THE ART OF WRITING IS SIMILAR TO THE ART OF WAR

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Writing and war are two quite distinct and separate disciplines. One has no relation with the other. One is associated with the pen while the other deals with the sword. It is, therefore para­doxical to make an attempt to compare them. But surpringly enough
there is much that is common to both the art of writing and the art of war.
Whatever the subject, theme, or topic of writing, there must be an objective. Similarly every war must have an objective to be achi eved. It may be said that an objective is basic to writing as well as to war. All efforts and attempts in a writing or a war are directed towards achieving the objective, that is common to all activi­ties and operations connected therewith. Failure to achieve the objective would set at naught whether it be a writing or a war. An objective is, therefore, a common factor to both the art of writing and art of war.
Another common factor between the two is planning. So far as the art of writing a drama or a novel is concerned, planning includes the plot, characters, situations, suspense and correlation between them. The writer has to select a theme, topic or plot. He has to create characters and assign them roles in keeping with the theme or the plot. He has to create such situations as are required to suit the development of the plot and make them effective. The element of suspense is an essential characteristic of a good story, novel or drama. A great amount of skill and dexterily is called for to handle this element in a successful manner. A writer has to plan a proper balance and correlation between all these factors.
With reference to the art of war, as well, planning is necessary. In this context planning covers a wide range of activities, such as provision of war materials (arms and ammunitions), selection of suitable personnel for execution of operations, proper and effective coordination between various wings of the fighting forces, a well considered strategy of operation, scope for tactical withdrawals to suit the situation. What is most important in the art of war is selection and provision of suitable armament, needed for the pro­posed operation. The next step is to pick up suitably competent men for the execution of operations. Even the most effective armament would be of no use if the persons in charge of the’ operations are incompetent. Different wings of the fighting forces must function under a unified command for achieving the objective. Relatively more important is the overall strategy of operation’ conceived by the general. It is equally important to provide for’ tactical withdrawals to suit the situations. All these functions are-almost identical both to a general planning for a military campaign and a writer planning for a composition.
A successful writer is expected to have a thorough knowledge of human nature. Lack of such knowledge would render his writ­ings unnatural and ineffective. Such a writer would fail in develop­ing his plot in a natural manner and also in pre-judging the reactions of his readers. Such knowledge is equally important in the success­ful operation of a war. A general not equipped with the knowledge of human nature is likely to err in right selection of captains for his campaigns and also in pre-judging the reactions of his enemy to his tactical moves.
Just as special knowledge of the society, culture and tradition of the people of the age pertaining to the subject matter of work is important to the writer, similarly a general must have special knowledge of the country, terrain and people of the land of his operation. A general like a writer is most likely to commit blunders without a thorough knowledge of these aspects of the matter.
A writer must have a sense of timing, that makes all the difference between his success and failure. In the case of a war, the timing of strike is crucial. A sense of timing is therefore, as important in writing as in a war. Both in writing as well in war precision is vital. There is no place for superfluity and ambiguity in both the operations. Both in the art of writing and art of war adaptability to changing situations is of great value. Without this the whole operation may crash against unforeseen obstacles.
Inspite of so much similarity, there is no thoroughfare in the art of war as well as in the art of writing. Every venture has to be started in its own new way. In every venture not the quantity but the quality matters. In both the spheres an off-the-track and unusual start may bring remarkable success.

A HEALTHY PARLIAMENTARY OPPOSITION IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE SOUND WORKING OF DEMOCRACY

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Democracy has been regarded as an ideal form of govern­ment for a long time. The leaders of the French Revolution stood for democracy. The War of American Independence was an important world event that accelerated the pace of democracy. Democracy has been defined as a government of the people, by the people, for the people. The greatest good of the greatest number is the fundamental principle of demo­cracy. In a democracy, people have the privilege of being ruled by a government of their own choice. People choose their respresentatives through elections which are the normal features of democracies all over the world. Elections imply existence of more than one political party. It, therefore, implies that there^ should be more than one party in a demo­cratic country. The party that commands the confidence of the majority in the elected legislature of the country is called upon to form the government. Other parties have to work as opposition parties. The elective element in democracy explains and presupposes the presence of a bi-party or multi-party system. Absence of opposition parties virtually means one-party rule or the dictatorship of one party. Democracy, thus, presupposes the existence of opposition parties, weak or strong. The opposition makes the func ioning of government truly democratic, since it checks the/ growth of corruption and misuse of power by the party in power. A vigilant opposi­tion party is a sound guarantee against the authoritarian ten­dencies in the ruling party.
Now that the necessity of the opposition for a democratic set up has been proved, we may consider the role of the opposition in a democratic parliament. The opposition functions as a watch-dog of the rights of the people. The opposition parties make a national debate possible on important issues facing the country. It is said that the chief function of the opposition is to propose, oppose, expose, and depose. The members of the opposition in the legislature of a country have certain objectives and policies of their own party as distinct from those of the ruling party, and want to achieve them as far as possible. They must propose several measures with a view to furthering the cause of their ideology, which may or may not find favour with the majority party. They initiate certain bills, motions and resolutions incorporating their party’s political objectives and policies for the considera­tion and acceptance of the legislature. Another function of the opposition is to oppose such policies and programmes of the government, as they consider to be unjust, unreasonable and not in the interest of the people. What is the use of their presence in the legislature if they cannot represent force­fully those who did not vote for the government party. The opposition never misses a chance to expose the misdeeds and lapses of the government. Corruption, favouritism, nepotism and inefficiency in government, at/;ocities perpe­trated by government officials on the people, gross misuse of authority, are the main targets of the opposition. The opposition is always on the look out for skeletons in govern­ment’s cup-boad. The ultimate objective of the opposition is to depose the government and provide an alternative one of its own.
Though t: e ruling party succeeds in pushing through its business in the legislature on the basis of counting«of votes and does not care for the opposition so long as it enjoys a com­fortable majority, yet the latter cannot be regarded as insigni­ficant. If the opposition is united and strong it can make its presence felt. No government, howsoever strong, can ignore a united opposition.
In a democracy the opposition has a certain valuable and constructive role to play. It educates the people and formulates public opinion on all important national and international issues, by putting forward all the relevent facts. It does not permit the government to be complacent. The government is always on its toes for fear of being exposed by the opposition. The opposition in the ligislature can avail itself of many opportunities to persuade the government to reconsider its decision or to agree to its point of view. Questions for eliciting information, Call-Attention notices for drawing the attention of government to cases of misuse of power, waste of public money, negligence, injustice, or malpractices, Adjournment Motions for exposing certain lapses of the government and No-Confidence motions for expressing lack of confidence in the government are well-known parliamentary weapons in the armoury of the opposition, which can be used very effectively by a strong opposition.

