AAP - A caution against 'Degrees'

Regarding AAP, I have one caution I would like to offer. I see many followers take pride on the fact that AK has an IIT degree. That could be the stumbling stone.

A sense of superiority over the common Indian because of any degree IIT, or NIIT or Harvard is a false beginning. The common indian, and the villager, is chock full of intelligence and common sense. And unless we first and foremost realise that, we will not allow them to lead and define the problems and the solutions.

We will carry the white man's burden of educating the natives.

This is just a caution for us all - and once one is cautious of the pitfalls of false ego, it is OK. (AAP is more vulnerable to this because it has a greater share of 'english educated' members)

Aparna Krishnan It took me many years in a small illiterate community to realse these truths - both my own initial arrogance at thinking I knew the answers, when I did not even know the questions. And their own far vaster knowlege (hidden in their humility.)

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Vinod Mall Very true

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Swarna Latha yes, this point needs quite some attention, because English (based) education continues to be considered superior, unfortunately.

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Claude Alvares We had an IIT chief minister for 2.5 years in Goa and because of his inability to do anything, he was kicked upstairs as Defence Minister of the country! If all the IIT trained guys and their profs were put on a massive ship to Mars, this country woulddo very well because we have millions of people (like Aparna's community) who know how to grow food and make do. Right now, we train IIT guys with our hard earned money and then they use it for their own personal careers in the United States. This they have been doing ever since the IITs were started. Will the US give us the money we as a supposedly poor nation handed them in the form of trained IITs and other pros? Ask an IIT guy to plant some rice or vegetables and you will discover who really knows what.

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Aparna Krishnan Claude, I used to rue the 'brain drain' - in recent years I have discovered I feel its a non issue, or even a good thing. The sheer implicit and assumed superiority of the IIT animal is such a fatal disease that we are well rid of it. It is our fault that we sit and fund those white elephants (i myself studied in one over funded places - not IIT, i didnt get in after my 12th - and i remember the sense of 'we are the cream', and how we demanded and claimed a 'educational tour' to goa and treated this taxpayer funded holiday as our due. i am ashamed, but it took further experiances to show me my fakeness. Many I fear live with that sense of superiority.)

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Raghunandan Tr I agree. This automatic linking of his success to his IIT degree has to go. Probably, he had to overcome and unlearn many things he learnt in IIT, to be what he is today.

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Mohammad Chappalwala Not only the IIT tag, but we need to also ensure it does not become about a single man or woman

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Aparna Krishnan I am most worried aboult the implicit sense of superiority the educated Indian has over his uneducated compatriot - admitted, or unadmitted. IIT is only the label, there could be many. Simple fluency in English is enough to feel superior to the vernacular Indian, in this day and age. Thereby we will be the coloniser trying to save the native. And we will only pity him, and 'school' him - negateing him effectively. And his own identity and strength.

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Anantha Sayanan i have a close friend who says - i made 2 mistakes in life: one is IIT and other IIM and u know what he is doing now? organic farming in mathuranthagam:-)

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Aparna Krishnan the sense of the 'educated' animal 'being wiser' is the most dangerous sentiment today - negateing the ordinary people, and their wisdom. Mccauly won the first round - now round 2 ...

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Ekta Agarwal Education, Literacy and Wisdom are completely different things, it is sad that people often use one in lieu of the other. Presence of one doesn't guarantee the other AT ALL. Experience brings Wisdom, for the most part, Literacy is but an aid towards Education.

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Prabhakar Singh I am scared that we may be heading towards Roman democracy in disguise which empowers the privileged (politicians), placates urban citizens (middle class) and promise to remove slavery (lower class).

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Shafi Patel AK himself has never bragged about his IIT or IRS background. He has attempted to bring new thought processes into the political system. He seems partly autocratic and obstinate,but I suppose that can be put down to inexperience. He is not at all conve...See more

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Aparna Krishnan I have nothing against AAP - very much the contrary. I have deep respecrt for all there I know, and see in them hope. My observation is a different one, applicable to all the 'educated' - I simply used them as a peg here. All of us 'educated' feel supe...See more

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Bibek Anand Formal Degree is a box which surrounds Knowledge making it blind to wisdom and soaking it with unnecessary pride !