Artificial Intelligence : Business and Community

“That Human Intelligence is unbeatable is a fallacy that has long been broken. Question is can Artificial Intelligence actually dominate us Species”

Seema is a young village girl in remote part of India and her mother is very sick. Later needs urgent attendance of a qualified specialist doctor. But Seema has no way to know about whom to consult.

Artificial Intelligence(AI) can do wonders here by taking symptoms of her mother as input and analyzing whether or not the doctors near her are fit to take the case or not. AI can also connect her to relevant doctors near her, thus saving time and obviously LIFE.

How AI works

In simple terms Artificial Intelligence mimics human brain such that it can learn, unlearn, relearn and reproduce results most relevant to the conditions or environment.

AI tool revolves around ‘Data Processing’. Data can be of diverse forms like number, text, image, command signals and so on. The machine or software takes data as input, processes it for output, and then matches processed output with desired output. It goes on correcting itself with more processing and more data input.

Thus one may say that AI actually is biased in favor or against of data that we feed it. More about it shall be discussed later. This piece of content shall discuss more about how AI is affecting, interacting and sometimes interfering in human life.

Seema and Doctor

The AI based tool to collect information on doctors will regularly input patient details and their review about the effectiveness of treatment given by particular doctor. Based on analysis of those reviews, It will analyze the best prospect for patients – whom to visit for particular type and stage of disease.

BOON for Businesses

The craze for AI however is much more for the businesses that for consumers. It is not untrue that AI has become a potential tool to exploit and create profits but logic behind it needs to be unshackled.

Businesses use data to understand, target and exploit. From consumers perspective, they generate huge amounts of data. Take for instance a shopping application like Amazon – they search items, its color, style, and price, and add some to their shopping list. Amazon will have all this data, which it can process itself and even sell to other businesses like Facebook.

Impact of AI is evident in how Amazon reconfigures our shopping list to better fit our taste/preferences. Even Facebook to whom Amazon could have sold our data may show advertisements of products matching our demands. E- commerce is only one such example, in reality our digital space is AI ‘affected’. From places we visit to choices we make nearly everything generates DATA.

DATA AS THE NEW OIL

In Globalized world, technology is making leap bounds and data has much to do with it. Countries like USA and China have amassed massive amount of data and are thus way ahead of competition. They are able to not just target consumers but also mould their opinions not just in buying products but also the STATE around them.

AI and Business of DEMOCRACY

Democracy for many has become a business in itself. Cambridge Analytica (CA) case of 2016 is well known where CA was able to use data from Facebook to shape public opinion in favor of particular politician in USA. Similarly such tools are in popular use around the world used to amplify election prospects of particular candidates.

While on the face of it, AI appears just another tool to market and advertise, it is not equally accessible. For instance data availability, storage and processing capacity are not same everywhere. Thus AI may create further Parochialisation in both Business as well as Democracy.

AI and Consumerisation

Consumer targeting as we discussed above using Amazon is most manifest case of AI. Here also some businesses are able to dominate others. Also consumer is not always benefitted. As we highlighted above, that AI is biased in favor of input data, similarly the user choice will be biased in favor of businesses that manipulate or control data.

Its impact on consumer is not always desirable as it often promotes greed. Mahatma Gandhi pointed that “Earth has enough for everyone’s need but not for their greed”. AI creates new demands – (say) by advertising some thinning oil because a consumer may have shown interest in losing weight.

Positively it connects businesses with consumer but it also lets the door open for vultures to exploit (say) by selling adultered oil online.

Businesses and Data Privacy

Data Privacy is a hot topic of modern day and age. From above discussion, it is clear that data generated by us has the potential to bind us in exchange of our freedom and innovation. Take for instance the social media platforms that uses AI to formulate our Newsfeed. If all the content are modelled to suit our interests only, it leads to absence of access to diversity in opinion and viewpoint leading to RIGIDITY in human character.

Data leakage can not only create right issues but also may lead to exclusion and financial frauds. Thus Data Fiduciaries must play responsibly around accumulation, storage, and processing of user data. Objective and Clear Consent with regular updates on nature of use of data is a must.

DATA Literacy

Businesses try to exploit Data Illiterate citizens as later hardly enquire around how others may use their data and consent. AI in long run can work only when ‘Self Regulatory’ standards are adhered to without compromising rights of Data Principle. Thus Literacy programs can be conducted in school, colleges and on/by social media companies. This will help in AI sustainability.

AI and GENDER

AI dominated work is the future and therefore it is important that AI workforce is equally represented by all genders. However taking the case of India, Future of Jobs report 2018 noted that only 22% of AI related workforce is women – meaning sustained lack of representation and losses to business and economy due to gender inequality.

Therefore businesses need to take in account this long term view on how to promote gender diversity and equality in AI related domains so that our future looks fright today.

Checking Data Biases

Businesses need to tackle this Elephant in the room by making sure that data sample is diverse and adequate sampling is done to avoid exclusion. For instance an all white sample will lead to high deviation of output from the desired results for brown and black people. This leads to exclusion and differential access as witnessed by USA agencies processing images on AI.

Similarly big businesses having many products to sell online and at attractive prices have greater ability to dominate market space forcing smaller businesses out and possibly monopolizing the market in long term – which is unhealthy for business environment.

NOT OVERLOOKING the Boons of AI

Humans have long aspired to create machines which can think and act like we do and AI are a miniature of the same. AI and mankind future in intricately linked as it has not merely replaced workforce but added plethora of work around AI.

For instance in a Financial Firm, AI may do the role of Data Analytics and thus make workforce for the same redundant. But Human have natural capacity to unlearn and relearn and therefore they must adapt to the environment. New work and New businesses are a must around AI handling technologies.