Opposition parties too exercise great influence on certain sections of society. A strong and healthy opposition is of great help in creating favourable public opinion on issues of national interest. At a time of national crises the opoosition is expected to extend its full support to the official efforts in resolving the crisis.
Then, there are other important matters concerning foreign policy, economic policies, planning and development, which provide the opposition parties opportunities to take them up as national issues for public debates. During such debates the opposition parties offer criticism of the mistakes and ill effects of the policies adopted and pursued by the government and also alternatives thereof with definite advantages.
Democracy implies rule of the majority, which can turn authoritarian in the absence of a strong opposition. A strong opposition functions as a deterrent. It prevents and checks misuse of authority by the ruling party. The ruling party tends to develop dictatorial tendencies, if there is no strong opposition.
And finally, let’s consider the health of the opposition: The opposition should be healthy. The adjective, healthy, is’significant and has two meaninings : (j) free from illness (z7) likely to produce good health. Let’s discuss the two meanings one by one. The first essential of a useful opposition is that it should be free from mental illness. It should oppreciate the good deeds of the government and co-operate with the government in measures taken for the good of the common people. Shri Jawaharlal Nehru said again [and again, “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” It is in this regard that the opposition can work to improve and maintain the mental health of the ruling party. The oposition has a right to opopose, but it does not mean opposition for the sake of opposition. Then, the opposition should conduct itself in a decent manner. It should neither indulge in practices below the standard, nor hit below the belt. A healthy opposition should attack the government on the basis of principles and policies. Character assassination, mud-slinging and calling names cannot be justified and tolerated. Use of filthy language in speeches and display of indecent posters are not the charac­teristics of a healthy opposition. Inciting people to lawless-
noil, indiscipline and violence cannot be regarded as legitimate activities of a healthy opposition. The opposition OMimot be allowed to paralyse the functioning of the govern­ment and Parliament.
The opposition must be strong, because the voice of It weak opposition, will be just like a cry in the wilderness. Another and more important factor for the success of democracy is that the opposition must be healthy Hence a healthy parliamentary opposition is essential for the sound functioning of democracy.

DEMOCRACY DOES NOT IMPLY ONLY ELECTIONS

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Democracy does mean the Government of the people, by the people and for the people. Viewed from this angle democracy is a form of government wherin people themselves elect their representatives to run the affairs of the state on their behalf and also to provide opportunities to the people for their max,’mum good. But what we generally observe is that when we talk of democracy, we regard election as the central point. There is no doubt that we cannot think of democracy without elections. But it is a mistaken belief that elections are the sum and substance of democracy. Although one of the main ingredients of democracy, elections are one of the means to achieve the objectives of the rule of the people. As a matter of fact elections do nothing more than indicate as to whether a particular party enjoys or does not enjoy the support of the majority of the people. Thus elections are only a part of the whole process that makes democracy meaningful. What is more important in substance than elections is the concept of the welfare of the people.
The welfare concept is regarded and accepted all over the world as the essence of democracy. It is for this reason that all the modren democracies call themselves ‘wel­fare states’. As already pointed out elections alone or elections by themselves do not constitute democracy. Elections are a method, and perhaps the most popular method to initiate democracy. There are many other and rather more significant components that go to make a successful and meaningful democracy.
Let us very clearly understand that democracy is  a con­cept—not rigid and static.   Since its inception it has under-gone changes and it cannot be claimed to have reached its final stage of evolution. In the past democracy was more of an idea or a myth and concerned itself mainly with the elections. But today it is more of a reality and has addressed itself to the newer task of securing maximum welfare to its people. With the evolution of the concept of democracy to the stage of welfare, it is confronted with innumerable challenges unknown in the past.
Again, if we accept that democracy is a concept not rigid and static, we will have to agree that every nation has a right to discuss, evolve and formulate the ways and means best suited to it according to the genius of its people, to give it a practical shape without sacrificing the spirit behind it. It is more clearly explained if one compares the form of democracy in the ancient Greek city states with the form and content of the western democracies of today. Such a com­parison will illustrate the validity of the statement that the concept of democracy has evolved through ages in various parts of the world in conformity with the traditions, cultures and interests of the people of different lands. In the ancient Greek city states the welfare concept was not as predominant as it is today. The modern welfare states perform a large number of functions aimed at the welfare of their people. The content of democracy has, thus, undergone continuous change during all these years. And now it is not the form but the content of democracy which is more important.
A general survey of the growth and evolution of democracy will show that’it has been very uneven. The welfare concept is being put into practice in varying degrees in various parts of the world. It is so because of difference or divergence in local conditions and genius of the people of various regions. Out of this whole discussion two main points emerge : First, elections are only one of the formal components of democracy, and second, the content of democracy has undergone great changes in various parts of the world according to the requirements, challenges and genius of the people. Both these constitute to mean that the sum and substance of modern democracy is the promo­tion of the well-being and happiness of the people. A true and good democracy today must try its best to achieve this object with out which it would be regarded a democracy only in form and not in spirit. It is in the context of this change
in the content of democracy, that we must remember what Mahatma Gandhi said, “My notion of democracy is that Under it the weakest should have the same opportunity as the strongest”. Reference to what George Washington said in this regard would be quite relevent. He said, “The aggregate happiness of society, which is best promoted by a virtuous policy, is, or ought to be, the end of all democratic governments.” It is therefore, clear that the elections are Only a necessary formality in a democracy, the real and essential function of which is the well-being of the people.
Elections are a necessary formality in a democracy. Every democratic country observes this periodic formality with great pomp and show. The western countries, where there is ecpnomic prosperity, education and equality, can claim to have meaningful elections. But poor and developing countries can simply have the mental satisfaction of holding the periodi­cal exercise of elections without any meaning. The criterion required for genuine and meaningful elections is equality, economic, social and political. The election are only a farce without such equality. A large number of democratic countries including India cannot claim to have that level of equality. So much so that even in advanced western countries elections are vitiated by false promises, influence of money, use of official machinery, dazzling slogans and unfair mani­pulations. The case of Watergate scandal is very well known. In countries like India where the majority of the electorates is illiterate and below the poverty line, exercise of the right of franchise is largely and significantly influenced by the factors mentioned above. Thus even this formality is not observed in right earnest.
Even for creating minimum conditions for meaningful elections, the welfare concept of democracy appears to be more vital. It is through a massive effort on the welfare front that ideal conditions for genuine elections can be created. It is, therefore, correct to say that elections should not be mis­taken for democracy and democracy does not imply only elec­tions, but much more.

