Common written examination for banks : an unfair game

 

Common written examination for banks : an unfair game

The Common Written Examination (CWE) for recruitment in banks had come with a great sigh of  relief  as it saved a  lot of money, time, energy and duplicating efforts  on the parts of both i.e., banks and its aspirants but it is just a half of the solution. With the result of first such CWE for bank officers is announced, the duplication and chaos has now been shifted to rest of the selection process. The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) which has been authorized to conduct a common examination has handed over the score cards to all successful candidates. SBI is not a part of this common pool as it has decided to conduct its recruitment examinations separately. In the next phase all 19 participating  banks will issue separate advertisements against their vacancies and CWE successful candidates need to apply separately to each participating bank with the same IBPS score card.

It is quite likely that as soon as the results of IBPS examinations are declared, every member bank of the pool would like to absorb and retain the best of the successful lot. This will create an unhealthy competition amongst banks and pressure will be put on the candidates to handle so many interview schedules simultaneously. Each bank will have an average of 1500-2000 vacancies every year and if the same lot  of IBPS pass-outs  are interviewed , theoretically, most of the banks may end up selecting the same set of candidates. This situation will also lead to frequent switchovers by candidates from one bank to another on account of their preference for a particular bank or  place of posting. Apart from this if the same lot is interviewed in most of the banks (on the basis of merit in their CWE score cards) a sizeable number of candidates will loose the opportunity to be interviewed.  In practice, three candidates are called for interview against one post  and final selection is being made after adding interview marks to the CWE score. In such scenario, depriving some one a chance of being interviewed  can be a serious irregularity.

Now let us evaluate the above apprehensions in the real backdrop of current situation.  Ever since the result of IBPS officers exam is declared  0n 12^th December 2011, three banks have published their employment notification for the post of officers so far and others will follow soon. The last date of applying is nearly the same in all three banks and in all probabilities their interview schedules may collide. One can easily understand the happenings of  the sequence of events described in previous para in the current scenario.

The other anomalies and unfair treatments visible in the process of selection lies in different eligibility criterion and rules observed by different  banks. The basic criterion for being eligible in appearing in CWE  was a simple pass in graduation, now all the three banks who have notified so far have asked for a minimum of 55% in graduation. One bank has expressed  a preferential treatment to candidates holding a diploma in banking and finance. The same bank has asked for a three year service bond of Rs.200000/- from the candidates joining it. This is highly unfair. If a candidate is eligible for 19 banks on the same score card how one bank can deny this opportunity to him. All participating banks are not at par in terms of their size, branch spread, business and career opportunities, hence it is unfair to restrict someone through such tactics.  Some banks have made it mandatory to have computer course from a reputed institute. Now what will be considered as a reputed institute ?. how one can fulfill such unforeseen requirements. One of the banks has allowed all successful candidates irrespective of their score in CWE but others have fixed their own cutoff marks (around 60%) to be eligible to apply.

Why can’t the participating banks agree on a common criterion in respect of age , educational qualification, and cut off marks, if not,  they should go back to the old system of  individual recruitment exercise. Earlier to CWE , individual banks were asking candidates to apply online with a exam fee and there was no fee charged for interview process. Now candidate has to apply to all 19 banks separately with a interview fee of Rs.200/- per bank. In the process all benefits of common examination procedure in terms of  saving money , time ,energy  and duplication efforts are lost.

The purpose is not merely to criticize the new system but also to suggest a fair solution to this problem. The solution lies in formulating an end to end common recruitment process like civil services exams. The exam should be held once a year and IBPS or any other independent authority should be entrusted with the job of selecting banking personnel through a complete process of written and in-person evaluation. Banks should indicate their vacancy requirements to the evaluation authority. A common merit list will be prepared and candidates should be given a chance to select the bank of their choice on the basis of their position in merit.

BHARAT SHARMA

C-44/8 “Bargad Aashram

Rishinagar Extension , Ujjain

(The letter writer is running a Free Guidance center for bank recruitment exams)

tweets for anna

As published in free press indore on 23/08/2011

Here are some tweets in lighter vein

• This is a fight between “ India against corruption” and “India for corruption”.
• As per Delhi police 3 days are enough to complete fast unto death, means one should die within three days if fast is observed.
• He (Anna Hazare) was arrested for the fear  of  breach of peace and was released later in the evening for  the same reason.
• Government readily agreed for Ramleela maidan with the hope that it may prove second time lucky (after Baba Ramdeo) for it.
• The common man becomes an outsider to the parliament  for five years , as soon as  he exercises his vote in the election.