But AI is not an answer for all and everything. For instance in a labor dominated economy like India, a balance needs to be struck between machine and human force in interest of business itself. Because AI may do many things but it still lacks the ability to emotionally and psychologically connect with humans as good as a human being.

AI – BOON/BANE

AI has widened scope for businesses in areas like teaching ( student specific content, robotized teaching), sports, online games, security (image processing), medical (detecting skin cancer) and so on. It has created new skills and is forcing others to reskill – killing redundancy in operations.

But AI and its potential misuse or sometimes overuse cannot be ignored as well – surveillance (in excess leading to breach of privacy), and de-democratization. Businesses need to analyze AI – ethics and long term impact on society. Its better for them to self regulate before the ‘State’ interferes.

AI has grown so much due to less hindrance by regulators. Its growth in direction of BOON is desirable for humanity but its intent of BANE and excessive STATE interference can not just halt AI’s growth but also its BOON utility.

Previous Industrial Revolutions did ease Humanity’s Ease of living in many ways but has also polluted the space we live in. Its the duty of present generation to make sure that the 5th Industrial revolution around AI is cleaner and contributes to greater equality in society. In addition, humans can have healthy competition to ensure dominance over AI while also having ensured control to regulate actions of AI tools thus not allowing it to dominate us species.

The Minority Opinion – Political and Material – and CHANGE

A common image generated from the term Minority is that of oppressed , neglected and ignored, especially when considered in a Democratic Political System. But there is a materialistic side to minority as well.

Political

For instance, the protests around CAA and NRC is concerned with minorities and to preserve secular credentials of Indian Constitution, which basically safeguards minorities from majoritarianism.

It is generally known that Democracies are ruled by utilitarianism, i.e. Greater good for the Greatest Number. It may be possible that minorities are always neglected in above case. Therefore Governance must, while fulfilling demands of majority must make the minorities confident to express their concerns.

Care must be taken that minorities are not socially excluded. But Ghettoisation of minorities on account of fear mongering needs to be avoided as well.

Material

Innovations are new not because everyone can do it, but because the ideas struck the minds of few or minority. In a meeting not everyone presents exceptional ideas and any new idea may face hurdle. It depends on the ability of that minority to present its case convincingly.

But it also depends on the recipient of idea to be open for innovative changes. If not, the majority will always dominate and innovation may come to halt. For instance, when Church was all powerful in the west, minorities who presented the ideas like – Earth rotating around sun or presence of other planets like Earth – were shunned down.

Merge

Both Material and Political minority can be combined as well. If the political minority presents Material ideas which are in line with Utilitarian Principles, their say in society will automatically increase. India presents the case of Parsi, who may be very few in numbers but their ideas are dominating.

Material ideas don’t mean which necessarily makes profit. But it means ideas that are resembling positive change. For instance ,Uniform Civil Code is opposed in India and rightly so given the immense diversity, sensitivity and politics involved.

But if minority especially Muslims comes up with an idea (also suggested by Law Commission) that they are ready for internal reforms which will be codified, then it will be good for all as it could them be tested on grounds of Fundamental Human Rights.

Conclusion

Minorities anywhere must not be alienated as it not only leads to Social Exclusion but also halts growth and evolution. We must remember that religions like Buddhism and Jainism were possible because of minority thought. But they led to all round development as Hinduism was receptive of change. Similarly clinging to old customs and not seeking change is counter-productive for minorities.

MEDIA – Catalyzing the Changing Family Coverage

It is very clear that the patriarch cultures in family is declining especially in households having educated working women. It is not only reflected in real life but also in Media like TV serials and web series. The changed media in turn influences the still conservative families. Thus media is Catalyzing the change coverage.

Modern Family in contrast

India resides in its villages and so one can draw a conception of traditional family from its villages. An extended family where everyone lives together engaged in family occupation like Agriculture, Pottery and so on. Of-course, this has become rarer today especially with widespread education and opportunities and migration. The trend is of Nuclear families.

The traditional family is having a Male head who is the ultimate decision maker. This is yet prevalent in most households. But even in rural areas with women panchayat leaders, Self Help Groups, education, etc. they are more empowered than before.

The early marriage in sync with family customs like intra-caste, intra-faith etc. is gradually being challenged but the traditional pull continues to exist. The changes are more pronounced again in families where parents support their child’s liberty and where children are capable to explain their position to the family members. And there are certainly many take independent decision. It is just the context which decides.

More women are beginning to work especially in new sectors like Information Technology, Services, Design and so on. The income is able to make them self-dependent and with exposure to new cultures, they are more Capable to be able to decide for themselves and therefore challenge the traditionalism.

Marriage age has gone up and so has the average age of having first child. Indeed many working women are aspiring to be more than machines to reproduce children. Family planning has become an important part not only for population control but also women’s priority towards work.

Attitude towards parents : I don’t seek to generalize but there is certainly more separation between parents and children. In the past more nuclearization of families used to happen due to conflict between women and her mother in law. But now it is due to conflict between Son and Mother. The attitude of becoming independent and cultural gap may be taking a toll and making the child unaccommodating.

Media in Contrast

The daily T.V. soaps are quite famous in traditional Indian households and I grew up in family where these were regular. These shows used to depict women as a housewife and men as working partners, thus reinstating the patriarchal normality. It revolved around the relation between women and her mother in law (Saas-Bahu) , Bhabhi, Devarani and so on. Hardly anything was shown about work culture and other modern stuff but it represent social stereotypes like

• Partying is bad and unacceptable especially for girls.
• Stereotyping of rape victims by society.
• Over-importance given to marriage and family thus creating early marriage pressures on girls and stigma against divorce.

It is not to say that, everything was stereotyped or bad or irrelevant, it did showed richness of Indian culture like bond between Parent and Children. And of-course I cannot comment on the change there because, its long that I have been away from it but when I visit home and see my mother watching them, it feels some of it has remained.

