RAAVAN: RAAV-YAWN

IIPM BBA MBA Institute: Student Notice Board

TSI Five-O: A visual delight but a tepid take on a timeless tale

Mani Ratnam's new endeavour reaching out to the masses in two variants is a stale tale. A carefully amalgamated version of an intense jungle story coupled with run of the mill 'excuses' to base a two-hour-long movie on India's most famous mythological story is what 'Raavan' is all about. Of course, it has been spectacularly picturised, to the extent that the picturesque insights to the God's own country might even enamour the National Geographic Channel. With all scenes wet, wild and essentially green, one feels one with nature but not the plot of the movie.

The dull first half where one pans in and out of one narrative and then the other will put you right off. And the irritation will only amplify as you listen to the horrendous chik-chik-chik-chik and the annoying bak-bak-bak-bak of Beera (Abhishek Bachchan), who tries hard to pull off intense expressions but disappoints to the core. Beera goes overboard with his wild side, especially when he rubs his head time and again with his tongue hanging out. Ragini (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan) is introduced with a scene that has her shrieking; a not often seen trait of hers. She too shouts a lot in the due course of the film. But with her mesmerising eyes and decent acting, Ash just about manages to scrape through.

In Ratnam's adaptation of Ramayana, Raavan tugs on a huge baggage of expectations and collapses too soon. Beera is the so-called Robin Hood of his village and he is no less than a barbarian when it comes to justice for his people or the ones he loves. Already a criminal according the books of law, Beera does well in giving the cops a run for their money while in hiding. He is wronged by the police when his sister is raped by the cops. In order to get back, Beera kidnaps the Superintendent of Police, Dev's (Vikram; the South star looks dashing in his Ray Ban shades) wife Ragini. The chase begins when Sanjivni (Govinda), the forest guard (or the Hanuman in this saga), assists Dev in the hunt. How Ragini sees the innate goodness of Beera and is forced to question her own loyalties and how the clash of the titans leads to a blood bath is no big surprise really. Just like in Ramayana, even in this, the 'Sita' (Ragini) is asked to give agni pariksha and go in for a polygraph test to prove her fidelity. Yes, the adaptation is almost that literal, and that's where the problem lies.

The climax is not too glamorous, some of the scenes far outstay their welcome and all the actors punch below their weight and the result is a boring concoction that only livens up in the last quarter of an hour or so. Ratnam may have tried to dish out a fresh take on an old story, but his screenplay does little to highlight Mani, the master of the nuanced and many layered tale. 'Raavan' is mostly unidirectional traffic set amongst some stunning artwork and cinematography.

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Higher Education: Quality over quantity

IIPM BBA MBA Institute: Student Notice Board

Closing down worthless colleges and encouraging better ones is the way forward for India

Dr. PV Indiresan
Leading educationist & former Director, IIT Madras

Many people do know that India has over 20,000 colleges in arts and sciences but it also has over 16,000 dental colleges. A proposal from the Dental Council of India to halt further expansion of dental colleges was turned down by the government on the plea that all colleges are started according to norms and that there is need for more dentists. Unfortunately, there is no reliable study of how good these colleges are.

According to Mr Narayana Murthy, mentor of Infosys, barely 20 per cent of engineering graduates are employable. There are others who have said that among arts graduates, the figure is barely 10 per cent. Whatever the correct figure may be, we have to admit that most colleges are substandard and that most of the money spent on higher education is a waste. This over-expansion is a consequence of comparing ourselves with countries like the US where enrolment ratios are far higher. After WW II, sociologists developed a theory that higher education is not a privilege but a right. As a result, admissions to universities became largely unrestricted. We have university graduates working as peons or bus conductors. Except for a few colleges of excellence, the quality of learning has deteriorated.

Higher education has expanded but India's status in higher education quality is dismal. In the 2009 Times Higher Education-Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University rankings, no Indian university features among the first 100. But universities in East Asia have been included in the first hundred. Hong Kong has three, ranked at 24, 35 and 46; Singapore two at 30 and 73; South Korea one at 47 and China has two at 49 and 52. There is no Indian university in the rankings from 100 to 200 either. It is only when one moves on to the next 100 that we find the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur at 237; IIT Madras at 284 and the University of Delhi at 291.

For over 10 years now, the Department of Science and Technology has been promoting postgraduate courses in engineering by offering sums in excess of Rs 2 crore per course ' on condition that industry too contributes an equal amount. Virtually all colleges that applied for assistance came from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. With great difficulty, the department has been able to persuade a few other states to join. Evidently, professional (and industrial) interest in higher education exists virtually only in the southern states. The National Assessment and Accreditation Council figures are not entirely reliable because institutions like the IITs and the AIIMS do not opt for accreditation. In fact, less than ten per cent of the colleges have come forward to be assessed. The accompanying table gives the list of states with A grades (3 points and above) and at least one A+ grades (3.45 and above) for the last three years. Earlier assessments under the old rules are not included. Five states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Punjab have done well. That indicates the best colleges are in the Deccan area.

