Tuesday, January 8, 2013

The News - IITs Hike Tution Fee

It seems, we the Indians are too much obsessed with the low cost education by our premier institutes like IIT and IIM. Just when the IITs raised the yearly tution fee from current Rs. 50000 to Rs. 90000, Media went ahead and reported it as The IIT Dream gets 80% Costlier. Though They never criticized the hike, but they certainly ignited a debate and am sure a lot of flake will pour over the hike from various quarters and there may be some Political Drama too. Though this is just an anticipation.

However, I support the hike for the ITTs are not in some sort of Charity and the hike would also help them improve their infrastructure as well as strengthen their Delivery System. We all know they would not like to lose their Precious Faculty to the nova-business minded Colleges and institutes offering higher salaries as they charge higher tution fee. 

I am sure a lot of debate would have gone in before the hike has been decided. I would still say it is a moderate hike by the Elite Institute. Just compare it with the School Tution fee that are charged by the not so Elite Schools. There Parents are ready to Pay high donation fee and get their wards educated from not so Elite Schools. The group of people condemning the Hike must consider that the IITs are Premier Institutes and those who complete their B.Tech or other Professional degrees from IITs get premium salaries not just in India, but in US Also. If people around think that it is better to go to US and study there to get a higher pay, then they need to consider that the Degree in US does not hold guarantee to Job and studying in US does not mean an all round development of your Personality. IITs definitely do that!!! If they still think that they can study better in US, then please do that and spare the Premium Seat for someone who is a better Aspirants....

Monday, January 7, 2013

Women's Safety in NCR

It has been a pretty disturbing scenario from the time "Amanat's" case was reported and the people had taken the protest route to awaken the authorities.  But even after all that, there had been a repeated news of Rape, Molestation and Murder of Females (including Minors) from the NCR region.  The threat has risen to such a level that the Women Co-workers in the IT and ITES industry are either looking at Day Shifts or quitting their jobs altogether.  The safety of Females is the demand of the time.  It is not that the case of Amanat has highlighted, but a requirement that has been long over looked or say under rated.

Even after Amanat's case, it so seems that the Government & Authorities are still sleeping for the repeated news on Rape and Murder.  Though they say that the Security Guards are deployed on the Buses, but is that enough?  Are these security guards trained enough and are they armed to face the criminals who generally carry one or other deadly weapon with them?  Are the Security Guards themselves brave enough to face such criminals?  Most of such questions would be answered in Negative as per the "interview" of one such security guard on a radio station revealed.  Incidentally, the Government & Authorities much have gone insensitive and deaf once again.

I am not sure why Government & Authorities are not considering and installing CCTV cameras in the Buses?  Why shouldn't installation of CCTV Cameras be made compulsory in ALL Buses Plying in NCR as well as the entire Nation? Why shouldn't RTO as well as Other Authorities not make is Mandatory for a CCTV Camera in the Buses to the extent that a non-working CCTV Camera be the condition for Canceling the Permit and Registration of the respective Bus. The CCTV Camera requirement needs to be treated in the same fashion as the "Black Box" is treated for the Flights. The Government & Authorities should also make it compulsory for the new Buses to have a pre-installed CCTV Camera and recording mechanism and without the same, the registration & plying permit should not be processed.

Apart from the installation of CCTV Cameras in the Buses, it Government and Authorities should also be working towards installation of CCTV Cameras at say every half a km range on all the city routes and ensure that the recordings are monitored. A public and private partnership needs to be evaluated for this purpose. This would help ensure that the other modes or travel say Cabs, autos and private vehicles are also monitored. This will also help ensure that onroad corruption is monitored and tracked.

Additionally, emergency calling phones must be installed across the city so that anyone can pick the phone and get connected to the emergency services, this would help report incidents faster. A Police and Citizen Charter needs to be established for faster deployment of support for the incidents reported and activities needs to run in parallel.  This would help in wider coverage and would ensure that the Police department doesn't act lazy or does just shoo away the complainants like the case of Dallupura where a Minor was raped and Murdered, but the case was never registered as the Cops didn't want to get another case highlighted in public.

