Sports Supreme Council Himachal Pradesh

I wrote this letter to the Chief Minister in 2013, there were press reports that the government is contemplating a Sports Bill. A similar situation exists at present. I am not associated with any sports organisation in HP, so I do not have any personal interest. Having been a sportsman in the past, this is my contribution towards a better sporting atmosphere in HP, devoid of any political interference. 

23 November 2013

To,

The Hon’ble Chief Minister

Government of Himachal Pradesh

Shimla – 171002

Subject

A proposal regarding the formation of a Sports Supreme Council (or any other name) under the proposed Sports Bill

Respected Sir,

The Cricket Welfare Forum would like to raise an important issue regarding sports in Himachal Pradesh. This is in the context of the proposed Sports Bill to be tabled in the Vidhan Sabha during the winter session.

The enactment of the sports regulation act in Himachal Pradesh is an emotive issue with the various sports associations. In the past many have opposed the very move of a government control of sports associations. Rightly or wrongly, the positions exist.

We at the Cricket Welfare Forum welcome the enactment of the sports act. We are encouraged by the position taken by your good self that

1)    all sports associations need to be democratic and transparent

2)    a common code of conduct should apply to all sports associations

3)    the government does not want to control these sports associations

4)    these associations do not become personal fiefdoms of any individual,    family or political leaders

5)   and above all, your statement that governments come and go        but the institutions live forever.

6)   your dream of making and keeping the sports associations as               institutions

It is in this context, we write to you today and submit a proposal for the formation of a Sports Supreme Council (or any other name). It is our belief that though the sports associations have to be registered bodies under the Himachal Pradesh Registration of Co-operative Societies Act 2006, especially so because the government aid comes in the form of grounds, money grants, security and other heads, yet the Sports Bill has been drafted by the bureaucracy without any official inputs from the sports associations. Even if it is assumed that the intention of the concerned officers is good and pure, there is always a chance of discrepancies or gaps due to the lack of knowledge of the sports concerned or sports administration. Even though the officials may keep the proposals legally right but some of the individual proposals may be either harmful or detrimental to the sporting atmosphere. In such a scenario the sports associations will not support the proposal and controversy will arise and the matter may go to the courts and all the good intention of the Hon’ble Chief Minister to build institutions in sports may not fructify.

To avoid any such controversy today and in future, we propose a Sports Supreme Council (or any other name). This body could be a committee of all the sports associations registered in Himachal Pradesh under the proposed sports act. There could be an Executive Committee and Office Bearers. The Executive Committee could consist of the ex-officio members from the democratically elected Presidents and the General Secretaries of all the sports associations or alternatively an individual association can send three delegates. The Office Bearers can be elected from this Executive Committee. The benefits of having such an outfit as the Sports Supreme Council (or any other name) are listed below:

1)    This will negate the belief and viewpoint that the government is out to control and pocket all sports associations

2)    This organization will be a bridge between the government and the individual sports associations

3)    The future amendments to the sports act will be recommended by this body. Since this body has a wide representation with different interests, the chance of unscrupulous activity is negligible.

4)    Any untoward situation in the future, akin to the HPCA’s controversial and questionable acts, will be avoided, since an individual sports association wanting some changes in the rules will have to come through the Sports Supreme Council (or any other name)

5)    In any untoward situation in the future, akin to the HPCA’s today, the courts will have a sympathetic view of the proposals of the Sports Supreme Council (or any other name)

6)    This organization can actually become a watch dog of sporting activities in the state of Himachal Pradesh. There will be a larger pool of bright and experienced minds in the matter of sports.

7)    This organization will not only be a deterrent to any individual and unscrupulous intention and activity in any sports association but will also be a deterrent to any government in the future that wants to mess with the sports in Himachal

8)    This could go a long way in creating institutions in sports as the Hon’ble Chief Minister desires

9)    An institution it will be, with checks and balances in place       

Sir, a good system is always a one that incorporates a system of checks and balances. The murky affairs of the HPCA in recent times has given rise to a need for some checks to be incorporated into the sports system in Himachal and to complement the same we hereby propose a balance into the equation. It is our humble submission that this proposal for creation of a Sports Supreme Council (or any other name) be incorporated into the proposed Sports Bill.