Digital Content

Before dwelling into digital content I must discuss the change. The start of youth targeted shows like MTV Roadies, Dance India Dance, and other competitions inspired many youth to take up diverse interests.

Due to accessibility and affordability along with liberty to watch anywhere and anytime, the digital content on platforms like Hotstar, Netflix, Youtube and so on are preferred more. They have done a content revolution in following ways:

• More focus on Independent working women who is giving more importance to her professional life and knows to take decisions on their personal space.
• Work life and related challenges are depicted.
• More Nuclear families, hostel life, bachelors and so on are depicted.
• Late Marriage, Child Planning, etc is shown as common.
• Informs the viewers especially youth on social issues like challenges in life and ways to deal with it. Eg.- How a women who is facing harassment at her office can approach POSH committee very freely.

At the same time content is attaining – maturity for some and vulgarity for others (the content is largely unregulated). Some things are shown at extremes like:

1. An independent life is shown as if Parents don’t matter and are only an interference in personal lives.
2. Women are at times commodified.
3. Youth life revolves around drinks, cigarettes and other stuff making them look cool.

Then there is another trend among youtubers to make Vlogs, Short Videos on certain things like Travelling, Food Eating, Cooking and so on. They also have become a pass time for youth. These are more real than above and therefore have better connect with people.

This has an effect on marriage as women can think of being engaged in such activities even post marriage and thus earn self-dependence.

Conclusion

Not only are families changing but the media is also portraying the change, thereby catalyzing it. My only concern is that we are too much busy to copy the western cultures instead to looking withing ourselves. Indian culture is unifying, i.e. it values family bonds. We don’t need to be proud of ourselves in breaking it or being free of any strings. I prefer a balance between Individuality and Collectivity.

Protests in Indian Universities

We see a series of protests against decisions taken by the Government on several matters like Abolition of Article 370, Fee Hike issue, Citizenship Amendment Act, National Registry of Citizens and so on. In background of protest a common issues is also reaction of police to these student protesters. Do they deserve immunity only because they are students?

I must share my experience in participating in one of the protests when I was in IIT Dhanbad – 3rd year(2017). The protest was against the college administration inaction to:

1. Take steps in making the college free of outsiders.
2. Take steps against eve teasing of one of our college girl by an M.Tech student.
3. Fast processing of tender to install R.O. water purifiers in some hostels , among other issues.

This protest was planned for week and final year seniors lead the planning. They visited all hostels and informed us about the issue to ensure our presence. College administration was also informed about the protest.

It was decided to march to Hirapur (a location outside campus) and then return back to stage a sit out in campus. During whole time, Dhanbad Police was with us, helping us through the traffic and clearing one side of the road for us.

Since the protests were peaceful and discipline was maintained throughout, there was support from public as well. I believe this was my experience of what DEMOCRACY is.

When we stages protest inside campus, our director was kind enough to come and listen to our concerns. This is where problem arises. While most of the students were raising valid issues related to safety, security and others some of them stood up and spoke like dumb.

Girls started to raise irrational concerns and boys started raising issues like threat to privacy from hostel inspection. Both students as well as Director was pissed and so it was decided to have a closed meeting with all students in auditorium. I didn’t want to be a part of it, so I backed out.

Learnings

• Right to Protest is not a threat to Democracy but is a sign of exercising Fundamental Right to Free Speech and Expression in Democracy.
• The role of Police is to maintain Law and Order and till that is in place, they are quite supportive of such movements.
• There are few miscreants among any group. It is the responsibility to healthy minded students to churn them out and not letting them destroy their efforts.
• What protesters seek is an explanation from the authority against whom they are protesting. Both parties must have the courage and patience to listen and understand each other.

What is Dissent? It is an expression of lack of understanding or misunderstanding or difference of opinion on the subject matter concerned. A dissenter must be open minded to agree or disagree. If one is rigid, they only reflect their lack of Emotional Intelligence.

Politics in Protests

Our protest discussed above was free of any political affiliations but we of-course desired to gain political attraction so that they put extra pressure on the administration on the issues. And we did achieve some of it.

This is different from politically motivated protests. Few are some of the examples of Indian universities:

1. Jawaharlal Nehru University or J.N.U – It produces talented economists, diplomats, bureaucrats, politicians, scientists, authors and others. The open culture like debating on issues of the day help sensitize students of their rights.
   • But the university is a den of left ideologists.
   • Teachers shape the students and J.N.U. has many left oriented teachers who are popular authors as well.
   • The university is democratic in itself with elections for student leaders.
   • But affiliation of political parties and groups like from CPI, ABVP and others have actually maligned the attitude of students.
   • Dissent is rigid and ideologies are not changed with understanding of subjects.
2. Jadavpur University – It is among the top rated universities in India and just like J.N.U political parties and groups have developed hold over the students. It has been in news recently for cases of sexual exploitation, voice and protest against the right parties and their leaders, etc.
3. Jamia Malia and Aligarh Muslim University – Top rated universities where majority of students are Muslims but is open and accomodative to all kind of students. They lack political affiliation but are not immune from attempts because it is seen by opportunist politicians as securer of their vote banks.
4. IITs – Popular around the world and students are known for their intellect. Political affiliation is negligible except in some like IIT Madras where CPI is showing interest.

Protest against Politics

It is the duty of every citizen to be aware of things happening in the country and decisions made by the State. Democracy gives the right to raise dissent and even minority dissenters have the right to do so. The protests therefore (absent politics) must be seen in positive light.

