EDITORIAL
Live up to name
Justice Y.P. Nargotra of
the State High Court deserves the gratitude of thousands
of aspirants who appear in Public Service Commission
(PSC) examinations with the hope of making it big. He has
done well to pull up the PSC for spelling mistakes in its
question-papers. Very rightly he has directed the
Commission to make amends and give a fair trial to
candidates who have suffered because of its blunders. He
has prescribed dos and don'ts in this behalf and directed
the concerned authorities to do the needful within six
weeks. It is mind-boggling that there ought to have been
major discrepancies and printing errors in as many as 14
papers out of the total 23 including the compulsory
subject of General Studies. The PSC's reason for such
obvious callousness is equally astonishing. Its version
that printer's devil (there seem to have been one too
many of them) had struck the question-papers defies
logic. The papers, according to it, were set by
professors and deans of various universities and
institutions across the country. These were put in
envelopes and sealed by those who had written them. They
were then segregated subject-wise with the PSC chairman
randomly selecting them to be sent to the printing press
for designing, proof-reading and printing. Evidently the
Commission's stance was that in order to ensure secrecy
at its end it had not even opened the envelopes and was
in no way guilty. Could this elaboration convince anyone?
Justice Nargotra has observed: "It is very
unfortunate that the candidates who were competing to get
employment in coveted services of the State, after having
put in so many years in studies, have to litigate for
their lawful rights, denial of which emanates from the
lack of expertise in conducting examination on the part
of the PSC, which is a premier and Constitutional
examination conducting body of the State."
He has minced no words
while adding: "With the experience of conducting the
examination, which the Commission had, and with the kind
of expertise expected from such like examination
conducting body, it should not have happened." He
has taken the Commission to task for its attempt to find
fault elsewhere for spelling inaccuracies. He has found
the Commission's account in this behalf ex facie
unacceptable. He has pointed out that it was the duty of
the Commission to do the job of proof-reading itself so
as to avoid any slip-up. "The plea that the said job
was left to the printer itself for maintaining the
secrecy is not tenable." Stating this Justice
Nargotra raised the query whether there was any dearth of
officers who could be trusted with the job of
proof-reading. For his part he felt that there were many
officers around whose integrity could not be questioned.
He dismissed the PSC's emphasis on being over-cautions as
smacking of a "casual" attitude. He has
directed the PSC to pay Rs 10000 each as costs to 13
petitioners in this matter.
Now that the High Court
has applied the necessary corrective it is for the PSC to
rise to the occasion. Has it taken any action against the
guilty printing press? It must know that passing the buck
will not enhance its reputation. Instead, it must strive
to live up to its name and flawlessly perform public
service.
Say it with gold
It is an ancient tradition
to make offerings according to the best of one's ability
and resources at places of worship. Kings have enjoyed
building temples and other shrines. They have adorned
deities with the finest golden and diamond decorations.
This has been within their financial means to do so. Less
affluent too make willing contributions. Since it is
considered a hallowed practice no questions are asked. As
a result some of our holy places are among the richest.
It was not for nothing that invaders had often targeted
them in the past for loot and plunder especially in north
India. Very rightly the emphasis in the recent years has
been on regulating these donations and harnessing them
for the greater benefit of humanity. In this country the
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam managing the temple complex
dedicated to Lord Venkateshwara in Andhra Pradesh has set
the highest standards in this behalf. It is generally
accepted. Considered the second richest religious body in
the world after the Vatican it has emerged as a major
enterprise for public welfare. It is said the Temple
already has more than eight tonnes of jewellery locked
safely. On an average it receives about 10 kilograms of
gold ornaments every week from devotees more than 60000
of whom come every day. It is only too well known it is
one of the biggest exporters of hair that the people
offer as a sign of devotion. There is then regular inflow
of money which has resulted in enormous fixed deposits.
It has devised a system of darshan linked to donation
made by an individual. Keeping in view these entire
details one can very well understand its prosperity. What
is remarkable is that its management marshals its
resources to fund a university and other institutions
dedicated to the study of Vedas on the one hand and
modern sciences on the other. It also runs kitchens for
devotees free of cost. Not surprisingly, therefore, it
has been described as the "world's largest single
consumer of commodities like sugar, cardamom, rice,
pepper, cashew, turmeric, edible oil, vegetables and
jaggery." There are several similar temples in
southern states where jewellery is received and
protected. Nearly all of them have a transparent
procedure for accepting gold and other costly gifts. They
make it obligatory for devotees to make a formal
declaration. They also prescribe size, weight and design
of jewellery to which the people are expected to adhere.
