To their
favour they will argue that this is only for entrance/tuition fee you will have
to clear the exams to finally be awarded the doctorate. Very true and the same
argument is also true in case for reservation where atleast a minimum criteria is adhered to. As the market says if you have
money spend it, more spending is more consumption therefore more production and
ofcourse employment and hence GDP. More
products will lead to competitions and hence quality and lowering of prices. We
have seen that these haven’t really happened, prices have continually increased.
Despite not doing anything wrong people tend to lose their money, as the value
of rupee plummet, god knows why. Bernanke makes a statement and the economy of
countries across the world is shaken, god knows why. Economists insist that the
basic structure is intact and we should be proud, and should leave it there.
And that this is globalization. I am sure I am simplifying things, but people
at the street can only see these logics. The hardwork (mostly physical) is
quantifiable input and is to be compensated in money but when the money is
devalued then that is cheating, if it doesn’t compensate inflation then there
is something wrong, it is not a fair system. In the meanwhile those who haven’t
really done anything quantifiable get inflated returns. You may think it’s
about great ideas, innovation and so on, the truth is profane. It seems the
money has value in itself, and so they stack it from one place to another as is
the return, no wonder it gets devalued because it is inflated on nothing.
Slowly but surely it tends to become worthless. I am sure we are getting the
drift, with crony capitalism it gets worst. In this context the only thing
quantifiable is the Nature which will have to be exploited (looted is a better
word). The villagers in Odisha (specifically Nyamagiri hills) said get lost to
exploitative companies –neo colonial British company headed by an Indian (proud
moment for making-the-country-proud seekers), desperately dangling employment
generation carrot. What they don’t understand is for many people employment
means much more than cutting the hills and making profit, and these choices are
made by extremely impoverished people. Not very ironically the effort to entice
them is made by extremely rich people, who could if they had the competence,
put the money for better use. It is the greed and easy money, a terrific
combination that defines Indian capitalist to a large extend. These are basis
for investment, and so when they say ‘investment friendly’ you know what they
are talking about.
Consumption
led system has not benefited people, it has only helped some section, who in
turn haveexploited the Nature and degraded surrounding in the name of development.
Most people know and it’s instinctive: it is not consumption but saving and
judicious spending that helps them in long run. But market seems to be enticing
them to fault, that is how the system functions!! Consuming less will see more
products in market at less price, I think that is a better cycle despite the
fact that it will make corporate less on profit or bankrupt, than consuming
more, prices increasing and exploited for profit.
If colleges in
India are asking money for admission without any entrance criteria, as it is
profitable, I am wondering what are the criteria for “prestigious” colleges
like Harvard and yes Trinity College. I did some search and found there isn’t any
except a terrific combination of money and power. Backgrounds of students from
“third world countries” are a study in itself. There is reason for likes of
Amartya Sen being proud, it is so subtle that it goes well with high tea!!
JNU ka junoon!!
That is how
one TV channel put the gory happenings in JNU. It is unbelievable that this
could happen in such a pristine and yes prestigious University. JNU has changed
in last 15 years, atleast the type of students. Though the infrastructure and
the surrounding haven’t changed, we did birding at JNU few months back, and I
was so much thinking of days spend here, ferment and hotheaded days. The
quality of students and the influences have surely deteriorated. I had the good
fortune to study in JNU, quite briefly and significantly I was attending
session/seminars/conferences/lectures randomly of different departments as it
suited my liking rather than following any syllabus, it was a place to explore.
I get to know some terrific people, though had a bitter showdown with some, for
instance regarding Suhasini Ali’s big talk on Palestine during election
campaign, which I thought was utter nonsense, as there are issues closer home
and indeed urgent. These big talk falls into pattern, and are quite
predictable. Anyway I moved out of the crap very soon, and found other
interests, and yes I had expenses to cover!!
I must add School
of Language Studies runs mostly on the market demand than the real idea of
exploring languages and its nuance, it seems to be a front for call centre and translator
kind of quick job fixes. It generally tends to attract students of very low caliber
and intent, they seem an extension of market. Though School of International Studies
was rated quite high but I thought Social Science and Historical studies was
the happening place, in retrospect I should have spend more time at ecological
studies!!