Why do girls outshine boys in most exams?

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The other day I was reading this news item in the newspaper, about girls having, as usual, outshone boys in the Xth class exams, and I thought, that'd make an interesting blog: why the use of the term...ho hum...as usual...Are boys habitually backward? I have been a boy during my time and I am the father of two boys, to boot.

Many reasons suggested themselves: Distractions: boys are into sex by that age; they are more outgoing, play more games, have no restriction as to how late they can stay out, as to how late the night show can be, and all that. Girls spend all the time at home because of these restrictions, so they learn to concentrate more, tend to be more studious.

This can apply only to the average student; an academically brilliant chap will shine inspite of all distractions.

So what are the lessons in this for me? I can think of the following:

1. Find out if your kid is good at studies, or only average, or actually dullo. In the first and the last, you can do nothing. If he is average, then work on him from an early age.
2. Make him immune to distractions;at younger ages, pass down the rule book, but at all times tell him about the logic behind the rules; tell him that he is expected to make it a habit, that it is for his own good, and that he should frame his own rules and abide by them. By 15-16, he dosen't need to be monitored by Dad.

Anyway, if he is not good at his studies, there is no point pushing him, and if he is actually good, you don't have to! Life was never so good!!

The Modern Buddha!!

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If you have read today's newspapers, then you will have read about the coronation of Buddha..er. the oath-taking ceremony of the WB CM Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee. Both he and GK Gandhi the governor are looking trim and healthy.

Having spent a good part of my formative years in WB, I have a certain affinity for the state; you can say I have an opinion regarding most things related to Bengal and Bangalis.

I used to curse the Left Front government for the state of affairs in Kolkata, and though I was part of SFI during my college days, this was more by default than by choice. Not that it made a big difference; I always believed that the reds in India, and specifically in WB were big humbugs. At the best, they are posers, and at worst they are hypocrites. In today's world of open market economies, corporate cultures, consumerism, and capitalism, I don't think there is any role for communism; they have been well and truly defeated. I empathise with Marx, but I disagree with the communist ideology.

The question is: is there space in the world anymore for any ideology? In the years leading up to WWII, during the heyday of Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini, and when George Orwell was still writing, there were hot debates on the various isms; people were obsessed with them. There were equal supporters for every variety, and people generally believed that one or the other ideology would ultimately win the war.

To me, recent words attributed to Buddhadeb seem to echo my sentiments: he said, it seems, that WB is one among 28 other states, so it cannot be a socialistic island; it is as much capitalist as the rest of the world. I can try and give you a link to the quote in India today if people post comments on this issue. But I agree totally with Buddha: No man is an island, and this applies to a state as well.

This brings me to the eternal point. Bangalis are more talkers than doers; and Buddha is an antithesis of a Bangali. He is a man of action; he believes that his deeds speak louder than his words, and because of this he is a boon to the state. I would like to see all Bangalis rise to the occasion. Stop debating endlessly on non-issues like communism. Or, if you must, do it only in your spare time (or like in the ad on Morning Dew, don't DO here, DO there!!!). And eschew the gun culture, and make WB more investor-and trader-friendly. I know, a large part of our population are WORKERS, so we have to be worker-friendly, but the days of workers' unions and their strong-arm tactics are drawing to an end; this has happened in the rest of the world, is happening even in Mumbai, which was never a RED bastion but still always had strong unions. Even in Mumbai, the unions are no longer allowed to hijack the essentially WORLD BANK dictated policy of open market economy. That WB has to finally open the doors of this WB so that the beleagured people of Kolkata-nay, the whole state-finally see some developement and infrastuctural changes.And as Buddha toils to bring in stronger in-flow of FDI into WB, I say: more power to his elbow, and HAIL COMRADE!

Quota will kill Quality:Murthy; Judgement day for these politicians not too far away: Myself
Mood:  on fire
Just take a look at this news item: "Infosys chief and Chairman of the governing body for IIM Ahmedabad NR Narayana Murthy has criticised the Government's plan to increase seats in IITs and IIMs to offset the impact of reservations on general category students". This is from IBNLIVE: URL: Article on IBN LIVEhttp://www.ibnlive.com/news/quota-will-kill-quality-murthy/10753-3.html According to the news item, "...the Government proposed to increase seats to appease the students protesting against the proposal to have 27 per cent reservation for Other Backward Classes in top institutes". Murthy further goes on to say that the goverment has no business to decide about seats. "People sitting in New Delhi cannot take these decisons. A lot of variables need to be taken into account like the number of classrooms and hostel rooms. It is up to the chairman and the directors of the IITs and IIMs to take a desicison," he says. He also goes on to point out the difficulty these premier institutes have attracting good faculty, given the poor salary levels they can offer; this is also because of strict government control over the salary structure. "It is unfortunate that these decisions do no lie with the institutes but with the Government. We are not going about this in the right way. Our insitutes will never be the world class institutes if this continues," he said. Narayan Murthy is a product of the institute, and he knows how the system functions; he has seen the other side, and knows what young Indians need in order to develop into world class competitors. This is an age when government needs to relinquish control over corporations and institutions which have flourished despite (yes, not because of) politicians and bureaucrats.This is an example of an ongoing power struggle, and we have no doubt about who is pulling in which direction. Soon these politicians and bureacrats are going to have their comeuppance, as the level of awareness and literacy are rising gradually to the stage where a critical mass will be reached sooner rather than later. That will be the day when these politicians will have a lot of explaining to do.