Their experience and performance has come in handy in the
Jammu region. The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board is
now compared with the best anywhere. According to a
report in this newspaper, it has got 75 kilograms of gold
this year --- the maximum so far. The sacred Vaishno Devi
abode is the only shrine in north of the country to be
offered such high amount of gold.
One can thus look forward
to the enhanced development on and around the Trikuta
hills as a blessing of the Goddess. Clearly in a matter
of faith the masses are not moved by any consideration.
They respect it and do so with all their heart. Gold
prices may skyrocket and seem to be out of reach. This
does not deter them from parting with the precious metal
for a nobler cause.
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Know your
disease..... diabetes
By Dr. Abdul
Latif Khan
Diabetes mellitus
(Sugar as it is known here
locally) refers to a disease in
which the sugar level in blood
remains persis-tently high. It is
not very serious disease in short
term but has devastating long
term complications. It has
reached epidemic proportions in
many developing countries
especially in Middle East (Saudi
Arabia and Kuwait in particular).
There have been 124.7 million
diabetes patients in 1995 (WHO
report, of 1997) and it is
estimated that there will be
299.1 millions patients world
wide in 2025 A.D. Unfortunately
the brunt of these disease will
be mainly on developing countries
which are expected to record a
200 percent increase in the
number of diabetics. 14th
November is celebrated as World
Diabetes Day and this years focus
will be on diabetes in vulnerable
communities and underprivileged
people.
Diabetes Mellitus
has a genetic predisposition,
which is specifically triggered
by increase in weight. So, if
your father or mother is or has
been diabetic, you might develop
this disease especially if you
gain lot of weight. Because you
have no power to change your
genes, you should change the
waist size of your jeans (reduce
weight if you are obese). That
will give a reasonably good
protection from diabetes or will
postpone it by at least it by a
few years. Maintaining ideal body
weight needs regular physical
exercise and consuming less of
proteins and fats. That can be
translated as keeping the wazwan
intake (and diet of similar
pattern) to as minimum as
possible and eating a balanced
diet which should not contain
more than 100 to 150 grams of
meat per day and avoiding foods
with fats, oils, ghee and butter.
Most people believe that avoiding
sweets will avoid diabetes. That
is not exactly right. Avoiding
sweets is only recommended when a
patient has already developed
diabetes and avoiding it as a
precautionary measure does not
help at all except when you are
doing it as a part of weight
reduction regime. Only reduction
of weight and regular exercise is
going to prevent or postpone
diabetes.
One of the ways you
can achieve your ideal or
acceptable weight is to calculate
your body mass index (BMI). It
should be done by the following
formula.
Weight in
kilograms divided by (Height in
meters) square
Which should not
exceed 20 in females and 25 in
males. In case of diabetes
physical exercise is aimed at
reducing weight and should as
much as can be safely undertaken.
Minimum physical activity for
healthy patients (without heart
disease or joint disease would be
half an hour of brisk walking on
daily basis).
Screening for
Diabetes
Diabetes has two
types. Type 1 which usually
occurs in children and young
adults, it invariably develops
suddenly and there is no reliable
screening test for this type of
disease. Type 2 diabetes which
usually develops around the age
of 40 years; however we
increasing see this disease at a
younger age these days. It is
this type 2 diabetes, which is
forming the bulk of our patients
(95-98 percent of diabetic
population). Normal blood sugar
levels are between 70-110mg.
Whenever blood sugar goes more
than this it needs further
evaluation. The interpretation of
different blood sugar results
should be left to experts.
However one thing which I would
like to explain here is that when
blood sugar goes on rising in the
blood, it does not come into
urine. When it crosses the level
of 180 mg then only it comes into
urine. When urine contains sugar
in it, sugar sucks water from the
body, a process called osmosis.
This leads to increase in
quantity of urine output and
therefore patient will pass a lot
of urine. When it sucks out water
from the body, the patients body
water level diminishes, that
leads to thirst and patient takes
more and more water. These two
symptoms (passing more urine and
taking a lot of water) are
therefore considered to be the
cardinal symptoms of diabetes.