Some of the protests are discussed below:

1. Fee Hike – Administration showed lack of holistic planning and discussion with student groups before notifying the hike. They started the protest with blocking Education Minister inside college campus for around 6 hours. Then they staged protests and tried to create ruckus in streets.
   • Compared to our protests, here law and order was at stake and so police had to take action.
   • While the administration was ready to reduce hike for all and further for poor students, some miscreants just didn’t have the moral ground.
   • Exams were boycotted even though most students didn’t want to.
   • Political affiliations and support from leftists made the issue political and therefore less relevant in eyes of general public.
   • Taxpayer Money :
     • A debate that followed was weather taxpayers money should be used for these miscreants. My opinion is that they are students first and are futures of tomorrow.
     • Today their education is subsidized from taxpayer money, tomorrow they will be paying the taxes themselves.
     • But subsidy can’t be equal for all and therefore those able to pay need to pay.
2. CAA and NRC – The protest is meant to safeguard the SECULAR character of out country and pressurize the government to reverse their decisions. Here again government failed to clear its stand and objectives for the bill among the citizens.
   • The protest reflect on the surface the student’s interest in socio – political issues in the country. But in reality most of the protest as explained in my another blog is out of political issues, fear mongering and rumors.
   • The ignorance about the issue or content of bill, support to outsiders which create ruckus by destroying public property, stone pelting police among others reflect non maturity in exercising the rights.
   • The politicization of issue into displaying these universities as threatened by communalism or police brutalities is also wrong.

Some protests were by university degree awardees. They refused awards and some tore the copy of CAA in public. Again this shows their dissent coupled with ignorance. One of them justified their protest as in line with university’s culture to be anti – establishment.

It is as rubbish as saying that ‘I will be a patriarch because my family is patriarchal’.

The students are future of tomorrow and some of them will turn out to be the leaders. The criticism of some of present leaders is their ignorance about issues. If India still produces such ignorant students, it is hard to see critiques change their comments.

Students are expected to be thinking of the actions for which they are responsible. The atrocities against some students is not justifiable in any sense and an inquiry must be conducted but students must also answer the reason for violence.

As I said in previous block as well – Facts need to be separated from Motives. Students need to display their intellect in understanding of issues and University administration must ensure open depoliticized culture in institutions.

Caste and Manual Scavenging in India

It has been 70 years since Independence and around a century but the cruel face of Caste System in forms like manual scavenging (both forced and voluntary), discrimination (like untouchability), violence (like mob lynchings), and so on continue to exist.

India had the opportunity post independence to reform it social fabric, but unlike west where Enlightenment was able to put liberalism above conservatism, India failed to do so in following grounds:

1. Mahatma Gandhi and many other conservative Hindu leaders favored caste system or the four Varna system for a very illogical and medieval belief that Caste matures into social unity.
   • But they simply failed to consider that the unity was not a whole but divisive. It means that unity was more intra-caste than it was inter-caste.
   • Some nearly equivalent castes on socio-economic-political grounds did come together but lower castes were at the same time isolated.
   • The view that the unity comes out of ‘Reciprocity’ in caste is completely misplaced because the reciprocal nature of caste was not voluntary but forced upon the lower castes.
2. The Segregation of groups was however liked not only by people of that caste but also by the politicians.
   • The numerical strength of that group determined their political prowess to make leaders from among them or generate interest which can be pressured upon the State.
   • The Segregated unity was also important among the lower caste to protect the community from the harshness of the upper castes.
3. Caste has now taken a deep root in India’s social milieu and is difficult to expect India as caste-less anytime soon.
   • Even collectives that we should promote like Self Help Groups are often formed on the basis of Caste because, it is more comfortable for people of same caste to understand and work with each other.

The post-independence days carried the aroma of social revolution on things like Religious Rationale, Secularism, Caste System, Education and so on. But the leaders at helm like Nehru and Ambedkar failed to see the future and delayed the core concerns of society to be taken care off at slow pace or later.

The result was that India’s small percentage of population which was able to qualitatively educate itself and find work in Industries did excel but most of the others fell in Cycle of Exploitation and Poverty. Thus for a very long time India has not been able to convert its Human Potential into Human Capital.

The basic Social Engineering tool to get away with or at-least reduce the atrocities related to Caste needed a well designed Curriculum and subject matter in school along with teacher’s training. But I didn’t knew anything about caste till my secondary education. The subject only struck me in higher secondary where public education have Reservation quotas. The perception on Caste was more based on ignorance than facts.

I shall discuss the rationale to Reservation in some other blog and limit myself here to Manual Scavenging.

Manual Scavenging

It is illegal in India especially after Prevention of Manual Scavenging and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013. But it is sad to note that at least one person (average) dies in sewage drains unharnessed and in pain. The place of death is where I cannot think of sending even my worst enemy.

India calls itself a rich civilization which definitely it was. But key characteristic of any civilization is to correct the historical wrongs. The practice is not unique to India. Any society would need people to clean drains so that diseases don’t spread and the living atmosphere is clean. Dalits or Scheduled Castes were traditionally assigned these roles and were stigmatized in society.

But other societies like in the west have made the process more standardized or they have developed ways to use waste into agriculture more efficiently. Entering drains may be needed but proper care is taken that Safety harnesses are used and the occupation is not socially stigmatized.

Mahatma Gandhi did talk about cleanliness in the sense that people should use toilets instead of excreting all over the place to be later cleaned by dalits/harijans. Also Gandhi tried to reduce the stigma by highlighting that no work is small and by campaigning against untouchability. What he failed was in overcoming his conservative wall to raise voice against Varna system itself. But with time Gandhi was actually changing his views, Had he lived longer India could have been different.

India knows that the practice of Manual Scavenging is detrimental to humanity. But given the lack of ‘Capability to be able to Decide’ among the Manual Scavengers they are not able to understand the exploitation and develop pressure on the State to rescue them. Also they are not able to explain to others that they want to get out of this work.

The basic reason is lack of quality Education due to which their opportunities to seek alternative employment is very low. Therefore even when law prohibits Manual Scavenging and makes it compulsory to use safety gears, they enter the sewage in absence of kits. Even after so many deaths the conviction rate of employer is very less. Here also the rea+son is that the larger society is not really concerned about bringing justice to them and their families.

