E schooling.

Schooling is a normal process where schools are composed of students ,teachers and other staff members and thus class room completes the whole mechanism of learning.

But sometimes neither schools are functional nor any teaching fraternity is around due to circumstantial episodes and here chips in the concept of E learning. Here teaching is not subservient to any circumstantial conditions but needs a willing teacher and equally interested student.

The present chaos of #Covid19 which the whole subcontinent has been engulped with had impacted the education system along with other equally important viable economic activities which runs the pulse of any nation.

We must appreciate the institutions who have started the process of dolling out online class rooms to reach out to the students who have been locked down inside their homes due to #Coronavirus #Lockdown21days

In this connection I would like to mention the name of Government girls Model higher secondary school ( Ranibaugh) Anantnag,who have created a whatsapp group to reach out to their students with live class room affinities,audio lessens and uploading of study material so that incomplete syllabus gets completed.

Today morning while I was looking for #Gazala to get the know how of our kitchen menu,she was out bound in spite of my asking for her attention.I called her but she was unmoved.When I reached at the outhouse room to see as what is cooking,she seemed to me talking to somebody .When I ventured into the room to know as what is happening ,I could hear that she is at her best audible choice and was seemingly discussion psychological aspect of education and the more I proceeded ahead , clear the picture was getting.

She was actually making a lecture which she ought to get uploaded on the whatsapp group which her institute had created for her 11th and 12th class students of Education to get lessons downloaded .

I somehow retreated to give her space and let her to get done with her lesson preparation

And later when she uploaded the lesson on the students social network group I could understand as why she was so much fully involved in making it happen this way.

As per the feed back she received from her students it dawned on me that it was worth it ,thus I compromised with my kitchen menu for the day. I wished her luck and she continued her activity to prepare another lessen for another day on another topic.

I volunteer to take care of kitchen till she is free which she adamantly approved. This is dedication,sincerity and obligation towards one s job so other things can wait as students are the topmost priority.I wish her luck and left the room.

So if we have determinant teachers,students can never get confused if they get stuck inside their homes for one or the other reason as E learning is just a mouse click away.

Vivid 19 phobia

Raheye ab aesse jagah chal kar jahan Koi na ho. Hum sukhan Koi na ho aur hum zubaan Koi na ho.
Bay daro dewar sa ik ghar banaya chahiye.
Koi humsaya na ho aur pasbaan Koi na ho.
Padyee gar bemaar toh Koi na ho timaar daar
Aur agar Mar jaaiye toh nauhakhwan Koi na ho…

This couplet of #Ghalib which Gazala Hoorlika is sharing fits the movements we are in due to #Covid19. This is reality which gets played now,

Everybody wants to stay home where there is no companion, no one who can understand your laguage nor you speak theirs or else he/ she may get virus,

Everybody wants to be locked( 21 day lockdown)due to fear of virus in such a house where there are no walls,no doors,no windows nor any neighbour,

Everybody is sick and there is nobody to take care with the fear that virus may get transmitted,( a nurse could not meet her daughter in China who is covid +’ve and only embraced her at a distance in air,lest she may get virus transmitted from her daughter whom she loved a lot),

Now the height is when you will die there will be nobody to shoulder your coffin nor anybody will be around to bury your body as there is no space left in the grave yards since tool to virus is increasing day by day ( in Italy dead bodies are lying in coffins,because there is no space available in grave yards).

What a coincidence what #Ghalib visualized centuries ago is being replayed alive in our lives today,what a fore site and what a expression of real death,which is being getting danced on our streets and we feeling incapable to arrest the virus.

May Allah safe us. #Stayhomestaysafe.

Reforms in education

Structural Reforms that are needed in the Context of LOCF

Learning outcome based curriculum framework ( LOCF) is a new concept of teaching where main thrust is to rollout education to students which is sure shot to prepare students for jobs and create a atmosphere for employability of students.

The evaluation process audit will provide an opportunity to the academic governance to see if the evaluation processes are serving the purpose .

After Curriculum Framework ( 2005) and Curriculum Framework for Teacher Education ( 2009), the University Grants Commission came out with Learning Outcomes Based Curriculum Framework ( LOCF) in 2018.