SENDHWA Bus carnage deserves national attention

As published in free press indore edition on 26/08/2011

It was no routine news or accident, it was most brutal and heinous crime against the innocent fellow human beings by few animals of their own species. Just imagine  that you are sitting in a bus with your family, your bus driver gets involved in a fight with another bus staff on the issue of passenger sharing and while you look on , the door of your bus is locked from outside and your bus is set on fire.  Any one of us could have been there. There was no unruly mob, no communal riot, no accident ,no natural disaster but it was just the  internal rivalry of  already infamous private bus mafia that has led to this incident near sendhwa (MP)  where a busfull of passangers were burnt alive inside a locked door bus.

It was really shocking to see the poor coverage and mild reactions of this incident in the press and the media. At the root of the problem , it is the governments’ failure and inefficiency in MP , not to be able to run the state road transport corporation, which is still running efficiently in many states of our country. The harassment of staff and passengers by the private bus mafia on the  government run buses of other states which passes through our state is quite rampant. The government and local administration have no interest or political will to control this high handedness of private bus operators. Everyday on every route the passengers are forced to travel in the ill maintained, uncomfortable buses and are suffering at the hands of private bus owners, and now the sendhwa incident is the climax of brutality.

Surprisingly , our sensitive CM has also not shown the required concern and courage to reach up to the real cause of the incident. He found the single door buses as the culprit not the private bus mafia. He announced a handsome compensation to the victims of the tragic incident but avoided the underlying issues of this incident. I request that public transport policy should be reviewed in the light of this incident. Fast track court should be set up and stringent punishment should be awarded to those who have done such dastardly act. MPSRTC should be revived and all private buses which are in good condition should be taken over (like land acquisition ) and be run by the state.

Some time back an excise inspector was burnt alive by a  petrol pump staff in maharashtra , which sparked a sharp criticism on the oil mafia and central government was deeply shaken to the extent that it seriously thought about  removing direct kerosene subsidy. The incident was mentioned by the finance minister in his budget speech. I wish this incident should also become  an eye opener for government as well as public.

Bharat Sharma

C-44/8 Rishinagar Extension

Ujjain

Advice, not interference

As published in free press indore edition


The government’s intolerance to any kind of dissent , political or otherwise is visible  even to a blind  so it is not strange if America has observed it and has put it on record. It is not an act of interference but a piece of advice  to a nation which boost itself of a matured democracy. So far  we  have displayed   great restraint  in handling cross boarder terrorism, tolerated all kinds of nuisance from neighboring Pakistan , followed a democratic and judicial process in cases of Afjal guru and Kasab’s conviction, scored well on the human rights scale,  and  remained soft on naxalites. All these  painfully patient responses have  established  our image as a truly democratic nation in the eyes of the world, therefore present  government’s violent and oppressive methods of  handling peaceful and nonviolent movements like those of Baba Ramdeo and Anna Hajare has not only shocked our countrymen but also has surprised the world community which  sincerely believes us as champion of democracy.

American advice apart, if we handle peaceful protests with  reasoning, transparency ,openness and dialogue then it will enhance credibility of the government. There is no need of playing political tricks by trying to defame the movement  or its leaders. Corruption can not be justified if  both parties accuse each other of being involved in it sometime or the other.  Let us address the issues not the individuals, eliminate the problem not the protester.

The rise and fall of petrol

As published in free press indore edition on 13th August.

The Government has forgotten all logic and reasons , it had put forth at the time of  deregulation of  petrol prices, specially the assurance of a floating price regime based on international crude oil prices. It was the only consolation   that whenever the base price will come down ,  relief will be passed on to consumers, but at the first sight  government has made its wicked intentions clear. As indicated by the  finance minister government  is in no mood to pass on the benefits of lowering of  international crude prices to the people at large, instead it will oblige the oil companies for making up their earlier losses.

Well said, Mr.Finance minister. Next time whenever you will reduce  taxes on any commodity in your budget, rest assured , respective industries or companies will adjust their losses too. You were also quick to anticipate  the momentary gain of  diluting inflation but this will not undo the permanent impact of high inflationary  fever in the past two years. Do you have any plans to make up those earlier losses ?.  Go back five years , calculate the inflation at 3 percent per annum and bring the prices to that level , then only the oil companies be allowed to compensate their losses.

We, the poor and middle class of this country will never forgive or forget you for this dubious growth theory persued at the cost of inflation because the growth is not evenly distributed however  the inflation isssssssssss.