Therefore the practice highlights the utter failure of State and its people to not be able to fill the Civilizational loopholes and this represent India’s backwardness.

Challenges

In India as Dipankar Gupta highlights that Caste system is generally not imposed upon people but they (especially in rural areas) generally accept it as natural and therefore hardly protest against it. Also hallucination about Political Power which can be derived have made resistance to the system even weaker. Instead the system is being used now.

But one must admit that politically Caste System is weakening due to weakening of group on economic lines. The vote patterns are variable and therefor the BJP claims to have done away with Caste vote banks.

Regarding Manual Scavenging the biggest challenge is enforcement of 2013 law. The low conviction rate has negligible deterrence effect on employers. Some of the challenges related to the practice are:

1. Lack of Mechanized cleaning – One biggest hurdle is non – standardization of drain design. Therefore a centralized research is not taking place.
2. Lack of Alternate Employment – The manual scavengers are not always full time. There are cases where poverty has pulled back some back into this profession in order to support their families at risk of life.
3. Asphyxiation of Drains – The type of waste found in sewage is itself not standardized and therefore the mixture can turn hazardous and inflammable due to release of Methane.
4. Lack of Safety harness- The safety equipment are not available in number required and many times they are not provided at all. Hardly do we see sewage cleaners entering drains with oxygen masks on.
5. Lack of Public Empathy towards these Manual Scavengers – Its welcoming to see people protesting against rape of women. But even when similar if not more stigma is attached to man entering drain, hardly anything is being done to prevent it.
6. Swachh Bharat Mission- The success of the SBM is commendable but due to lack of Sewage Treatment facility and many single pit toilets, the case of manual scavengers engaging in cleaning tasks are more.

The State needs to take the state of affair seriously and deal with the challenges in a holistic fashion.

Solution

It is childish to expect that a single law or its enforcement can remove the need of manual scavengers because sewage will continue to exist and wastes will accumulate in it. Therefore someone has to clean it one needs a clean and non – stinking locality.

But if ISRO can plan to put its rover on Mars, then definitely India can also design solutions.

Solution 1: The biggest challenge or excuse of non-standardization can be dealt in a non – conventional way. If drains are not of same type, why do we need machines which are of the same type. Many colleges and universities are spread across the country. We need researchers and entrepreneurs from each one of them. Therefore, each one can manage to design machines to drains assigned to them. This way education will also teach on how to deal with day to day life challenges.

The biggest challenge in above can be lack of motivation among all to participate in research. For this we need this:

Solution 2: A program to instill Public Empathy towards these workers so that Social checks are automatically in place to deter employers from risking the lives of manual scavengers.

But the best way out lies in Educating these backward classes. They must have independent choice making capability and this only comes through quality education. If they ate empowered to speak out for their rights and are accessible to alternate employment, the exploitation will automatically decrease.

Also many nations including India (at small level) has been using treated sewage waste in agriculture and other activities. India needs to scale up its processing and make sure to shift to dual-pit toilets so that the waste can be converted into fertilizers without polluting the environment.

Conclusion

Therefore according to me Caste system has more demerits that forced merits. I understand that present elimination of caste sounds like a dream, but there is no harm in stating what is in best long term interest of Indian society.

Manual scavenging needs planned elimination which will be gradual and needs a people movement on lines of Swachh Bharat Mission. This is only possible through public empathy and education which gives the individual Capability to be able to decide.

Capable to be Able to Decide

What do I mean when I say that, at the most basic level – Education means developing the capability to be able to decide in a prudent and rational manner about – ones own and social – interests ?

I have discussed this theme in many of my blogs for the simple reason that Education is the basic of modern day socialization and is equally if not more relevant as family and society. The textbooks, way of teaching and curriculum decides our thinking process and therefore our Morality as well.

We all hear the lesson that ‘one must do what they like the most’ or ‘pursuing your own dreams’ or ‘finding the inner you’. But are we really able to before we mature enough. In my case it was in college that I really began to experiment with my interests to find out one which I can hold on for the longest and which was both a means as well as an end to me.

Of course, anyone is free to change their life goals at any point in their lives but post making decision whenever one gets to reflect on previous decision, the response cannot be ignorance about inner self.

In my case I had wished to study computer science in secondary education. Then to devote more time to PCM (Physics, Chemistry & Maths) I took up physical education as my optional. I got a top engineering college in India and a subject both based on my rank (not my interest).

If I have to reflect on my journey I feel that I had never sought to look within to discover myself. The choice of taking Science as my career subject was because Arts subjects were boring. Today I realize that the teachers didn’t knew how to make it interesting. My choice of going to Kota was random and I had no idea of ends that I am going to pursue (IIT here). Everything went with the flow absent inner reflection.

My college in itself didn’t do anything to spark my interests but it provided an atmosphere where I have time and space to try different options. Films, Web Series, Documentaries, Games, Research, Robotics, Coding, Gymming, and so on became my options.

I learned that there is knowledge spread everywhere and it is just the ability to absorb and be creative in using it. But creativity doesn’t just come out of thin air – one needs to develop it and be motivated towards it.

I tried and moved on from coding to technical and then research. The common things in the background were my sporting abilities and my interest in socio-political affairs of the day. I liked to read, know and express about these things. The exposure to variety of things and development of capabilities; I was able to think for myself much better.

Therefore when I had to actually choose between a promising research internship and my interest which I would like to hold on to, I decided to follow the later. One cannot expect to meet all interest and needs to attain balance between them. Therefore I compromised with some sports to dedicate time for studies on subjects new to me.