In My Garden

Written on 17 April 1990

Today

you walked

into my garden

unannounced

The wind

stopped

at your feet

in veneration

The moon

halted

in its stride

to peep

Venus

skipped

a heartbeat

at your blush

The sun

cursed

itself

for the missed chance

The flowers

delayed

their sleep

in delight

The leaves

trembled

in

boundless joy

Even the birds

did not sing

but listened

to your melody

All the while

I gazed

speechless and dumb

and wondered

Is this

a chance joy

or a harbinger of

the joys to come?

Income Taxation in India

There are two things in our economy which I feel need a re-look and fresh thinking, since they affect both the countrymen and the economy. The first is the direct taxation in our country, especially income tax and second is the banking system in India. Here I will discuss the former.

Every family, state and country needs resources in the form of revenue or income. This is the only way expenses can be met. An individual and the family always strive to increase its revenue. So does the state and in the process there arises a conflict of interest. There is a trade off. More for the state means less for an individual and the family. Since it is the state that makes policy and laws, it is the individual and family that suffer. Moreover, the increasing obligations of administration, development and welfare are overwhelming and the state needs resources to meet these. Add to that the inefficiencies of the system and corruption, the need for resources increases. This has resulted in the governments becoming tax hungry.

The major sources of this revenue for a state are the direct and indirect taxes. The direct taxation, in the form of income tax (around 20% of the total revenue receipts) and corporate tax (around 33% of the total revenue receipts), contributes almost half to the revenue pie. Being visible, the income tax hurts. The income tax levels are too high, the threshold limit too low. The number of people paying income tax is negligible. Similarly, the companies do not participate honestly in this exercise of nation building. In the process there has arisen something we call a parallel economy, the black money and the ill gotten Swiss and other off shore accounts. Estimations are that this parallel economy is bigger than the real economy. The government loses on this potential source of income.

Black money is black because our laws make it so. It is money that has been mostly generated by an economic activity, yet it is black, because a portion of it has not been paid as tax. Taxes are not paid because one, the individual entity is maximising its revenue and two, the limiting and confusing and complex laws of the land. How many countrymen can claim that they understand the income tax and its laws? The net result is the existence of a parallel economy. The state loses its revenue. It is a loss-loss situation. Yet year after year, government after government, the system remains unchanged. And yet every government wants its direct tax and its share in total revenue to increase? Reminds me, keep doing the same thing and expect a different result!

There ought to be a win-win situation, for an individual and the state, with a lesser burden for an individual and more revenue for the state and practically elimination of the parallel economy. Can such a situation exist at all? Let’s think with a fresh mind.

First and foremost, the policy makers have to understand that under the existing system they cannot eliminate the parallel economy, rather it grows by the day. But they can surely collect revenue from this parallel economy. One, by making some activities like gambling, betting etc legal. These activities exist and continue to grow and the state cannot eliminate these. Two, by changing the income tax laws as regards rate, procedure, investigation and punishment.

The threshold level should be realistic. An average Indian has a right to a decent living and he works hard for that and the policy makers have to understand and recognise that. An average family needs Rs 50,000 to Rs 75,000 per month to survive, add to that the annual expenses. So I propose a threshold limit of Rs 10 lakhs per annum for an individual family.

Reduce the income tax rate on all incomes, legal or illegal, above Rs 10 lakhs to 10%. No slabs, no rebates, no confusion, no litigation, no corruption. One, a lower rate of tax means an incentive and a more willingness on the part of an individual to contribute to the nation building effort. Two, all incomes, whether legal or illegal, should be in ambit of tax. For example, whether one robs a bank or avoids indirect tax, but pays 10% tax on it. Our existing system cannot stop these activities, at least collect tax on it.

The procedure has to be that there is a simple form where you state your income and tax on it, 10%, No Questions Asked. Till, a person declares his income, irrespective of the source, and pays tax on it, he should be protected to the extent he has declared as income. If people are given immunity as regards source of income, the incentive to pay tax increases.

Further, laws have to be in place that acts as a serious deterrent for both avoidance and corruption. Any income not declared should carry an exemplary punishment, say 10 to 20 years in prison, besides a heavy fine.

Then there is the agriculture and allied sector which lies untapped. One, it is a vote bank. Two, there are recurring farmer suicides. Three, farming sector has diminishing returns mainly due to increasing input costs, vanishing subsidies, still dependent on vagaries of weather, exploitation at the hands of middlemen, practically lack of farmer friendly policies, especially post harvest policies and infrastructure, lack of scientific support from our universities and crippling blow of debt and banking sector. Simply stated, farming is not attractive in India anymore.  Despite all this, it is time that very big incomes in this sector are taxed. Say, sales above Rs one crore in agriculture and allied activities are eligible for a tax of 10%. I am a farmer myself and will be more than willing to pay 10%, if I earn more than a crore.

