I read a significant number of books in the holidays, but somehow it seems like I can write only about social issues nowadays. Maybe it is because I find this more easy and interesting. Or it maybe due to a less-innocent reason. Like wanting more appreciation and comments!
Firstly, I think we need to talk about the political instability of our country these days. I may tend to concentrate more on Tamil Nadu, what with the politicians here always making it to the breaking news on TV with their calculative opinions which change daily according to the circumstances. But even at the national level, I think not everything is smooth going.
We have this great politics textbook in CBSE, which gives such a good view of democracy and its advantages, with substantial evidence. I very much believe in true democracy because of that. Whenever we criticize politicians at home, I am able to appreciate it to be the best form of government because it gives us the freedom of speech to express ourselves.
Sometimes, everything seems to have a political undertone which frustrates me. I want to still be able to believe in a world where things are done for their sake, not for politics. I will never cease to wish for a democracy in its true form, to be established in India. As a person of the next generation, I dream of a country where people in power will be free of corruption, will try to understand people’s mind set and will dedicate their life to serve the common masses.
I know that it may be asking too much, as politicians are also just humans, who will make mistakes like us. But I am not expecting everything to change overnight, or for them to be always right. If they are open to change, if they don’t shun from honest interaction with the public, then I am sure people will support them enthusiastically. Together, we can make India a better place to live, can’t we?
Next, is the very important issue of gender equality. The situation now is much better than the olden days. I can choose what I want to study. Most girls today get schooling of some sort. Female foeticide is non existent(at least from what I know). But we are now faced with a much more horrifying reality: Alarmingly frequent cases of physical abuse. Recently, the convicts in the Nirbhaya case where handed a death sentence. People are hailing it as an historic decision. But we can’t afford to rejoice, not with so many more girls waiting for justice.
What is the most infuriating thing is, some people try to justify such barbarous acts. They try to normalize it as part of man’s nature. Worst, they blame the woman, the victim. They say that is the woman’s fault that she wore such clothes, that she was out at an eerie hour,etc,etc. It amazes me that we still manage to live in such a world. Who gave people the right to advise women what to wear and where to go? If they restrict men this way, will the world accept? A person in my school said that these incidents are happening because women do not use their freedom in the right manner. As if freedom is something somebody lent us! It is our birth right as a human being. People need to force their convoluted minds to accept this.
Another thing I would like to focus on are the regularly occurring traffic accidents. I don’t know about other parts of India, but I think they happen everywhere in varying amounts. In the last two months, I have myself seen two. In one, my father told me that the person had blood in his face. Thankfully, I didn’t see it, otherwise I would not have been able to sleep for days. I have been struck by the fact that while I read about this in the news, I feel that it is happening in some faraway place. I feel insulated from it all. But now I am realizing that it is not very far away. It is taking place in front of my eyes. We should not lose some of our brightest minds in this freakish manner.
Lastly, from a student’s perspective, I would like to say a few words on our education system. Things are changing, people are taking up new fields. CBSE and ICSE offer more flexible curriculae than the state boards, which place more emphasis on rote learning. I don’t support CBSE bringing back 10th boards. The CCE structure gave students the option to use their cultural passions to get a decent grade. I have not done my math exam very well, and I can hope to get a good CGPA only because of CCE evaluation. Taking back this system has given students only one chance to prove their merit. It has turned the wheel back to bookish learning.
I want education to let me pursue my interests, to be enjoyable and to make me independent and responsible. I want to be able to think about things I read. I want to go to school happily everyday. The school I have chosen now offers me all this. I look forward to starting there.
Alagu Writes 