Critical pedagogy/ Philosophy

A child in the classroom should not be treated as a “piggy bank” that a teacher fills with knowledge, said Brazilian philosopher Paulo Freire. Instead, she should be an active participant who, along with the teacher, creates knowledge based on her own experiences. Teaching and learning then assume a more political character, where the student and teacher together challenge oppressive ideas in society. This is what Freire called ‘critical pedagogy’, an idea that he expanded in Pedagogy of the Oppressed.

Source: The Hindu, 28-02-2017

Depression on the rise but India does not have a policy for the mentally ill

The World Health Organization (WHO) in its global health estimates on depression for 2015 has said over five crore Indians suffered from depression and over three crore others from anxiety disorders that year. But sadly in this country, this medical and social challenge has always been brushed under the carpet, though things are changing, albeit slowly. Last year, actor Deepika Padukone came clean on her struggle with depression. Among non-celebrities, however, any sign of deviating from the expected and usual, emotionally and behaviourally, is viewed with a sense of horror. And so the condition festers unheeded till it spirals out of control. Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide, and is a major contributor to the overall global burden of disease, WHO has said, asserting that more women are affected by depression than men and at its worst, depression can lead to suicide.

Is India equipped to tackle such a burgeoning crisis? No. There is no insurance coverage for a person with a mental disorder. The WHO Mental Health Atlas 2011 states that the government’s expenditure on mental health was only 0.06% of the total health budget. The country has only 0.301 psychiatrists per 100,000 people. Treatment at the hospitals too leaves much to be desired. The focus is excessively on medication. There are only 3,000 psychiatrists when the estimated requirement is for 11,500. The number of clinical psychologists is just 500 when the estimated requirement is 17,250. Then there are just 400 social workers who can tackle psychiatric patients when 23,000 is the minimum requirement.

Even when it comes to legislation, we are slow. The Mental Healthcare Bill 2013 has been passed in the Rajya Sabha but is awaiting the Lok Sabha’s nod though the bill is progressive in many ways: The definition of mental illness is no more “any mental disorder other than mental retardation.” It is broader and more inclusive. Mental illness is now defined as “a substantial disorder of thinking, mood, perception, orientation or memory that grossly impairs judgment, behaviour, capacity to recognise reality or ability to meet the ordinary demands of life, mental conditions associated with the abuse of alcohol and drugs, but does not include mental retardation which is a condition of arrested or incomplete development of mind of a person, specially characterised by subnormality of intelligence.” Needless to say, along with the passage of the bill, the government needs to invest more money in tackling this challenge.

Source: Hindustan Times, 27-02-2017

Death & the Hereafter

MAULANA WAHIDUDDIN KHAN





Those huge masses of ice, which we know as icebergs, found floating in the seas of the North and South Poles are amongst the most deceptive and, therefore, most dangerous phenomena of nature. Their deceptiveness lies in the fact that no matter how huge or wonderful in configuration, what we see of them amounts to only a tenth of their enormous bulk.What lies below the surface of the ocean, spreading far and beyond the visible perimeter, poses tremendous hazards to the unwary . In some ways, our lives are similar to those floating mountains of ice. The part we spend in this world -about a hundred years or less -is like the part of the iceberg that is visible above the surface. We can see it, touch it and feel it.We can take its measure and deal with it effectively .
But the part that comes after death is like the submerged one: vast, unfathomable and fraught with peril. It defies the imagination but must nevertheless be understood, for that is the part of human life that God has decreed should be eternal and, as such, ineluctable.
We are familiar with the facts of our origin and the course that life takes from womb until death. But at the end of our lifespan, whether it terminates in youth or in old age, our familiarity with the nature of things comes to an end. It has been surmised that death means total and final annihilation. But this is not so. Death is simply a means of consigning us to a new womb, to the womb of the universe itself. From that point, we are ushered into another world: the Hereafter.

Life without social media

A satirical take on how much our personality, politics and relationships are being dictated by the rules of the Internet

It was on a highly political afternoon in the not-so-distant future that the social media of the world collapsed into a pile of moral dilemmas, personal problems and ideological conundrums. All of Mark Zuckerberg’s servers and Sundar Pichai’s men couldn’t put social media together again, but they did find that the last straw that broke the camel’s back was a passing “Presstitute” comment on a mainstream media news item.