PROSPECTS OF A WORLD FEDERATION, OR THE NEED FOR WORLD UNITY

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Science has unified the whole worjd by bringing about speedy means of transport and communications between different nations. There is also speedier communications of ideas between different countries by means of the press and the radio. This has brought Internationalism in the forefront and the ancient Indian adage of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the entire world is one family) nearer realisation. Now, various nations and their people do not think in terms of isolation or nationalism : they are rather alive to the pro¬blems of the whole world. Ever since the last world war and the advent of the nuclear age, the concept of nationalism has under¬gone a radical transformation. Nations do not now aim at self-sufficiency; they do not craze of self-aggrandizement and colonial expansion at the expense of other nations, except stray cases like China. Portugal, South Africa and Pakistan.
The outlook of nations stands broadened in almost every field of human endeavour—political, economic, social, educational – and now we talk of international cooperation in science as well. The idea of one nation, one State which flourished during the last half of century or so, is fast giving place to the idea of a world federa¬tion of States, which will continue to be autonomous in their internal affairs. This idea is very popular amongst statesmen of the world but the fact of division of various nations into power, blocs-one led by the U.S.A. that stands for democracy, private enterprise and capitalism; the second by the U.S.S.R. that stands for communism and socialism; the third by China that stands for forcible expansion of primitive type of communism in South East Asia. Asian and African countries; and lastly, the fast emerging world of non-aligned nations stands in the way of the realisation of the ‘one world, one family’ ideal. The ideqlogical differences of these blocs are the main hindrances in the formation of a world federation.
The idea and need for world unity and a world federation contemplates the union of federation of all the nation-state6 of the world into one organisation with its own government machinery. Co-operation (and not competition) for the furtherance of common interests and common objectives is the basis of such a federation. Membership of the federation does not involve loss of freedom to any member-state in the real sense. Every member, big or small strong or weak, civilised Or uncivilised, developed or undeveloped, will enjoy equal status and be an absolutely independent unit in its internal affairs. A member-state will have the freedom to develop, its own life, Its own cuiture, its own traditions its-ovyn hopes and aspirations and its own political, economic and social systems. Its only obligation towards the world federation will be the surrendering of a part of its sovereignty, its right to act accord ing to its own sweet will in its external, affairs and to submit to the authority of the world federation in matters of international concern.
The revolutionary advances in science and technology have made wars more dreadful than ever. The tremendous destructive power of nuclear weapons has forced the feeling into men’s minds that in the event of a formation of a world federation and in the willing allegiance to it all the nations of the world lies,the only hope of prevention of war and the survival of the human race. The world federation is therefore, the only hope of the world for peaceful co-existence of differing ideological nation-states. The world federation can play a vital role as an effective instrument in the economic development of backward countries and help in the planned development and equitable distribution of the resources of the world among all the members of the world federation.
The United Nations Organisation has been in existence for over a quarter century now; but, in spite of the good work done to bring the gap between the developed and the underdeveloped or fast developing world by its agencies like the UNESCO, the WHO and the FAO, it hasn’t moved in the direction of a world federation of like-minded states. This may be attributed to the various power-blocs inside in UNO—Great Powers who wish to subordinate the desires and aspiration of the infant, but independ¬ent and strong-willed states of Africa and Asia—to their own desi¬gns for self-aggrandizement. But the overall picture of the UNO is that, despite its obvious limitations, this world organisation has continued to function as a successful international body, keeping the different states in balance and equilibrium. Its membership, which was sixty initially, has jumped to 149 now. Through its numerous organs and agencies and various other committees and commissions, the UNO is rendering commendable service in various fields of international activity, thus realising, in its own, limited way, the need for world unity- If some sort of agreement on important international matters could be arrived at between the leaders of the major power blocs, the dream of world federation could become a reality in the near future. In this world of rapidly advancing science and civilisation, the world federation is a must and the need for world unity paramount if mankind is to be saved from the holocaust of war and total destruction which is the only inevitable of any future world war.
In the recent past China has started playing a very sinister role in international affairs. In complete contrast to the USSR. China preaches a policy of violent revolution .and forceful appli¬cation of communism among its weaking neighbouring countries. Japan is also fast emerging as a world power to be reckoned with. All this forebodes no good for the prospects of a world federation which implies the subjection and subordination of all such narrow national interests and instincts to a way of collective thinking, co-operation and peaceful existence. This becomes all the more imperative in the event of giant strides made in the sphere of space travel by the USA. and the USSR. If we are to reach and conquer other planets, we must try to achieve a semblance of unity or our mother-planet as well. And the concept of a world federation appears to be the only need for achieving world unity and the only viable alternative to total destruction and annihilation in the event of nuclear warfare.

