There was a time when a lockdown meant a dangerous virus was roaming the country. Today it means the people setting the NEET examination papers have been locked away from society till June 21st so they don’t leak the questions.
Imagine that. Two weeks in isolation. No friends. No family. No WhatsApp groups. No neighbour dropping in for tea. No suspicious uncle asking, “By the way, what are the questions this year?”
The poor paper setters have now joined an exclusive club which until recently consisted mainly of elected MLAs and MPs being transported to luxury resorts whenever governments looked shaky.
The logic is simple. If you cannot trust people, lock them up.
At this rate, I fear wedding caterers may soon be isolated before marriages so they don’t reveal the menu. Cricket umpires may be confined before major matches. And school principals may be placed under house arrest before announcing exam results.
What a magnificent advertisement of national trust.
Then, while recovering from this news, I read another masterpiece.
A newly inaugurated flyover, opened two days ago, in Goregaon, Mumbai, has reportedly developed cracks and uneven surfaces. The front page of a national daily, showed the pictures. Naturally citizens were alarmed.
But the explanation was even more fascinating than the cracks.
The cracks and uneven surfaces, we are told, are intentional.
Intentional. Apparently, they help prevent skidding.
I sat quietly after reading this and admired their brilliance in lying.
For years engineers around the world have wasted time trying to build smooth roads. They have spent billions studying road safety, vehicle dynamics and construction technology.
Little did they know the answer were cracks and bumps. Perhaps we have discovered a revolutionary new science.
Soon airports may introduce uneven runways to stop aircraft from over speeding.
Hospitals may install cracks in operating theatres to improve concentration among surgeons.
And restaurants may serve burnt food intentionally to help customers appreciate the good dishes.
Once you accept any explanation, no matter how ridiculous, the possibilities become endless.
In fact, instead of locking away the NEET paper setters, we could simply allow another paper leak and then announce that it was part of a practical educational programme.
After all, we keep hearing that education should prepare students for real life, right? So, what better way to teach children about corruption than by giving them a live demonstration?
Theory and practical. Classroom and laboratory. Textbook and fieldwork.
The students would learn exactly how our country works before entering adulthood.
One headline shows us a lockdown. The other on the front page gives us cracks.
One reveals a lack of trust. The other insults our intelligence.
And as citizens, we stand on the uneven surface between the two, trying very hard not to skid into the black hole our present leaders are digging for us..!
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Robert Clements is a newspaper columnist and writes a daily column, which has graced the pages of over 60 newspapers and magazines, from a daily column in the Khaleej Times, Dubai, the Morning Star, London, and in nearly every state in India, from The Statesman in Kolkata, to the Kashmir Times in Kashmir to the Trinity Mirror in Chennai.
Add to it using the AF to transport the papers and the lack of trust as well as failure of the system is complete
Wake up citizens.
Well written Bob !
Its sad to see the level of indifference we have sink to. Someone else should fight, speak for me, as Im busy living vicariously. Sad. We’re speeding to our end, a mass of insensitive gutless herd
Going, going, going down the black hole indeed. Wishing the CJP all success.
At this rate….
It would be a lot easier and most rewarding the regime to shut down the entire nation. Why bother to shut down in bits and pieces.
Interesting reading 📚. Enjoyed 😉. Thanks Bob Sir 👍
From paper setters under lock up, the next could be the printing operaters, then the staff handling the despatch of these question papers, followed by the courier service guys….what have we come to where politicians have corrupted even the trust factor.
An absurd alternative! Humans can’t be locked up to avoid NEET paper leak scam.
Presently, it looks like the “key” to unlock NEET and most societal corruption is still far fetched especially since exploitation of digital tools, communication platforms and software vulnerabilities is rampant. Even QR codes, biometric locks can be tampered with these days.
When no security system is completely foolproof, how then can we stop this ghastly crime and secure the future of our students?
It is indeed an uphill task for the concerned authorities.
A painful and challenging time for the students whose future is at stake.
Wake up! Wake up! Before we all suffocate and are swallowed up by the black hole.
Isolation ! Intentional ! Lies ! Explanation! Where are we heading !! Every wrong has a wrong justification !!! Phew !