The fundamental premise of the LOCF is that a graduate at the end should have been able to be employable based on the updated knowledge, skill set and core values gained during the program.

Of late, an attempt has been made by the Higher Education Department of J& K to empower institutions of higher learning at under graduation level to organise seminars in various subjects with due financial support for creating awareness of different aspects of the LOCF.

It is expected that through LOCF, the teachers will be able to develop the core competencies of the students with due regard to graduate attributes and qualification descriptors.

However, we believe that formative assessment: examination: summative evaluation can play a crucial role in the higher order abilities, knowledge and skills of the students to achieve the well- defined outcomes.

Until today, we follow a stereotyped traditional closed book examination system where an examinee is required to rely on his memory to answer the questions.

For that matter, he borrows guide books and yellow notes from the market to memorize things and eventually reproduce them into his answer sheet without understanding philosophical foundation of the concept and the implications ther

Historical distortion

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We can not afford to change the real facts of history nor can we afford to change the public opinion but we can be a reason of change if we take people into confidence.

In 2020, Sheri- Kashmir, Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah, is being used as a tool and everything that starts with his name is being changed and challenged. He is not only changed from the photographs but from the history of Kashmir as well.

His hagiography was once the definitive political history of Kashmir, which may soon struggle to find his name in the new official history.

To start with, his birth anniversary is not to be found in this year’s list of offi cial holidays. The police gallantry medals are no longer inscribed with his commemorative epithet. The iconic SKICC has dropped the prefi x to become Kashmir International Convention Complex. The Sher- i- Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, SKIIMS, too may lose its prefi x soon.

Yet the many hats that Sheikh Abdullah wore – that of an anti- feudal revolutionary in 1931, the pragmatic secularist in 1936, the emotional communist in 1944, the egalitarian head of government in 1948, the ethnic nationalist of 1952, or the giant with feet of clay in 1975 — will remain! It is not possible to erase him from history. Hence an attempt is being made to erase him from the collective memory of Kashmiris.

This is akin to “ damnatio memoriae”– the ultimate punishment Romans gave to the condemned by scratching their name from the inscriptions. The fate of being forgotten was considered worse than execution! For the last three decades, Sheikh Abdullah’s grave is guarded for the fear of desecration. His “ cardinal sin”: he threw the lot of Kashmiris with India.

The sui generis terms on which he did so, recently reneged, are now matters of irrelevant archival detail.

This one “ political sin” has overshadowed his enormous contributions.

He transformed the life of every single Kashmiri; be it by spearheading the anti- feudal movement. Or by redistributing land to the tiller along with debt waiver on a scale that has no parallels in the democratic world.

Every Indian who values Kashmir as a part of the country owes him a debt of gratitude. It was because of him, Kashmir was the only place in the subcontinent where ideology and conviction overruled religion as the consideration for accession.

Indeed, if BJP could do away with the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir, it was only because in 1975, Sheikh Abdullah consented to surrender the powers of the J& K legislature to amend its Constitution. He oversaw the castration of the J& K Constitution that he had earlier envisioned.

When the erstwhile Prime Minister of J& K accepted to being the Chief Minister of J& K, it was more than just a personal comedown. He effectively ratifi ed the hollowing out of Article 370 that had been done while he was incarcerated.

The aggressive fl ag hoisting in Lal Chowk by BJP leaders in the early nineties and the assertive fl ag ceremonies in every nook and corner of the state since have been possible because he grafted the National fl ag in the Constitution of J& K . Speaking in the State’s Constituent Assembly in 1952, it was Sheikh Abdullah who accorded primacy to the National Flag. In the process, he made the fl ag of J& K, which has now been relinquished, subservient.

Forty years later i• a hugely symbolic gesture, he carried the national fl ag to his grave; his body was draped in the tricolour. He may have been born and bred as a Kashmiri ethno- nationalist but he surely died an Indian.

Why then does the BJP want him erased from memory? If anything they should strengthen his legacy; not his biological or even his political legacy, but surely his ideological one.

