Evolution, Education and Empowerment-Part Two

IT and BPO boom was at its Zenith in Hyderabad, while I was in graduation. Young graduates became a soft target for the Employers and lured just-out-of-college graduates with decent pay packets. Most of my colleagues are either graduate or engineers. Barely a handful can boast of holding a PG. I’m glad that I stuck to my guns, gave my entrance exam and secured a whopping state 28th rank; hitherto I successfully completed one year: Semester I with an average of 64% and Semester II, stood second in class with 70%. 75% is the maximum you can score in English Lit Paper.

OU never fails to surprise us with good packages. Apart from Lit, we have one paper each on Mass Communications and Linguistics. What better could I ask for? This initiative was introduced to increase the employability and we are proud to be the pilot batch. This Mass Comm. paper has enlightened me on the nuances of Comm. And thereby holds me in good stead and comes as a saving grace at work.

Given that experience and wisdom are essential to develop your mental, aesthetic and moral faculties, it is only through Instruction; one can fine tune these faculties.

Let me draw attention to those educated people who are apparently educated on paper only. In everyday life, the education they earned goes out of the window. The most customary are denizens who jump Signals with ease. Though the Hyderabad Traffic Police came up with whacky signs: “Only Bulls run, when they see Red”; it doesn’t seem to make an iota of sense to the senseless civilians. Another classic example is that of a dapper business man who spits pan out of the window from a swanky Sonata. I had no words when I beheld that sight.

With our evolution as Individuals through education and empowerment, come the trappings of pride and vanity. Vanity is one negative trait that grows despite nipping it in the bud. Hence I do frequent checks to rid myself of that. It’s the LAST thing I want on earth!

What can I do to contribute, to improve India’s literacy rate? Would like to tie up with literacy endorsing campaigns like Shiksha. Buy products where one rupee of the total sum of amount is put aside for children’s literacy. I will also encourage every poor child I come across, to pursue studies. I always wanted to sponsor a child’s education, one thing I want to champion ASAP. But will be able to do that on my next promotion as that will equip me with some Moolah to sponsor.

Will leave you with Food-for-Thought on education by two famous literary figures.

Education is not the filling of a pail,
But the lighting of a fire.
William Butler Yeats

Instruction ends in the school-room, but education ends only with life.
Frederick W.Robertson