sell the most because they exploit the indian mentality of loving everything western & the fondness for paparazzi journalism.The only saving grace has been the presence of some journals & weeklies who have braved all odds to bring us unbiased & accurate news articles.But,then their readership base is limited.
Now where do we go from here?In the near future its not improbable to see a situation wherein like their American& European peers the Indian newspapers see their readers diverting to the web medium for their daily dose of news & views about the issues confronting the mankind.It'll be very interesting & perhaps the fact about Press being a pillar of democracy shall actually be true.
Cricket-The Gentleman's game
At the outset,let us celebrate the outstanding triple century of Virender Sehwag.I must say,it was a treat to watch such excellent batting in such hot &humid conditions.Now,that the test match has ended & expectedly in a draw i have been wondering about the future of Test Cricket post IPL & 20-20.Let me be very honest in saying that i thoroughly enjoyed the six sixes in an over by Yuvraj Singh & India's triumph in the inaugural ICC 20-20 World Cup.
But,as noted historian & avid cricket aficionado Ramchandra Guha recently wrote,Test cricket is akin to premium scotch,ODI's to Indian made foreign liquor & 20-20 to country made hooch.My opinions aren't much different for it was Test cricket that gave us our cricketing greats.I have observed, players who succeeded at the Test cricket level also do well in the other forms of the game;but the vice-versa isn't true.Notable examples being Ajay Jadeja & Michael Bevan.I think our generation was lucky enough to see a Wasim Akram-Waqar Younis bowling in tandem or for that matter Anil kumble & Habhajan singh.Still,I envy the older generation for they could see the Fast bowling greats of West Indies all bowling in tandem or for that matter the famed spin quartet of India.If you had a Vivian Richards who could tear your bowling apart,you also had a Peter Taylor who could get him out with his off spinners.Even i remember some exceptional duels between bat & ball as late as the mid nineties.I consider myself lucky to have seen Sachin tendulkar,Brian lara,Muthiah murlitharan,Shane warne all in their prime.
Initially,when ODI's came up big time,they were also perceived to be a threat.Has it really affected the game?i would say yes although like a slow poison its effects are being visible of lately.There have been some positives like financial security of players & plenty of money for development of cricket in other parts of the World.But,post retirement of some of the cricketing greats & with some on the verge of one aren't we finding that we are awfully short of talent in World Cricket.Have we seen someone as good as a Tendulkar or Akram?Spin bowling is a dying art & thanks to ODIs' & now 20-20's spinners are seen as people who could rush through their overs quickly to keep a tab on over rate.Now who cares that spin bowling is an art & can be perfected only in an arena like that of test cricket.Even in Fast bowling,all we see is half baked products & thanks to the hectic schedule they are injured more often than not.Even when they are fit,all they get is flat pitches where they only end up spoiling their career averages.Now,in such a scenario its only usual to expect kids to dream of becoming a batsman.
In the early days of ODI's there was a fine balance between ODI's & Test cricket.With the passage of time & growing popularity ODI's took center stage.Still,the effect on the game was minimal.It was blatant commercialization of the game & concentration of the power in the hands of businessmen & politicians -especially in south Asia- that the game began to lose its sheen.
Today,the entire cricket lovers fraternity is debating the pros & cons of 20-20 cricket & leagues such as IPL.Its a nice proposition,but then too much of everything is bad.So,lets not kill our golden goose.Cricket was always a classic game.We can do a service to the generations to come by not tampering with its class & quality.
But,as noted historian & avid cricket aficionado Ramchandra Guha recently wrote,Test cricket is akin to premium scotch,ODI's to Indian made foreign liquor & 20-20 to country made hooch.My opinions aren't much different for it was Test cricket that gave us our cricketing greats.I have observed, players who succeeded at the Test cricket level also do well in the other forms of the game;but the vice-versa isn't true.Notable examples being Ajay Jadeja & Michael Bevan.I think our generation was lucky enough to see a Wasim Akram-Waqar Younis bowling in tandem or for that matter Anil kumble & Habhajan singh.Still,I envy the older generation for they could see the Fast bowling greats of West Indies all bowling in tandem or for that matter the famed spin quartet of India.If you had a Vivian Richards who could tear your bowling apart,you also had a Peter Taylor who could get him out with his off spinners.Even i remember some exceptional duels between bat & ball as late as the mid nineties.I consider myself lucky to have seen Sachin tendulkar,Brian lara,Muthiah murlitharan,Shane warne all in their prime.