My contention is that a simpler, realistic, just and hassle free system along with a strong deterrent will translate into a higher number of people paying tax. A lower rate of tax accompanied by a larger number of people paying tax will eventually increase the revenue collected by the state. It will also mean a growth in happiness index i.e. the welfare, less litigation, less corruption, more tax literacy and more disposal income with the individual. In short, there ought to be a more efficient and people friendly system in place.

Eventually, economies grow because there is consumption, which means a growing demand for goods and services. Even the government’s fiscal and monetary policies and spending aim at increasing consumption and eventually increase economic activity, thanks to Keynes.

There are two models before us. Pick your model. First, there is the existing and complex tax regime, which envisages more tax from an individual and encourages corruption and tax avoidance and eventually restricts consumption. Second, a new, simpler and just tax regime, which envisages lower tax from an individual but a wider tax base in terms of numbers and activities covered. The added benefit is that the extra disposable income with the individual households will mean more consumption and saving and a boost to the manufacturing and service sectors. The same amount of money with the government means inefficient utilisation and misplaced priorities on the one hand and loses due to corruption on the other.

Why Hatred?

Yes, I am talking of India - Pakistan matches, essentially cricket, but in the past hockey too.

Cricket is a religion in India. Cricket is the biggest integrating force in India. Cricket is the biggest entertainer in India. Cricket is passion, obsession and many more 'ion's indeed. All this is true.

Nehru taught us, and rightly so, that winning or losing is not so important but participation is and that play the game in the spirit of the game. This spirit in any game, including cricket is competition and passion to excel. Competition and excelling are both positive and great ideals to pursue. And a Gentleman's game, that's what cricket is supposed to be, is always associated with positive. A Gentleman cannot have attributes that are negative or regressive, because having such attributes will make him a villain, a la bollywood style.

I am always perplexed by the reactions to India - Pakistan matches, on both sides. Fans in India would not mind losing the world cup if we have defeated Pakistan, vice-versa in Pakistan? A match seems like both the countries are at war! The passions run high, so much so that TV sets are smashed, player's homes pelted with whatever you have, forget the abuses.

My basic query is, what generates such passions? If it is a desire to win or just being better than your neighbour, then matches and victories against other teams do not generate such passion. Why only Pakistan?

The only plausible explanation seems to be the historical fact that Pakistan was carved out of India on the two nations theory and that has its baggage on both sides. And we have fought many wars. And the terrorism and drug smuggling from across the border. And politics in both countries have a lot to do with this. I can remember the times when any domestic problem had a set answer from the powers that be and that answer was the famous bogey of 'foreign hand'. That became a tool with establishments on both sides of the border to divert public opinion from a burning domestic issue.

Whatever be the explanation for this phenomenon, why this Hatred? 

In both countries religion is still the basis of our value system. Much of what we call goodness and human, comes from the grounding we have in religion from our childhoods. We go off at many tangents as grown ups, but the base of our values is religion. No religion teaches us hatred. No values acquired by us teach hatred. Cricket does not teach hatred. Yet, I see hatred during India - Pakistan match. Fans go crazy, ex-players and commentators go crazy, Media goes crazy. Even a gentleman and a person full of values and humility like Amitabh Bachchan is affected and wants a win against Pakistan?

I started with Nehru and I'll end with him. In 1979, I was in class 11 in Chandigarh. There was a huge hoarding outside the cricket stadium in sector 16 with Nehru's words, "Who dies if India lives, Who lives if India dies". These words had a profound impact on me then and still do. When it comes to a India - Pakistan match, win or lose, India (for that matter Pakistan) neither lives nor dies. 

Cricket is a commercial sport. It entertains us. Let it just be a game and not a proxy for either war between nations or our inherent baser tendencies.     

Am I the only odd man out or are there others who think like me?   

         

Down Under, Indian Cricket Soaring to Zenith

My, my, my. Two spectacular victories back to back. First Pakistan and now South Africa today. The entire Indian contingent to this world cup must be congratulated and complimented. These victories become more sweet because just a few days ago almost everybody had written off the present Indian team. 

