Hi Friends,

Even as I launch this today ( my 80th Birthday ), I realize that there is yet so much to say and do. There is just no time to look back, no time to wonder,"Will anyone read these pages?"

With regards,
Hemen Parekh
27 June 2013

Now as I approach my 90th birthday ( 27 June 2023 ) , I invite you to visit my Digital Avatar ( www.hemenparekh.ai ) – and continue chatting with me , even when I am no more here physically

Monday 27 March 2006

RAINING TABLETS AND LAPTOPS

It all started with Jayalalitha promising free laptops to students of Tamil Nadu , if they would vote her to power

They did

Now she is busy distributing a million laptops to students – every year

For politicians all over India , this was an eye-opener !

They were quick to realize that it was no more ,

  • Roti , Kapada , Makan

  • Sadak , Pani , Bijlee

To win elections , they must promise ,

  • Tablets and Laptops

Next to adopt this new-age mantra , were

  • Akhilesh Yadav ( Uttar Pradesh )

  • Prakash Singh Badal ( Punjab )

Lo and Behold !

They too got elected to power !

Only yesterday, Rajasthan Chief Minister Gehlot came out with a promise to distribute free laptops to all students passing 10th or 12th standard

And believe me , in a matter of weeks , Modi ( Gujarat ) and Gowda / Yeddy ( Karnataka ) will make similar announcements

Not to be left out , expect Rahul Gandhi to promise , to every single Indian voter ( approx 400 millions ),

·     a Laptop and a Tablet and a Smart phone

if voted to power in 2014 national elections

And, all imported from EuroZone !

Soon India will become the most YouTube-savvy nation in the world !

What does it matter that , due to mal-nutrition , some 2,348 children die in India , every day !

With regards

HEMEN  PAREKH

Tuesday 14 March 2006

STATE OF EDUCATION

Times of India (  07,Mar,2012  ) reports :

  • Central Teachers Eligibility Test ( CTET ) was held on Jan 29, 2012

  • 10,58,000  teachers registered to take the exam

  • 900,000  teachers appeared for the exam

  • Only 55,422 teachers managed to score the minimum 60 % required to pass the exam  (approx 6 %  passed)

  • In last year’s exam , 14 % had passed

  • CTET was started by the Government last year to to ensure that the quality of teachers across the country is standardized

Consequence ?

15 year old students from 73 countries took part in PISA [ Programme for International Student Assessment ], conducted by OECD

When tested on their reading , math and science abilities , Indian students stood “ second – to – last “ . So what ? Indian students were ahead of the students from Kyrgyzstan, who stood last !
Students from China’s Shanghai province , which participated in PISA for the first time , scored highest in reading . It also topped the charts in math and science

You are welcome to draw your own conclusion !

With regards

HEMEN  PAREKH