Admittedly, ascribing the salvation of Kashmir to Abdullah did lead to a sense of entitlement in his party and progeny. In this dynastic, if not a demagogical context, the names of institutions, roads or parks did refl ect an element of absorption with the self. But there is more to it. Much more, in fact.

A place or an institution named after Sheikh Abdullah is a genuine tribute to the person who initiated the freedom struggle of Kashmir. These are expressions that promote a distinctive national consciousness which in turn helps nation- building. It is a re- dedication by the “ nation” that was formed on the foundation laid by him. To erase this that is to distort history.

The fact is that overtime these names, SKICC, SKIMS, etc have come to become symbolic elements of landscape and refl ect civil sensibilities, social sentiments and real life associations. Just like in many other cases.

For instance, the alma mater of most Kashmiris, even after 70 years of democracy bear the names of the Dogra Maharajas; be it Sri Pratap College or Amar Singh College. So does the biggest hospital, SMHS. And the main trading hub, Hari Singh High Street. To be sure, every one of them is based on the dynastic glorifi cation of rulers furthering their personal legacy. None of these have been or are being obliterated.

It is obvious that there is a well thought out plan to make changes selectively to only a part of the inherited past of Kashmir. That too by a regime that neither has a democratic mandate nor does it have popular legitimacy. Indeed, even its legal legitimacy is under question in the Supreme Court! Changing the name of a place or an institution or an award, is not a simple disassociation. Nor is it a routine administrative decision. A political name is being erased for ideological reasons. Indeed, it goes far beyond the individual as also the immediate.

Such changes have a much larger agenda: snap the every day’s historical connection so as to erase the memory of the past. The toponymic changes are used as a tool to disrupt the ethno- cultural continuity of Kashmiris which is the core of a historical identity.

In reality, it is an assault that will, in the long run, prove to be more debilitating and damaging than abolishing the compromised constitutional provisions.

How can a democratic society grow so hostile to the past of its constituent part? That too a past which saw and sealed the future of Kashmir with India.

While Kashmir did become a part of a large entity in 1948, it in no way meant that its own past had to be subsumed in a larger past. The past can’t be rewritten to align with the ideological predilections of the present. This sort of thing is normally associated with tyranny.

This is especially so, when alongside erasing of one set of names, is the process of new naming. The Chenani- Nashri tunnel has been named as Shyama Prasad Mukherjee tunnel.

The city chowk of Jammu has become Bharat Mata Chowk. Another intersection has been renamed Atal Chowk. A proposal is afoot for the Jammu Airport to become Maharaja Hari Singh Airport and the Jammu University to be renamed as Maharaja Gulab Singh University.

To be fair, this renaming is understandable.

The BJP is, arguably, setting the record straight. It will be rationalised as the restoration of parts of history that have been purposely or conveniently excluded so far by the earlier regimes. It is epochalism being expressed through place- names to refl ect the new Indian politics in its political ideology, behavioural values and, of course, historical fi gures. While restoring “ their” great men in the new narratives of India, throwing the stalwarts of Kashmir’s political history down Orwell’s memory hole is unacceptable.

It is ironic that in the 1950s, Sheikh Abdullah’s person was under assault even as his ideology thrived. Since the 1990s, both his person and his ideology have been under attack. Now, his memory is. All, mind you, from very different and diametrically opposite quarters.

Poets are not prophets but often times are prophetic. Aga Shahid Ali, Kashmir’s very own poet, prophesied, “ My memory is again in the way of your history”. Indeed, it is and how ! After ostensibly making history by abrogating Article 370, the government is busy rewriting the history in Kashmir Why then does the BJP want him erased from memory? If anything they should strengthen his legacy; not his biological or even his political legacy, but surely his ideological one.

Women power

WOMEN’S RIGHTS: Theory and Practice

In order to legitimize male dominance for centuries, in the end, aclever way of misinterpreting the scriptures that would lend credence to male egotism, was devised

Democratic countries have constitutions that speak comprehensively about the rights of the people of that country. However, when we look at the history of the devolution of rights of the people, we fi nd that even in the developed world, the women were not treated on even keel with men in terms of general rights. In many European societies, women did not enjoy many rights which the men folks enjoyed and this was true till as late as the 18 th or 19 th centuries.

