Allow
me to introduce myself. I am a Computer Science and Engineering graduate. My job is
something that some 10,00,000 strong engineering graduates all over India do
right out of their college. The problem is we as Indians have proven our might
as cheap and effective technology labour (with our national leaders focusing on
making more “workforce” for the world). It is overall good for the country. It
is one of the biggest source of revenue for our country, our biggest export
after crude material. It provides for jobs and livelihood to so many. And
ofcourse it doesn’t let our professional education go waste. So, it is great.
Period.
Or
is it?
With
a country like ours which is essentially 5 or 6 thousands of years old in its
heritage and culture, but, roughly only 70 years of being independent and
self-governed, we are behind time. Seriously.
Our country is credited to have given the world the decimal number system’s greatest asset, the zero and also introducing surgery (sorry I don’t have any official source for either, it is mostly “let-me-tell-you-a-story”), but, then we bailed out. Our country is not credited with any revolutionary invention or innovation (save the Radio Communication, which Marcony got credit for instead of J. C. Bose). We have not yet been able to produce a product that has changed the world.
Our country is credited to have given the world the decimal number system’s greatest asset, the zero and also introducing surgery (sorry I don’t have any official source for either, it is mostly “let-me-tell-you-a-story”), but, then we bailed out. Our country is not credited with any revolutionary invention or innovation (save the Radio Communication, which Marcony got credit for instead of J. C. Bose). We have not yet been able to produce a product that has changed the world.
Yes,
product.
Much
of the country’s budget depends on maintaining a balance between imports and
exports and a country actually becomes developed if it has successfully
surpassed the exports over the imports. We have unfortunately become a country
of consumers. Our imports far exceed our exports and we barely export any
engineered product (only exception being petro-products like engine oils etc.).
Let me focus on my
sector. As if it was mine.
Our
country as I have mentioned earlier, has made a name for its IT expertise, and
yet we do not have a single software company that releases any major software
product. One might argue that tally is an exception, but, then tally is not
something you would gift your child on next deepawali.
So, what is it? Are we not competitive enough? Are we not able?
So, what is it? Are we not competitive enough? Are we not able?
To
answer these questions, one has to go back to beginning. Literally; read the first line of this post.
Most of us may actually be quite energetic and dreamy, looking for lofty purposes in life, but the purposelessness imposed on us in the form of the job (we actually are rubbing our posterior anatomy off, for the sake of building another country) makes us non-believers. We lose our faith that something grand can actually be achieved. Those of whom that are not tainted, either find their way out of the country or become non-technical money earners (to not offend that community of high level corporate bureaucracy, I am not naming them!). This results in loss of knowledge and ability to achieve feats of technology. We turn into bozos. May be someone will break out of the mold. May be someone will show us the way. We are but cattle. Ready to be herded. Period.
Most of us may actually be quite energetic and dreamy, looking for lofty purposes in life, but the purposelessness imposed on us in the form of the job (we actually are rubbing our posterior anatomy off, for the sake of building another country) makes us non-believers. We lose our faith that something grand can actually be achieved. Those of whom that are not tainted, either find their way out of the country or become non-technical money earners (to not offend that community of high level corporate bureaucracy, I am not naming them!). This results in loss of knowledge and ability to achieve feats of technology. We turn into bozos. May be someone will break out of the mold. May be someone will show us the way. We are but cattle. Ready to be herded. Period.