Suddenly the youth of the nation could no longer depend on picture captions for political or social context. They had to take stands and decisions unendorsed by likes and shares, and many found they lacked conviction. Without pop-culture reference and film scenes to provide context, ideas had to be communicated in full sentences, which many found boring.

Chaos everywhere

The vast Online Defenders of National Pride regiment was disbanded, since their terrain of operation no longer existed. Liberal crusaders of various causes failed miserably when asked to go beyond change.org petitions and sharing foreign media articles. Without peer pressure, left-wing thinkers found themselves thinking right-wing thoughts and right-wing dreamers found themselves in left-wing dreams. Trolls of various hues, of course, remained trolls. Some things don’t change in real life.

Certain Prime Ministers and Presidents could no longer jump the queue on facts or public opinion. They had to wait for the facts to emerge along with voters. What they had to say had to pass through filters, and some things did not go through. Without the direct feed, their supporters had to look around them to see the truth and felt profoundly moved.

What to report?

Many journalists could no longer RT without endorsement their unstated belief. Since they could no longer include in their stories the lines “Many are of the view that…” or “There was general opposition to…”, most felt jittery putting facts to paper. And without “How Twitter reacted to…” articles to file, energetic young reporters found themselves in corporation council meetings and learning how the country is run, to their utter disbelief.

There was a sudden epiphany among 20-somethings that liking posts did not translate to liking those who posted, and many wrote poems about it — which they couldn’t post, and felt extremely disappointed. Also now that they couldn’t share pictures, they realised what looked good didn’t really taste good.

Back to the real world

The big positive, however, was that relatives were easier to love and cherish now that they were no longer sharing misogynist or racist comments on family groups.

Source: The Hindu, 23-02-2017

Ageing with dignity

We may be a young nation, but we need to gear up to meet the needs of the elderly

While India’s celebrated demographic dividend has for decades underpinned its rapid economic progress, a countervailing force may offset some of the gains from having a relatively young population: rapid ageing at the top end of the scale. This is a cause of deep concern for policymakers as India already has the world’s second largest population of the elderly, defined as those above 60 years of age. As this 104-million-strong cohort continues to expand at an accelerating pace, it will generate enormous socio-economic pressures as the demand for healthcare services and tailored accommodation spikes to historically unprecedented levels. It is projected that approximately 20% of Indians will be elderly by 2050, marking a dramatic jump from the current 6%. However, thus far, efforts to develop a regime of health and social care that is attuned to the shifting needs of the population have been insufficient. While more mature economies have created multiple models for elder care, such as universal or widely accessible health insurance, networks of nursing homes, and palliative care specialisations, it is hard to find such systemic developments in India. Experts also caution that as the proportional size of the elderly population expands, there is likely to be a shift in the disease patterns from communicable to non-communicable, which itself calls for re-gearing the health-care system toward “preventive, promotive, curative and rehabilitative aspects of health”.

Advocacy and information campaigns may be necessary to redirect social attitudes toward ageing, which often do not help the elderly enjoy a life of stability and dignity. As highlighted in ‘Uncertain Twilight’, a four-part series in The Hindu on the welfare of senior citizens, the ground realities faced by the elderly include abandonment by their families, destitution and homelessness, inability to access quality health care, low levels of institutional support, and the loneliness and depression associated with separation from their families. On the one hand, the traditional arrangements for the elderly in an Indian family revolve around care provided by their children. According to the National Sample Survey Organisation’s 2004 survey, nearly 3% of persons aged above 60 lived alone. The number of elderly living with their spouses was only 9.3%, and those living with their children accounted for 35.6%. However, as many among the younger generation within the workforce are left with less time, energy and willingness to care for their parents, or simply emigrate abroad and are unable to do so, senior citizens are increasingly having to turn to other arrangements. In the private sector, an estimated demand for 300,000 senior housing units, valued at over $1 billion, has led to a variety of retirement communities emerging across the country, in addition to innovations in healthcare delivery for this group. Yet the poor among the elderly still very much depend on the government to think creatively and come up with the resources and institutions to support their needs.

