Motivated and Disciplined!!

First year in college…
I knew I wont be just a studious 100% attendance holder in class, I need to be active in extra-curricular…so that am not just the best in class (that wasn’t enough for the insatiable devil in me)…I needed to be best in the college too…I have managed to be that (at least one among the bests) in both my prior schools….But I had my doubts…which activity?

Since I knew college demanded more time and more studies, I didn’t want to get into any activity that might demand my time and attention away from studies….so I decided to join any active Organization…the first organization I joined was N.S.S (National Service Scheme). The second was A.I.C.U.F(All India Catholic University Federation),I joined this group despite the fact that am not a catholic because the organizations activity mainly included social service, personality development, meditation, etc…then I joined N.C.C(National Cadet Corps)-the last but the most influential one….

An Army Officer (Lt.Col. Abraham Habbi) came to preside over the first year students’ gathering to give an orientation of the Organization was among the ones who sat in the balcony(silently admiring the Officer)..He gave a very impressive speech, the most inspiring speech in my entire life till then…and at the end of the meeting when he called forth all the students who wanted to join, I found myself lining up…

Even when I gave my name for enrollment, I wasn’t sure my parents would allow….a wonderful thanks to them. They gave me the green signal without any fuss….their only condition was-“No Compromise in Studies”, which I readily agreed to…

And from then, I joined NCC and have grown in the organization from a Cadet to a Senior Under Officer (SUO) and the Girls wing senior of the college…I conduct classes on spoken languages-English and Hindi(doing the Hindi bit is more tiresome specially because am in Kerala),I handle the cultural activity classes, I handle almost everything our college’s ANO(Assigned NCC Officer-is a professor of our college) deputes me to….all of these is not an easy task and specially now, when am in my final year of graduation…..But still I do it…

Final year in college…
Am I vain or proud? Or both??...I may be proud…to be a part of this wonderful organization. and am keen to give back to the organization by contributing to the new Cadets and arousing a deep interest in them…which Col. Abraham Habbi(he got promoted last year) invoked in me….My happiest moment was when I addressed this year’s(2006-2007) first year students in the same place in which Col. Habbi did 2 years back to a gathering including me….the response was wonderful…and I hope I have managed to motivate at least a few students in the way Habbi sir managed to motivate me…

Reservations

Seems like one of the topics, I won’t venture to write about??? Wrong…the reservation issue irked me like it did to lots of people.

Where is India leading itself to??
What happened to the constitution that stood firmly against caste discrimination??
Isn’t this reservation a positive discrimination of the so-called lower castes and a negative discrimination of the so-called upper castes??
Isn’t it high time we took off even the reservation that existed earlier??

The reservation is not only disheartening for the ineligible but also for those of us who are eligible. Isn’t such increased reservation trying to shout out several negative statements? Are the SC’s or ST’s any less competent? Are those of the so called upper castes so bloody competent that the others don’t stand a chance? Please; it is absolutely not the case.

The SCs, STs and OBCs are actually being lifted with a harsh rope which leaves a scar and pain whereas they have been gifted with wings by God to soar high just like everyone else.

In today’s scenario, when the society in general does not discriminate among castes in friendships, relations and interactions, why should there exist discrimination for educational and job opportunities. It seems outright unfair.

I am not against reservations. I understand there are sections in our society that need help to emerge as equals. The biggest discrimination society has is of the rich and the poor. Those downtrodden, poverty-stricken people must be given a hand of help-however not by quotas but by means of scholarships, sponsorships, financial assistance and the rest must be left on caliber. Even such reservations must not be given in job opportunities. Aid must be provided to study; to gain knowledge…the job-sector must be open to all in an unbiased manner on the recruiters or Government’s specific needs-not on the basis of which caste or creed one belongs to.

In today’s competitive world it is only fair that everyone demands equal opportunities and gets it. Human efficiency, caliber, dedication, aptitude must be considered not the caste into which one is born. When a person is apt but cannot financially back oneself; aid must be given.

I strongly feel so; but if anyone of you feels am wrong-then you can show me reason, if u feel am right-add on your feelings…my comment box is open for you all…..