THE INDIAN WOMEN IN THE INTER-NATIONAL WOMEN’S YEAR

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1975 had beeu declared by the United Nations as. ‘The International Women s Year’. This was not to undermine the achievement of woman all over the world over ages. Women have neve proved themselves inferior to men in any sphere they choose as their area of operation.   Already they’ have  a  number of achievements to their credit in this year. India and Sri Lanka till recently were being ruled by two power ful women today. A Japanese housewife has climbed Mount Everest. Ghana has made a beginning by appointing a woman-ambassador to the Vatican, thus, making a clean break with its nine-hundred-year-old-lra’di-
“tion. Kiran Batura topped the list of successful candidates in the Indian administrative and Allied Services Examination in 1975, while the distinction of leading the Delhi Police contingent the 1976 Republic Day Parade went to an agile, woman officer, Kiran Bedi; who, incidentallv. is the first woman to enter the Police Service, in India -traditional preserve of tough, hardy men. As the year
went by. these achievements are bound to multiply and women
are likely to prove their mettle of efficiencv in many other “virgin’
fields
Women all over the world joined the official International Women’s Year celebrations at Mexico with gusto. The conference tried, and succeeded to an appreciable extent, in focussing world attention on women’s struggle for eqjiality with men in a!! spheres of life. The urgency of the problem of raising women’s status is being particularly felt in the new Afro-Asian countries that arc waging their struggle against the evil heritages of the past. The Mexico Conference highlighted the themes of equality, development and peace ; it also lay down guidelines how women’s participation in national and international activities could help advance rhese objectives. It also devoted considerable time to find ways and means to remove the disabilities women suffer in many parts of the world. The conference marked a major event in the history of emancipation of women. Mrs. Gandhi, in a message to the organi¬sers of the conference, stressed the need of female literacy as one the major programmes for the year and made out a case for women being allowed to full participate in any way they could in contri¬buting something for the nation.

Nearer home, the ancient symbol of Indian womanhood that of purity, iidelly, submission and devotion to her husband—has undergone a radical change in this country. The Western concept of the equality of rights and privileges enjoyed by the female species has obviouslyfound acceptance in a big way. The Indian woman is no longer backward.suppressed and treated almost like chattel. This has been our tradition. Our women enjoyed a comparatively high statu-> during the early Vcdic period (2000 B.C to 1000 B.C), surpassing contemporary civilisations in Greece and Rome. The Aryans, who were busy fighting wars, regarded women as useful and productive members of society. Women enjoyed equality to acquire the highest knowledge. The Rigveda acccorded the highest social status to qualified women of those days.
The status of women during the latter Vedic and Epic Periods
(1000 B.C to 200 B.C), however, slumped. They were not considered equal to men and did not enjoy the same rights and privileges Initially, Buddhism and Jainism were indifferent towards women and Lord Buddha was reluctant to admit women into his faith. The Puranrc Hindu Period saw an era of increasing subjugation of women. Widow re4narriage was prohibited and the horrible practice of the Sati was eulogised as an ideal. The daughter came fifth in the scheme of inheritance; she could inherit the property on¬ly in the absence of another heir.
With the advent of the Muslim rule, the status of women further deteriorated. The Muslim prophets regarded them as un¬trustworthy, mentally weak and wicked by nature. They were secluded as result both of the limitation of the system of purdah, which the Muslims strictly enforced, and a sense of fear arising from iack of general insecurity. The situation improved to some extent, only during the Bhakti Movement and Akbar’s reign. But women were still regarded as saleable commodities and the common practice, among the Rajputs particularly was female infanticide.
Raja Ram Mohan Roy was the first of the reformers to raise his voice against this gross injustice. The first quarter of the pre¬sent century witnessed rapid progress in breaking down prejudices against women. The Women’s Indian association (founded bv Annie Bcsant in 1917). the Arya Samaj. and above all, the crusade led by Mahatama Gandhi to involve womenfolk in the struggle for India’s freedom brought them to the forefront in the nation’s life. Wo¬men became gradually more conscious of their rights. But it was only after independence that women truly came into their own as equal partners with men. The government took several steps to assign equal status to women in economic, political and social fields. More venues were opened for them to show their talents and have a sense of participation in national activities. Recently measures were announced to introduce legislation that guaranteed ‘ equal pay for equal work’ to all women working with men in various spheres.
I he Constitution provides for equal rights for all, irrespective of caste, creed, religion and sex. The Fundamental Rights guarantee equality between men and women in every walk of life. Article 9 promises that the State shall not discriminate against any citizen on grounds of sex and says that’nothing in this Article shall prevent the state from making any special provision for women’. There is uo bar to women contesting for any office. The Hindu Succession Act of 1956 offers better opportunities to women and establishes their equality for all times to come in the matters of property and inheritance.
Women today are playing an important part in the economic and social development of the country. They figure prominently in almost all fields of economic activity : agriculture, industry,plantation, construction, trade and commerce, transport services, etc. New avenues are being opened for recruiting women in what have so far been considered as areas of work, meant exclusively for men. Today, wo have women not only in the traditional jobs of office workers, nurses, air hostesses and teachers, but also in the armed forces as paratroopers, mountaineers and pilots, police officers, highly skilled technicians and business executives. This essentially marks considerable advance in their position and status in the Indian society today and anticipates, in a way, the re¬commendations of the International Women’s Year. It can vbe asserted without any fear of contradiction that, at no time ir India’s history, has the status of women risen so high as today.

10+2+3—THE NEW PATTERN OF EDUCATION

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Ten plus two plus three pattern of school and college educa-t ion. has now been implemented in our country. -The need for change was felt because the existing system of education in our country had become out*of tune with the intellectual, social, economic and cultural needs of our society. Times have changed but the system has remained static.

The purpose behind the proposed change is to give a social bias to school education. The old system of school education was not serving the present day social needs and therefore, there was no alternative but to improve both the content and quality of education. How far this purpose will be achieved is still to be seen, but attempts in this direction are being made.

At present students take 15 years in some states and 14 in others to acquire a first degree in the university. It is now pro­posed to make it a uniform 15 year-course all over the country. For a vast country like India, it is necessary to develop a Common curriculum with a broad framework of acceptable principles and values. The idea of such a reform was given first by the Calcutta University Commission in 1917-18. The follow up work has been done by the Radhakrishnan Commission (1948-49), the Secondary Education Commission under the Chairmanship of Dr. A. L. Mudaliar (1952) and the Kothari Commission (1964-66).