Source: The Hindu, 23-02-2017

What The Shiva Tattva Seeks To Impart

Anandmurti Gurumaa





Shiva is boundless yet all-pervading, formless yet in every form, the source, yet also the one who annihilates it all! In the trinity of creation, sustenance and destruction, Shiva is hailed as the force of destruction, although in essence it is the same force which creates, sustains and destroys all manifestation.From Shiva descended the Ganga of knowledge of ultimate reality , the liberating wisdom of `Shiva Tattva', the real Self ­ ever-truthful, ever-conscious, ever-blissful, omniscient Existence.Often portrayed as a yogi deep in blissful meditation, with matted locks, sculpted body and radiant countenance, Shiva symbolises Pure Consciousness.
Shiva is Maha-Kaal, the Lord of Time, Vanquisher of Death, the ever-blissful Eternal One. Therefore he is revered as Adi Yogi, the first Yogi, Adi Guru, the first Guru, who is the primordial source, the divine origin of all yogic sciences, all spiritual practices, all paths to Selfrealisation ­ be it dhyana, jnana, bhakti, yoga. The embodiment of non-duality , Shiva is adored as the epitome of compassion and quintessence of love. He is the Cosmic Dancer, the Supreme Fountainhead from where flows all knowledge of dance, music, and all art.
According to legend, Parvati (Shakti) did intense penance to please Shiva and the great occasion of Maha Shivaratri celebrates their `wedding'. The symbolic union carries a deeper connotation; it depicts the meeting of Shiva and Shakti. In yogic context, the dwelling place of Shiva is Sahasrar Chakra whereas that of Shakti is Mooladhara Chakra, and all yogic practices are preparation Now Shakti is lying dormant at Mooladhara; it is as if Shakti has been estranged from her consort Shiva. It is only when the aspirant with unswerving resolve, goes through the meticulous adherence of disciplined practice of the eightfold path of yoga that the dormant Kundalini Shakti gets awakened and starts ascending via the Sushumna Nadi to meet Shiva. And their communion at Sahasrar is what is meant by Samadhi.
Once Shakti unites with Shiva, she never descends alone but always with Shiva, for their meeting is eternal. In Sankhya philosophy , Prakriti and Purusha are always together, complementing and completing each other. It also means that now should the aspirant engage in interaction with the world, it is from an enlightened perspective. One then knows that all this is a play of Purusha and Prakriti; that life a play. This is what is essentially meant by realising the Shiva Tattva.
If your mind is focussed on the Truth, then you are on the path of realising Shiva Tattva within, and if you are ignorant of Shiva Tattva then know that it won't be long before your ephemeral body , mind, intellect, the I, becomes a Shav ­ corpse. The seeker will choose whether to evolve, realise and be established in his inherent Shiva Tattva or to simply lead a corporeal existence and ultimately end up as Shav.
Vedanta proclaims that `I am Shiva', which in essence means you are the Truth, pure consciousness, ever-blissful one. To know the true nature of Self, Shiva Tattva, who `I' am, in essence, is the aspiration of the seeker who under the guidance of the master, then undertakes austerities and practices for this realisation.
During the night of Maha Shivaratri, when the aspirant performs his disciplines with tenacity , devotion and dedication, it is bound to have a tremendous, long-lasting impact on his journey to becoming Shiva.

UGC approves guidelines for creating 20 ‘world-class’ institutions

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has approved the proposed guidelines for creating 20 world-class institutions in the country. The decision was taken in a meeting of the Commission held on Wednesday.

Sources also said that with the UGC clearing the final draft for creating 20 world-class universities, the proposal is likely to go to Cabinet soon.

The Modi government has been focussing on creating 20 world class institutions, ten in public and ten in the private sector. A more liberal regulatory framework has been recommended for these institutes as they will get more autonomy in designing syllabi and deciding fee structure. Teachers would also be allowed to take up consultancy work among others.

It is learnt that government sector institutions may be given financial support of up to Rs1000 crore each, sources said.

Rather than being called world class institutes they will be called ‘institutes of eminence’, sources said. Officials said UGC regulations will not be applicable in most part to these 20 institutes. The changes to the regulations were made following the feedback the ministry received after they were presented in the public domain.

Meanwhile, a report of the pay review committee headed by UGC member VS Chauhan, to recommend fresh pay scales for university and college teachers was also submitted and will be examined by the HRD ministry.

The announcement had come last year in the middle of an agitation by teachers against the UGC and the HRD ministry over increase in class hours and research commitments. The teachers have been demanding a pay revision.

Source: Hindustan Times, 22-02-2017