There are many other measures that should include but not restricted to - 
  1. Training the Cops and Security Guards
  2. Providing Working Arms to the Cops and Security Guards and ensuring that there are two Guards per Bus
  3. Making it Zero Tolerance to Drink in a Vehicle whether Moving or Parked (there are many cases where people from various sections of society do this)
  4. Making is Mandatory to not Have Liquor in the Vehicle, it must be stored in boot or trunk of the Vehicle
  5. Making it Mandatory for the Schools to provide "Self Defense" training to Students at No Additional Cost with quarterly reports published to the Public-Private Forum.  Each Student should be enrolled and provided training on an ongoing basis rather than just once.
  6. Residential Societies should also conduct "Self Defense" workshops for its inhabitants regularly and train the trainer approach needs to be used to ensure a wider coverage of the same
  7. Parents must also ensure that their children do participate in the training as conducted and should be made responsible to sign the reports that are submitted to the Public-Private Forum.
This is just the start and certainly not the end for all of us and we all need to diligently work towards a safer society.  Certainly Government & Authorities would succeed only when we cooperate with them and we align to the laws....

Saturday, January 5, 2013

Supreme Court View - Insults Our Nation and Women

In the country where the Criminalization of Politics is at the Peak today, we see another Rape of the Law and the Society in General.  I happened to read the following article and it posed a serious question mark on the way our Legal and Social outlook as a Nation stands:

Can’t disqualify MPs, MLAs facing rape cases: SC

Supreme Court of India is the apex court and if a Judge makes a statement like the above, it seriously hurts the sentiments of the Law Abiding Citizens.  In a country where we see an outcry as well as protest against the Crime against Women, Apex Court is in a way supporting the Rapists.  What is it making a statement about that it can't Take a Step to ensure that the Rapist even if is a Politician or Minister, is brought to Justice? 

The Statement from the Apex Court and the specific Judge is Shameful.  What would the citizens be looking at if the Rapists would be sitting there enacting some Laws that we would seriously challenge from the Sanity and Sanctity perspective.  I am just amazed at the statement as it may be taken as a ruling and a reference in the cases across the country.  We need a LAW to ensure that the respective MP or MLA when charged with Rape Offence, is suspended from the respective Assembly / House to ensure fare trials.  We need a Witness Protection Program to ensure that the Witness is not identified till the statement is recorded in the Court and Justice is Awarded.

If we would see that the MPs and MLAs charged with Rape Cases can't be disqualified, then we would see many other cases across the country where the references to this effect would lead to conflicting situations at the workplace where suspension from Job on the grounds of Rape Charges be then countered highlighting this statement.  MPs and MLAs need to be at the least suspended if not Disqualified.  It proven Guilty, they need to be treated in the same fashion as a general criminal and a sitting MP or MLA to that effect doesn't get the treatment of a criminal.  They rather are treated as VIPs and are dealt with 5 star facilities in the Jails.....

Supreme Court needs to re-look at its decision to not submit a PIL against the given MP / MLA's disqualification and needs to re-look at the statement passed to this effect.  It can have far reaching implications and the Supreme Court can't pass a statement like this which is born out of the  Shortsightedness of the Judge or say Politically Influenced Judge.

We all honor the Law and the Apex Court, but then they also need to Honor the Honor bestowed on them!!


Thursday, January 3, 2013

Insensitive Ideology - Demand to Boycott Republic Day Part II

A nice and though provoking Article as Shared by a Friend - Bhaskar. Sincere Thanks to him to have come up with such a Supporting Article.
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Boycotting Republic Day is being shortsighted. We need sustained pressure on the government society. A day's protest is just that, one single day of trying to make a point.

Singly collectively, we should try multiple layers of protest.

For example, how you use your vote in 2014 is a protest.

Secondly, if any of us is connected to high level lawyers, let us explore filing a PIL in Delhi against the government - for their lack of proper governing, for their lack of legislation their morbid callousness. Even for its shutting down metro stations roads. Do the same against Del police for using their 'Hafta Diary' to find the bus on which Nirbhaya was attacked.

Thirdly, set up a pressure group that will have the resilience funds commitment to keep the issue alive before the govt. How soon can we bring changes in legislation?

Fourthly, how are we approaching the archaic mindsets prevalent in smaller cities, towns villages? Who can help? Will simple sensitization help? Will stricter laws be possible? Can we find people in our circles who can help us?

It is not just debased men at fault, its a nasty mindset perpetuated by women equally. If you are angry, use it well.

Real cultural education across the board will take a long time but has to start right now. Let us explore if our children's text books can have different subliminal messages about gender equality. Can teachers training courses have a paper on gender issue management? Can we lobby for thoughtful general entertainment content - in movies, TV and print? There is so much more.

Finally, can we please attack the issue out of public glare TV cameras? Can we start at home? In each action, statement response at home, can we be establishing the message of respect, equality humane behavior between the sexes?

Let us start - at home, school, social circles - every day, each day of our lives - before we decide to boycott a national day.