Jul 01, 2025
Jul 01, 2025
“Hearty congratulations on your success. It’s an achievement which others are not able to dream of. It’s so remarkable that I can’t but appreciate you whole-heartedly,” said Vivek to his boyhood friend, Vigyan.
“Thank you very much for your appreciation. I’ve achieved a little. I’ve to achieve a lot in my life. What I’ve achieved is a little but it’s not an achievement I got overnight. In the journey of my life in the field of education, I’ve witnessed many ups and downs. I was able to face difficult problems and bitter realities. This is the result of my fabulous plans and stupendous hard work in the field of business,” said Vigyan.
“Yes, what you’ve said is exactly true. I appreciate you since I know you from close quarters and the ebbs and tides in the journey of your life to render an amazing performance in the field of education with a very systematic plan and commitment,” said Vivek.
“I know you well. You’ve served a lot in the field of education by imparting education to the students in multitudes. You deserve all kinds of appreciations and encomiums; awards and rewards,” said Vigyan.
“When you said ‘awards’, I’m reminded of the awards given to me by the President of India. It’s due on 15th August 2011. Hon’rable President is going to give away the award to me,” said Vivek.
“Congratulations. You deserve so since you are sincere,” said Vigyan.
“What I observe in the youths is beyond my expectations and aspirations. Most of them indulge in indecent affairs and inhuman activities. They’re to be transformed into ideal citizens so that they never swerve from the path of discipline and decency. After coming from college, they never resort to illegal ways in the race of earning money,” said Vivek.
“I know all these. Some students who are worthy are achieving their goals to come out with flying colors,” Vigyan.
“I talk about the majority of the youths,” said Vivek.
“I take necessary steps and instantaneous measures to curb all such elements. The films lay indelible evil impressions and false influences on young minds. Some can come out of those influences on them to be in quest of knowledge and in search of jobs suitable to them,” said Vigyan.
“I too admit the fact regarding the fall of standards and deterioration of values but there is a bounden responsibility on my part to see the society today run in a smooth manner and live in quiet atmosphere and become quite perfect. For that, our efforts and trials must be constant to bring about human relations and humanistic concerns among the people in society today,” said Vivek.
“Education must be the means to obtain the wealth of knowledge, the source for livelihood and the fountain of wisdom for all round development. Consequently, the real goal of education is reached. Let’s all try for those goals,” said Vigyan.
~*~
Vivek narrates the experiences of a principal to his friend, Vigyan,
“I can’t keep quiet without narrating my bitter experience as Principal with a member of the faculty called Sthitapragna. He came on promotion in the subject of commerce. He submitted his report full of blunders: spelling mistakes, punctuation flaws, grammatical errors, etc,” said Principal.
“Sir, I’m good at keeping the books in order in the racks of the library. Librarians generally neglect to perform their duties. Books are to be arranged in the apple pie manner for the convenience of library users,” said the newly promoted and posted lecturer in commerce, Sthitapragna.
“You’re a lecturer. How can you perform your duties as a librarian when you’re meant for teaching as a lecturer?” said the principal.
“I’m not only interested in library science but also in maintaining the records in the office in perfect order,” said Sthitapragna.
“You’re neither a librarian nor a clerk. Mind that you’re a lecturer; you’re paid for it. You’re given only commerce classes. You’re a lecturer in commerce. You’re supposed to take classes in the subject of commerce. I can’t take your classes,” said the principal.
~*~
Sthitapragna went to the class to teach commerce. He might have studied some general subjects like business organization but not subjects like accountancy or bookkeeping. He selected the topic of exports and imports. He wrote some words on the blackboard illegibly with spelling mistakes. The students in the commerce class were upset and taken aback while his teaching was going on:
“India is a big country. It can’t have all resources. When we don’t have anything sufficient and abundant, we import it from other countries. Whatever is surplus in India is exported to other countries. When we export, we import. When we import wheat, we export paddy. When we export all surplus, we import all scarce. When we import oil, we export coal. We export something, we import something else. We import when there is scarcity. We export when there is surplus. We import when there is a shortage. We export only to import. We import only to export... We export only to import … We import only to export … … ...”
All the students shouted at him to stop his lecture. “Stop… Stop… When exports are over and imports are also over, you are supposed to stop your export and import business…the business transports…,” said the students.
“I mark your attendance in the register. Number One… You’re very irregular. You should be regular. Where did you go the last week?” said Sthitapragna.
“I went to Hyderabad to get the imported things. I export only to import. I import only to export,” said the student.
“Number Two … you’re very regular. You can understand the subject well. You can have command over the business of exports...Number Three...,” said Sthitapragnna.
“Here I am. Now I’m coming to the class because my father forcibly exported and you necessarily imported me to the classroom,” said the student.
Meanwhile, a student entered the class late without his permission. He came and sat in the classroom as a sudden surprise.
“Everyone should be on time. Punctuality is important. It is the part and parcel of discipline in life,” said Sthitapragna, continuing to mark the attendance of the students.
“Number Four. I hope you have understood my lecture on transport,” said Sthitapragna.
“I’m not a boy of expert quality to have understood your lecture on exports in a perfect manner. What I know is ‘airports’ rather than ‘exports.” said the student.