However there remains a question.
What about those patients who
have blood sugar more than the
normal range of 110 mgs but less
than 180 mg? They may also have
diabetes and many remain
unnoticed and undiagnosed.
Unfortunately such a
state of affairs may last years
and this may cause extensive
damage inside the body in
kidneys, eyes, nerves and blood
vessels. In fact experts believe
that patient may be having this
occult disease for an average of
5 years before they come to
medical attention. I have seen
many patients who come with such
an advanced disease. Patient has
been having the disease more than
15 years and never had a symptom
of the disease. What is the way
out? Check your fasting blood
sugar (FBS) every three years
after the age of 40 years or
every year if any family member
is diabetic and if it is more
than 110 mg, consult your doctor.
There are other conditions also
when patients needs a screening
test for diabetes.
Diet in Diabetes:
There is a
considerable amount of confusion
regarding the diet in diabetes.
There are certain basic
principles that one should
follow:-
* There is no fixed
diet for diabetics.
* Patients should be
encouraged to take traditional
diet and the one which is readily
available and acceptable to the
patients.
* Severe dietary
restrictions are not routinely
recommended. Restrictions should
be imposed in the face of long
term patient compliance. Diabetes
is a life long disease and only
those restrictions which can be
followed by the patients need to
be imposed.
* Most of the diets
which we take contain
carbohydrates which are converted
in sugars and utilized by body.
Diabetics are supposed to get 50
percent energy from
carbohydrates, 30 percent from
fats and 20 percent from
proteins.
Common
Misconceptions About Diabetes
* Diabetics should
avoid all types of carbohydrates
because it contains sugar. This
is not right. In fact 50 percent
of the energy has to come from
carbohydrates. If a diabetic will
decrease the amount of
carbohydrates, that means he has
to increase fat and protein
content of the diet which will be
harmful for the disease.
* Cooking of rice
and throwing away the rice will
remove sugars from it. That is
not right. It will remove some
important vitamins from it which
are important for diabetics.
* Diabetics should
avoid rice and potato. Diabetics
can take both rice and potato but
in moderate quantities. Fried
rice and fried potatoes should be
better avoided, because of its
fat content and its high caloric
value.
* Avoiding sugar
prevents diabetes because sugar
causes diabetes. That is wrong.
Avoiding sugars gives no
protection. It is only that
keeping your weight normal and
regular exercise will keep your
away from diabetes. Diabetes
develops in genetically
predisposed individuals with
environmental triggers especially
associates with obesity and
overweight.
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Child
labour
By B L
Raina (Molmohi)
Ever
since the creation of
this universe human
be-ings have swam across
a series of vicissitudes.
As a result of greed and
lust for power and pelf,
man has stooped so low
that he has forgotten the
aims and ideals for which
he was created. Not
satisfied with his
contumely behaviour and
inner urge, he began to
thwart the aspirations of
even a child, still a
sprouting bud by engaging
him in a ruthless manner.
Indeed an unlawful act
which all and sundry
irrespective of caste,
creed and colour must
abhor.
In
yesteryears we heard of
boys going to Gurukul,
where they performed all
kinds of works like
collecting of fuel from
the woods, milking cows,
doing field work and
washing clothes, in
addition to other mental,
moral and physical
exercises. Hence it had
to do nothing with the
present day exploitation
in the shape of child
labour. But in the
contemporary era where
the whole world has
shrunk into a global
village, this social
malady has assumed a
vicious outlook and
engulfed the entire world
in its flames. In a state
of utter consternation
and despondency when we
look round, we manifest a
tender and fragile boy
without having flexed his
muscles as yet, washing
huge heaps of dishes,
lifting up building
materials
disproportionate to his
physique, throwing away
grubby garbages, serving
tea, macadamizing &
brooming roads in
simmering heat, sweeping
rooms and by-lanes and
doing other jobs to stay
alive. If we make a
survey of child labour in
India, we have 1.39
crores of such victims.
During past decade there
has been a whooping
increase in the number of
child labourers in India
and it has registered an
increase of 27.19 lakhs
to the one alrady
existing. We are agog
with fear that out of
total Indian children
population of 24.21
crores about 1/3rd which
approximates 8.66 crores
are potential child
labourer. In Andhra
Pardesh there is highest
child labour which
amounts to 23.64 lakhs
followed by Bihar where
the number of child
labourers is 8.36 lakhs.
