Monday, April 24, 2006

And it gets better !!

Apparently the government tax collections have fallen short of the projections. According to my secret sources the PM and the FM had a top secret meeting at a top secret place. A top secret decision was taken to explore alternate avenues for garnering revenues so as to offset the setback.
After severe brainstorming, the South Block whiz kids came up with an incredible plan to generate funds. The proposal was secretly given the go ahead after extensive secret consultation with 10 Jan path and addition of a social consequence to its KRA apart from the revenue...

I have just come to know about the grand designs through my intelligence sources .The government is planning to enter the ..Hold your breath...' The Television Software Industry '...Well not enter as per se; since they already have had a presence in the form of Doordarshan since yore and also extensive experience in dishing out operas known as News in the pre satellite TV.

A study was commissioned to identify the target group for this endeavor. The 18-30 year group was identified as the primary target audience as the housewife category was already saturated with the Saas Bahu and Saajishes. Moreover since Indian Idol -2 was coming to an end ,it freed the segment from virtually any competition.

Once the audience was identified, the next task was to assign a certain structure to the programming .Considering the success of 'reality shows' a script was mooted on on the lines of Zee TV's 'Business Baazigar' and the theme was identified as ‘reservations’ .This was apparently done to ensure maximum participation from the target audience as it directly impacts their life (which translates into revenues through sms’es @Rs 6 per sms +service tax @20 percent ) and sponsorships from ‘youth and lifestyle brands’.

A teaser was recently aired in the form of the recent recommendation for hiking the quota for OBC’s up to 49.5 percent in educational institutions .The second teaser came out in the form PM’s chinwag of reserving jobs in the private sector.

Now since the theme and the plot has been finalized the next step was to create a worthy jury. Arjun Singh’s name was thrown up since he looks the part of the premezolithic politician having the barren intellect to identify and nurture such repressive ideas. Moreover he could safely buffer any criticism on behalf of the government, since his political career is doing its swansong.

I am giving my loyal readers a head start in preparations of their recommendations. The formal call for entries might happen sooner than later and would be a good idea to share your reservation idea’s on this forum .

My idea is to start with the 'India Fashion Week ' ..50 % of the models should be from the reserved category.Since the models wear hardly anything on the ramp and the backward people remain semi naked due to cultural or economic reasons ,this would be a win-win situation.Wardrobe malfunctions ,if any could be intentionally carried out in the name of preserving the cultural heritage of 'Shallika Mherawat' tribe of N.India..

Monday, April 10, 2006

Is derecognition the way for IIT's and IIM's

A lot of printed space ,a lot of airtime and a whole lot of bytes have been devoted to criticize the Goverment for its decision to impose a fresh quota regime in central universities and the IIT's and IIM's .While the whole idea is unwelcome ,the inclusion of above mentioned instituions has further villified the decision makers in question.
The higher education system has universally been objurgated for its lack of quality and disconnect with real world .Employers have to invest massive amounts of money and resources to train these products of
IIT's and IIM's are the perhaps the only symbols of defiance of the monolithic cess pool that higher education in India is .Their reputation has been assidiously built over the decades ,churning out technocrats who have led world class organizations .What makes these institutions the very best is the quality of students that have walked in their hallowed portals.These have made the best of the country even better by providing a them with the resources ,the guidance,the platform and the atmosphere to excel.
Perhaps the government doesn't realize this fact and presumes these institutes have some sort of philosphers stone which is judiciously rubbed on the students so as to make them golden .
Mr.Arjun Singh in case you didn't know,the seed of a guava won't start producing grapes just because you plant it in a vineyard.
The only way to save these 'temples of modern India ' is to free them from the clutches of the government.
Time in and time out the government has thrown a spanner in the workings of these institutions,whether it be the decision to hike the fees or open international campuses .The government has ensured that it shows the adminstration of these institutions their place.
I wonder why the IIT's and IIM's do not pursue full blown autonomy .Surely they have the capability to run their business mighty well without the goverment's incessant interference .An infant needs to bottlefed and kept in a cradle ,not a mature adult.Shouldn't the government just let go and focus on providing primary and secondary education ?
I am sure that these institutions can survive without the grants the government
provides them with by hiking the fees and consulting charges.No matter how high the fees would be,soliciting loans would never be a problem.and with the kind of salaries their graduates command ,even the repayment is not an issue.
FYI ISB (Indian School of Business ,Hyderabad) which was recently in the news for President Bush's visit to its campus and the crore plus salaries is not recognized by the UGC or AICTE or xyz .It is hardly a five year old institution and has captured the imagination of the public and the corporates alike .Non affiliation and non recognition has actually ensured that the goverment has no business in its affairs,whether it be imposition of quotas or hiking of fees.
Should't the IIT's and IIM's be following an identical model,with nearly four decades of credibility in their favor??

Saturday, April 08, 2006

Kingdom of Heaven ??

The emancipation of Judas Iscariot has finally happened following some work by Nat Geo who have shone The Gospel of Judas in fresh light.
I have previously commented on the evolution of religion and recorded history .

The sad thing about modern religion is that instead of discovering it ,we accept whatever faith we are born into.
As the Oracle says to Neo in the Matrix 'We cannot se beyond the choices we fail to understand'!!
Most people are passive as far as religion goes ,especialy Hindus .We accept whatever is conveyed in the scriptures without flinching .any question or argument is frowned upon.
Even in Christianity what goes in the name of the Bible today is the King James version.It is a mere translation and would not be fair to treat it with an element of skeptism .
Few years ago some scrolls were discovered in caves near the Dead Sea called
'Nag Hammadi ' .Researchers claimed them to be the closest ever to the time of Jesus and perhaps the only one in his own words. (The rest of the gospels were written as 4 th ir 5 th hand versions ,centuries after the life and times of Jesus).Translated it says' The Kingdom of God is within you and it surrounds you and God does not live in temples of wood and stone.'

Imagine how this revelation would dismantle the whole Roman Catholic Church because it eliminates the need for a human organization to run the Church of Jesus Christ.Understandably the Vatican disowns it,calling it heresy.And they have their obvious reasons for doing so .Here we are talking about an institution that has outlived any empire in the history of civilization. It has lasted three times longer than the Roman Empire, twice as long as the longest Chinese dynasty.And this has more to do with the survival instincts rather than will of god.

The past has been mired in bloodshed and supression of facts .Those of us who are into this 'Stuff' would know what happened to the 'Kinghts Templars' courtsey Pope Clement

Recently Dan Brown came out with Da Vinci Code which amongst other things was based on the Gospel of Mary Magadaline(Another document which makes the Vatican see red).The writer covered his behind by taking a non commital climax in the story which ensured that the book did not face any resistence from the Clergy.

Closer home in India ,the Kanchi Seer (Pope of Hindusim for the uninitiated ) was mired in a murder and moolah controversy .
History has shown that such organations have flourished because of of the herd like mentality of the masses .Any attempts at protest have been doused with charges of heresy or chopping of necks. Socrates was made to drink hemlock,Galelio was arrested ...and well .... even Jesus was crucified !!
Times have changed ,people have not ,a Satanic Verses still evokes 'down with his head !!..
Maybe one day Humanity will make its peace...Maybe one day..just maybe

Saturday, April 01, 2006

Fascinating reading

In the mind of the brain

A conversation with Professor V.S. Ramachandran, world-renowned explorer of the human brain, on neuroscience, philosophy, consciousness and beyond.

http://www.flonnet.com/fl2306/stories/20060407005400400.htm
Fascinating reading