My Musings

In this post I have shared my thoughts on two current topics grabbing attention of the common man in Tamilnadu.Let me first start with the current mess in education in Tamilnadu.I feel the Jayalalitha government acted in haste and impulsively on the uniform syllabus issue.The present government may have many reservations about the content of the current uniform syllabus or the way the committee's other recommendations were ignored by the previous government.Without going in to the likely repurcussions, in view of the short time at its disposal,failure to anticipate legal wrangles, the government acted hastily.The governments decision to appeal to the apex court has only precipitated the issue further.The government should have allowed the already printed books sans the objectionale content,in the first place.The government could also have taken the academicians and the general public in to confidence and made public

its plans to revamp education in the state from the next academic year.Ater all they are going to rule the state for the next five years.This would have facilitated two things.The government could have placed on record its protest on how the uniform syllabus was implemented by the previous government and would have had ample time to discuss threadbare and arrive at a convincing and acceptable solution to all sections on its revamp plans.The basic idea of the expert committee are 'Uniform education ' and not merely 'Uniform syllabus'.Uniform education encompasses many other things other than uniform syllabus.It relates to many other non-curricular amenities and facilities also.

I personally feel,this should be a national initiative and there should be a national uniform educational policy.All schools through out the length and breadth of the country should have only one syllabus from class one to plus two.The only variant could be the medium of instruction.Throughout India both English medium and the officialy recogonised vernacular medium of the state should be available in Uniform syllabus.The students should be given the choice to select the medium of instruction.Though English is a foreign language ,rightly or wrongly that is the only link language for India's diverse and multilingual population.The national education policy should also make few basic amenities and facilities such as infrastructure that includes laboratory equipments,library and separate toilet facilities for girls and boys .These facilities coupled with an uniform syllabus should be made mandatory.Other extra-curricular facilities like playgrounds for each sport/game,indoor games facilities,auditorium,transport facilities,hostel facilities,boarding facilities etc may be made optional .Schools may be graded based on the extra-curricular facilities available.In other words basic amenities and curriculum of all schools throughout the country will be on par .The fee structure should also be common for all schools with basic amenities.(However there could be minor differences in fees between a metro/urban/tier two city and rural school in fee structure.)For other schools based on their grades there can be a unform fee structure through out the nation. Those who can afford would opt for such graded schools,while others would prefer schools with mandatory amenitites.But the important thing to be remembered is that there won't be any discrimination between schools in curriculum.This would ensure irrespective of the amenities or grade of the school,a basic school student can excel over a graded school student,since the curriculum is one and the same.It is hightime,the disparities in the content of the education is done away with.

I also wanted to share my reflections on the spurt of land grab cases that are surfacing day in and day out in TN.Politicians of all hues,including the current ruling party,law enforcing authorities like police and governement officials were hand in glove in many such illegal activities.All sorts of forged documents were made and registered with impunity with the connivance of officials and support of thugs.Gullible public were coreced ,intimidated and forcefully evicted from their rightfully owned premises.Police refused to file cases against such atrocities.On the other hand false cases were registered to implicate and threaten genuine owners on behalf of encroachers.How could such things happen in a civilised society?Does IPC say might is right ?If those in authority behave in this fashion what is the recourse available to the common man ?It is shocking to note in some cases the top ranking police and government officials were also involved in such henious crimes.Where are we heading ?This is a very dangerous trend and should be nipped in bud.

There is a paucity for upright and honest law enforcing authorities.This is the root cause for raise of such crimes.It is a pity  that civil servants and police rank and file have political loyalties.These days it is hard to find an official who is impartial and non partisan.Law enforcing authorities are better known by their political affinities.There are very few neutral officials.These blue eyed boys of each regime have contributed to the decline and fall of standards and integrity among civil servants. Without the tacit support of civil servants and police officials such crimes can never take place.Steps should be taken to stem the rot immediatley.Apart from erring politicans ,erring officials should be punished severly as a deterent.Else we would soon relegate mankind to the jungle life of olden days where might was right .