The leaping flames of
this malaise has also
engulfed states like West
Bengal where the number
of working Child
labourers is 1.24 lakhs
followed by Mumbai 0.84
lakhs, Chennai 0.82 lakhs
and Delhi 0.26 lakhs
respectively. There are
cogent statistical data
which indicate that the
menace of Child labour is
hunting and haunting
other states also.
Ethically,
morally and
constitutionally child
labour must be construed
as a monstrous crime,
where a forlorn and
foresaken child is
coerced to invest his
labour to sustatin
himself and his family.
What an obnoxious
situation where a child
needing protection and
care is subjected to the
situation contrary to his
birth rights! His early
childhood dreams fall
like a pack of cards.
Propensity of becoming a
respectable citizen is
buried under the debris
of cruel hands of time.
But who should we hold
responsible ? It is a one
million dollar question.
It is a question that
needs to be pondered
upon, in depth with a
workable solution.
I
think it is our
unorganised social-set
up, inequitable
socio-economic political
atmosphere, lack of
opportunity for gainful
employment and low
standard and illiteracy
that keep our Children
bereft of comforts and
make them punished for no
fault of theirs. It was
during the British rule
that employing children
in exchange by the lowest
possible wages became
widespread. The British
who looked down upon
Indians as born low paid
employees due to poverty
syndrome found Children
more dedicated and
energetic than what could
be expected of from their
elders.
The
British were so astute
that they could easily
recognise the simplicity
and penury that they got
them engaged at hazardous
places where they had to
work for twelve hours at
a stretch.
But
it was the goodwill
gesture displayed by Lord
Ripon, the then Vice-roy
of India, who effected a
change that could lower
the working hours for
child labourers. But
despite the bend and mend
rules this shameful trend
continued as it existed
before.
If
a wrong is done it can be
rectified provided there
is a conscience call. We
have had so many
enactments which could
dip the upward growth
graph of child labour. By
invoking the provisions
enshrined in our
constitution that
guarantees Fundamental
Rights against
exploitation and section
67 of Factories Act,
stipulates that the
children below the age of
14 can't be coerced to
work to earn their
livelihood. United States
is contemplating to enact
Child labour Elimination
Bill which envisages
complete refusal of
American aid to the
Nations that fail to curb
it. But, we the Indians
resort to delaying
tactics and undergo
hibernation despite
enactment of legislation
made on Oct 10, 2006.
It
is well said that
procastination is the
thief of the time. We
must catch the time by
forelocks to ensure
equitable deal for such
destitute and
crest-fallen creatures in
our society. Our
political pandits and
hyperactive social
organisations,
educational institutions
must come out of their
deep slumber and
eradicate this bane of
the society.
‘‘Let
us resort to conscience
call. In a bid to avoid
further fall Nations
pride must we elevate To
the loftiest heights must
it radiate Bet is so I
pray to God Reclining on
my knees for a positive
nod.’’
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Jawahar Lal
Nehru's vision on Education
By Dr Renu
Nanda
To Jawaharlal Nehru
the ideal of education was
im-provement of the individual;
for without individual
advancement there could be no
social progress. However,
individual progress could only be
considered against the existing
environment. It was futile for
the individual to be educated in
worthwhile values such as
non-violence and egalitarianism
when the social environment was
violent or was based on unjust
conditions. The role of education
was, therefore, to develop an
analytical, enquiring mind which
could appraise social values and
reject what was outmoded and
irrelevant.
Content of
Education
Jawaharlal Nehru was
a student of science in his
college and university years. He
often used to look back on his
student years and reminisce about
science and the experiments which
fascinated him. As he put it
himself, science was to him a
religion which gave him faith,
confidence, and peace of mind
much more than anything else; it
was an ideology which conditioned
his overall perspective.
The scientific
spirit enabled him to discern
fact from fiction, and to reject
myths and superstitions. He
regarded it as vitally important
to apply the scientific method in
tackling socio-economic and
political issues. He was certain
that science alone could solve
the problems of hunger and
poverty, insanitation and
illiteracy, superstition and
deadening tradition.
The study of history
particularly fascinated Nehru.