I switched to preparing for Civil Service Examination but at the same time I wanted to make my physique look good, so I started regular Gym. This gave me a great mental and physical balance. I started to enjoy what I was doing. The study subjects for the fist time became more than an ends to me. That is Civil Service Examination was not just an end in itself but it was a means through which I can use the power and knowledge effectively.

Therefore, I never felt bored studying about the subject content and the content outside syllabus which can be useful later. I never thought that I would like to become a writer in my future. This interest developed as my ability to think grew and I was more willing to express my thoughts.

Imagining things in new light is what interests me a lot and I like being innovative in content. Thus capability to be able to decide has made me more open ended and prudent.

Issues in Indian Education

I had the privilege of getting quality education throughout my life and I developed the capability this late. I am bound to empathize with majority of Indians especially those in rural and backward areas.

When we decide, we do it by choosing among the options available to us. For me it was like Engineering or Commerce; Job or More Study; etc. But for a poor, the ends are fixed – earn for bread and butter. Their choices are limited and therefore they don’t actually seek the capability to be able to decide. The State cannot be content with pulling people out of poverty or ensuring minimum needs being met because in that way Human Capital goes underutilized.

In a democratic system we know the power of people and their interests. In India while the idea that education can bring you money is spreading the real motive is absent. For how long can money keep us motivated towards a continuous process of learning. Also material motivations are vulnerable as they may not only diffuse but are also attainable by many other means like – supporting political violence, crime like Murder or trafficking, and so on. Therefore, Seeking education with such ends is counter – productive.

The real motive which is ‘to seek capability to be able to decide’ is not an end just in itself. It can be a means as well to seek new and diverse ends according to ones suitability. But the process of inculcating this motivation among youth is not an easy task as it needs both guide and exposure to diversity of opportunities which are multi-dimensional.

CRUX

What India needs is to see is that Education becomes a guiding tool to making use of India’s demographic potential not just for better quality of life but also for better satisfaction in what one is doing in life. This will go a long way in improving our Happiness Index as well.

Knowledge and Power

This thought is inspired by the theories of renounced philosopher Michel Foucault.

Knowledge and Power are co-joint or supports each other. If one has the knowledge of something, it has the power over that thing. Take a very simple case of knowledge about fire – this knowledge gives one the power to use it.

Similarly Power not only gives the opportunity to use knowledge but also improve it further. While using fire one may get to learn more about it but they have to use their Power in motivated fashion.

I shall present a classic example of Bureaucrat or Politician and society.

We all know that the people in a democracy have voluntarily shared their Power with the State so that the later may safeguard their life, liberty and property [Hobbes]. This Power lies with both leaders (politicians/representatives) and bureaucrats (bridge between Government and People).

The leaders gain this power directly by the people during the election for representatives. The elected leader is not a hermit like but had been able to sense the socio-political pulse which was rewarded in terms of votes. But the bureaucrats gain power generally out of merit or use of knowledge. In case of India they have to clear a competitive process in which only few are selected.

If power and knowledge are not used in sync both are bound to fail. If the bureaucrat after gaining power does not uses his/her knowledge for good of society, it is a waste of both. Similarly if the leader does not try to gain more knowledge about the scheme of things in constituency to try and improve it, the community is bound to suffer.

Preferred Choice of use

I aspire to be a civil servant in coming days. The process of being a Civil Servant is not so easy because one has to pass through tedious 3 stage process that lasts for around 10 months. The preparation involves both vertical and horizontal understanding of nearly everything that can in some way or the other help in administration. This includes subjects like History, Geography, Society, Economics, Polity, Internal Security, International Relations, Ethics, and so on.

Thus a Civil Servant or bureaucrat in India is one who has good amount of knowledge. By joining the service they get access to power. Take the case of an IAS officer who has maximum power to directly engage with the people at grassroots.

The knowledge one has is sufficient but not good enough to execute the responsibilities drawn out of power. Since the knowledge was general, one needs to learn the specific needs and requirements. This means more knowledge is needed and Power can be a source or means to it.

A two way interaction between power holder and power giver is termed as People’s Participation. This interaction makes execution of power more effective and efficient. Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan is a classic case of People’s Participation leading to better results including behavioral change at many places.

While power enables access to knowledge, it is useless unless Knowledge is powered into something appreciative.

Poverty is a critical issue across India. But in District X, it is mainly due to repeated failure of crops. A civil servant cannot just use his general knowledge and use power for poverty alleviation schemes like MGNREGA. He/She has to go to the root of the problem i.e. reason for crop failures – lack of water for irrigation, lack of ferilizers/pesticides, lack of technology or skills, or lack of knowledge about the crops suited to environment. To take a medium as well as long term measure, Knowledge gap must be filled and power must be used to work on it.

For instance irrigation issue can be dealt by allocating funds for micro-irrigation awareness and implementation. Krishi Vigyan Kendras can be set up or rejuvenated to bridge technological gaps. Issues concerning women in Feminized Agriculture sector cannot be forgotten at any cost.

But if knowledge is not used to do something really good, it goes useless and poverty symptoms continue. Thus knowledge and power go hand in hand.

Knowledge and Power can be misused as well when a particular knowledge somehow uses the former to divide the people for personal socio-political interests.

Similarly the ineffectiveness of some leaders is due to the lack of initiative to either use knowledge or learn about the society.

Thus knowledge and power are complimentary to each other and are literally on a spiral, i.e. one pushes the other

My home state BIHAR

Bihar is an Eastern state of India. It has its northern border with Nepal while other three are touching neighboring states of India. Its capital is Patna, which is also the largest city in Bihar.

More than 80% of Bihar is engaged in agriculture because of the fertile plains formed by many criss-crossing rivers. While in the north it is slightly mountainous; in the south it is plateau. The large center are plains which is cut across into two parts – North and South – by river Ganges.

BIHARIS

Biharis are well known across India for their distinct accent. Some of the most common ones are using ‘HUM’ (We) for ‘Mein'(I), or using a non refined English and Hindi language.