This was the reason that from time to time, developed and developing countries had to bring in legislation exclusively for promoting and protecting the rights of the women in their respective societies. For too long a time, women remained deprived of many rights. The primary reason for denying women their rights at par with the men has been the psychology of male dominance over the females. On that premise, customs and traditions were formulated which remained in place for centuries and became part of the social system.

The psychology of male dominance has been dealt with adequately by social scientists and psychologists. Perhaps the physical, psychological and social construct of the females has been exploited by the males to make a woman behave more like a slave rather than an active and infl uential partner of man’s life. In order to legitimize male dominance for centuries, in the end, a clever way was devised of misinterpreting the scriptures that would lend credence to male egotism. It is interesting to know that male egotism has remained entrenched so deep that even in developed societies, giving equal rights to women was considered a taboo.

In the orient, the condition was worse owing to illiteracy and the dominance of the ecclesiastical chapter. Scriptures are interpreted in a way that segregation of women and denial of rights to them has been projected as the word of God. The traditions of Sati among the Hindus and honour killing among the Muslims have been in place.

Rights activists consider both as an infringement of the right to life in accordance with the Human Rights Charter. The matters become complicated when supporters of traditions like these tried to invoke scriptures to legitimize the authorization of abuse of the right to life. Sati was abolished through legislation passed during the British Indian rule. However, ‘ honour killing’ remains embedded in the traditions and practices of some social groups in the sub- continent.

A big change in behaviour towards women and recognition of their role as an essential component of vibrant civil society became visible only when science and technology made big strides in contemporary times.

The age of reason dawned only after the Renaissance of the 15 th century. It opened the vast vista of progress that had the potential of changing the old order. The two World Wars of the 20 th century had two very important consequences. The enormous loss of male population in these wars adversely impacted the demographic complexion of European societies.

It brought forth the necessity of making use of women as an important workforce to mitigate the adverse consequences of demographic change. Secondly, by inducting women as the workforce along with men, the question of devolution of the right of women surfaced as a social necessity. Thus began an era of legislating formally for the empowerment of women which, in other words, meant giving them the same rights as men enjoyed.

The United Nations focused on the issue and the UN Charter for Rights of Women was adopted. Nearly two hundred countries of the world became signatories to this charter. It laid down the road map for the empowerment of women and safeguarding their special rights. As the Charter came into force, it naturally made many countries introduce special legislation and amendments to their constitutions to become compatible with the universal law of protecting the right of the women. Thus if the women in contemporary times are gifted with equal rights, it has happened after a strenuous struggle.

It did not happen by itself.

This all said an embarrassing question that haunts societies of the developed nation or developing nations both is this: Do the women fi nd real freedom from discrimination despite the plethora of rights formally conceded to them by societies and regimes including the judicial support available? It is a baffl ing question and stems from a slew of factors that are very much visible.

Gender discrimination has become so strident that the UN Human Rights Council had to include it in its items for general debate. The insecurity of life and honour of women even in developing countries and ancient cultures has become a distressing fact that calls for the immediate attention of law enforcement agencies. Physical torture and harassment of women and especially domestic violence have not gone down with the advancement of science and technology.

Not only that even the mechanism of registering cases of domestic violence against women leading to psychological depression and bitter sense of humiliation heaped on women has not become possible.

The result is that a vast majority of women live and die their whole lives under the pal of frustration, depression, and despair. A victimized woman would not necessarily and at all times want to take recourse to the law.

She would prefer social institutions to play their role in mitigating the psychological dejection consuming her very spirit. This has not yet left the traditional Asiatic societies of which ours is a component.

In the final analysis, a lot more besides necessary legislation is needed to pull the females of the sub- continent out of the morass of gender discrimination, psychological trauma, harassment and above from being treated as a slave. It is wrong for a society to draw a list of dos and no dos for its women segment and nothing of the sort for the male segment. It is true that women are passing through a phase that may be considered as the pre- requisite to the attainment of full rights with men but the unknown and unspoken pain and deprivation secretly suffered by women have also to be explored and remedied.

