Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Dholpur House 2.0

Interview date: April 28, 2014 (Afternoon session)
Board: Prof David R. Syiemlieh

C: Chairman Prof. David 
M1: First member to the right of C
M2: Second member to the right of C
M3: Second member to the left of C
M4: First member to the left of C


C: Lokesh, we were just going through your application form… I see that you like travelling. Why do you travel… as in what accrues to you from travelling?
Me: Sir, I like to explore different landscapes and one gets to know about different cultures by visiting places. Moreover, it is an opportunity to rewind yourself; in this rat race, it gives one time to introspect and ponder over larger things and see where the life is headed towards…

C: Where all have you travelled in last 2-3 years?
Me: Sir, I’ve been to Himachal, Uttarakhand, Andamans…

C (interrupting): How do you go about it? Whether you go through tourist group or with friends or what?
Me: Sir, more often than not, I travel alone, because I feel when you are alone, you can better explore the place and spend the time freely the way you want to… For instance, I was preparing for my Mains exam in Delhi; it was the month of June; so, I felt like taking a break to go to mountains; I went to Himachal Bhawan office at Janpath, did the bookings; so, I planned around noon and took HSRTC bus the same evening and went off for 3-4 days…

C: You are also on social networking… Which social network do you use: Facebook or Twitter or what?!
Me: Sir, actually when I wrote the term ‘social networking’ in my form, I deliberately wrote ‘social networking’ and not ‘social media’; cause I wanted to convey both the online as well as offline aspects of it; by offline aspect, I mean to say that I like to socialize with people generally, like when I travel, I interact with people from different cross sections of society and that’s a very enriching experience… As far as online platforms are concerned, I’m more into Facebook…

C: Do you think it is ‘intrusive’?!
Me: Not really, Sir. Facebook provides us options in account settings to control who all can view our posts; we can set that to ‘friends only’, ‘friends of friends’ or ‘public’, etc. Likewise, we can customize our News Feed too…

C: Oh! We can have all these options! I was not aware of it… J
Me: Yes Sir, these options are available under account settings of one’s profile…

C: You listen to ghazals… Do you also sing?!
Me: No sir! I just like listening to them; I haven’t got a very sweet voice… (Couple of members share a mild laugh!)

C: Let us continue going your bio data for a while… We see that you are in DANICS service…
Me: That’s right, Sir!

C: When did you join?
Me: In March, 2012

C: So, you’ve completed your training period?!
Me: Yes Sir, I’m done with it…

C: So, are you posted now?!
Me: Yes Sir, I was posted to Lakshadweep around a month ago…

C: Tell me how is the connectivity to Lakshadweep…                  
Me: Sir, we have 4 all-weather ships from mainland to islands and some fair weather ships and vessels… And we have one daily flight from Cochin to Agatti, one of the islands where we have the airport…

C: There’s only one flight in day?!
Me: Yes Sir…

C: What is the frequency of ship?!
Me: Sir, it varies... Generally once or twice a week…

C: Oh! Then what do we do in case of an emergency situation?!
Me: Sir, we have two Pawan Hans helicopters on lease, which we use primarily for medical evacuation purpose… Although we have a super-specialty hospital in Agatti island, still in case of a medical emergency, if patient is required to be transported to mainland, it is done by helicopter…

C: What is the population of Lakshadweep?
Me: Sir, according to 2011 census, it is around 64,000

M1: You are from Rajasthan. What are the main problems of Rajasthan?!
Me: Sir, Rajasthan is an arid area with 60% of it being desert… So, water scarcity is the biggest problem; Then lack of women empowerment is a major issue, with the patriarchal mindset that we have; Further, since I’m a student of sociology, I’d say that caste is another problem; caste consciousness is very strong there…

M1: What can be done for women empowerment? How to get rid of patriarchy?!
Me: Well, I was thinking about this couple of days back anticipating this [question] but I couldn’t arrive at a ‘quick-fix’ solution… However, first and foremost, we need to focus on literacy; female literacy in Rajasthan is less than 50%; so, first we need to enhance female literacy… Secondly, although we have an institutionalized system of PRIs in Rajasthan that dates back to 1950s and % of women reservation in Panchayats has been extended to 50% from 33%, it is not very effective… Initially, we had the practice of Proxy Panchs; though now that has declined, they are not exactly aware of their roles and responsibilities; so, we need to go for capacity building and train them, so that they can effectively discharge their duties which will lead to political empowerment in true sense, which in turn will lead to favourable socio-economic outcomes for women…