They have migrated across the country for education, work, etc due to lack of resources and opportunities within the State itself. For instance, many agriculture laborers migrate to Punjab and Haryana for work at farms. I have been a migrant myself post mu secondary studies. I moved to Kota, Rajasthan for Higher secondary education then to Dhanbad for Engineering at IIT Dhanbad and now I am in Bengaluru preparing for UPSC exam.

But Bihar is developing faster with a more stable government and where bureaucracy is more accountable than before. Considering a low base, Bihar is among the fastest growing states in India at present.

Literacy in Bihar

Bihar is not enough literate – both qualitatively and quantitatively – compared to other Indian states.

The ASER – Annual State of Education Report, has been pointing to decline in learning rates in Bihar even though overall in India, it is rising. But the literacy rate are definitely rising as the state is more focused to attract students to school via Mid day meals, playgrounds, toilets and drinking water.

The teacher to pupil ratio is also low in the schools and they are generally (like in other Indian Public Schools) appointed at low salaries (around 30K/month). Bihar also has a system of appointing para-teachers who are basically contact teachers to meet the minimum needs of schools. But their salaries are around one-fourth of regular school teachers.

How can anyone expect to attract quality teachers with such low incentives for able teachers to be attracted there. The result is a clear lack of basic foundation in education for most of the backward biharis.

In private schools of Bihar the condition is much better. Districts like Bhagalpur, Patna, etc have good schools including the one that I have come from. ASER report also highlights the better state of private schools.

It is encouraging to note that more bihari girls are showing up for schools and colleges but the stereotype for women doing homework is far from over yet. The reason is Education which is failing to keep itself open ended and as I say encouraging students to develop the ‘Capability to be able to decide’.

Employment in Bihar

Bihar is not an Industrial state because as discussed above minerals are not found across spaces (only in southernmost parts of Bihar) and therefore access to raw materials is an issue. Widespread poverty also means that demand of product within the state is going to be low. Thus, most of the Biharis are therefore engaged in Agriculture.

There is a divide among the individuals living in districts and in the villages of Bihar. I am coming from Bhagalpur, there is no craze as such for exams like civil services but Bihar is famous for its students dedicated towards such government sector employment opportunities.

The result is that even though literacy rates in Bihar is low, the Biharis at the top public posts is quite high.

The reason I can think of apart from dowry and easy marriage is that, it is the lack of opportunity in other sector which forces the students towards this option. As I discussed in my previous post on Education that Quality Education gives you the capability to be able to decide about self interests. But lack of quality fails Biharis to actually discover what they are best at.

It is not about what we perform but about what we can perform better.

What Bihar Needs?

1. It needs to build up upon its agricultural sector by infusing it with technology.
2. Food Manufacturing Industry looks promising in Bihar especially given the improvements make in road transportation.
3. The state needs to diversify its services sector so that youth gain the motivation for quality education and more schools start coming up to match market demand.
4. But it must start from investments by both businesses to open up new centers and by state to skill its population.

Most of all Bihar needs good quality youth who are innovative and are motivated to stay in their home state. This doesn’t come out of thin air. Atmosphere or work and study environment needs to be made compatible to needs. Bihar needs lot of Start-ups and they will need a lot of funding. No state can manage all the funds alone. Therefore while states must grow faster, it must establish ways to attract private funding.

Population of Bihar

The impact of poor quality education and lack of women empowerment in Bihar is that the state has highest Total Fertility Rate in India which is although declining.

Therefore the population in Bihar is more that what the present level of resource efficiency can sustain. Obviously there is much that the state can do to better its efficiency as discussed above. This is another reason why Bihar suffers from brain drain or drain of human capital which is needed to develop Bihar faster and better.

Bihar along with other BIMARU states are critiqued for being a drain in which the major chunk of country’s resources (fund) goes into. Some of the states are apprehensive that their wealth is just transported to these states and they are not self-sustainable.

There may be some truth to it but one should not forget that, these states are highly populated and so their needs are going to be more.

However, there is a positive way of looking at it as well. Sonalde Desai points out that laggards of today can be supporters of tomorrow. That is if the human potential of Bihar is exploited into Human Capital then in coming decades they can support the already ageing states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu among others. But if they fail in doing so the state mus brace itself for a Demographic Disaster.

CAA and NRC

CAA – Citizenship Amendment Act – It eases the process of obtaining citizenship for the 6 minority communities – Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Christian and Parsi – who have migrated to India from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh due to persecution on the basis of religion. The government justifies the act’s mention of religion as valid because it is deemed to be falling under Reasonable Classification in Article 14.

The Act doesn’t grant citizenship naturally but only reduces the time of stay before being naturalized to 6 years. Others out of this minority bracket could still apply for citizenship via normal process.

NRC – National Register of Citizens – The NRC is going to be a register which contains data of all citizens of India. India won’t be first country to make such register because nearly all nations already have it. India needs it more as it is a Welfare State and needs to know to whom, it should target more.

But at present the NRC details are not out in public.

Before I let anyone judge me on any bias, I should put my views out and clear. I believe in following:

1. It is not correct to put anyone non-criminal in detention camps. It is against the civilazational non-refoulement that India has been practicing.
2. The non-minority persecuted refugees can be dealt diplomatically at this stage.
   • They could be sent back to Secular Bangladesh if the later is ready to accept them.
   • The border security must be strengthened to check the movement of illegal migrants.
   • Looking at long term and to avoid any unnecessary cost on their maintenance(even in camps), the migrants can be given long term visas, work permits or even citizenship. They could well turn out to be potential human capital for India.
3. Reason for above suggestion is that if these people are living in fear, they are quite vulnerable to be exploited by radical elements.

Therefore CAA can be further refined to include all illegal migrants remaining post deportation to respective countries.