Gender equality

Details

Dowry and expensive marriages lead to deaths and divorces, harassment and humiliation.We celebrate 8th of March as Women’s Day all around the globe to get an insight into the global matters related to women.

But the question arises that, is a day enough a year to introspect into the agony that at present the women folk faces. No doubt, a laudable speech, a praiseworthy paper, a seminar or an art workshop would add somethin to it, but something is still missing.

Growing crime rates against women is a concern. This so called modern society is still lagging behind in giving due respect to women.

Celebrating one day and keeping it at bay for rest of the year is pathetic. The egalitarian society demands respect, dignity and honor. A woman is most precious gift blessed to someone in the form of mother, sister, wife or daughter.

Iqbal says: Wajood zan say hai tasveer qayinnat ma rang Isi kay saoz say hai zindigay ka soz o zun The women are the most sensitive creation of God. The beloved Prophet of God ( SAW) said that paradise lies beneath the feet of mother. A sister is most precious thing to a brother. As the saying goes ‘ sister is sister till she dies, but on the contrary a brother is brother till he marries’.

I don’t question on the exceptionality. But there are more cases when a sister is married; she is an alien to the home for which she had given her sweat and labor. As a wife, she leaves her home, her parents, and her kith and kin for someone who is all strange to her. She deserves respect, love and honor. On the contrary, in most of the families she is hardly treated as a member.

We decide to stand determined and fi rm one moment but another moment we forget it, as if the day was not celebrated at all. Come next year, we again start preparations to mark the day but then like other days it comes and passes. Among many issues one is ‘ dowry’ which has become one of the most challenges in this society which needs to be eradicated. Similarly people spend a lot of money at marriages.

A marriage is a sacred relation made in heavens. Now it has only become all about pomp and show. Its essence is now day by day losing. Man, the crown of creation, has altogether forgotten his signifi – cance and has gone away from human values, love and fellow feeling.

He is just a skeleton of man, indeed one for whom an Urdu poet Akbar said: What has new civilization to do with humanity? Where Adam were, there now monkeys leap Had we ever realized the impact of expensive marriages and dowry on others? These show- off marriages have resulted in hundreds of divorces and suicides. If we do our marriages with simplicity, we feel ourselves inferior. We all are well aware about how Prophet married her daughters, certainly with great simplicity, and now the simplicity is only of heard in sermons.

Islam has strictly prohibited such actions which become a nuisance for others. But alas! This so called modern man has lost the real purpose of life. Famous romantic poet William Wordsworth strongly lamented the activities of this modern man in one of his poems, ‘ What Man has Made of Man’ : To her fair works did nature link The human soul that though me ran And much it grieved my heart to think What man has made of man? We need to close our eyes for a while, and start questioning ourselves. Why our sweet daughters kill themselves.

How many young daughters have crossed the marital age bar? Why relations collapse. The answers will lead us the nuisance of dowry and expensive marriages. We never take a lesson from all this. Although, we know that dowry and expensive marriage is a nuisance in our society but still we watch the show of this marriage system as mute spectators. The nightingale of India Sarojini Naidu seems aware a long ago of these curses. She beautifully remarks in one of her Poems “ Village Song ” The bridal songs and cradle songs have cadences of sorrow, The laughter of the sun today, the wind of death tomorrow Far sweeter sounds the forest- notes where forest streams are falling O mother mine I cannot stay, the fairy- folk are calling.

How many delicate daughters are tortured on daily basis by in- laws for dowry and other unnecessary demands? Justice, equality, love, care and respect are scarcely a practical thing in today’s society. Getting a daughter married has became now a herculean task. Money is spent in millions on jewelry, wazwan, invitation cards, decoration, music and other such things.

Instead of eradication of this evil from our societies, with every passing day it deepens its roots. And if the practice of dowry and expensive marriage continued with same way then the day is not far when all of us will fi nd it diffi cult to come out from the quagmire. We celebrate Women’s Day with great fervor and enthusiasm, simultaneously we watch our sweet daughters die, get divorced, face humiliations. The misfortune is that we are hardly bothered. If dowry isn’t given to daughters, they are humiliated and tortured.