India Today provides another list of top colleges in various disciplines. Its list is selective and not voluntary. Hence it includes reputed institutions like the IITs, AIIMS, Vellore Medical College and the like. However, it does not include all outstanding colleges. Hence, strictly speaking, we do not have a truly reliable list of quality institutions in the country. The government has been active in trying to improve college education. It has put forth four proposals. First, it has inducted a National Council of Higher Education and Research (NCHER) to replace the UGC, AICTE and the like. It is not clear how NCHER can function when the UGC and the AICTE did not. Second, the government wants compulsory accreditation. Frankly, the current accreditation systems do not enjoy a high reputation.

Third, the government wants admission to all colleges (including arts) by a central admission test. The US does have in SAT a nationwide entrance test. However, the SAT scores are used for shortlisting only and not for deciding admissions the way the IITs do. Fourth, the government wants public-private Partnership but no capitation fees.

Instead of these, I suggest that there could be admission tests but they should only be for shortlisting. Also, let colleges improve through competition and not by the dictat of an NCHER or a central accreditation agency. Then, let the number of students admitted be related to (not equal to) the number that gained acceptable employment or admission to advanced graduate courses. Then, many colleges in India will have to close down. Closing worthless colleges and not mindlessly expanding their number is the right solution for our country.

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NEW DELHI ARTIFACTS: The lost treasures campaign

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ASI makes efforts to bring back artifacts held abroad

The Archaeological Survey of India has joined international network of various countries to give a fillip to effort to bring back precious Indian artifacts held abroad.

Many other countries such as Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, Chilie, Cyprus and Bolivia are working together with India to reclaim their lost treasures. Also, they are getting support from the UNESCO. Each of these countries are trying to prepare a database of such artifacts. It's understood that once it is ready they will make a concerted effort through diplomatic and legal channels to reclaim their antiquities.

Of late, India has launched a campaign for the return of iconic Kohinoor and Sultanganj Buddha statue that were taken away during the British rule. But, chances of bringing these rare artifacts back are really dim as British Museum Act-1963 doesn't allow items acquired through authentic process to be removed, according to experts. In order to get these artifacts, India and other countries will have to mount pressure on the UK to change its antiquities law.

Even ASI officials are apprehensive about the move. They believe that their efforts may not yield positive results in particular cases. A senior ASI official told TSI on the condition of anonymity: "We have successfully brought back many lost and stolen artifacts in the past. But Kohinoor is a different case altogether. There are many complex issues involved in the process. We are studying the antiquity law of the UK and trying to collect the necessary facts." ASI chairman Gautam Sengupta has stressed on the need to be realistic on the chance of getting back these most-talked about treasures.

Earlier, the ASI had succeeded in bringing back many stolen artifacts such as Atru Tehsil of Rajasthan and a Buddha statue of Bodhgaya, Bihar. Indian-origin people lobbied in the UK for the return of these stolen items. Besides, the ASI also raised the issue with UK Ambassador and ultimately the artifacts were returned. Can the ASI repeat its success story again? It seems difficult with Kohinoor, say experts. They said the Britishers took it after the treaty of Lahore was signed following two wars with Sikhs. However, the ASI is trying to push the matter on case-to-case basis as the list of artifacts held abroad is too long to handle.

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KERALA CUSTODIAL DEATH: Cops in the dock

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Father says police killed his son, but cops rubbish charge

The image of Kerala police took a beating after reports surfaced of the death of Sampath, 26, in police custody on March 29. He was the main accused in the sensational Puthoor Sheela murder case. She was killed on March 22, 2010, in the day light at her house in Palakkad and her mother Karthiyayani (70) was also brutally attacked.

The police claimed that Sampath developed chest pain and was taken to Palakkad District Hospital where he was declared dead. However, people are not willing to believe the police story. They accused the cops of killing him. The cops rubbished the charge. However, the High Court has asked the police to hand over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigatoin (CBI).

Based on a petition filed by Sampath's brother and father, the court doubts the police version. Besides, Justice V Ramkumar feels that the cops are hiding the role played by then Superintendent of Police P. Vijaya Sakhare in this case. The Crime Branch of police had taken over the Sheela murder case days after the incident.

Justice Ramkumar expressed shock at lock ups being converted into killing chambers. He said he could not believe that 14 officers accused in the Sampath case are absconding and could not be arrested. He ordered the immediate handing of the related documents to the CBI Kochi Unit superintendent.

The counsel of Sampath's family members alleged that since Sheela was the sister of a top IAS official in Tourism Department, a high-level interference resulted in the custodial death.

The court pointed out that according to post-mortem report there were 63 injuries on Sampath's body. It is alleged that reports showed that electric shock was applied on the victim during interrogation. After this incident the credibility of the state police force, which is supposed to be the protector of people's life and properties, is at stake.

But Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan lost no time in stating that the judge has taken a biased view of the case while handing over the case to the CBI. Kerala Home Ministry boasts of police reforms and of late many police stations have been converted into Janamaithri (people friendly) police stations.

But with such cases coming to the fore, people will stop trusting the police force, according to activists. They said the police still used third-degree methods to divulge information from alleged culprits. Several custodial deaths during the Left Democratic Front (LDF) have tarnished the image of the police in the state.


An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

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