Initially,when ODI's came up big time,they were also perceived to be a threat.Has it really affected the game?i would say yes although like a slow poison its effects are being visible of lately.There have been some positives like financial security of players & plenty of money for development of cricket in other parts of the World.But,post retirement of some of the cricketing greats & with some on the verge of one aren't we finding that we are awfully short of talent in World Cricket.Have we seen someone as good as a Tendulkar or Akram?Spin bowling is a dying art & thanks to ODIs' & now 20-20's spinners are seen as people who could rush through their overs quickly to keep a tab on over rate.Now who cares that spin bowling is an art & can be perfected only in an arena like that of test cricket.Even in Fast bowling,all we see is half baked products & thanks to the hectic schedule they are injured more often than not.Even when they are fit,all they get is flat pitches where they only end up spoiling their career averages.Now,in such a scenario its only usual to expect kids to dream of becoming a batsman.
In the early days of ODI's there was a fine balance between ODI's & Test cricket.With the passage of time & growing popularity ODI's took center stage.Still,the effect on the game was minimal.It was blatant commercialization of the game & concentration of the power in the hands of businessmen & politicians -especially in south Asia- that the game began to lose its sheen.
Today,the entire cricket lovers fraternity is debating the pros & cons of 20-20 cricket & leagues such as IPL.Its a nice proposition,but then too much of everything is bad.So,lets not kill our golden goose.Cricket was always a classic game.We can do a service to the generations to come by not tampering with its class & quality.
Lessons from the past....
Few days back i was reading about the Australian Prime minister Kevin Rudd.It was about his unconditional apology to the stolen generations.Now for the uninitiated stolen generation refers to the those children of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent who were removed from their families by the Australian and State government agencies and church missions, under various acts of their respective parliaments, denying the rights of parents and children by making Aboriginal children wards of the state, between approximately 1869 and 1969.
The hypothesis being aborigines are not a civilized lot like the whites & their off springs must be made civilized so as to enable them to assimilate into the Australian society.A point worth noting here is that the reasoning is pretty much similar to the apartheid regime that was pursued in South Africa & the various other racist agendas pursued by colonial powers .Am reminded of the "The White Man's Burden".This poem penned by Rudyard Kipling aptly justifies the thinking & the Euro-Centric view point.This view proposes that white people consequently have an obligation to rule over, and encourage the cultural development of, people from other ethnic and cultural backgrounds until they can take their place in the world by fully adopting Western ways.
But how do you define superiority?Are there any fixed parameters for defining the same?For the aborigines or for that matter any group of individuals their lifestyle is the best;even though it might appear archaic or obnoxious to someone who is not accustomed to their way of life.The Jarawa tribes of Andaman being a case in point.
Of lately,even in India the attitude of the city bred people in powerful positions especially in Politics,Industry & Bureaucracy has been disdainful towards Tribals & other marginalised groups.The theory that Industrialization is the panacea for all the developmental woes of these backward areas- infested with poor & marginalised especially tribals-has done more harm than good.The problem is that this group of educated & liberated Indians think that GDP or GNP is everything.What they forget is another concept called GNH or Gross National Happiness.Only economic wellness isn't important & in this case even that is debatable for how the unskilled & semi-literate tribals will benefit from Industrialization is unclear.
What the policy makers don't consider is other forms of wellness viz.Environment Wellness,Socio-Political Wellness,Mental wellness & Physical Wellness.Our poor performance on these counts is well reflected in our ranking of 128 amongst 155 countries in UNDP's Human Development Index.
The numerous incidents that take place in opposition to the Government policies on Industrialization are a reminder that somewhere we are getting it all wrong.Its time to introspect & ponder upon our decisions.Should then industrial Development stop?The answer is no,but there must be a congruence of views & opinions of both the groups.In short the development must be a sustainable one.Then,the question before us is what are the alternatives for sustainable development?The answer is Yes,there are many;but the key is as i have put it earlier the needs & aspirations of the poor & marginalised class must be of paramount importance & not our vision thrust upon them.Then only we can move towards an equitable society & avoid incidents such as the one that happened in Kalinganagar.
The hypothesis being aborigines are not a civilized lot like the whites & their off springs must be made civilized so as to enable them to assimilate into the Australian society.A point worth noting here is that the reasoning is pretty much similar to the apartheid regime that was pursued in South Africa & the various other racist agendas pursued by colonial powers .Am reminded of the "The White Man's Burden".This poem penned by Rudyard Kipling aptly justifies the thinking & the Euro-Centric view point.This view proposes that white people consequently have an obligation to rule over, and encourage the cultural development of, people from other ethnic and cultural backgrounds until they can take their place in the world by fully adopting Western ways.