Quota will kill quality: Murthy I say: Judgement day for these politicians is not far off!!!

Just take a look at this news item: "Infosys chief and Chairman of the governing body for IIM Ahmedabad NR Narayana Murthy has criticised the Government's plan to increase seats in IITs and IIMs to offset the impact of reservations on general category students". This is from IBNLIVE: URL: http://www.ibnlive.com/news/quota-will-kill-quality-murthy/10753-3.html

According to the news item, "...the Government proposed to increase seats to appease the students protesting against the proposal to have 27 per cent reservation for Other Backward Classes in top institutes".

Murthy further goes on to say that the goverment has no business to decide about seats. "People sitting in New Delhi cannot take these decisons. A lot of variables need to be taken into account like the number of classrooms and hostel rooms. It is up to the chairman and the directors of the IITs and IIMs to take a desicison," he says.

He also goes on to point out the difficulty these premier institutes have attracting good faculty, given the poor salary levels they can offer; this is also because of strict government control over the salary structure.

"It is unfortunate that these decisions do no lie with the institutes but with the Government. We are not going about this in the right way. Our insitutes will never be the world class institutes if this continues," he said.

Narayan Murthy is a product of the institute, and he knows how the system functions; he has seen the other side, and knows what young Indians need in order to develop into world class competitors. This is an age when government needs to relinquish control over corporations and institutions which have flourished despite (yes, not because of) politicians and bureaucrats.This is an example of an ongoing power struggle, and we have no doubt about who is pulling in which direction. Soon these politicians and bureacrats are going to have their comeuppance, as the level of awareness and literacy are rising gradually to the stage where a critical mass will be reached sooner rather than later. That will be the day when these politicians will have a lot of explaining to do.

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MANDAL REVISITED
Mood:  on fire
The whole of northern India is up in flames....it is Mandal 1989-90 revisited....the spectre of MANDAL II....
In 1989 it was VP Singh.....the flames engulfed him then, they finished him politically...
the villain of the piece now is ARJUN SINGH!
This man was considered prime ministerial material at one time....now he is a doddering old fool, stumbling through the corridors of power, dragging his legs with his stick, cynically using the power vested in him by trusting millions, to further the sinister cause of all political parties....VOTES!VOTES!!Votes at any cost, even if it destroys the lives of the youth!!!
He had the temerity to stand in LOK SABHA and proclaim that he was not going to back out of this decision....this arrogance and stubborness is because he has won the elections....we would like to know, did the people who voted from him, do they all want him to do things this way ?
We thought India had come a long way...away from the divisive politics of the past generations....we believed that a new generation had arisen, new leaders with vision and hope, who wanted all Indians to be equal...Yes, we thought the days of Rahuls and Jyotiradityas and Jindals had dawned and that we would see a new and progressive INDIA!
But alas! It seems that we were too credulous, that we have been belied again.
For Arjun Singh alone would not have dared to stand against the rising tide of protesters in the country..... not unless he had the backing of all these self-serving politicians...
The time has come to change the culture of the country.....to create an atmosphere where such politicians cannot breathe....where corruption, divisiveness, nepotism, cronyism cannot survive...
For this we have to carry the poor and the downtrodden with us...we have to convince all those people who vote for these politicians that there are better options. We have to create a climate for nation building...We have to show these cynical politicians that their days are numbered, that the time has come to account for their actions.
Now no political decision should be taken with the vote-bank in mind...everything should be pre-decided through fora comprising the intellectuals and progressive minds in the society. Deviations from these policies should be dealt with firmly by the law-enforcement agencies....the power in the hands of these politicians has to be severely curbed, so much so that it no longer remains lucrative to enter politics.Let only those interested n building the nation enter politics; for this, all priveleges should be withdrawn.