True to its nature, the Indian team has sprung a surprise. I have observed that our team does well in the world cup, whenever it is passing through a bad spell just prior to the world cup. Whenever we are favourites, we lose. Surprise either way. A few days ago, I was commenting that we'll do well in world cup because we are losing now! I have learnt to expect the opposite from our cricket team.

The win against Pakistan was easier and expected. More so because Pakistan cricket is passing through crises. The biggest one being the fact that there is no International cricket in Pakistan. So Pakistan cricket is missing on matches, the home advantage and the confidence it brings, and the commercial aspect too.

The win, today, over SA was more convincing and record breaking too. We outplayed them in all the departments of the game. The icing on the cake was the two beautiful run outs. This match shows the motivation levels of the players at the moment.

My only message here would be, make hay while the sun shines. Let's pray the sun keeps shining till the finals  

NITI Aayog & Swach Bharat

Written on 7 Feb 2015
NITI, an acronym for National Institution for Transformation of India, is a well conceived concept from the incumbent Prime Minister, Narinder Modi. True to its name and character, it replaced (transformed) the now redundant Planning Commission.

The genesis of this institution lies in the conflicting nature of our federal structure, the conflict aggravated over the years, among other things, by the scrapped Planning Commission. Narinder Modi, a Chief Minister for long years, understood this dilemma of Centre-State relations.

The NITI Aayog has decided to set up three sub groups of Chief Ministers for (a) rationalisation of central schemes (b) skill development and (c) clean India (Swach Bharat campaign).

It is the third, clean India, the Swach Bharat campaign, I’ll talk about. The Prime Minister gave the clarion call for a Swach Bharat. He aims to transform the Indian mind set about the cleanliness in our surrounding environs. That’s a lofty and much needed goal. After all, Modi held the Jhaadu in his Hand. Could there be a more integrating idea in the country? Well, jokes apart, let’s see the potential scope of this programme.

As I understand it, the present scope of Swach Bharat campaign is limited to cleaning our neighbourhoods, towns and cities. Maybe, the cleaning of Ganga and Yamuna, of the life giving rivers, may form a part of it.

Over the years, the country is losing faith in our political system, in our politicians and our governments. An ordinary citizen, the aam aadmi, is frustrated and demoralised, more so because he can do nothing about it. The people and parties he votes to power, have nothing to do on this front. This is why Anna became a darling of India and Arvind Kejriwal fires the imagination of the people, including mine, especially young people. Kejriwal himself put it in so many words that if the polity delivers then there will be no need of Kejriwal.

The very big mandate the country gave to the present PM Modi, is a reflection of this discontent all across the length and breadth of this country. It was first a reaction to corruption and arrogant mis-rule and and blatant and brazen disregard to this sensibility of the people of India. Second, it was a HOPE for the future. This Hope is the burden and responsibility that Modi carries as the leader and Prime Minister of the country.

The Swach Bharat campaign should not be limited to cleaning roads and drains only. Swach Bharat can be an umbrella campaign, a revolutionary concept, encompassing many socio-economic-political ills and shortcomings that confront our country. Only if we address these, can we say Mera Bharat Mahaan.

This sub group of Chief Ministers should involve the whole country in suggesting changes and transformations needed. Let us transform and make Swach Bharat by bringing electoral reforms, anti corruption mechanisms, a just federal structure and mechanism and social reforms.

Swach Bharat is a two way concept. Ordinary citizens need transformation in mind set as to keeping the environs clean and the ruling classes need transformation in mind set as to change the system as per the will of the people.

At present, people have put their faith in these two people in the country, PM Modi and CM Kejriwal. Both represent Hope, both have the capacity to deliver on this Hope. Both have similar admirable qualities to do the job at hand and are a league above the ordinary politicians. Politics apart, both lead a simple life of a sadhu. Both have a burning desire to serve and give. Both are popular. Both ignite passions. Both mean well. It is the nature of our polity that generates conflict and clash of ideas and one-upmanship.

Actually, Modi and Kejriwal are the best things to happen to India, at the same time. They actually complement each other. For serving India, this is the true Team India that can transform the nation by transforming the way we live and rule ourselves.

To be meaningful and successful, the NITI Aayog has to become this broad based umbrella organisation for transforming India into a Swach Bharat, a clean India in this broader sense. Otherwise, barring a few changes in the central schemes, it may end up being another redundant institution in the future, needing replacement by yet another idea.