Bharat Sharma

C-44/8 , Rishinagar Extension

Ujjain

RESERVATION ADDICTION TO DE(RE)SERVATION

It were Rajasthan’s Gujjars and now Hariana’s Jats, who are taking the country at ransom for their reservation demands. To add to this Govt. has opened a new pandora’s box , by indicating religion based reservations to muslims in the name of minority. Other minoritiy sects like Christian , Jains, Boddhs, Sikhs and Parsis are already in the row. We have already reached the limit of 50% reservation set by the honourable supreme court  and some states have even exceeded this limit through some number jugglery.

Indian constitution had put a time frame for reservation, there after it should have been phased out in a timely manner, but it happened the other way.  The reservation, which  was conceived as a medicine to the problem of inequality in our society has itself become a disease.  A continuous increase in  the doses of medicine  shows that it is not working for the illness, and will not work even if you replace the whole diet with that medicine. It has reached  the level of addiction both for its beneficiaries and the vote centric politicians.

The reservation is not serving its purpose because it has not made them strong and competitive, instead it made them  support addict and morally handicapped. This concept of easy success is alluring other communities as well and  demand for reservation is rising aggressively. The  benefits of reservations like economic and status upliftment  are accruing only  to the person benefited and are not passing on  to the his surrounding community. The benefited persons and his immediate family starts considering them superior to their own community fellows and purpose of community development through reservation is defeated.

It is high time that Government and political parties should rise above their vested interests and start winding  up this flop show. The way government is revamping the age old practice and methods of providing subsidies, reversing the policy of  regulating oil prices etc. they should also review  reservation policy and adopt de(re)servation  instead. The new reservation aspirant should also understand that further slicing the existing OBC quota will not bring much  benefit to their community.

Bharat Sharma

C-44/8 Bargad

Rishinagar Extension

Ujjain.

HOLI-RANGPANCHMI : MAKE IT A ONE DAY AFFAIR

As published in Free Press Indore edition on 30/march/2011


Customs, procedures or rules, everything change with time in a live society. Marriage ceremony has no longer been a week long affair now, it has shrunk to one to two days even in villages. No one has time, all relatives flock at the eleventh hour and returns even before the ceremony ends. The format of most popular game (Cricket) in india has changed from five days to one day and then to the length of  a matinee show(20-20). Likewise Holi, a celebration of colors, customarily observed  from poornima to panchami  should also be restricted to a one day affair, specially the color part of it.

The real spirit of Holi is in applying a little bit of Gulal and meeting people with love and affection, rest all is either nonsense or nuisance, hence extending its activities up to Rang Panchmi has no justification. There is no official holiday for Rangpanchmi but offices/schools/colleges can not function due to negligible turn up of staff and the concerned beneficiaries.  Markets remain closed and whole system gets paralyzed.

Therefore , I appeal to all social leaders and activists to give a serious thought to this  and help build a consensus on this issue. Government and local administration should ensure that market and offices should function properly and streets remain safe for those who do not want to participate in it. The festival enthusiasts should confine their activities to Dhulendi (Holi) divas. On other days, they may organize such gathering in private halls to celebrate it with their friends/relatives or group members.

Bharat Sharma

C-44/8 Bargad

Rishinagar Extension

UJJAIN

Deny or accept : Public knows the truth

As published in free press dated 24/03/2011 

We are not surprised at the wikileaks revelations. Public knew the truth, even before wiki got to know about it. What goes on in the background of any coalition formation or confidence vote motion is no secret to janta at large and  netas in particular. From sports to politics, every move is fixed by cash or kind. We are in democracy not because of any love for it but  for the reason that it is convenient for leaders and people  both  to take their own liberties with the system. We are happy that we have so may rights, right to express , right to education, right to information, right to work, right to privacy, rights as a human etc. These are all toys to keep us busy, the master is doing his job as per his conviction or may be at his master’s choice. We have not elected them to power, they have managed to win our votes.

We as public have been shouting, crying and scolding the government for ever rising inflation for the last two years , but could we make them to go a little slower on their growth rate  agenda, NO. We have urged them to remove the food items from commodity future market but are they listening, NO. We have voiced our concern about risks of allowing FDI in Multi brand retail but they are going ahead with that. Why ?, because they are committed to someone else than the people of india. 

In the last cabinet reshuffle, there were strong rumors about the induction of Shri Monteksingh Ahluwalia as Finance Minister in place of Shri Pranab Mukerjee. Now it is clear that whose choice was this. When  US commerce secretary Gary Locke visited India in Feb 2011, our commerce and industries minister Shri Anand Sharma was pulled up for not implementing favorable FDI policies and import duty structure to facilitate American export to India. The US-India nuclear deal for which our prime minister had risked his government was closely supervised by the US interests. To add to the worst is the situation that is not going to be changed  even by the change of government. The opposition is also sailing in the same boat.