Especially the responsibility lies on the youth; they can play an outstanding role in eradicating these social evils. They can save poor daughters from all types of suffering, agony, harassments and trauma if they pledge to get married with great simplicity.

Women

Sustainable development is impossible without gender equality and women’s empowerment

In my knowledge Women Empowerment guarantees both men and women equal opportunities. Be it Art, Culture, Religion, Politics and Economics or any other Social value both have their opinions as well as their choices. No one has right to deprive other of any such opportunity. Social scientists and educationists may define it some other way.

However, in economics women empowerment refers to the ability for women to enjoy their right to control and benefit from resources, assets, income and their own time, as well as the ability to manage risk and improve their economic status and well being.

Entire nations, businesses, communities and groups can benefit from the implementation of programs and policies that adopt the notion of women empowerment. Empowerment of women is a necessity for the very development of a society, since it enhances both the quality and the quantity of human resources available for development.

Empowerment is one of the main procedural concerns when addressing human rights and development.

Women’s empowerment and achieving gender equality is essential for our society to ensure the sustainable development of the country. Many world leaders and scholars have argued that sustainable development is impossible without gender equality and women’s empowerment. Sustainable development accepts environmental protection, social and economic development, and without women’s empowerment, women wouldn’t feel equally important to the process of development as men.

It is widely believed that, the full participation of both men and women is critical for development.

Only acknowledging men’s participation will not be beneficial to sustainable development. Without gender equality and empowerment, the country could not be just, and social change wouldn’t occur.

Therefore, scholars agree that women’s empowerment plays a huge role in development and is one of the significant contributions of development. Without the equal inclusion of women in development, women would not be able to benefit or contribute to the development of the country.

If this is women empowerment everybody must work to promote it. There should not be any disagreement involved in delivering your services for its cause. But like any other idea this one is also deprived by the victim itself . Many women are searching Femenism in it which allows “ unrestricted freedom to women from their Men”. When you misuse such a title it restricts even women empowerment itself . While women ( and men for that matter) succeeding in their fields is always something to be celebrated, I’ve noticed that somewhere along the line, our culture has decided that women have to follow a pretty specific path in order to be recognized as a powerful and independent. It seems like we only celebrate women for being strong when they’re acting like men, or at least when they’re conforming to traditionally masculine traits and preferences.

But in today’s egalitarian society, is a woman who chooses to be a CEO really anymore empowered than a woman who chooses to be a homemaker? And if so, why? Is it possible for a woman to be considered “ strong” while embodying feminine archetypes, not masculine ones? To explore this issue, it’s important first to clarify what exactly differentiates femininity from masculinity. Nowadays, sociologists are quick to embrace relativism and the prevalence of social constructs and might tell you that there’s no meaningful, objective difference between these traits at all. However, especially when it comes to the separation of tasks, there are clear differences between what’s considered masculine and feminine.

Throughout history, for example, cultures spanning the globe have identified masculine traits as those necessary for survival and protection. Hunting, warfare, and building have all been traditionally maledominated, and although some might say those stereotypes are antiquated, these fields remain overwhelmingly male.

Femininity, on the other hand, has always been associated with nurturing. While masculinity focuses on surviving, femininity is about thriving.

Homemaking and caregiving, whether it’s for children, the sick, or the elderly, is a way that women have historically been the backbone of both families and entire societies. In terms of modern- day professions, people like nurses, teachers, and childcare providers, in addition to a countless number of stay- athome parents, are still majority female and provide people with much- needed care. Recognizing these differences between stereotypically masculine and feminine roles, it should be clear that neither group is more important to our society than the other. And it should also be obvious that every job, whether it’s predominantly male or female, has its own unique set of challenges.

So with that being said, modern feminism’s overall failure to acknowledge the contribution and strength of women who choose to fulfill majority female roles is disappointing, particularly for a movement that tries to paint itself as being pro- woman. If real empowerment means a woman is able to choose whatever career path she believes is best for both herself and her family, why should that apply more to a woman who decides to work in politics or business, than it does a woman who wishes to be a stay- at- home mom? Or work in childcare? Or heck, even be a part- time Avon sales representative? And if feminism does believe that these other women are just as empowered, then why are they so often ignored? Society clings to the idea that proficiency in masculine traits is somehow better than being skilled in feminine ones. And although the intentions may be to assure women and young girls that it’s OK not to be quintessentially feminine ( which it absolutely is!), the glorification of all things masculine as the road to empowerment is frankly an insult to femininity. Ultimately, trying to turn women into men isn’t empowering them.