M1: What are the major crops in Rajasthan?!
Me: Bajra (millet) is the major crop; Jowar, wheat is also there… Pulses like ‘moong’, ‘moth’… Then we have mustard…

M1: So basically the crops those are not very water-intensive?!
Me: We could say that Sir, although after the coming of Indira Gandhi Canal Project, things have changed; in fact, in a district, namely Sri Ganganagar, they are growing rice as well…

M2: So, from the mid of a desert to Lakshadweep, it’s a complete change for you! The problems that you mentioned for Rajasthan, are they true for Lakshadweep also?!
Me: No Sir, it’s the contrary situation actually! Lakshadweep has got a matrilineal society; the customary ‘Marummakathyam’ law is followed wherein the inheritance is through female line…

M2: Oh! Is that so?!
Me: Yes Sir, and because of that economic strength, women enjoy a high social esteem and respect…

M2: OK. And what are its outcomes? What has it led to?!
Me: Sir, we have a favourable sex-ratio. Then Reproductive and Child Healthcare is good. MMR is zero! IMR is just about 5 compared to 40+ in the country; we have 100% immunization; Gross Enrollment Rate for class 1 to 8 is 99%

M2: But it’s a very small place. You are from a technical background. So you know that we cannot compare population of 64,000 to the country…
Me: That’s true, Sir… However, the stats are still appreciable since these are 10 dispersed islands…

M2: Fishing is done in Lakshadweep… (then he confirmed if it was TUNA and asked sth about its processing etc.)
Me: Sir, Lakshadweep Administration has set up a TUNA factory at Minicoy island, wherein we produce 100 gm cans of processed TUNA and its also exported… Plans are underway to increase its capacity…

M2: But we don’t see much of it in Market?!
Me: Sir, there are several reasons for that; economic viability is one, because of geographical isolation of islands and the resultant transportation cost; then there is lack of marketing skills and marketing avenues; plus, there’s competition from South East Asian countries

M2: Do you think there’s any influence of Kerala on Lakshadweep?!
Me: Oh yes, Sir. Actually we don’t have a very good recorded history for Lakshadweep; but from the sources like Ellis Manual, Ellis was a British Collector, and a book by a person from Kerala judicial services that I read, it emerges that the islanders claim to be descendants of Nairs in Kerala, and Nairs followed matrilineal system; thus, matriliny seems to have come from Kerala… Cause if we see, it’s a unique phenomenon that obtains in Lakshadweep; typically, Islamic society is highly patriarchal, but here we have matrilineal Muslim society… Moreover, there was always contact with Kerala; like in earlier times, islanders used to barter rice for coir from mainland, and even now connectivity is mainly with Kerala; so definitely there’s an influence of that… Like Kerala, people are very aware of their rights and entitlements!

M3: You had computer science, but then you changed stream to sociology… So you would be well aware of sociological theories and aspects… (sth of this sort he told); What are the sociological problems/issues before India?!
Me: Sir, I see Communalism as a major issue, unfortunately the manifestations of which we have seen in the ongoing General Elections and I was in deep anguish over that…

M3 (interrupting, but in a very comforting tone with a smile): Let us not talk about politics and elections; they happen once in five years and people speak many things during that time… but let’s leave that aside here…
Me (very politely): Sir, I too didn’t want to foray into the political realm… I just meant to cite that as a manifestation…

M3: OK. What are the other social problems?!
Me: Sir, again lack of women empowerment and a host of women related issues… Then the problem of Caste (I don’t recall the exact language, but cited these two dimensions of gender and caste)

M3: Is there an improvement over time? Have these problems increased or decreased or remained same or what?!
Me: Sir, there definitely has been improvement on women empowerment; Lot of women have made it big in economic domain and otherwise, although I’d want to see more of them in the legislatures… Regarding caste, the only area in which it survives mainly is ‘Caste Endogamy’, i.e. in marriage alliances; the earlier forms of exclusion in terms of inter-dining and social mingling have been eliminated; moreover, ‘occupational specialization’ which was a peculiar feature of Indian caste system no longer holds true… So caste consciousness is definitely on the wane…

M3: And what about communalism?! Has it increased or decreased?!
Me: (After a pause of couple of seconds and with a smile) Sir, I’m not able to give a definite answer as in increased or decreased, in the context of communalism. All I would say is, it remains a cause for concern…

M3: What are the other problems?!
Me: Sir, education and healthcare. We still don’t have Universal Health Coverage… and we still haven’t achieved complete literacy…