The new pattern, recommended at the national level, envisages ten years of general education, two years of higher secondary and a three-year degree course. It is hoped that this would halt the mad rush for university education. I n the first stage of schooling taking ten years, a student is expected to acquire prescribed mini­mum proficiency in languages and mathematics and some awareness of our cultural heritage and of contemporary issues. After this he goes cover to the next stage (two years) before joining a university.

In the new pattern students who complete the first stage in schooling (10 years) can join the two-year course in arts, science or

commerce, after which they can join colleges for their first degree in these faculties. The science students can also join professional courses (diploma or degree) in engineering, medicine, agriculture, etc.

The new system is aimed at total training and upbringing of the youth. It will include curricular as well as co-curricular pro­grammes. Attempts would be made to change methods of teach-ing’and approach to students to bring them in tune with the social, needs of our society.

The above stated aims are laudable, but they can make sense only if serious attempts are made to make our system of educa­tion socially relevant. The present system of education in our country was devised by the British to produce an army of clerks and other petty functionaries to serve their colonial needs and the same system has survived till today. Our universities have become big establishments churning out tens of thousands of graduates every year who are, by and large, lit for nothing but desk jobs which are becoming more and more difficult to get with the passage of time. Our graduates have so much fascination for white collared jobs that they have utter contempt for manual work. Thus, the son of a farmer, after getting a degree, would prefer to become a petty clerk in a city leading a miserable life instead of going back to his land to carry on the profession of his ancestors tohich might be more worthwhile both in personal and social terms.

Thus a craving for the university degree has become universal. Universities are jampacked with youth who grapple with courses of studies that have no social relevance. Thus, condemned to socially irrelevant courses of study with uncertain future staring in the face, they glide in to apathy, indifference and cynicism and provide potential material for the phenomenon known as student indiscipline’ or ‘student unrest’.

If this mad rush to the universities could be halted and if a student could leave school with some confidence of earning his livelihood without a university degree, it would, indeed, be a great achievement. This ostensibly is the rationale behind the new pattern of education. In the second two-year stage of schooling, a student would be made familiar with basic features of application of science and technology. Science would be taught not in its narrow academic sense but as a broad-based subject. Science at this level is to be made a compulsory subject.

Work experience is compulsory in the new scheme. This undoubtedly is a healthy innovation and all the more welcome in a society like ours where manual work has been shunned like plague by high caste people over the centuries. The dignity cf labour has never received the place it deserves in our social milieu.

The Kothari Commission Report on Education and National Development has rightly emphsised the need of work experience * in education. It states : “In the lower classes of the primary school, work-experience may begin as simple handwork, the objective being to train children to make use of their hands and thereby help their intellectual and emotional growth. In the senior classes it may take the form of learning a craft which develops technical thinking and creative capacities in the pupils. Even here, however, some work-experience can be provided in real life situations, such as work on the farms at the time of har­vesting or sowing or in a family production unit, and opportuni­ties for this kind of activity shoud be utilised to the maximum extent possible. As a workshop is proposed to be attached to every school or group ofseqondary schools in a phased programme spread over the next Ten years, work-experience at the lower secondary stage, can take the form of workshop training. At the higher secondary stage, where the students will be more mature, and their numbers will be comparatively smaller, work-experience should be made available in school workshops and also in firms and in industrial or commercial establishments”. The range of possible activities suggested by the Kothari Commission is very wide and the choice is to be determined by the availability of materials and trained instructors. ‘ The list of activities suggested by the Commission contain 43 items, like leather work, pottery weaving, needlework, gardening, wood-work, soapmaking, electrical, repairs, cookery, tailoring, animal-care, cropcare, to mention some important ones. Such a wide range of crafts has been provided with the hope that it would provide enough opportunities to a student to acquire some proficiency in some crafts so as to enable him to earn his livelihood w ithout a university degree.

The scheme, introduced in right earnest, would involve huge funds which cannot be easily mobilised in the present state of economy. To start even a small number of crafts in schools would involve workshops, laboratory equipment and trained teachers and our schools at the moment are not in a position to bear this extra burden. The problem of paucity of funds can be solved to some extent by involving trade and industry to make available some of their facilities for providing vocational training and work experience to students under the new pattern.

Theoretical instruction can be imparted in schools and for the purpose of practical training different sudents can be assigned to different industrial and commercial establishmsnts. It would be in the interest of trade and industry to offer such facilities as they would get a trained work-force in future.

The new scheme would create a few problems as side effects. There would be no fresh enrolment in colleges in the year 1978 as students after 11th standard would go over to the final class in

school instead of joining colleges. Thus there would be no 1st year class in 1978 and, as a consequence, there would be no seeond and third year classes in the, year’ 1979 and 1980 respectively. Thus, for three years workload in colleges would be reduced by one third ; someteachers may be declared surplus and lose their jobs. This fear is already haunting college teachers all over the country. The courses at school and college level would have to be suitably revised and college level courses, at least in part, would have to be taught at schools: If college level courses have to be taught at schools by teachers getting schools salaries, this is likely to generate discontent among teachers. Thus, jobs of school teachers teaching relatively advanced courses wovld have to be made remunerative if the experiment is to succeed. Without proper involvement of teachers, no reform in education can succeed land in the present social system monetary incentive for teachers unavoidable. Besides this, teachers would have to be properly educated about the merits of the new scheme and the difficulties to be surmounted while implementing this scheme.

The involvement of teachers in the pew scheme is of crucial importance to achieve success. Unfortunately, the teaching pro­fession does not carry the kind of prestige it deserves in our society. In a colonial society one develops undue respect for social power and all that goes with it in society. Even after independence this colonial mentality still holds sway over the minds of people in our country. Thus, in a village a patwari is more impressive a figure than the school master and in a city a person holding executive post enjoys far higher status and prestige than even a renowned professor who might have made a real contribution to knowledge in his field. Moreover, in a society where people get busy in varying pursuits largely aimed at earning livelihood, which implies more and more financial resources to acquire, comforts and luxuries of life in a competitive existence, knowledge as an instru-iment to arrive at truth is relegated to the back-ground and success in the narrow sense of the term becomes the sole preoccupation of life.1 The teaching profession has become a victim of this mentality in our society. Thus, it has been reduced to a source of earning one’s livelihood like any other profession and a sizeable number of persons have joined this profession who simply do not deserve to be teachers. They would, perhaps^ be happier if they could get the chance of working as shop-assistants, liaison men, etc., at the same-salary. This sociological aspect of the problem should get due attention at the hands of our educationists and administrators who are trying to reform our educational system.