Bharat Sharma

C-44/8 BARGAD

Rishinagar Extension, Ujjain.

Nature’s Fury

As published in free press on 22th March 2011

Nature has once again shown humans their place. It was just a wave aroused due to some turbulence beneath the sea which washed away the giant ego of little human who is surviving  on  the earth  by the delicate and miraculous balance of all the  five elements of life. Individually these elements are fatal but their right mix create this life mix, of which the humans are  the most capable and equipped lot. Whatever happened in Japan  was nothing but the  Pralaya  on display, test fired on those who were best prepared for it. It should be an eye opener for the whole world , specially those who claim to have conquered the earth, the moon, the mars and what not. It should make the world less hostile and more spiritual.

It is not worthwhile  to compare the efficacy of disaster handling mechanism  of India with that of Japan. We are excellent planners and have some of the best DR plans with us but their testing and implementation is not done properly. The customary Mock drills are carried out with the belief that real disaster is never going to happen. When  the news of nuclear  leakage in Japan hit the headlines,  we were very quick in confirming that our Nuclear reactors are safe and disaster proof. It is the same bureaucratic pattern of confirmation on the basis of which Shri C.V.Thomas was appointed as CVC. We understand that the Government and the Prime minister has to rely on the downline hierarchy but after the Japan’s disaster a fresh review of safety of nuclear reactor in India should be made and a high power experts panel  should be constituted to oversee the disaster facing and recovery status of our Nuclear reactors. This is more important in the background of our ambitious civil nuclear expansion program fueled by Indo-US Civil nuclear agreement.

Bharat Sharma

C-44/8 Rishinagar Extension

Ujjain

IG to rein on Autowallas in Ujjan

As published in free press indore edition on 17/03/2011

It is a matter of great relief that woes of  public are finally heard when Ujjain Police IG instructed the concerned authorities to get the fare meter installed in all auto rickshaws and ensure that they are put to use. It really had become a nightmare to deal with an autowalla  specially when you are  coming from or going to Railway station/ Bus stand and accidentally if is  Railway station then  you are bound to face three mini mafias in succession viz. Autowalls, railway parking and coolies. No one charges at  the stipulated rates and no one is there for us to look up to.  They are all organised to charge you at their will considering you have no other option due to either luggage or time compulsions. There have been incidences , when they have abused and even embroiled in violent clashes with resisting passengers.

Coming back to autowallas, their behavior is no different during intra-city ferries, claiming the return fare as well. Their custom argument is one of the rising petrol prices and increasing inflation, but what about passing on the CNG’s cost benefit to passengers. The CNG’s  cost and mileage is one third that of petrol. In Mumbai, the conveyance cost is still low on account of total CNG based public transport. The minimum fare for first 1.6 km remained  unrevised at Rs. 9/- for more than six years  since 1^st Feb 2004  till 24^th June 2010 , when it  was increased to Rs.11/- with an increment of Rs. 6.50 per additional kilometer.

My expectation with and request to the concerned authorities of Ujjain is  to follow up the IGs decision up to the last point till the  meterised system for Auto rickshaws is stabilized and practiced with correct fares. The fare list along with luggage rules and traffic control room  num bersshould be  displayed in all auto rickshaws and also published in all local news papers to ensure its meticulous compliance.

Bharat Sharma

C-44/8 , Rishinagar Extension

Ujjain (MP)

 

MICRO FINANCE INSTITUTIONS : CREATING DEMON TO FIGHT A DEMON

                  AS PUBLISHED IN FREE PRESS INDORE EDITION ON 09/03/2011

Be it politics or economic strategy like Financial Inclusion, Governments behave alike. In a desperate bid to resolve a problem it creates another demon to fight the existing demon. After its phenomenal success in Bangla desh,  the Non-profit Micro Finace Institutions (MFIs) are being considered as harbingers of inclusive growth and rural development. But by allowing private For Profit MFIs, Government has defeated the very purpose of providing affordable credit to the deprived lot  dwelling in the  deeper pockets of  rural India. A lot of new agencies / companies have cropped up as MFIs  and some of the them  have  even  floated their shares in the market to exploit  potentials of these new found oil wells.

In less than a year, reports have started pouring in that these new MFIs are charging unreasonably high rates of interest and using coercive methods of recovery. They have emerged as another breed of  private money lenders in rural India. In addition to this, they are overlapping their operations  with  the already banked areas and  competing with those commercial banks who are providing them loans for micro-finance activities. The father of  Micro finance and Noble laureate Mohammad Yunus has also criticized this Indian  version of MFI  for ignoring social service aspect of  this noble concept and suggested a cap of 20% for interest rates.