Educational overhauling

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Back To School Jitters

It is high time for ‘those’ at the helm of aairs to rethink and act on the realistic lines and provide signifi cant leeway to our children, so that they can also enjoy their space.

E very summer, in UAE, it is always exciting for the trade marketing professionals to fi gure out the promo packs for enticing the students prior to the opening of schools. Almost every company would work out their national and storewise promotions exclusively meant for the students.

Back to school promotion is one of the top most priority for their promo calendar and also there is a proper budget provision for it, so as to meet the demand and fi ght the competition.

It provides them an opportunity to grab more market share and could sustain on decent sales fi gures provided they do the best and win their hearts.

There used to be a lot of sales hustle as the families would return from the vacations and every parent would be looking forward to these offers. Before the opening of schools, at least parents would spend a week or two to visit the markets or malls for the shopping spree. Being a Sales professional it used to be a great learning experience for me as I got a chance to work with the specialists from diverse fi elds for the cross functional executions. This event is considered as one of the highly valuable activity during which everyone wants to contribute to the welfare of the students. From lolly pop to laptops, Bags, Beverages, Bakery items, theme parks, theaters, tiffi ns, toys, anything you can ask for, are stocked up and offered at the best discounted prices. The main purpose of the campaign is to boost the morale of students.

These Initiatives are taken by many sectors and sections of the society to make them feel extra special.

I also had an opportunity to service not only super- markets like Spinneys but schools as well where it was not all about profi ts margins.

I had worked with the top notch brands of GCC. My fl agship brands included Tiffany Drinks, London Diary Milk Shakes, London Diary Ice Creams. It gave me immense joy to meet the expectations of the school children when my promos were approved and offered to them at the school food kiosks.

It does not come as a surprise to see police offi cials distributing the gifts to the kids. They love to engage them in discussion about how important they are for the foundation of great nation. They share with them the insights on courage and character building. On the onset of schools, the ruler of Dubai, makes it a point to greet the students, parents and teachers with the emphasis on moral and qualitative education. He is often seen visiting the educational institutions for interaction with the students . This is how the great nations are fl ourished and formed when there is more than 100 percent involvement and interest keenly taken by the ruler.

There is no excuse and reason for others not to follow their leader.

In Kashmir, we have a very sad and strange scenario. In view of the recent disturbances, this year much earlier On 24 th Feb 20, the new academic session has been kick started. Around 1.3 million students are attending their classes after an obnoxious break of seven months due to the unrest caused by the bifurcation of state into UT` S and abrogation of article 370. This year’s harsh winter was also mysterious and miserable.

No doubt, in this part of the world, shopkeepers and suppliers are also familiar with the concept of ‘ Back To School’ but for them it is an opportunity to charge the items at higher rates leaving the compassion and competition aside. The scene is very pathetic at the Hair saloons and uniform selling outlets. Take or Leave it, doesn’t matter for them, as no one cares to question them how reasonable they are with the customers. They don’t feel like there should be something for our children to cherish, to bring back those lost smiles.

We have been left with no choice but to remain mute spectators of our sufferings.

We are helpless to question anyone. Not only parents and students, even those private school teachers who are tirelessly working to arrange the assignments and attending their duties, have not been paid for many months.

How are they supposed to welcome their students whole heartedly.

Once again, it will be the repeat of the same story when the fee and other academic charges will be hiked without giving any heed and adherence to the government orders. The economic crisis which has broken our back will not be taken into account to charge what is feasible and Affordable. When people couldn’t come to terms with the current political situation, they will be again pushed against the wall.

Forget about freebies and discounts, our children are bearing the brunt of political, economic crises at every front. Imagine the condition of those poor students who couldn’t afford to pay for their tuitions and rely upon the Internet to learn and keep themselves updated. Unfortunately it’s not just an alternative but has become necessity which has been snapped without any due consideration on the consequences that these ambitious students are facing. Each passing day they are loosing the opportunities due to communication gag.