After students and teachers, the involvement of parents is necessary to make any innovation in the educational field successful. The authorities would have to launch a systematic campaign to involve parents in the new scheme. A series of semi­nars would have to be organised in the teacher-parent gatherings in schools to educate parents about the new scheme. Printed material would have to be placed in the hands of parents to acquaint them with the salient features of this scheme. If parents arc convinced of the desirability of the new scheme, it would go a long way to involve young students in it.

All these problems must get proper attention before the scheme is implemented. If the scheme is hustled through without adequate preparation, it will not yield desired results. This impres­sion is already gaining ground in some circles. Most of the schools in our Country are so poorly housed and equipped that they are not in a position to cope with the requirements of the new scheme. This is especially true of schools in the countryside and in mofussil towns. It would be more desirable to spend some time and reso­urces to provide the elementary facilities in many of our schools before this scheme is implemented. Only those schools which have minimum necessary facilities should benefit from the new scheme. But this functional handicap should not be allowed to be used as a pretext to deprive a large number of students studying in such school from the benefits of the new scheme. A time-limit should be fixed to introduce the scheme all over the country and meanwhile resources should be mobilised to provice facilities in schools.

The most serious snag in the scheme is the tendency to treat education as an autonomous activity in the narrow sense of the term. The idea to make education job-oriented is laudable, bnt no education system, howsoever, perfect it is, can create job opportunities by itself . The question of employment is directly related to the structure and health of economy and without taking necessary economic and administrative measures, the problem of unemployment cannot be tackled. The education imparted in the HTs and other polytechniques in our country is very much job-oriented, but thousands of engineers are without employment at the moment. Thus, planners must try to understand the problem in its totality and evolve a comprehensive plan to tackle it.

AIMS OF UNIVERSITY EDUCATION IN INDIA

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The time has now come when existing pattern of University education requires change. The University education has to be such that it is able to meet the specialised needs of the modern society. For the Universities through their students have to pour info the country useful citizens. The Universities most act as the store house of spiritual and moral knowledge. A purely humanistic or purely scientific education will not do ; even a blend of the two may fail to achieve the needful. If we require on the one hand more doctors than engineers;  on the other hand we require as many teachers. Education in Agriculture is no less important.

In order to preserve the international character of a university the students must enjoy the freedom of movement. Today travel has become so fast and easy that the world is a much smaller place. Journeys are shorter in terms of time if not distance. The movement of teachers and students alike between universities shall help to break­down narrow nationalism. Today a proper understanding and respect for the achievements of others is essential. For in the field of techno­logy, engineering and medical science more so in space exploration, the other countries of the world have greatly advanced. It is essential that the universities help to develop a universal respect for all achievements.

With the growth of specialisation, two major difficulties appear before universities. First it is easy to lose sight of the object of education by becoming involved in technical details. Secondly, by moulding itself to the needs of the students and the needs of the state, it may lose its power to mould the students into reasonable and responsible men. The need of the students for university education is purely economical. He has no more glamour of university education except for employment potentialities.

For this reason the university has not only to provide specialised training to the students. It has also to make the students capable of thinking for themselves and capable of expressing the results of their thoughts to others. The universities must produce complete human beings who are able to take their proper place in the society. They must bring credit to their education both for their professional knowledge and as men.

The university education must create a sense of realisation on the part of the students that they have definite duties towards human society. They must cultivate ability in the students to behave in a reasonable way, to behave in a moderate, nonviolent and peaceful way. The rowdy, lawless nd destructive tendency of the students is to be curbed immediately. Thejf universities through students must spread their influence to the society. The kind of mental and moral frustration with which the student walks out of university is not healthy.

To create a balanced sense of obligation and understanding, the pursuit of knowledge must not only be confined to science, classics or medicine etc. With all the reasonable knowledge accumulated it must be turned to good account. The conflict between man and society must be resolved.’ The universities must mmy advocate that there is no conflict between disciplines, between humanism and science. The central character of all knowledge must continue to remain man, his possibilities, limitations and the depths he can sink to. The practical application of knowledge along with the comprehensive understanding of man and his needs is the foremost duty of the uni­versity.

A university truly national in character it the crying need of the time. “The dry and negative university education is doing more harm to the nation than a foreign aggression The recent destructive tendencies of the students is a serious warning to all right thinking educationists.

INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATIONS

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Outlines : Importance of the Independence Day. Manner in iVhich it is celebrated.


Essay
On 15th August, 1947. India became free, On this day the British handed over the government of the country to the Indian leader*, headed by Jawaharlal Nehru. On thK day our centuries-old slavery came to an end and Tndin became an independent nation.
Outlines : Photography is my favourite hobby. Photography is au interesting art. It gives recorded memory of so many objects and persons you photograph. I have taken good snaps of my friends, Mummy, Papa, brothers and sisters, f have also photo¬graphed my garden and some of my pet animals. Whenever any guest v isits my house I take a picture With our house in the back¬ground. Essay :
When my uncle went to the United States last time, he brought for me a small but beautiful camera. Since then T-have made
photography a; my hobby. T have Vept an album in which I pre-serve the various photographs snapped by me. I have now got enough experience in the art of photography and most of the snaps that I take are clear and life-like. I have made photography a good past time. It recreates me as well as educates me.
Photography is an interesting art. I trjed to practise this art on all beautiful objects that I came across. I have photographed fny garden, the flowers and the trees and also my pet, animals. Anything that I photograph is clear and vivid. It gives life-like expression to the various features and detailed lines of the objects. I have also kept a machine to develop the film myself. I have made a small studio in my study where I develop the film. For the printing of the pictures from the film I go to Deepak Studio which is in our neighbourhood. The more interesting of the photographs are enlarged by Deepak Studio for me, I place all good photo¬graphs in my album.
During the two years of my possessing this camera, I have taken hundreds of snaps which have recorded many nice memories of happy times spent in the company of friends and relations. ‘My camera makes my company interesting and creative.
I am yery much fond of snapping new and original objects. I have in my album the snap of a sparrow feeding her baby, a cat jumping on a rat, the dog barkiug at another dog, a baby giving innocent smile, a hawker selling vegetables, my Papa smoking the pipe and Mummy giving a chocolate to my brothers. These are just a few of the interesting items. My album also has the snaps of the marriage ceremony of my sister.
Photography has made me conscious of the beauties of objects. My power of observation has become keen. I always look at things from the angle of art. It has given me a strange sense of beauty and charm in ordinary things of life.
I always. carry a camera with me whenever I go for picnic excursions, marriage parties, sports events, drama and other social programmes. I/take a few good snaps of every occasion that comes my way to keep the memory of the lifetime spent with them. My hobby of photography has won me many friends and made me popular in my social circle. I have the ambition to take to photo¬graphy as a career and to perfect this art in my lifetime. I also have the ambition to take to cinematography which requires an expert handling of the movie camera and to take to new improvised means of recording scenes of various events and stories.