Delhi Debacle - BJP Generals and Commander Score a Self Goal

Written on 7 Feb 2015, before the results were announced on 10 Feb
The Modi – Shah Juggernaut has come to a grinding halt in Delhi after rolling strongly and victoriously for some time now. So, come Delhi elections, many in the country took a BJP victory as granted. Let’s analyse what went wrong for BJP. 

I start by appreciating Amit Shah’s proven strategy at the booth level management of an election. About 2 lakhs Panna Pramukhs & Booth Pramukhs, the foot soldiers of the party, were mobilised and I'm pretty sure that all these Karyakarta did a splendid job. I can imagine the zeal & passion of these foot soldiers, especially when they are sensing victory, believing in the Modi magic and add to that the might of RSS in the form of Pracharaks and their network, though a BJP Karyakarta and a Swayam Sevak often overlap. But when this dedicated cadre performed well, as per party expectations, why is BJP on the receiving end?

It seems the reason for this poor showing lies at the very top. The Generals, without an effective field Commander, have scored a self goal.

One, there was an unnecessary delay of 6 to 7 months in holding elections. The Indian love for brand Modi was at its peak then and the AAP was in disarray. The delay meant losing this advantage.

Two, Modi government’s performance in these 8 months worked as a disadvantage. Granted, that Modi has done well on a few counts, like being corruption free at the government level. The foreign policy front, although he has emerged more as a Foreign Minister, than a PM, and Obama observations have been embarrassing. Modi brand is a positive 'sentiment' for the big business and the stock market. Only a sentiment. The economic indices from manufacturing are not encouraging. Yet there seems to be non governance or routine governance, like UPA, for the man on street, especially in Delhi. Modi has nothing to show for Delhi in 8 months of rule. Instead, the country has seen reversal of positions or U turns, failed promises and following the UPA line. Amit Shah’s Jumla remark was damaging and admission of the same. The benefit of falling international crude oil prices has not been passed on fully and the people understand this, educated more by the social media. Such steps impact the man on the street directly. Suffice here to say that Modi first raised expectations roof high, then he did not deliver, this shifted the balance and hope towards Kejriwal. The Modi magic actually got transferred to Kejriwal rather than Kiran Bedi.

Three, Modi faltered in strategy by abandoned his proven mantra of development and selling dreams. Instead he put up a negative campaign of name calling, which worked elsewhere due to the country’s frustration and anger against the Congress and its leadership. This generated sympathy for and lionized Kejriwal. In this election Modi did a Congress and Kejriwal did a Modi.

Four, Amit Shah miscalculated the strategy by making it a PM vs CM election. I think, for the first time in BJP history, a state election has been fought by the national BJP rather than the state BJP. Almost all aspects of the campaign were directly handled at the top.

Five, Amit Shah – Jaitely duo para dropping Kiran Bedi was a bad idea and it boomeranged. The national President, basking in the glory of recent successes, committed the biggest blunder of abandoning the winning formula of going leaderless and fighting the election jointly and letting the electorate relate to Modi. By naming Kiran Bedi as the leader, without any concurrence and against the wishes of the party, Shah-Jaitely duo hit the final nail in the coffin. In one sweep, Amit Shah bypassed and belittled all the leadership and organisation of Delhi BJP and alienated the voters from Modi in the process, by creating a buffer. It is another thing to impose an outsider at a constituency level, it is another thing to impose an outsider to be the leader and CM. When the entire media called it a master stroke, I laughed and thought that it was a suicidal stroke and put a comment to this effect on facebook.

Six, Kiran Bedi, true to her nature, showed her lack of political understanding for the position being thrust upon her in her very first address to the party men. She carried the files of news clippings of Modi to every TV show, as if that was the qualification for a CM of a state in India. The BJP forgot that during the Anna phase, Kiran Bedi was the weakest link, the chink in the armour. She was the one with theatrics and intolerance. Even on the polling day she climbed on a car roof and did a Milkha Singh accompanied by irritating sound bites! Humility was absent during the entire campaign.

Seven, the very reason why Kiran Bedi was roped in, was working against her. She was brought in to counter Kejriwal as regards honesty, goodwill, performance, credibility and acceptance. Her very joining politics was seen as opportunistic. First, she was against joining politics and had parted ways with Kejriwal on this very issue. Second, she fought against the ills of the system all her life and without batting an eyelid she became comfortable with and justified this corrupt and unethical existing system. Her credibility and acceptance took a hit, though invisible to the BJP. She was just hitchhiking, taking a free ride on the Modi bandwagon, without any contribution before or during (and I doubt after) the election.