It is high time for ‘ those’ at the helm of affairs to rethink and act on the realistic lines and provide signifi cant leeway to our children, so that they can also enjoy their space.

We can efford and down the line can also bear the economic losses but loss of precious academic years is the tragedy which cannot be compensated at any cost. If not anything, at least and at last, we are having sigh of relief that our children are ‘ back to school’. They deserve our warmth and welcome. Make it memorable for them. Teachers and all other stakeholders have to play their respective roles with more determination and sincerity.

They should put every effort to make the best utilization of the available time. Still under the reeling of uncertainty and unrest; we have kept our fi ngers crossed. We pray that God forbid, our children don’t have to suffer anymore due to another tragic summer.

Women empowerment

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Women Empowerment: Prospects and Challenges

An important problem that has been greatly ignored is the problem of violence against women

T he goal of development is to raise the standard of living in all its aspects with a view of changing the quality of life of the people. No meaningful development could be made neglecting the better half of the family- the women who bear and rear the children and manage most of the household affairs. Society, politics and economics are inter- related. One influences the course of others. So it is easily understood, if women have no right in social and political platform, who will take the lead to claim economic rights for them. Regarding deprivation of economic rights many examples can be cited.

Few topics today consume the attention of researchers in social sciences, government, planning groups, social workers and reformers as the problems of women do. Approaches to the study of women’s problems range from the study of gerontology to psychiatry and criminology. But one important problem relating to women which has been greatly ignored is the problem of violence against women. Violence towards women in the context of marriage becomes more significant when a husband who is supposed to love and protect his wife beats her. For a woman, being battered by a man whom she trusted most becomes a shattering experience. The violence can range from slaps and kicks to broken bones. They have been victims of verbal, psychological, religious, sexual, emotional and economic abuse. In the Indian culture, we rarely hear of a wife reporting a case of battering to police. She suffers humiliation in silence and takes it as her destiny. Even if she wants to revolt, she cannot do it because of the fear that her own parents would refuse to keep her in their house permanently after the marriage.

Empowerment of women may be taken to mean strengthening women’s position in the socio- political power structure of the society. But empowerment in this sense cannot be achieved without strengthening women’s position in the existing economic system. This means creating both more social opportunities and capacities for women so that they can participate in effective significant manner in the functioning of the economic system of the society. While these provide necessary conditions for women’s empowerment, the targeted outcome of such empowerment is supposed to be the creation of conditions that would enable women to play decisive roles in the family and society equally with their male counterparts, so that question of oppressions, discriminations, injustice, deprivation and degradation for women as a group would turn to be totally irrelevant.

The source of empowerment should not remain confined to the domain of governmental machinery alone. Empowerment will remain a distant dream unless the governmental programmes on empowerments are combined with a change in the social attitude and a re- reading of women’s position. There is need to change the self- perception of women as the second sex or a weakling who needs protection of the male members of the family no matter what may be his age. Self- confidence and self- reliance are essential conditions for empowerment, which no super- imposed programs can inculcate in them. In the realization of this inner strength, lies actual empowerment.

Women are the sufferer in the hands of men all over the world. The fact remains that the paths of women are still beset with several difficulties. Violence against women is largely a manifestation of their lower status in the society. Women intend to bear responsibilities of in house activities like handling home, health, husbandry, health care, hospitality, hubby and hoards. They are naturally efficient in taking care of nutrition, nurturing and nourishment of each and every member of the family, group or the community. As they play the key role in forming family very often they contribute to unpaid labor and do not expect social justice. Females have more tolerance, patience, docility and ability to adjust, power of bearing, rearing and steering and sacrifice as compared to the male counterpart. Participation of women in different activities is essential for socio- economic development of our country. Participation leads to empowerment of women, which generates self- respect, self- confidence, self- discipline and self- sufficiency. Self- help groups will help the women to come out from social limitations such as superstition and dormant role in the decision- making.

Empowerment will remain a distant dream unless the governmental programmes on empowerments are combined with a change in the social attitude and a re- reading of women’s position.