HEART OF MAN IS IN HIS WEAPONS

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11 ^Utility, a way of approach, and it is an objective that most vc, but generally cannot because of factors often beyond ik little doubt that over the centuries man has failed to . have been wars, conflicts and armed clashes in many every few years, so much so that peace has come to be _iy people as a short respite, an interregnum, from fighting I Objective, or for mere defence against a greedy aggressor. .(tilt Bnd bungling in the art of peace is writ large on history. I IW» and the military expenditure running into astronomical | Convincing proofs of this bungling. Idmlttedly a precious commodity; it is essential for social, I political progress, tout it must not be bought at too heavy a Kinder of principles or of national territory, integrity, honour , Peace must not mean appeasement of war-mongers; history lly that wherever peace has been bought at the cost of honour, 1-llved and transitory. India has stood for peace throughout I it has had to fight many wars, both internal and external. m~ is evidence of a passion for peace, but then there are | Compulsions of various kinds, notably the economic interests urers of weapons and the armaments industry as a whole, I that feeds it ceaselessly.
industry and the manufacturers sell lethal weapons. es and expand sales the weapon barons cause a scare to bring about the horrors of war. This tribe prospers on »»ction of other people. Ironically, with the advance of all-rvI md civilisation, the manufacture of weapons of various types ItM most prosperous and flourishing industry in the world. Wars, 1UM of weapons and yet more weapons, bring substantial profits I lituation has assumed such a sordid shape that disarmament _ ‘”*« for durable peace threaten to bring ruin and disaster to me IllHHUfacturers. No wonder, the leading producers of armaments, |(H iOphisticated nuclear armaments, have become very influential fMfU circles and manage to manipulate foreign policies. They have 1 Into the decision-making bodies at the highest levels. While man, i flgards war as a catastrophe that should be avoided through all means, the weapon manufacturers regard peace as a veritable catastrOphe which signals the onset of a period of heavy losses and setbacks to the’r economic well-being.
The fact that man’s heart is in his weapons is also proved by the mount­ing expenditure on the purchase of weapons by apparently peace-loving coun­tries which have nothing to gain by going to war, and which urgently need long periods of freedom from conflicts for economic development. It has been found as a result of prolonged studies on a worldwide scale that man­kind has known only 292 years of peace since 3600 B.C. According to a book called “Evidence For Prosecution”, jointly authored by Russian authors J. Firsova and G. Gurkov, a gold band 130 km wide, 20 metres thick and running aU ajound the earth, could be purchased in exchange for all that mankind has lost in material terms in these wars.
Over one million dollars have been spent for military purposes during each minute in last few years, more than is required to feed thousands of badly undernourished children in the poorest countries for an entire year. If someh°w the worldwide military expenditure could be stopped for one mjnute, 2,000 children could be saved; if the expenditure could be halted for eight hours (one working shift in factories), the menace of malaria could be eliminated from the world. The challenges are grave, but the earnest and repeated appeals of well-wishers of humanity fall on deaf ears. The military expenditure graph continues to soar, regardless of the human misery and the setbacks to social welfare it invariably causes.
More effort, energy and money are being spent in the world today on the production of weapons’, than on health, social reconstruction, relieving poverty and promoting economic development. Highly sophisticated war mac[]inery is speedily devised as soon as one war ends and a peace agreement is signed; in other words, active preparations start for another round of confiict to wreak revenge.
War capability is considered essential, and science and scientists are being utilised intensively to devise more and more destructive weapons. It is estimated that more scientists in the leading countries are engaged in research on military matters than on work for peaceful reconstruction. It is widely recogoised that a nation which is militarily weak cannot exercise much influ­ence”11 international affairs; it is military might that determines a country’s international image and influence and ensures for it a voice in shaping things.
Mankind seems to have realised that patriotism and a policy of peace and advocacy °f non-violence are not enough. These are regarded as signs of weakness and often amount to invitations for attack. Countries, it is said, must speak from positions of strength, which means that a large percentage Of ^eir annual budgets must be earmarked for military purposes. This is precisely what is happening.
If man’s heart had not been in weapons, then most of humanity would h»ve been peace-loving and would have instinctively despised weapons, wonpon producers and sellers. But, unfortunately, the reverse is the case. Genuine peace lovers, who are willing to go to any length to check war and diftcourage the manufacture of the weapons of wai”, are in a small minority; Ihelr voice is lost in the wilderness. The armaments lobbies succeed in the loading countries. Weapons and more weapons seems to be the accepted policy of most countries, big and small, strong or weak. Each country buys weapons on a massive scale and at any cost—even by borrowing money.
Surely, the services of the millions of workers, including scientists of ill categories, currently engaged in arms manufacture and weapons research, Can be usefully utilised in scores of constructive projects. Science must help build, not destroy, and man himself must ensure reorientation of outlook and interest. Even if there are some temporary economic losses, the long-term gains would be more than make up for them.

RESERVATIONS: BANE OR BOON?

