After all the hullabaloo preceding its release, and promising to deliver more than what it actually did, one can only say that Prakash Jha's AARAKSHAN has only stirred two debates affecting India's youngsters today.
The film's release was preceded by protests in many parts of the country, with three states actually jumping the gun by banning the film. After seeing the film one can say that had these governments also seen the film, they would not have banned it in the first place. The film does raise the reservation issue but only compassionately. While there are umpteen references to the friction in the society that reservation is creating, AARAKSHAN doesn't oppose it. It talks more of meritocracy and one can see filmi jingoism at many places which even a director like Jha fails to escape.
The film brings up the malaise afflicting the educational sector in the second half. The coaching-tuition mafia and big money involved in setting up of educational institutions. There is also a reference to how these colleges are being set up to encash the enhanced aspirations of students who may not get a seat in a good college due to paucity of good institutions or reservation. Teachers bunking classes is not a new thing because they are busy in private coaching. While in RDS College, Muzaffarpur, twenty-five years back, we would often miss classes because our teacher would be actually 'coaching' in Patna which was 80 kms away.
AARAKSHAN has not offered any solutions, which no film can in a short duration. But it has stirred up a debate on the two issues it touches upon. The larger issue of classroom teaching and helping youngsters plan and build their careers has not been touched upon. Why are parents and children limiting themselves to only a few career options? Aspiring for a coveted college is great, but why close other options?
Amitabh Bachchan has, once again, delivered a power-packed performance. Saif Ali Khan looks a misfit in the role of a young teacher. Deepika Padukone, surprising comes out better than what she can deliver given her limitations as an actress. The script is tight and the dialogues are perfect.
The film climaxes re-asserting the supremacy of people power, which is the flavour of the season. And one lesson that I would like to personally draw from the film, and ask others to follow too, is the supremacy of right over wrong. We all know what is right and what is wrong. Let us, like the protagonist, stand by what is right without trampling upon the rights of others. If each one of us could have a core value to stand by, wouldn't this world be a happier place to live in? THINK.
Monday, August 22, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
Applying Management Techniques to a School
Six months back I took over as Senior Principal of Bhilai Steel Plant(BSP)'s number one school - Senior Secondary School, Sector-10. The offer came two months prior to that, literally as a bolt from the blue. But the gut feeling was that I should say YES. And I did in less than a day, though I had never thought about moving to Education from core engineering.
In fact in my twenty years at BSP, I had worked in different sections of Distribution Networks (DNW), later Power System Department (PSD). The very nature of the department meant that I had the opportunity to have worked with all the departments of BSP, except Education. In the interregnum I had completed by Masters in Business Administration from IGNOU and later a Diploma in Training and Development from the Indian Society for Training and Development. These two distance learning courses and my foray into quizzing and writing thanks largely to my mentor, V Ravi, had helped me develop my skills as a trainer.
I must confess that I was feeling a bit bottled up in PSD for the last two years or so. The job was too repetitive, in spite of the opportunities that I had to work on more than ten projects, thanks to the expansion in my area of work. The areas I worked in - Blast Furnaces, Power Syystem Operation and Steel Melting Shop-II hardened me no end. The urgency, the pressure and the quest for perfection taught me a lot.
When I look back at the last six months, I can say without doubt that I have never felt more satisfied or happy in my life. For someone who wanted to become a journalist but was forced to become an engineer due to parental pressure, the present job as school head is a near dream-come-true. I love interacting with children and engaging myself in solving their myriad problems. In my career I have never worked with more qualified and knowledgeable people, i.e., teachers and what they can achieve is beyond their imagination. Hope I can motivate them.
The school is also the centre of a number of activities of the Education department and that makes the job more meaningful. With its expansion project on its way to final approval, SSS-10 will have an excellent infrastructure. I have been lucky to have joined in the aftermath of the visit by SAIL Chairman in June 2010, which has resulted in pouring in of resources for renovation that the school badly needed.
Very shortly SSS-10 will admit students in Class-IX on the basis of a Talent Reward Test (TRT). We are also going in for Accreditation to Quality School Governance norms laid down by NABET-QCI.
One key area where I am focusing my energies is ensuring that the open learning environment is backed up by discipline. This means focussing on time-keeping and regular attendance.
In fact in my twenty years at BSP, I had worked in different sections of Distribution Networks (DNW), later Power System Department (PSD). The very nature of the department meant that I had the opportunity to have worked with all the departments of BSP, except Education. In the interregnum I had completed by Masters in Business Administration from IGNOU and later a Diploma in Training and Development from the Indian Society for Training and Development. These two distance learning courses and my foray into quizzing and writing thanks largely to my mentor, V Ravi, had helped me develop my skills as a trainer.
I must confess that I was feeling a bit bottled up in PSD for the last two years or so. The job was too repetitive, in spite of the opportunities that I had to work on more than ten projects, thanks to the expansion in my area of work. The areas I worked in - Blast Furnaces, Power Syystem Operation and Steel Melting Shop-II hardened me no end. The urgency, the pressure and the quest for perfection taught me a lot.
When I look back at the last six months, I can say without doubt that I have never felt more satisfied or happy in my life. For someone who wanted to become a journalist but was forced to become an engineer due to parental pressure, the present job as school head is a near dream-come-true. I love interacting with children and engaging myself in solving their myriad problems. In my career I have never worked with more qualified and knowledgeable people, i.e., teachers and what they can achieve is beyond their imagination. Hope I can motivate them.
The school is also the centre of a number of activities of the Education department and that makes the job more meaningful. With its expansion project on its way to final approval, SSS-10 will have an excellent infrastructure. I have been lucky to have joined in the aftermath of the visit by SAIL Chairman in June 2010, which has resulted in pouring in of resources for renovation that the school badly needed.
Very shortly SSS-10 will admit students in Class-IX on the basis of a Talent Reward Test (TRT). We are also going in for Accreditation to Quality School Governance norms laid down by NABET-QCI.
One key area where I am focusing my energies is ensuring that the open learning environment is backed up by discipline. This means focussing on time-keeping and regular attendance.
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