Ignoring all those warning  signals and  the recommendation of its own Y.H.Malegaum committee on MFIs , RBI, in its recent circular, has maintained a status quo on the working of MFIs and decided not to interfere in their interest rate regime.  It is difficult to understand , what sort of financial inclusion , Government wants to achieve through such MFI monsters.

Bharat Sharma

C-44/8 Bargad, Rishinagar Extension

Ujjain

BUDGET 2011-12 -Failed at box office

AS PUBLISHED IN FREE PRESS DATED 04/03/2011

The much awaited commercial film titled “Budget 2011-12” has turned out to be a official documentary. There was no populist masala, no gimmicks of numbers, no slogans and no tall claims, rather it was a plain statement of facts and a random distribution of income. The finance minister, who  remained busy in rescuing the government on various front for the last few months, had little time to put his mind and soul in the budget All expected and unexpected, both elements were missing.

The most expected element was the issue of tackling black money and corruption along with an action plan for  extradition of money stashed abroad. On these boiling issues only certain rhetorics  were performed in the budget. A further roll back on fiscal stimulus was another likely move, which did not happen. Substantial relief in personal income tax regime to compensate for scorching inflation was only partially fulfilled.

The finance minister has reserved all his “dear to heart” projects like DTC, Direct cash subsidy ,GST  for the next year and   decided to  get clear his bills in respect of   number of finance reforms bills pending for long years. Considering his lucky number(3) he decided  to allot 300 crores to a list of newer initiatives. The rituals  of increasing allotment of  important sectors like infrastructure, health, education, social   etc. were  done  as per available resources.

There were certain welcome steps like  reduction of age for senior citizens from 65 to 60 ,increase of agricultural credit flow by 100000 crore, developing extra warehousing facility, allowing tax free infrastructure bonds etc. but on the whole it failed to win the hearts of people. This directorial venture of Pranab da has totally failed at the box office.

Bharat Sharma

C-44/8 Bargad, Rishinagar Extension

Ujjain

bargadaashram@gmail.com

The car mania

AS PUBLISHED IN FREE PRESS DATED 01/03/2011

As admitted in the Economic survey 2011 presented in the parliament, our  high trade deficit burden, though partly  relieved  by uncertain short term foreign investments is a matter of serious concern. It is expected to reach beyond 3% of GDP by the end of this fiscal. Last time in 1991, when it crossed this figure, we as a country were at the threshold of defaulting on our external debt. The major reason for this imbalance is our import bill dominated by its crude oil component. India currently imports 75% of its domestic consumption of crude oil. Oil ministry has also voiced its concern, in its strategic document, on the growing dependence on imported oil.

The growth of personal car segment under the patronage of liberalized policies of government have resulted to this car(n)age. In metros, every grown up earning individual is having a car. At other centers it may be one car per family. Unlike mobile and computer revolution, this car revolution has only added to our problems. It leads to traffic jams on the already congested roads. There is no parking space available in busy markets and at home / apartments. You will find cars parked overnight on roadsides in all the lanes.  It is like issuing unlimited tickets for limited general compartments ( in trains) and let the people fight it out for space. Apart from this, we need to import crude oil to feed these cars out of our precious foreign exchange reserves. Diesel variants are also becoming popular in personal car segment to take advantage of subsidized fuel.

In this backdrop, Government should improve and encourage use of public transport, Increase taxes in personal car segment, introduce congestion tax on vehicles, make it mandatory for the buyers to arrange parking space before purchase of the new car. It should also promote non fuel based personal transports like bicycle, as is done in china and many other countries.

BHARAT SHARMA

C-44/8 ,Bargad, Rishinagar Extension

Ujjain

YOGA AFTER RETIREMENT

AS PUBLISHED IN SUNDAY EDITION OF FREE PRESS DATED 20th Feb.2011

Retirement can be an ideal gateway for Yoga as the  work pressures and targets gets suddenly off the mind and  time available  is plenty . The need to maintain a good health had  never been so crucial than post- retirement.  In most of the cases due  to lack of activities and in absence of fix compulsive routine, a retired person descends into a sedentary life style, which often triggers a vicious circle  of ailments and other vulnerabilities. Therefore, the answer lies in age old and time tested practice of yoga.

Fortunately today, learning and practicing yog-aasan and pranayam  is not  very difficult. Swami Ramdevji  of Patanjali yogpeeth Haridwar has revolutionized the concept  and brought out a most simple and easily practice-able version of yoga which any one can follow through their regular TV broadcasts or can learn it from innumerable Yog-Shikshaks trained in his institution and spread across the country. Likewise there are number of other institutions available in the country, which offers numerous  yoga courses, so one can learn yoga from any of the convenient sources.