But how do you define superiority?Are there any fixed parameters for defining the same?For the aborigines or for that matter any group of individuals their lifestyle is the best;even though it might appear archaic or obnoxious to someone who is not accustomed to their way of life.The Jarawa tribes of Andaman being a case in point.
Of lately,even in India the attitude of the city bred people in powerful positions especially in Politics,Industry & Bureaucracy has been disdainful towards Tribals & other marginalised groups.The theory that Industrialization is the panacea for all the developmental woes of these backward areas- infested with poor & marginalised especially tribals-has done more harm than good.The problem is that this group of educated & liberated Indians think that GDP or GNP is everything.What they forget is another concept called GNH or Gross National Happiness.Only economic wellness isn't important & in this case even that is debatable for how the unskilled & semi-literate tribals will benefit from Industrialization is unclear.
What the policy makers don't consider is other forms of wellness viz.Environment Wellness,Socio-Political Wellness,Mental wellness & Physical Wellness.Our poor performance on these counts is well reflected in our ranking of 128 amongst 155 countries in UNDP's Human Development Index.
The numerous incidents that take place in opposition to the Government policies on Industrialization are a reminder that somewhere we are getting it all wrong.Its time to introspect & ponder upon our decisions.Should then industrial Development stop?The answer is no,but there must be a congruence of views & opinions of both the groups.In short the development must be a sustainable one.Then,the question before us is what are the alternatives for sustainable development?The answer is Yes,there are many;but the key is as i have put it earlier the needs & aspirations of the poor & marginalised class must be of paramount importance & not our vision thrust upon them.Then only we can move towards an equitable society & avoid incidents such as the one that happened in Kalinganagar.
Indian Hockey - A Sad Tale
Indian Hockey in deep distress!This is what i could gather from the numerous talk shows in TV & newspaper articles.India lost to Britain & will not be playing in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.Had it been in cricket it would have definitely resulted in huge uproar & fan frenzy;but nothing of that sort happened.
Now the question is Why?
Quite contrary to what the former players say or for that matter the enthusiasts ,hockey has been dead in India & this didn't happen overnight.It has been a continuous process & it started in 1975.Yes,its true we won a Gold in 1980 Olympics but then the standard of that competition was very low with withdrawals & all.
Now,i read many fanatic fans blaming cricket for hockey's diminishing popularity.Thats ridiculous because cricket was a virtual non entity till around mid 80's.It was the world cup win followed by some other wonderful performances against Top countries that really set the stage for Cricket.Incidentally,hockey's fall coincided with cricket's rise.Secondly,Cricket was marketed very well in India & the credit here must go to the BCCI & there was absolutely no Government support.1996 World Cup really showed the way forward to BCCI & luckily they capitalized on their chances.
IHF (Indian Hockey Federation) also got its share of sponsors but they failed to capitalize.Premier Hockey League(PHL) was a very innovative proposition & it also got the requisite media support from ESPN-STAR & sponsorships.But,the event was conducted shabbily & is a very good example of Bad marketing ruining a good product.
Furthermore,the IHF is run in a very pathetic manner.How can you explain the fact that the same team is running the show for more than a decade.Its like players & coaches will come & go but we shall rule.The big question is why are these gentlemen not leaving IHF?Financial impropriety can't be ruled out.An Comprehensive Audit of the Books of Accounts of IHF is the need of the hour.But who'll initiate the proceedings when the Union sports minister himself says that he is helpless!
Even,in the past IHF couldn't really use India's clout in the Hockey World.For example,IHF could have used its power to defer the introduction of AstroTurf because,in reality Indians were masters of Hockey in grass surface.Ever since its introduction,Indians have struggled on Astroturf surfaces.
To conclude Hockey needs marketing & of course a few bravura performances from the boys.Then you'll have the entire nation chanting "Chak De India"!
Now the question is Why?
Quite contrary to what the former players say or for that matter the enthusiasts ,hockey has been dead in India & this didn't happen overnight.It has been a continuous process & it started in 1975.Yes,its true we won a Gold in 1980 Olympics but then the standard of that competition was very low with withdrawals & all.