Eight, the Kiran Bedi effect, arising from her careless remarks, led BJP to abandon their long standing demand for Delhi statehood. It also led to bypassing the Manifesto. The Vision document was late in the day and vague. Add to that the Ps and Ss, or whatever, of Kiran Bedi. I wonder, even if Modi and Shah understood her programme for Delhi, let alone the voters of Delhi. She did not do her homework before coming in public.

The only silver lining for the BJP is the dedicated might and the fight of its foot soldiers, the Karyakarta, the fighting fit machinery at the booth level. A great organisational strength at the grassroots and the arrogant, haughty and faulty strategy of the generals and lack of commander in the field, that’s BJP in Delhi 2015, scoring the self goal.

HPU FEES HIKE

I wrote this on 15 Oct 2014. It was published in The tribune, OP-ED page on 5 Dec 2014 

Is the increase in tuition, examination and other fees in HPU an exercise in resource mobilisation at all? Will the present and future fee hikes bail out the HPU out of its financial difficulties?

A firm answer to these questions can only be a no, with a capital N.

These questions have been haunting me for some days now. The Himachal Pradesh University is on the boil. All academic activity in the entire state has come to a halt. Police brutality on the protesting students has become the order of the day. The campus at Summer Hill resembles a Police Chawani. All protests and agitations ought to be peaceful, if not Gandhian. The infamous attack on the Vice Chancellor by the protesting students was cruel and unjustified. It needs to be condemned as much as the imposition of Section 144 and the police brutality on the protesting students and denying the right to peaceful protest. The academic atmosphere is nonexistent at present and anarchy prevails.

It is true that the university needs resources. Facing the financial predicament of raising Rs 35 crores, 25% of its annual outlay, which is the deficit, the university administration took a decision to increase the fees all across the board, to raise an additional Rs. 2 crores. This is important, only Rs 2 crores. The additional resources from the present fees hike amounts to 0.01% of the total outlay and 0.05% of its deficit. The million dollar question here is, where and how the University administration will find the remaining Rs. 33 crores, 24.5% of the unaccounted deficit? If it can find the Rs 33 crores needed, sure it can find another Rs. 2 crores. One would wonder, why this controversy at all? So why the fee hike at all? Is it an effort in resource mobilisation at all?

The financial difficulties in the government universities in Himachal, HP University at Shimla, Horticulture university at Solan and the Agriculture University at Palampur, are crippling. Facing huge unaccounted deficits and very little to show in the way of revenues, these universities are on the point of collapse and closure. The government, facing its own financial difficulties, is in no position to support and bail out the universities in the state, that too year after year.

Where do the universities in Himachal go from here? Well, the HPU went witch hunting with the infamous fees hike, both at under graduate and post graduate levels. Though the need for additional resources can be understood and even nominal or moderate fees hike in that direction can be understood, yet what disturbs the mind is the quantum and manner of this fee hike, the incremental is just unacceptable.

The present fees hike is unscientific and absurd. One classic example, examination fee for private girl students is now Rs. 1,000 and the late fee for the same is Rs. 3,600! That too, on a day when the admissions close for the regular and correspondence students and their examinations forms will be submitted later without any late fee! Some more, MA fee is Rs. 2,500, MA Music is Rs. 15,000 and MBA is Rs. 11,100, so the prospectus says. The entire decision making process of fee hike seems biased, pre planned, and loaded with ulterior motives. Suffice here to say that it shows the bankruptcy, not financial but mental, in the system. Despite the two rounds of committees on resource mobilisation, the only solution the university authorities have is a substantial fee hike! Are our universities harbouring the think tanks, at all? It seems, instead of an objective exercise at resource mobilisation, there was a subjective decision on one pre decided subject, the excuse being the fee structure in the Punjab University and elsewhere. A cut and paste job indeed. Moreover, comparing the HPU to the Punjab University is like comparing a government school to a public school in Shimla. This is the goodwill and prestige HPU carries. It seems the government university is in competition with the private education institutional fee structure. Commercialisation of education is coming a full circle.

No wonder the students are protesting and the concerned citizens are disturbed and the University administration finds itself in a cesspool of its own creation and a High Power Committee is in existence!