Yoga is not just about aasans or pranayams, it is a way of life. It is a complete code of conduct of life with its ultimate goal being self realization. Yoga means unification of  individual  soul-ar energy  with universal energy. According to maharshi Patanjali, there are eight elements  of Yoga “ Ashtang Yog” , which consist of  1) Yam 2) Niyama 3) Aasan 4) Pranayam 5) Pratyahar 6) Dharana 7) Dhyan  8) Samadhi. Yam (Principles or moral code) carries with it the  principles of Ahimsa ,satya, asteya , Bramhacharya, Aparigrah etc. and Niyam provides for personal disciplines like shouch (purity), santosh (contentment),  tapa(endurance), swadhyay (self study) and Eshwar pranidhan (dedication). The Aasan and Pranayam keep the body and mind  healthy,  stable and  balanced . It is these two elements of Yoga, which have become popular world wide to attain better health and mental peace. The Aasan and Pranayam  followed by Pratyahar (control over senses) and Dharana (concentration on object) prepares a Yogi to embark on the path of Dhyan (meditation ) and Samadhi  (Unification of atma with parmatma).

Having understood the complete scope and versatility of Yoga, we will now elaborate on its most sought after elements i.e., Asana and Pranayam. Unlike other form of exercises aasan and pranayam routines  are non-exhaustive and go beyond the physical aspect of exercises by relieving the stress and improving the concentration of mind. They  rejuvenates  our mind , body and soul simultaneously. As regards Aasan , Patanjali Yog Sutra says “ STHIR SUKHAM AASANAM” means any posture in which we are comfortable and stable is Aasan.  There are around 84 Aasans described in “Hath Yog Pradiptika” a  complete treatise on various types of postures recommended for maintaining good health,  flexibility and fitness of body.  Those who start young  can perform all the aasans with ease, comfort and stability, but those who decide to step  in later say after retirement should be very cautious of limitations of their body and existing ailments. It would be better if they consult their physician first for their dos and donts. As a general rule one should not attempt any pose/Aasan forcefully. Let it come gradually  with regular practice. For those , who can not attempt aasans for any reason should prefer walking for at least 30 minutes combined with Pranayam.

Now what is Pranayam ?.  The word Pranayam is a combination of ‘prana’ and ‘aayam’. Prana means the vital energy or life force and the Aayam means extension.  The most crucial element of life is pran or  vaayu  which is regulated through breathing. Pranayam is nothing but the “art of breathing” with an objective to optimize the vital energy. It works on two levels, one is at physical  level wherein breathed air interacts with blood and reaches up to each and every cell of the body , helping them to function at  their best . It removes all the toxins from the body cells and adds more life in them. Pranayam controls and regulate our breathing in such a way that the capacity of our lungs is  fully utilized . With Pranayam, we take longer, fuller but lesser number of breaths per minute  while improving the quality and the end use of same breathing pattern. The less number of breaths keep us cool and composed , help in reducing the level of stress, thus enhancing the vitality to another  level.

Another level at which pranayam works is our pranic body or soul-ar system. It is a sort of a virtual energy flowing throughout the body through nadis and chakras. Chakras can be visualized as junctions of energy flows. Pranayam activates these chakras and additional energy starts flowing through them. Kundalini jagaran is the advanced stage of this process.  It is for this reason that our spinal posture should be straight during pranayam so that our  virtual energy flow can be smooth.

There are eight kinds of Pranayaam that are commonly practiced.

1) Bhastrika               2) Kapalbhati             3) Anulom – vilom         4)  Bahya pranayam

5) Ujjaayee                 6) Bhramri                 4) Udgeeth- Omkar jap   8) Pranav.

The scientific and medical researches have also proved the therapeutic and disease-curing effect of YOG. Many doctors are now advising  yog-aasan and pranayam in their prescriptions to patients. So if you have not started taking yoga as part of your daily routine yet then waste no further time and ensure yourself with this Yogiclaim policy , with no reimbursement option. Wishing  you  more years of pension than years of service.

POPULATION GROWTH : INDIA TOPPING THE WRONG LIST

As published in free press indore edition on 22/02/2011
As per recent report appeared in Times Of India dated 24/01/2011, India is topping the world list of  population growth rate by adding 51 babies every minute , followed by china with just 28 per minute and others are nowhere near the two.The world population will touch the  seven billionth mark by 2012. There is a widespread  concern about  the availability of  enough food, water and energy for the billions being added too quickly and whether the earth can support them. Another observation reveals that the major contribution to this figure will come from the poverty stricken people of developing countries like ours.

