Truthfully, i am writing this post bit late. The primary reason - i din't find time because of office work. And, when i am writing it today, i am feeling as this issue has lost its relevance for today. But, still i am writing it because i think that this issue may have lost its news value for today (as we call it in journalism), but it will never loose its importance as far as our country is concerned.
On one fine evening (may be two weeks before) my father, who is a keen reader of newspaper and has an opinion on almost every issue, passed a comment that "kapade utarane se kya hoga? ek baar utar diye to hamesha ke liye to band hone se rahe!"
He was referring to an incident which you may have or may have not noticed (depending on your taste of news). Ok, let me narrate you that incident.
Few weeks before, the Union Minister of State (Ind.) for Environment and Forests Mr. Jairam Ramesh surprised everyone by taking off gown and cap during a convocation ceremony. No suprise, he got support for this act from Mr. Murli Manohar Joshi, former Union Minister for HRD and didn't get any pat from his own party - Congress. Infact, Mr. Joshi claimed that he too did it once.
I personally didn't feel surpris when this act of him didn't find any supporter in his party in general and media in particular. These days, when we hear that our Union Minister for HRD, Mr. Sibal has put his reputation (of being highly sophisticated and reformist kind of person) on stake to ensure that foreign universities open their shops here, no Jairam Ramesh will find any taker. As far as media is concerned, i really don't need to say anything. Everybody who knows media inside out, can understand its behaviour on such issues.
But, the real question is - will we ever be able to stop the tradition of wearing gown and hat during convocation ceremony in our universities? Although i am eternal optimistic person, but i doubt that it is going to happen in near future. The reason for my pessimism is quite solid. First, when entire UPA govt is backing Mr. Sibal's plan of letting foreign universities set up its campuses in India, one is either fool or insane enough to even think that gown and hat may become thing of past in our country. And second, even people of country are not ready for it.
When i say that people of our country are not ready for it, it means that Indians are still charmed and feel high of that dress and the degree that comes with it. The sons and daughters of almost all of our politicians (even the politician who call themselves 'dhartiputra' send their wards to foreign sojourns) are studying or have studied in foreign universities and people who can afford it (unless one is ideologically too strong-headed) will do anything for that special degree of foreign land which sky-rocket family's reputation way beyond sky.
Here, i remember a story of a lady who after serving corporate world went back to its village to contest panchayat election because her father was Gram Pradhan and reportedly people of the village pursuaded her to contest panchayat election.
Nothing wrong with it. Infact, she deserves accolades for her decision. But, aren't people of this village were charmed with her sophisticated urban look and so called 'videshi padai likhai'?
The same pattern is followed throughout rural India and one can not deny the same attitude of urban fellows. Exceptions are always there, but when we talk about rule, no body can dare challenge this general attitude of my fellow country people.
So, unless there is marked shift in attitude and thinking of ruling class towards relationship between education and employment, one will have to contend with 'just showbiz trailers' like one acted by Mr. Ramesh. Here, I must mention that Mr. Ramesh himself is educated at Carnegie Mellon University, USA and MIT, USA. So, no reward for guess, he must have wore the same gown and hat few years before!!
On a dreamy note, suppose a miracle happens and govt of the day makes it a rule that now on gown and hat are banned during convocation ceremonies, what would one wear? Dhoti? I have no problem with it, what about you?