“Number Five... All of you sit down; don’t go out; come in. Let the marking of attendance be over. Sit down to respond when I call,” said Sthitapragna.
“You should be exported from here to import someone in your place,” said the student.
“You don’t know what I’m. In due course you become close to me. You can get many favors of mine in many respects,” said Stitapragna, while being busy calling to mark the attendance register. “Number Six. I mark absent for the students who quit the class.”
“I’m six. For what kind of favors are you ready to export to us?” said the student.
“In examinations; in admissions; in getting marks... Many... I’m your well-wisher and benefactor,” said Sthitapragna.
Like that, Sthitapragna went on marking the attendance register by spending his hour in the class leisurely while comments galore were going on him. When the bell went, he went to the staff room to relax after his extensive and comprehensive lecture on transport.
~*~
“Principal, ‘Down, down’… Principal… ‘Down, down’.”
Almost all the commerce students except a few gathered at the principal’s chamber, shouting to the principal. I dare say that a few did not join them as they were happy for the favors offered by Sthitapragna, the newly joined faculty. It was the usual practice of all the students to come to the principal’s chamber to raise a big slogan for a simple reason. They expected their teachers to meet their needs in the way most possible. They asked the principal barefacedly to investigate their trivial problems too. In response to their slogans the principal came out in a hurry to find out the reason.
“Sir … Who appointed this newly joined faculty lecturer in commerce? Is he a literate or an illiterate?” said the students.
“What happened to the faculty?” said the principal.
"Everything...What not...everything...," said the students.
“What happened? Nothing happened to you and to the faculty even.,” said the princopal.
“Transport the newly appointed lecturer to a dark continent where there are no students,” said the students.
“He’s been promoted to the post of Lecturer from the post of Teacher at a high school. He is your commerce lecturer, isn't he?” said the principal.
“We don’t want him to come to the class. We want a lecturer to teach us well,” said the students.
“Go to the class. I wish that all of you would quit the chamber and go to the classroom. Now the next class starts. Go soon,” said the principal with an instruction to them to go the class. All went to the class.
“Attender…, Attender… Call the new lecturer to the Chamber immediately,' said the principal.
“Yes, Sir...,” said the attender.
~*~
“May I come in”, said the newly appointed lecturer in commerce, Sthitapragna.
“Yes, come in. I understood everything when you made an undue proposal for you to work in the library instead of teaching,” said the principal.
“Are you assigning that work to me…Sir… dear Sir…,” said Sthitapragna.
“No ... I will send you back to school. For that I am writing to the higher authorities. You can teach excellently to the students who have no brains and empty skulls to underrate your outstanding performance in teaching,” said the principal.
“Why, Sir, I got promoted as per seniority. I chanced to get promotion in the roaster system. I waited for the promotion for a long time. This is the post which bestows blessings on me to use the green ink pen and to look big in society. This is a gazette officer post. This has been my long-cherished desire,” said Sthitapragna.
“Mere craving for the post of Lecturer is not good. You can desire it if you deserve it. Though it is a long-cherished desire or a long-crushed desire, I’m not bothered… I’m here to impart good education to the students at my college,” said the principal.
“If you don’t mind, I will tell you one thing... Don’t think otherwise. Please go weather-wise… I’m ready to offer a part of my salary to ...,” said Sthitapragna.
“What nonsense are you talking about? Does Mother India love me if I go according to your wish? She wants me to follow in the footsteps of her most eminent leader, Mahatma Gandhiji. I’d like to know where you went wrong. Let me know where you studied your M.Com. to fulfill this long-cherished desire,” said the principal.
“I didn’t study. I got the certificate to fulfill my long-cherished desire,” said Sthitapragna.
“O! It is your promotion based on your bogus cerificate… How have you managed to get the certificate? Have you got it or bought it?” said the principal.
“I went to my head office and enquired about the vacancy position in Junior colleges. I was informed that there were many vacancies in the subject of commerce. I rushed to a university where the certificates were sold. I got a certificate there to get a promotion here in the subject of commerce immediately. I offered bribe to…,” said Sthitapragna.
“Stop…I know what you are… You’re practical. You created opportunities for yourself... You didn’t choose the subject. The subject chose you by mistake since it has a lot of demand. The situation made you eligible as per your seniority and the certificate on sale for you. You cleverly and timely enquired about the vacancy-position and the dearth of hands in the subject...You created an opportunity...grabbed it. Good...,” said the principal.
“Thank you so much,” said Sthitapragna.
“What about your graduate study? Did you study the course? Did you prepare yourself for the examination? Tell me honestly. I hope you tell the fact since you’re a teacher by profession. We all are teachers by nature and stature. As a teacher you’re supposed to be very frank…,” said the principal.
“I was not able to get through the examination in one attempt. Whenever I got a chance to resort to malpractice in the examination, I was able to copy well. I got through the degree examination in four attempts. I wished that it would be completed as per my short-term goal, but it became a long-term goal to think of post-graduation,” said Sthitapragna.
“I see…Sorry, I forgot to ask you about your Intermediate?” said the principal.