Is is no matter of pride.   We do not have enough food stock to implement  food security bill for even the half of our existing population. Adding to this Food inflation across the world is making the situation worse. We are completely dependant on natural rains for our food crop production. A danger is already looming large on the world wheat consumers as the china’s wheat crop is badly affected due to less than normal rainfall this year. China grows more than 50% of the world’s wheat production. The availability of other resources like clean water and energy is not a different story.

The only solution is to control the population growth and this time in India it should come from the social sector because after the misadventure of Late Mr. Sanjay Gandhi, no Government can push up an aggressive plan on this sensitive issue. All religious leaders/ Gurus should take initiative to educate the people of their faith to observe restraint on this front. Non political leaders of large following like Yog Guru Swami Ramdeoji , who has taken up issues of black money and corruption should also adopt this issue. If all religious leaders can come together and form a consensus on this issue, it will be a great service to their community and nation.

Bharat Sharma

C-44/8, BARGAD

Rishinagar Extension

Ujjain(MP)

VALENTINE DAY – A MISCONCEIVED NOTION

As published in Free Press , indore edition dated 14/02/2011

Valentine day is here again with all its absurdity and wrong notions. We are highly receptive to all kinds of cultural garbage of the west, be it HIV, Gay rights, live in relationships or this valentine celebration. We were well protected within the laxman rekha of  Indian culture of discipline, purposefulness and abstinence, but we have crossed all limits and fallen  pray to the Ravan’s maya jaal. There were four beautifully classified “Aashrams” (activity wise time periods of human life) in Hindu mythology viz., Bramhacharya, Grihastha , Wanprastha and Sanyas, which fulfilled all physical and spiritual needs of  human being. It was a perfect balance of personal pleasure, social obligations and spiritual attainment of a person. Let everything come at the right age and time, when you are matured enough to handle it.

Gurukul aashrams may not exist now but  the concept is still relevant that while  studying  “learning” is your only dharma. What is it that every student is carrying a red rose/ valentine card and searching a girl to hand it over. Is it necessary to pair up right now ?, who fed this in to our young minds that not having a boyfriend or girlfriend is a disqualification as humans. We are abusing the very meaning of friendship by affixing gender to it.

As the  storey  goes . St. Valentine, a Roman priest, helped those soldiers in getting married , who were not allowed to marry under their service rules. They were all grown up young men wanting to marry their loved ones and  not merely interested in making girlfriends. He could never have thought that someday people will misuse his name in casual and non committal kind of relationships. So I would like to say that all these young boys and girls , who are celebrating this valentine’s day  with so much enthusiasm and dedication are not eligible participants for this event. It is meant for those grown up people , who have completed their education, started earning their livelihood.  and now wants to settle down in their life with partners of their choice. All other extensions of this celebrations are against the spirit and intentions of St. Valentine.

Bharat Sharma

C-44/8, BARGAD, Rishinagar Extension,Ujjain

HINDU RADICALS : WHO IS TO BLAME ?

As published in Free Press daily indore edition on 10/02/2011


HINDU RADICALS : WHO IS TO BLAME ?


Hindus are generally considered a liberal and resilient community, not very possessive or fanatic about their religious beliefs. They are the silent follower of their religion and often cursed by their own religious enthusiasts for their neutrality and insensitivity towards any onslaught on them. They have always adapted and adjusted with communities, who had invaded them, be they muslim rulers or british. Now if such people are turning or resorting to terrorist methods, it is time for us to introspect within ourselves. Our political leadership is to be blamed for creating those compulsive situation in which they are finding it difficult to confine their protest within the frame work of constitution and the law of the land. This is less of a terrorism and more of a reaction to the complete failure of our political system in effectively controlling terrorist activities conducted from neighboring states, of course with the help of some local misled people in India. When we say political system , it includes all the major political parties, who have taken their turn to rule at the center for a considerable period of time. The lack of political will to act decisively against the cross boarder terrorism and Pakistan based militant groups has created this frustration amongst hardliners.

Fortunately, all hindu organizations including RSS, have distanced themselves from such activities and such sporadic acts of few impatient hard core activists does not constitute a religious terror group. But if the government comes down heavily on the inland groups and continue to appear helpless and ineffective against cross border terrorism, then such high handedness can become counter productive. Hence, the matter should be handled with all its delicacies and sensitivity by all political parties, specially those who are coining the phrase of hindu or saffron terror just to cover up their failures and providing a new weapon to Pakistan against us.

At the same time, I urge upon leaders of Hindu organizations to use their ideological reach in their cadre to dissuade such extremist ideas. Let us not give anyone a chance to malign us. Terrorism has never helped any community in the world so far in solving any problem. With passing times, all extremist movements becomes an addiction and continue terrorism for terrorism’s sake.


