Lokpal revisited

Just saw the debate for Lokpal bill taking place in Loksabha today. It was a completely different experience. Different to the general perspective that politician are nonsensical and irresponsible lot it shocked me when they were quoting different sections and different articles of constitution and were having a mature debate (although for only a short time after which they came back to their general tactics). For that short time when they were behaving what i thought was proper it had me believe that if our politicians really work keeping welfare of people in mind and setting aside their differences it is very much possible to have the best laws without any uproar like the one caused by anna. I am for the India Aganist Corruption movement but as i stated in my earlier post i have my reservations. It has to be born in mind that Lokpal is not the end for the woes of this country it is just a beginning and the motive power for this would have to come from people of this country not from the political class. 

From the beginning of this agitation the support has only dwindled and the government has been successful in its tactics of letting the steam fizzle out from the general public. It has just dragged the issue because it knows that people will eventually get tired and like every other movement and agitation this will also go as just another uproar with some output which ended up without any substantial results.

I am not undermining the bill that was put up by government nor endorsing the one that has been hard pressed by anna and team because as i understood from todays debate that the intricacies in it are so difficult to understand that one wrong clause or one wrong step may lead to either a civil disorder or a complete collapse of the lokpal system itself. 

One clear point that was visible from every minister’s speech was that all they are interested in is the benefit of their particular party and the interest of the people of India comes second. They are so engrossed into keeping the power for themselves that they go to the extent of doing personal attacks. 

I am as hopeful as apprehensive about this law because as someone has said. "Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely"

Promise of a Season

Placement season is something which needs to be felt to be believed. A season of desperation, frustration, despair, joy and above all a season of promise. A promise to everyone that their dreams will be realized, that the reason for which they joined the institute will be brought to fulfillment. This promise is so over whelming that people become desperate till the season actually starts.

Only talk on the campus in month of November is placements. From campus newsletters to times of India the only talk is about coming placement season. This not only fills students with a promise but also a pressure for they have to actually perform. This is the time they have been waiting for, all POR's, all  extra-currics, all subjects and all grand CPI's find their culmination in this holy grail. Although for some this is just a plan B but then it’s important because your plan B has to be secure so that you can work fully on your plan A.

Once students start applying for jobs they start setting a kind of image in their mind about what type of job they would like to go for in which city and what package and all. As much helpful this is it’s also a sweet trap because you are never sure if the said company will select you for said profile at said location with the package you want. Safest way out is apply for whatever comes your way. This being the shortest way out may not leave you fully satisfied but then you can’t have everything that you desire (true for most of us).

The worst part of this season is to see really good and promising people to be left behind and not getting what they actually deserve. It is just a sad sight not only for friends but for everyone who knows them. 

The best part is to see people get placed and the joy on their face. Their expressions and reactions are something of pure joy. It’s really surreal to see people once they hear the big news. 

As rosy it may look but the other side of this season cannot be ignored because its is not a small number. For the students who carry on longer into the process face really difficult times. The feeling of getting up every morning to go for an interview and returning unplaced, the thought of failing in a written test or not clearing a group discussion are so terrorizing that it leaves few students resigned to the complete process and it becomes a daunting task to push them out of their pessimism.

This season holds as much despair as promise but that’s the way life is you will have ups and downs, the point is to carry on.

Placement Team: IPT

There are two perspectives among general population about being a placement team member.

1- They get the perks and they have personal contact with companies so they get placed easily.

2- They are a group of cranky people who are working for other people for no specific reason.

I would go ahead and endorse the second one but people may have their own version that will fit into one of the two categories. The overall sense is either aw or disgust for an IPT member. 

In this team which slowly turns into a close group of friends there are some talented and super talented who should not only be respected but revered for their passion, dedication, .... several things. It becomes such a good learning experience looking at all this promising people working hard around you, no-one is payed, it’s a voluntary activity still people spend majority of their time on this.

When people start cooperating at every level without any distinction or difference you know that you will deliver, when the overall mood of the team is of trust and jubilant you know you are into something sacred. When you see one team member supporting other to achieve something big and people start taking up responsibilities for which they were never accountable you know it’s turning into something big.

It’s still mid-way and might be a premature but after first few grueling days starting at Day zero you start to see people mature, from subdued to confident and from i to us. They stand up to the challenges because they know that they have people standing behind them who will catch them when the falter. It’s such a great feeling to be a part of something like this. 

The best part of being an IPT member is when you finally disclose the result to someone, especially when you already know how much it means to them. This feeling is almost blissful.

Being a part of IPT is not only fulfilling but also an enormous learning experience. You get to experience so much it becomes very very satisfying. 

We still have Phase-II to carry on but I am positive that it would be as good as Phase-I