“I was able to complete the two-year course in four years. I was brilliant enough to copy from the students sitting nearby in the examination hall. I was able to write well when the invigilator was busy reading newspapers and speaking to the other invigilators. Luckily, I was not caught under malpractice. I made long, long efforts to avert the sight of the squad and get through the Intermediate examination. Lastly, I appeared for the instant examination to clear my only back-lag subject that was English,” said Sthitapragna.
“When did you get through the commerce examination?” said the principal.
“In the fourth attempt… You forgot to ask me about the teacher-trainee examination,” said Sthitapragna.
“True...,” said the principal.
“So was the case like the master’s degree... Next, you’d ask me about my school final examination too,” said Sthitapragna.
“Yes, I appreciate your frankness since you are a teacher by profession. A teacher is supposed to be downright and forthright in his dealings for the right of honor,” said the principal.
“The school final examinations were conducted in such a manner that we didn’t feel any difficulty taking the examination even today. Sometimes teachers gave answers since the government wanted good results but not high standards of the students. I didn’t face any difficulty in passing the school final examination in the first division with the kind cooperation of my teachers in the invigilation duty,” said Sthitapragna.
“Congratulations. You passed at least the school final examination in one attempt.,” said the principal.
“I know that you don’t ask me further because there is no detention system at lower classes. One is promoted to the next class despite one’s mistakes in the 3R’s,” said Sthitapragna.
“It’s the fault of the system on the part of the government...lapse on the part of the system indeed,” said the principal.
“Exactly...” said Sthitapragna.
“What do you want to talk about the system of education today?” said the principal.
“Yes, I’ve a lot to speak about the authorities in the education department. They’re not serious about the regular attendance of students in the class. He gets through the examination to be promoted to the next class before he’s not learnt what he is supposed to learn in the class. He is promoted to the school final without adequate knowledge. This is the flaw of the student on the one hand and the faults on the part of the system on the other hand. He doesn’t come to the class wih adequate knowkedge. He doesn’t know how to prepare himself for the lesson. He doesn’t want it because the students never raise questions. According to me the system is faulty, and the teacher is not properly trained, refreshed and checked or inspected. The officers responsible for the enrichment of standards are lethargic or otherwise interested. I hope you’ve understood it. It is corruption… rampant corruption…It is like wildfire to set fire to thick forests,” said Sthitapragna.
“Excellent Observation...If you were made the hon’ble minister for education, what would you do?” said the principal.
“Very intelligent question... I go weather-wise. I’m not an exemption. You have said that I’m practical...On the same lines, the teacher must be multisided and multifaceted to be a role model to his students and the society he lives in. Dr. S. Radhakrishnan said, ‘The teacher is the pivot of civilization.’ He not only teaches his students the subject of bookish knowledge but also trains them for fruitful development to be worthy citizens of their country. The students also act accordingly to fulfill their teacher’s ideals and objectives. Then there will be ripe fruits of education for the tactile bliss of knowledge and wisdom in every student to the credit of his teacher who in turn feels pride and honor in the enrichment of his nation’s image and prestige," said Sthitapragna.
The principal decided to send him back to the office of Higher Education. Before doing so, he adivised Sthitapragna to come prepared to teach well in the class the following day. He also advised the students separately to attend the lecturer Shitapragna’s class the following day.
In the class, Lecturer Shitapragna started his lecture. The students were present, but they were paying a deaf ear to his lecture. Some were speaking; some were playing; some were chatting, and many others were going out and coming to the class again at their will, causing indiscipline. He was, however, lecturing while scribbling on the blackboard what he had noted down on a piece of paper. John, a student of the class commented on the lecture in a leisurely manner:
‘The principal unnecessarily advised us to sit in the class of this waste lecturer. When the lecture is nothing, the class is nothing…not lively and interesting. It will give an ample scope for undue things... We are free to talk whatever we want... We can discuss the success of the movie, Child in the Court released today.... We can discuss the political situation today... We can start our love affair in the class... We can do whatever we want and tell our parents that we have attended the commerce class in college.’
‘The class is boring…The cinema released today is better than this class. The cinema teaches us the rare talent of a child to win her case in the court of law…,’ said Mohan.
The lecturer was writing on the blackboard what he had noted down on a piec of paper. He noted words like a student of a primary class. All the students thought of going out to spend their time outside.
‘No…It is not good on the part of the lecturer when he is very inefficient in teaching the subject. He must have command over the subject to impart it to his students since knowledge is essential on the part of students. The shaping of students starts from the classroom for nation-building and the teacher should mind it,’ said Vani, an intelligent student interested in studies.
‘Let us watch the new movie with the matinee today. Our favourite is the hero of the movie,’ said Vinod.
‘It is the movie of my favourite hero. I am also planning to see the movie. Let us all enjoy the movie,’ said Laila.
‘Let us go…Let us go…. Let us go…,’ said all the boys to the girls.
One after the other all left the class. When the lecturer looked at his watch and turned his face towards students, he saw none in the class. He noticed the principal noticing all this outside. The lecturer subsequently left the class silently to be in the office of Higher Education.
28-Jun-2025
More by : Dr. Katta Rajamouli