M3: How can we do that?! How to achieve 100% literacy? Suppose you’re given the authority, made PM or HRD Minister, then in how much time can you do it?! So tell about the timeframe and how will you do it?
Me: Sir, I’m afraid I won’t be able to go for quantification and give a timeframe; I think it would be quite unwise for one to do that… Regards doing it, I think we have to revamp the basic infrastructure; for instance ASER and other surveys of education have shown that one of the main reasons why girls drop-out is absence of separate toilets for girls; so, infrastructural aspect is one… Secondly, we need to make our education more ‘meaningful’ and functional… Right now, if one is able to just write his name, we count him as literate…

M3 (interrupting): No no, I’m not asking about functional aspect or quality. I’m asking about coverage…
Me: Sir, may I just elaborate in 30-odd second what I meant..?

M3: OK
Me: Sir, right now, our education system doesn’t provide one with vocational skill-sets to get employed; like in Germany, the vocational component is 70% but we have less than 10%; so, a student who wants to drop-out after class ten in a village will neither be able to work on farm nor possess employable skills outside in job market; hence we need to provide more vocational courses so that after 10-12 years of schooling one is able to get absorbed in job market… and when parents feel that it [schooling] will lead to job, they will send their wards to school; else they won’t find it worthwhile…

M3: Although the voting % has increased this election, still its 65 or 70 or 75 only… Nowhere is it close to 100%. You think we should make voting as compulsory to make it 100%?
Me: Sir, I personally do not subscribe to the idea of making voting compulsory… ‘Right to vote’ also encompasses ‘Right not to vote’!

M3: But we have NOTA now!
Me: That’s right, Sir, but it has only been introduced very recently… It’s a welcome step and is perhaps one of the factors for the rise in the voting percentages…

C: Some area just had 10% of polling, because of violence threats etc. So is that representative of the population?!
Me: Sir, it’s really unfortunate that such incidents happen and in such a case, it puts a question-mark on the legitimacy of the political establishment that comes to power… Having said that, I don’t think compulsory voting is the solution! Instead, we should create conducive environment for free and fair elections by fixing law and order and quelling those anti-social forces that seek to block the democratic processes; and on the other hand, have more of SVEEP (Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation) and other voter awareness campaigns which we have been doing and which have yielded positive results…

M4: Do you watch movies?!
Me: Yes Sir, I do…

M4: Which kind of movies you watch?! Hindi/English…?
Me: Hindi movies and that too, I’m more fond of B&W movies, Sir! 

M4: Oh! Because that satisfies your interest in ghazals and poetry and all…
Me: Sir, that’s one aspect. Overall I think movies of that era were more socially relevant and had meaningful content. For instance, Guru Dutt’s ‘Pyaasa’ of 1957 still remains relevant after all these decades…

M4: But don’t you feel movies in olden times were very sad… Guru Dutt and others made movies that portrayed only the sufferings and as if everything was kind of negative happening around… ?
Me: That’s one way of looking at it, Sir. But I’d say they reflected the social realities of the time. And if the problems are depicted, I see no harm in doing that. In fact, that will lead to more awareness about the same and make people talk about those issues. Anyway, I feel that being in a denial mode doesn’t always help… 

M4: What’s your critique of present-day movies?! How were old movies better?
Me: Sir, unfortunately these days, commercial aspect is given more importance, as in what would sell at Box-Office… It’s not to say that people don’t make good movies these days; some of them are in fact doing a very good job, making socially relevant cinema and we see a renewed focus on the countryside and the hinterland…

M4: But don’t you think that’s always been so?! Just that it was more subtle in olden days. Movies show what people want to watch. And if people want to watch violence, if they want to see vulgarity, films will contain that…
Me: Sir, I beg to disagree… It would be an exaggeration of sorts, but for the lack of a better phrase, I’d say that it’s a ‘flimsy excuse’… To say that is not entirely correct… We have had film-makers like Guru Dutt, Satyajit Ray, Shyam Benegal, Hrishikesh Mukherjee and others, who made good meaningful movies and people have loved them as classics. So, if film-makers make good movies, people will definitely watch…

C (after looking at all the members and after their nod): Okay Lokesh! Your interview is over… 





9 comments:

  1. Thanx..thoroughly written....i like the answers...

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  2. thoroughly impressed, if u said what u think .....................hope and pray u get 220

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  3. Simple, straight, to the point and no doubt impressive. It should not be less than 200. All the best bhai

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