Now,i read many fanatic fans blaming cricket for hockey's diminishing popularity.Thats ridiculous because cricket was a virtual non entity till around mid 80's.It was the world cup win followed by some other wonderful performances against Top countries that really set the stage for Cricket.Incidentally,hockey's fall coincided with cricket's rise.Secondly,Cricket was marketed very well in India & the credit here must go to the BCCI & there was absolutely no Government support.1996 World Cup really showed the way forward to BCCI & luckily they capitalized on their chances.
IHF (Indian Hockey Federation) also got its share of sponsors but they failed to capitalize.Premier Hockey League(PHL) was a very innovative proposition & it also got the requisite media support from ESPN-STAR & sponsorships.But,the event was conducted shabbily & is a very good example of Bad marketing ruining a good product.
Furthermore,the IHF is run in a very pathetic manner.How can you explain the fact that the same team is running the show for more than a decade.Its like players & coaches will come & go but we shall rule.The big question is why are these gentlemen not leaving IHF?Financial impropriety can't be ruled out.An Comprehensive Audit of the Books of Accounts of IHF is the need of the hour.But who'll initiate the proceedings when the Union sports minister himself says that he is helpless!
Even,in the past IHF couldn't really use India's clout in the Hockey World.For example,IHF could have used its power to defer the introduction of AstroTurf because,in reality Indians were masters of Hockey in grass surface.Ever since its introduction,Indians have struggled on Astroturf surfaces.
To conclude Hockey needs marketing & of course a few bravura performances from the boys.Then you'll have the entire nation chanting "Chak De India"!
B-Schools !!!!!!!!
It has been a long time since i actually wrote something noteworthy.Actually,i don't have the same urge to write as earlier.Moreover it takes a herculean effort to move your lazy bum from the bed to the computer & that too in this chilly winter.Am over with my ritualistic entrance tests.What was the outcome?My answer to this would be what difference does it make to the billions of people.None;so why would i bother?I see people cribbing about the percentiles,cut offs blah blah blah.But me,nonchalant as usual.I think people might forget their parents' name but not that of the various institutes they dream of!
The Pink paper always had the placement propaganda of Tech schools & B-Schools but now its all there in the white papers as well & that too sometimes in the first page as if the entire nation's fate depends on it.I never knew neighborhood aunties loved Statistics for they ask me about Average,Median etc.We had that great religion racket but now we have the B-School racket.They organize prabachan sessions(read Seminars),have followers(read aspirants) & have members or Loyalists(read Alumni & Coaching institutes) in their ranks.So you have a seminar session in your city where the current students or some alumni waxes eloquent about his/her alma mater & the forms or the prospectus as they say it are available with the coaching institutes.So you are first hypnotized or misled into believing the claims ,then you are made to part with say some 1000-2000 rupees for a form & if you are foolish enough,then you end up studying there wasting two valuable years of your life.What really amuses me is that the Government is silent & so are AICTE,UGC & other statutory bodies about this farce.
But i really loved the economics & the baniya in me is greedy.I want to set up a B-School or Tech School for i know this is s a sure shot way of becoming rich.I wonder if this is really the land of Gandhi!
The Pink paper always had the placement propaganda of Tech schools & B-Schools but now its all there in the white papers as well & that too sometimes in the first page as if the entire nation's fate depends on it.I never knew neighborhood aunties loved Statistics for they ask me about Average,Median etc.We had that great religion racket but now we have the B-School racket.They organize prabachan sessions(read Seminars),have followers(read aspirants) & have members or Loyalists(read Alumni & Coaching institutes) in their ranks.So you have a seminar session in your city where the current students or some alumni waxes eloquent about his/her alma mater & the forms or the prospectus as they say it are available with the coaching institutes.So you are first hypnotized or misled into believing the claims ,then you are made to part with say some 1000-2000 rupees for a form & if you are foolish enough,then you end up studying there wasting two valuable years of your life.What really amuses me is that the Government is silent & so are AICTE,UGC & other statutory bodies about this farce.
But i really loved the economics & the baniya in me is greedy.I want to set up a B-School or Tech School for i know this is s a sure shot way of becoming rich.I wonder if this is really the land of Gandhi!
Jagjit Singh in Town
I thank my friend Prashant Pallav of Nestle for these wonderful photographs.Just like me he happens to be a great fan of Ghazal maestro Jagjit Singh & we sat together in the concert held on 18th January 2008 at Pal Heights,Bhubaneswar.
Facebook Badge
Blogs I Read
-
-
Project Weight Loss1 year ago
-
-
Gladiator13 years ago
-
Soaked in the Royal Spirit of Gwalior!16 years ago
-
-
-