The university administration has been unable to explain this fee hike to anyone except itself. The government not satisfied with the answers provided was quick to understand this dilemma. This is why a High Power Committee to review the fee hike was formed. The government, like the students and public, wants to know the answer. In this sense, this High Power Committee is not a rubber stamp committee to brush things under the carpet, rather it is an honest attempt by the government to understand the issue and find answers that are beneficial for all concerned. The government needs to be appreciated on this score, at least. Having said that it needs to be stated that the government and the university mandarins have missed the basic issue involved, that the problem and solution is not a fees hike but the need to effect an honest and meaningful resource mobilisation effort in all the universities so that there is a permanent and everlasting source of revenue for the universities and little or no dependence on the government of the day. In this sense the hands of the present High Power committee are tied by its terms of reference and its adjudication of the issue at hand may seem to be a half hearted effort, with no solution in sight.

An interesting fact is that the present incumbent to the post of Vice Chancellor was appointed by the previous government. He completed his term, without a fee hike. He was given an extension by the present government, for the reasons best known to it. At the very end of this extension, the fee hike is implemented. Why? Is there a conspiracy lurking in the background?

It must be said, that the fee needs to be increased, in a scientific manner that is affordable and acceptable to all the stakeholders. It ought to be a continuous process with the quantum and timings decided by the stakeholders. My opinion is that the government institutions cannot have excessive fee structures. The right to affordable education is the right of every citizen and any government is bound to provide it and find resources to support such programmes, when it comes to education and health. Education and health should be affordable to all, if not free, in the government institutions. Singapore is a shining example of such an effort.

The inefficiencies of the system cannot be translated into a fee hike in the government institutions, especially in education and health. India is a Welfare State. Dr. Manmohan Singh, the most famous and decorated economist in India, as the Prime Minister forgot this principle of Welfare State and he forgot that the inefficiencies of the system cannot be translated into higher taxes and higher cost of living for the citizens, and thus India obliterated his party into oblivion.

The solution to the problem at hand does not lie in the present unscientific and absurd fee hike, rather the solution is twofold. First, the University administrations need an honest attempt at realistic resource mobilisation, which does not mean an excessive tuition and examination fee hikes, and a sincere effort to identify and curtail any wasteful expenditure involved. Second, the government of the day has to step in to finance the deficit.

Even though I am not an expert in the field of resource mobilisation, yet I can suggest a way or two to increase revenues and reduce expenses.

One, a very nominal increase in the fee structure can be done. This should be a continuous process and the formula for the increase or its timing should be agreed upon by the stakeholders, because this is more of an emotional issue.

Two, the examination system is the main culprit for the deficit. Ways have to be found, based on modern technology and principles and practises elsewhere, to make the system more efficient not only in cost saving but also in minimising the mistakes and declaring the results on time. 

Three, the ways have to be found to associate the Alumni of the university in various programmes to raise the much needed finance. This can be a powerful source, if tapped judiciously. Many rich and famous and powerful people of the country and the world (the former President of Afghanistan comes to my mind) are the alumni of the Himachal Pradesh University. This is a successful practice, the world over.

Four, the university and college campuses have large amounts of real estate, in the form of spare land, building facades and buses. This could be utilized for selling advertising. That is a huge potential advertising space. The campuses brimming with the youth are an ideal place for the advertisers.

Five, commercial complexes, with shops catering to the needs in the campuses can be created and rented out at commercial rates.

Six, the formation of an expert committee or appointing a consultant to get at the bottom of the cost saving and the resource mobilisation effort and settle the issue once and for all. 

I Am Back

An absence of years. Partly due to the fact that the village where I lived had no connectivity and partly because other interests kept me busy. Of late I have started scribbling again. A few days ago my little sister, not so little now yet little literally, advised me to start a blog. Oh! I had a blog, I remembered, although it was waiting for my visit, for 7 years now. Now that I have left the village (for good?) and I am residing in the capital town of Shimla, I am taking to the advise of my sister and blogging. No better way to unleash your emotions. In the near past, I have written a few articles, I will be posting these for a start.   

Chuk De India - Holi of Goals!!!

Hockey World Cup 2010 has started on a nostalgic note for us. 4-1 drubbing to Pakistan takes us back to the golden age of hockey in India. Hockey ruled the land, while cricket played second fiddle. I hope Rajpal and Sandeep and their boys carry their form till 13 April! Best of luck India. Chuck De India. Happy Holi!