BHARAT SHARMA
C-44/8, Bargad, Rishinagar Extension
Ujjain.(MP)

"balanced food" security

As published in "Free press Journal" Indore edition dated 3rd Feb.2011

BALANCED FOOD SECURITY

The National Advisory Committee under the chairmanship of Smt. Sonia Gandhi is correctly insisting on its recommendations of covering 75 % of country’s population under the food security net. Food is most basic ingredient of human life after air and water, which are more or less available freely. Food does not only constitute wheat or rice , instead a reasonably priced balanced food plate should be ensured for all citizens, be rich or poor. On the one hand you will provide wheat/rice (carbohydrate ) at Rs. 3/- per kg. to poor and General household and leave them to buy the cereal (protein) component from the market at Rs. 100 per kg , milk at 50 per liter, what purpose it is going to serve. Dal – Bhat or Dal – Roti have always been an essential part of our food requirement. Food should be considered as fundamental right of every citizen.

Our PDS has always failed in leak -proof distribution of its allotment to the intended beneficiaries. Such large gap in food prices between subsidized rationing system and open market induce black-marketing of food quota. After implementing the food security bill in whatever form ,government will become further insensitive to the open market food prices , which will make the life of people specially middle and upper middle class miserable.

Hence , what is required is to ensure the availability of food items to all citizens at a reasonable prices. Food items should not be left to the open market mechanism alone. Government should watch the production pattern and marketing and take proactive measures to maintain the availability of food items in the market. The essential items of food basket should be identified and any sudden spurt of their prices should be dealt with immediately.

BHARAT SHARMA
C-44/8 , BARGAD
Rishinagar Extension , Ujjain

INFLATION WOES

 As published in Free Press Journal dated 20/01/2011(Letter to Editor)

I would like to share my deep despair and disillusionment from the present government on  the issue of containing inflation.  Everyone knows that the topmost reason for soaring prices of food items in the last few years is the mismanagement, inefficiency and ill conceived  policies of the very Agriculture, food and distribution minister of this country Shri Sharad Pawar, who still enjoys the support and confidence of our Prime minister. When he confronts supreme court, Prime minister supports him by advising judiciary to stay in its limits. He dares to refuse  the NAC's (Headed by Smt. Sonia Gandhi)  recommendations, PM panel and cabinet endorse this. He is unwilling to deliver and has enough experience to find excuses for the same. His every statement and reaction fuels the inflation and benefits the vested interests.

 Now let us look beyond the Sharad Pawar factor. The Government is not  helpless, but surely  it does not want to help. The current situation is the clear outcome of its policies over the years. Our economist Prime minister and sovereign Finance minister are so obsessed with Growth rate figure that woes of the poor and middle class is not visible to them. On this issue, even the soniaji's caution  that "Growth rate is not everything" is ignored and sympathetic concerns of ex Finance Minister P.Chidambaram remains unheard. Government has tied the hands of RBI in taking effective steps to curb inflation, by putting the condition of not impacting economy growth. Globalization is fine but it is cruel capitalism, which will further broaden the rich-poor divide and will make the country fertile for naxalist kind of movements. The poor and middle class of this country are feeling like orphans today with their Prime minister in turn asks people  to suggest ways to control it, Home minister observes that there is no mechanism in place  and finance ministry boasts that it is a routine economics with increased income level and improved consumption pattern of people. I remember, few years back , when food crisis gripped america, they blamed asians and third world counties to consume more food than required, now our own government says that people's consumption pattern is responsible for inflation, among other factors. So dear janata, don't complaint , you only are to blame for this. When private airlines increases their fare, it affect the riches , so government puts all kinds of pressure on them to fall in line but for poor janata they have no methods to adopt.

Our inflation index is based on wholesale prices which gives a moderate picture than real consumer index. Thus the ground reality is far more serious than what it appears in statistics. The consumer market is in chaos. There is no justified corelation between wholesale prices we read in newspaper and the retail outburst slammed to the consumer. Everyone in the market is charging at his will with no checks and control. From subjiwala to autowala and general shopkeeper, there is a race in the market to increase the rate in the name of inflation, which is showing a cascading effect across the prices of commodities. Common man is helpless and has no body to turn to. Government is enjoying its second term in office and has no immediate need of people's votes.  Opposition has no intellectual credibility with people or  constructive pressure on the government except for  some short term resistance to issues of lesser importance. Let us hope that better sense will  prevail and government will come over of its growth rate obsession , before it is too late.


Bharat Sharma
at Bargad Aashram Ujjain
Date 20/01/2011