British Raj (1947) - License Raj (1990) - Quota Raj (????)

Over the years India has been successful in overcoming different raj’s , from the British to the license raj. But one which has damped India’s effort towards understanding the real meaning of equality is Quota Raj. A word which has been misused and misinterpreted over the years by all- people who derived it and deserved it. I am not here to argue on the system as a whole but what provoked me to put my views across was the misuse of this very word which has handicapped us today. Recently the Maharashtra government came out with a abominable law to reserve 90% of seats in junior colleges (11th & 12th Std) for its state run board and the remaining 10% for the common central boards.

We have already tampered with the government job sector and higher education system, plaguing them with various quotas and now we have set out to tamper with the lives of young boys and girls. The juvenile innocence are being fed with the concept of quota when they should be enlightened about the vast opportunities ahead of them.

The Indian education system is currently balancing three to four educational boards trying to avoid conflict among them. But this new rule has brought to attention the need to communize these education boards, such that we create a level playing ground. There exists a variation within states boards as we move from north to south and east to west adding to the confusion. Different evaluation systems, different question papers and at time different curriculum have made this system debatable. The marked difference I have seen across all the boards is the language options in a curriculum, with Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Orissa etc.. paying emphasis on regional language. I personally do not disapprove of this because it is important to know one’s own native language if given the opportunity (I personally do not know how to read or write my native language due to the different education boards I studied during my schooling). Apart from this I believe we teach identical concepts of mathematics, science, history, geography, english etc. Why have a difference in curriculum across the boards, of when and what to teach, on a concept which does not change from region to region. Why can’t we have a common curriculum spelling the same words, with native language as the only dividing line ?

It is very debatable to pronounce which board is superior. I have experienced the differences personally and through friends at school and college. Few boards pay emphasis on science and math’s as a whole while others also pay emphasis on specialized topics like economics and civics. Within a specific subject for example, mathematics, I have seen difference in emphasis being laid on applied, commercial and general mathematics. Shouldn't students have knowledge of all these subdivisions without being biased against the other? To further illustrate the difference, social studies in few boards have history, geography economics and civics as sections of a single book but others have them as separate subjects of examinations, paying equal emphasis. Should we all not be educated equally on all topics under the umbrella?

The examination system also shows distinctions across boards, with disparity in question paper patterns and evaluated scores. Consider this; When you might be hard-pressed in preparing for your board exams with twelve papers, your neighbors will be on the verge of completing his/her exams with only six! Why the difference ? When you neighbor knocks on your door to distribute sweets on achieving a high 90% on the exam, you will be anxiously waiting for your results knowing that the average score that can be attained in your board is around the mid 80’s ! Why the difference? When you get up early and log on the Internet, hoping to see your name in the admission list on the schools web page, you are taken aback to see your name in the waiting list when your scores were in the top bracket for your board but lacked the meat to compete with others. Why the difference ?

In the past few years complex methods such as indexing scores (which still evades the understanding of common people and lacks transparency) across different boards have helped solve the problem to an extent when it comes to admissions, but overall the system still continues to balance itself to attain stability.

With close to 10% of students in Maharashtra studying outside the state board , why did the government have to introduce such a discriminating law? A motive to encourage students to join state-board adopted institutions? A motive to further divide the cracked system? Such populist laws have been put forth from various governments but not a single successful attempt has been made to unify the system. In an attempt to give equal opportunity to all students they seem to have somewhere lost or overlooked to plot of the game.

We have plagued the young minds of India with the ancient caste system and now we are trying to infuse in them a discriminatory notion based on the type of education system they hail from!

$$$ v/s Brains

A week back an interesting debate was sparked between me and a good friend on intelligence and money. The debate started with a single statement - " A degree in management (MBA) is all about money making but PhD is seeking intelligence." As surprised as I was on such a refutable comparison, it made me challenge my thoughts on how I can defend a profession I intend to pursue in the coming years. We bombed thoughts and views across like it was a battle field and the victorious will have the satisfaction of justifying once call on pursuing a particular career path.

Generationalizing from a family of well educated individuals with a PhD next to their name, I had to be careful not to undermine the achievements they have attained in their field, during the process of defending my reasons and views of how an MBA degree equally reflects your capabilities by challenging you intellectually in par of a post doctorate degree.

So, is pursuing a MBA only about money making and not about intelligence ? Is having a PhD one of the best ways to project your intellectual proclivity? Does, being qualified as a doctorate have an upper hand as apposed to having a business degree? Some might argue this comparison has no base because both can at times go hand in hand, for example- a PhD in Business management ! But what I am trying to point out here is a comparison of how intellectually challenging these two qualifications are.

Today an entrance into a leading B-School is matter of pride for many young students and professionals. The process of admissions have gotten tougher with time due to the increase in competition and talent around the globe. Globalization within campuses have increased the awareness among non-economic background aspirants. Collaborations with international universities have given students the opportunity to adventure away from their current profession. The staggering pay checks,reputation and power in Wall St. has enticed the world to take this profession seriously. Alumnus from reputed institutions from around the world took center stage either in global businesses for eg. Mukesh Ambani, Donald Trump, Ratan Tata, Anand Mahindra etc.. and in statesmanship for eg. P. Chidambaram, Michael Bloomberg, George Yeo etc...These people have shaped the the world in their own ways with intelligence, knowledge and innovation. None of the above have a doctorate degree but rank among the most influential people in the world. They have run successful business which have shaped the market for the world from the automotive sector to petroleum to real estate to running countries/cities finance and governing body successfully. We find their names and brands in every walk of life with many being role models and icon to aspiring businessmen. Does it mean they are in only in for the money and have no stimulating intellect? Doesn't it sound weird that they achieved so much and had little intellectual proclivity as compared to a doctorate who dedicates his/her life to research and intellectual supremacy (as the notion goes).

Does, having a MBA degree alone qualify you for influx of $$ in your bank account? With every passing year, business school have been mushrooming in every corner , but those who make it to the top are those who have worked for it and have the intelligence to apply, what I love calling a glorified personality development course. It matter from where and who edifies you that course. An admission into a Ivy league B-School requires a strong resume, a strong score, creativity and sound intellect. The combination of these traits and the tag of a prestigious school helps you propel further.

On the other hand, a doctorate might have worked for five to six years to attain his degree but during the course of this work there are many who lose track of reality and real world situations. There have been discoveries and researchs carried out which cannot be applied to real world and can only be added to text books as references. Can we claim such a doctorate intelligent, who has the knowledge and skills of research but cannot produce findings which is acceptable and practical in everyday life. There have been many great doctorates in the field of science and even business who have formulated strategies and techniques which have proven to be very useful to a MBA student, who then take that learning and knowledge, and applies it to the real world with a hint of self contributed intellect.

The contributions from renowned erudite scholars like John Forbes Nash, Jr whose work on Game Theory to the most recent Dr. Paul Krugman's "Analysis of trade patterns and location of economic activity" have helped business admin students understand and apply various strategies to run a successful and lucrative business, not only satisfying personal gains but also meeting the growing demands of the world. It is these MBA degree holders who have made these findings practical in the real world and tested their viability which intern has led to further studies and innovations both in the field of research and business.

At the end a doctorate degree or a business management degree, one will need intellect, creativity and presence of mind to make it to the top . A degree alone cannot say if you or me are intellectually or monetarily inclined.