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RESERVATIONS: BANE OR BOON?
Ever since the acceptance of ‘Mandal Commission Report’ by the Central government, the entire issue of reservations has come under close scrutiny of those who have remained reticent on this sensitive subject all these years, for reasons best known to them. The vociferous voices for and against the ‘policy of reservation’ are being raised by different sections of Indian society, for they fear class-war, caste-war and civil war if their respective view-points and stands are not respected and accepted in toto.

In a country of our dimensions and diversities, some aberrations are bound to grow whenever some revolutionary reform is brought about. That is why the Constitution was adopted on the basis of an egalitarian, secular and casteless society. It took into account the injustice done to the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, by the social order for centuries, in practice and in perpetuation. A deliberate step was, therefore, taken to provide certain safeguards for them. These safeguards were incorporated, ensured and extended in the form of reservations in jobs and legislatures, both in letter and spirit of the Constitution. It is a different matter that these benefits and reservations have not percolated down to the lowest and the poorest levels for which they were meant.
Thus, these special privileges have proved a boon for some and a bane for others—the latter grudge and grumble that they have been made to suffer and sacrifice for the past sins in the commission of which they had no hand. The fact that social justice for all the down-trodden and the under­privileged cannot be secured by reservations only is evident from the example of the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes.
A report of the Commission for scheduled castes and tribes is an eye opener. It says: “For millions of weaker section owning small land holdings, payment of statutorily-fixed minimum wage or escape from atrocities suf­fered for generations, remains a distant dream. While on the one hand the caste-based inequity is being accentuated, on the other hand tribal regions all over the country are simmering with discontent…Although the practice of untouchability has declined in. urban areas and almost disappeared in metropolitan cities, there are extensive regions and innumerable pockets where it continues unchecked, notwithstanding the sanctions against it…” Surveying the progress made, by the weaker sections since independence,
the Commissioner further says: “Undoubtedly, some progress has been made, but achievements do not measure upto the great expectations of the found-Ing fathers of the Constitution.”
Those academics and other social thinkers who would like the policy of ‘reservation’ to be re-viewed and re-evaluated in the light of last more lhan fifty years’ experience, fear that any hasty extension of percentage of reservation for other categories for entry into professional and technical colleges and institutions of higher learning would devalue merit and adversely affect academic, as well as professional efficiency and expertise. This would also result in avoidable frustration among the budding youth who, for no fault of theirs, would be required to sacrifice their merit because certain other classes/castes of less meritorious and fortunate students have to be compensated for their poor performance due to factors beyond their control and capacity. Vested interests, whether political, bureaucratic or social, may get a new lease of life and impetus to promote their self-interest, but the cost for the country would be too heavy to pay in future.
Undoubtedly, the policy of reservation has helped some individuals and social groups to better their lot, but for the majority the fruits of ‘special treatment’ remain a mirage and a myth. This is so because the ‘boon’ of reservation has been cornered by more crafty and canny among the less privileged, and once they have tasted ‘the nectar of power and pelf, they are out to frustrate and fail any purposeful appraisal of the whole gamut of reservation policy. We have reached such a pass of our national life that a programme/policy conceived and then carried out with the most pious and pure intentions, gets turned and twisted at the hands of the unscrupulous and the unctuous.
The trouble with the present state of affairs, charge the advocates of ‘reservation and its extension to other categories’, is that the rules of the game have been laid down by the privileged classes and any deviation from them is dubbed as unfair and arbitrary. Their argument is that thou­sands of students without any merit in the conventional sense, succeed in getting admission to technical and professional colleges by paying heavy capitation fees. This is also another form of reservation for the moneyed people. This is cited as a case of reservation by family influence and better social background.
If the problem is viewed objectively, one would come to the inevi­table conclusion that an economic problem of ‘upliftment and amelioration’ of a vast population, steeped in social, economic and educational back­wardness since ages, has deliberately been soiled and stained in uncalled-for puerile polemics and futile fretting and fuming, simply to score points and for settling narrow class/caste interests. In more anguish than anger, one finds the leadership of all colours and combinations lost in the quag-mire of petty politics, where every move of the opponent looks like ‘a red rag to a bull’.
Real social justice can be ensured by vigorous economic programme for all the backward classes, with the same amount of courage, conviction and commitment with which the country had fought against the evil of foreign rule. Falling into the trap of convenience, compromise and even collusion for the sake of power, and its use for self-aggrandisement will lead to further tensions and turmoil. There are no short-cuts to social justice and it cannot be secured by reservations.
The temptation to use ‘reservation’ for consolidation of ‘vote-banks’ and ‘valid passports’ to gain political power is fraught with danger and disaster of no mean dimension. Instead of moving towards a classless and a casteless society, we are rushing head-long towards the emergence of new classes and castes whose only interest is to consolidate and safeguard their rights and privileges. Sanity demands that we should not shut our eyes, like a pigeon on seeing a cat, the. new realities, one of which has been an unprecedented expression of disillusionment and desperation on the part of our youth after the Mandal Commission Report and what not. A boon becomes a bane when the vision to see into the future and the courage to learn from the past mistakes are blurred and stunted by present calculations and electoral arithmetic.
At the same time, no civilised society can afford to ignore the pitiable plight of millions and millions who have suffered the agony of •humiliation, harassment and horrendous treatment at the hands of superior/higher classes, and suffered silently the curses of deprivation, dispossession and exploita­tion. There is no denying the fact that till today the members of these’back­ward classes/castes have been subjected to all types of extreme exploita­tion—economic, social and educational. Despite various schemes and programmes, there has been no tangible and trustworthy improvement in the living conditions of these people. Inequalities between the ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’ have widened and the spectre of caste-war openly dances in certain parts of the country, to the chagrin of many.

At the same time, no civilised society can afford to ignore the pitiable plight of millions and millions who have suffered the agony of •humiliation, harassment and horrendous treatment at the hands of superior/higher classes, and suffered silently the curses of deprivation, dispossession and exploita­tion. There is no denying the fact that till today the members of these’back­ward classes/castes have been subjected to all types of extreme exploita­tion—economic, social and educational. Despite various schemes and programmes, there has been no tangible and trustworthy improvement in the living conditions of these people. Inequalities between the ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’ have widened and the spectre of caste-war openly dances in certain parts of the country, to the chagrin of many.