Regarding NRC, I don’t see any reason why any nation should not have a register of its citizens especially given the limited resources, security risks and the need to develop faster.

The fear mongered that NRC is a tool to filter Muslim from India is nothing less than rubbish. I am open in accepting that the ruling party has been ideologically following their Hindutva. But at the same time one cannot deny that their plans like Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan, Ujjwala Yojana, PM Awas Yojana and so on have passed all tests of secularism.

PROTESTS

The public protest around the CAA and NRC combine is both encouraging and worrying.

Encouraging because people across all faith are showing solidarity with Indian constitution and also among themselves. This highlights the Secular credentials of out constitution and citizens.

Worrying because of the way in which fears of minorities are exploited using Rumors and lies. Not that all that is spoken about motives are wrong but one must be able to separate fact from motives.

For instance the ruling party has definitely displayed its intent towards NRC but has not yet made or discussed any plans for it. The Assam NRC was conducted under supervision of Supreme Court. However people coming out of protest are seen to raise voice that Government must take back NRC, while in reality no orders are out yet.

The fears are nothing but extrapolation of imaginative thinking that NRC will leave out only Muslims as others will get Citizenship via the CAA. But facts are not that simple because an emigrant needs to anyways prove that they have actually migrated from just three countries.

Also one shouldn’t forget the Supreme Court and it is never expected to allow communal elements of State have their ways. And I don’t disbelieve the risks of error. Actually errors are prone to happen but the preparation will depend on the how easily, and friendly is the rectification process. Therefore Indians must keep these facts in mind as well.

Participation of Celebrities

This protest has seen participation of many influential people and it is good that many people are coming out in support of public concerns. But combine influence with ignorance and it is a disaster. Of course their Charismatic authority will take a hit.

Political Violence

India is not new to such violence. Its not unique for this opposition because nearly everyone has tried to use some sort of violence either on roads or in legislatures to put the ruling parties on the back-foot.

Police Role

It is true that Indian police are not very well trained but they are also humans who are employees of the state responsible for maintaining law and order. When there is violence and riot, it is they who have to respond using graded means that is response according to need.

Proper the training, Better the response.

While I also am in support of inquiries in incidents where genuine overreach took place. It is subjective because context of overreach is equally important. Only where intentions were malice can the policeman be booked to charge.

Violent Protesters

There are people caught up in violence and caught for violence; and public property is also destroyed in these uncivilized protests. The reason for violence may be social, ideological and political.

I have discussed the reason for Political violence above, that is to put the ruling party at the back foot for not being able to manage law and order or for not being able to come up to people’s expectations.

Ideological violence is not just limited to left or communists because we have witnessed that Right wing can be violent too like during the Demolition of Babri Masjid in 1992. The communal protests are another classic example of later protests where there is definitely some degree of back end support.

Social violence is reflected in the mob character of crowd where law of the land takes a back seat. Its mob who rules. This violence according to me is due to the failure of State to educate in citizens in a way that they develop the basic ‘Capability to be Able to Decide’. They fall in trap of fake news, rumors and so on.

In the end it is a political failure that the leaders aren’t able to command their authority over their people to be calm and have trust on the State apparatus. Bureaucracy also has a critical role to play here so that the facts of the matter percolate down to the grassroots untainted.

Opinion on J.N.U. controversy

The protest, I believe was symbolic of lack of communication between student and the management regarding the fee hike and also lack of holistic decision making on part of management.

First, even before announcing the fee hike the impact analysis seemed to be missing. The exceptions for poor students should have been put in place initially itself. Also the fee hike could have been make applicable from next batches and not on existing ones.

Second the gap between teachers, students and administration reflects the silo model in which universities are run.

The protests are symbolic of expressing Dissent. What is Dissent?

I define it as a misunderstanding or lack of understanding or difference of opinion on subjects in question between two or more individuals or groups.

In a democracy dissent is bound to be present but in a civilized society the dissent groups know on how to manage the dissent. Ideally, the parties must be open minded to be able to put themselves into shoes of others and also open to changing their standpoints if other party convincingly states their point. Even if arguments come at dead end, they must be tolerant enough to respect each others viewpoint while criticizing it all along.

FEE HIKE

In my opinion fee hike is not unjustified at first place because such low level of fees like Rs 10/month for hostel is definitely very less. Hostels won’t be able to run themselves or to provide standard amenities to the students. Already infrastructure wise the hostels are not up to the mark, suggesting the need of hike.

Secondly, leaving poor people out of fee hike, there is no reason why able families should not pay the hiked fees. Additionally one should note that in India the income disclosure by many families are not accurate. They mostly disclose lower income using legislative loopholes. Therefore already many unwanted elements enter into scholarship lists.

Thus, Government needs to work on two fold:

1. Identify the individuals and businesses which display lower that actual income. The invoice matching mechanism in G.S.T. needs to to fastened. This will reduce discrepancies.
2. The fee hike must be regular and not a one time business. For instance in my school, it was a rule that each year fees will be hiked by some percentage points which reduced arbitrariness and also parents can prepare better.

Going through many debates around the issue, it was felt that while Education needs more funds from government, private sector is still wary of investments in research. The burden of quality higher education is too high on Indian families.

IITs have been supporting their students but even they fill the need to setup an ENDOWMENT system by which it means that alumni will contribute voluntarily to their own universities and colleges. This model is very famous in universities of Ivy league. It not only meets research expenses but also discounts student fees thus making education more accessible and affordable.

PROTESTS:

J.N.U. has been in the limelight for past few years literally for its uncivilized protests but one must not forget that they are in the end students who are not very experienced and things flow in heat of the moment.

Since they are educated students administration and government needs to understand that if proper two way communication lines are established between them, most of the students will be willing to understand rational viewpoints. Therefore better than giving up on students, a collaborative approach is needed to direct energies in productive direction.