The progress made through the
ages was an important index to an
understanding of the
developmental pattern of the
present. However, it was
important to have an overall
world perspective while studying
history, so that events in India
might be judged along with
contemporaneous happenings
elsewhere in the world. Nehru
spoke about the need to guard
against rabidly nationalistic
interpretations of history which
tended to be fiercely patriotic,
as also against prejudiced
foreign interpretations which
tended to be colonial and
imperialist.
Education and
creativity
The test of a
nation's greatness, Nehru
remarked, lay in its creative
expression. When there was no
creative energy, a nation became
weak in every respect. Nehru
pleaded with the country's youth
not to think merely of settling
down to comfortable jobs. Their
talents should create expression
and contribute to the country's
richness. India's rich artistic
tradition should not, however,
lead to complacency. Nehru felt
that the arts had stagnated and
that the people tended to be
satisfied, making poor imitations
of the masterpieces of the
earlier ages. He pointed out that
the arts, in order to be
relevant, had to be vibrant and
lifelike. They had to relate to
contemporary problems. The
lifeless figures imitated from
the part served no prupose at the
present day. The main function of
art was not only to please the
eyes but to guide man in the
struggle for existence.
Modalities of
education
The pattern of
education introduced by the
British in India was one designed
to meet their own administrative
infrastructural requirement. This
was why Jawharlal Nehru sought to
overhaul the entire system of
education in keeping with
independent India's developmental
requirements. He encouraged the
system of Basic Education, which
had been tried out partially in
1937-39, when the Congress
Ministries were in power in seven
out of the eleven provinces of
British India. He visualised
Basic Education as a system in
which basic skills would be
imparted to all children in the
age groups 7 to 14 years. Basic
Education would include not
merely academic training, but
also a certain amount of physical
exercise and training in the use
of one's hands for producing
something worthwhile and
creative. By placing emphasis on
the principle of learning by
doing (i.e. the crafts) it tried
to coordinate the activities of
the mind with those of the hands.
Basic education was to be
preceded by a phase when a child
in his crucial formative years
could be initiated into several
areas of interest, and it was to
be followed by a phase when only
those desirous of pursuing higher
studies could do so. Nehru felt
that the main purpose of
imparting education was to enable
people to be productive to
society.
Education and
development
Jawaharlal Nehru had
been deeply impressed by the
major socio-economic experiments
in Russia after the Revolution of
1917. An ardent socialist, he
believed that India's progress
lay in levelling down
socio-economic inequalities and
building up a better social order
through proper education. He
admired the Russian policy
towards education for its total
crusade against illiteracy, its
emphasis on preparing a cadre of
men and women capable of being
entrusted with the task of
training the youth, the
importance it gave to gearing
students to the practical
requirements of society, its
predilection for the regional
language, and finally its attempt
to ensure that education was
collective or cooperative.
He realised the need
to promote Hindi as the all-India
link language. The petty
squabbling over the merits and
demerits of Urdu and Hindi, Nehru
felt, were counterproductive.
Languages acquired their richness
gradually, through the evolution
of their literature. So far as
English was concerned, it was a
very useful international
language. Nehru never approved of
English being adopted as the
medium of instruction lest it
should lead to elitism and set a
handful of the city-educated
apart from the rural masses.
However, he was realistic enough
to see that as English in terms
of literacy achievement, there
was a need to translate the
English classics into those
languages. English as a language
should, however, continue
although it might cease to be the
medium of instruction. This was
essential because it helped in
scientific and technological
studies and also because it was
the chief link language with the
world outside.
To Nehru the written
word was the best medium of
communication. The purpose of
good books was to have a large
readership. Nehru,
therefore,urged writers to adopt
a simple, readily understood
style of writing.
For children, Nehru
felt, films were the best means
of communication. It was
important, however, to project
ideas to children without
sermonising. It was natural for
children to resist sermonising.
Freedom of thought
was an essential quality which
Nehru felt should be developed
during student years. However,
the educational system was
regrettably lopsided, and its
authoritarian structure tended to
kill the spirit. Initaitive was
suppressed, and a clerical
mentality developed. Students
became dull-headed and remained
unaware of major world events.
They were like runs and monks in
cloisters shut off from the
world. Nehru's advice to students
was to keep the windows of the
mind open and to be receptive to
light from all sides.
(The Author is
Assistant Director CACE & E
University of Jammu )
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