SOCIAL WORK IN INDIA: A BIZARRE SCENARIO

The Platinum Jubilee of social work education in India was observed in 2011. But there is nothing to cheer about. Mushrooming of social work courses (BSW and MSW ); sub-standard distance education programmes barring the ones of IGNOU; no national association of social workers;  no regulatory council; no certification for social work practice:...

For some years a voluntary association called Association of Schools of Social Work in India (ASSWI)existed. It was called a Headmasters' Association as a small group of "headmasters" and their collaborators controlled it.They were the permanent participants of international conferences and seminars; and beneficiaries of government nominations and international assignments. They also claimed themselves as practitioners. During 1977-81, a committed team was elected to manage ASSWI in which I had the opportunity to be one.For the first time social work teachers from different regions were nominated to international programmes ; many were invited to direct many workshops and seminars; and organised various faculty development and curriculum restructuring workshops.But when our four-year term ended, we faced a vicious character assassination campaign led by a group of "senior" social work educators. The new team succeeded in making ASSWI a weak organisation, which eventually had its demise.

The association of social workers--Indian Association of Social Workers (IATSW)--was a fairly strong Delhi-based body for some years. When a new power centre emerged in another city, internecine squabbles led to its closure.But the recent trend of associations of professional social workers in different cities without any national strangulating agency is a healthy sign.

From time to time, attempts were made for a statutory regulatory council of social work education without any success. The promoters of the council are overzealous as they could control the council if it ever becomes a reality.

In recent decades, a good number of committed professional social workers across the country are changing the landscape of professional social work practice in India .Thank GOD! they are independent of social work educators whose agenda is more personal than professional.

SOCIAL WORK : A PARADISE OF PIRATES AND GULLIBLE VICTIMS

Social work researchers often refer books which are not worthy to be referred. Professor Shankar Pathak, who retired from the Delhi School of Social Work ( now Department of Social Work at the Delhi University ),recently brought to  the attention of social work fraternity the "social work academic piracy " through a privately  circulated letter. A writer of impeccable academic and professional integrity, Professor Pathak has exposed the wholesale piracy of a multi-volume Encyclopaedia of Social Work brought out by a private institute based at Lucknow. Encyclopaedia is a very serious academic effort needing enormous organizational and academic co-ordination. But copying others' works does not need any serious  effort. Only two requirements for such an enterprise:(1)materials are to be  identified for copying, and (2) unlimited confidence that the mass copying would not be noticed, and if noticed no one would bother about it.

 

Many social work researchers, when they work for a research degree, are not serious about the authenticity  of the sources which they refer while writing. Research degrees are considered a hurdle to be crossed for promotion, or as a mandatory requirement. Many , these days, aim at getting PhD degree as a status symbol.So there is an unholy nexus  between research guides, research scholars , and dissertation writers.Outsourcing research degree work has become a lucrative business enterprise.A real case of a PhD:(1):Research instruments from Internet sources; (2):contract for data collection from 300 respondents and data analysis ( Rs.3 lakhs ); (3):contract for writing the dissertation including typesetting and getting dissertation copies bound (Rs.3.25 lakhs); (4): miscellaneous (Rs.1 lakh).Total around Rs.7.5 lakhs for a PhD degree. In this scenario, plagiarism and piracy thrive.

 

Only a war -like action by the governments, UGC, and committed academics can make a dent on this menace. It is as deadly as corruption in public and social life.

INDIAN WOMEN IN A SICK SOCIETY

Scriptures glorify indian women as SAKTHI and we worship in temples. But in families and society, women have always been domesticated , ill-treated and abused. Women's body has always been viewed as an object of sexual gratification, and violation of women's modesty has often been condoned.In modern society, patriarchal systems continue unabated in the mind- set of the custodians of law and justice.The female segment of the population starts life (if they survive foeticide and infanticide) with bias as  a burden on parents, and face sexual abuse within families in many cases, sexual harassment at the workspot ,and then direct sexual assault. The popular TVChannel in Malayalam ASIANET reported extensively on child sexual abuse in families under the title "It is your daughter, do not forget " and the numerous instances of abuse by fathers themselves. Rape is not always reported for fear of neighbours and police, and the conviction rate of rapes is low mainly because of prejudiced and defective police investigation, weak prosecution and often  judgements with leniency towards the rapists. Reporting rape in police stations is often risky for the victims. Many a time rape victims are sexually assaulted by the police officials.Law often stands helpless when people with money and power are the sexual offenders.

 

Society is generally cruel to the rape victims. Sympathy is often found missing and the victim as well as her family are ridiculed and ostracized.Many girls and women commit suicide because of social ostracism. Support systems to rape survivors are woefully inadequate in India.Social Work profession's response to the restorative and rehabilitative services is not worth mentioning. Living in a sick society cannot make our women healthy.

A YOUNG BURQA CLAD HOMEMAKER'S STRUGGLE

V JAZEERA ,31, on her visit to her maternal village in Kannur district for her delivery ,was shocked to find the irreversible damage caused to the  inland beach by sand smugglers. The shoreline of the one-km beach where she played on her younger days is badly eroded due to the mindless sand mining. It was in 2010. The young homemaker resolved to protect whatever is left of her beach . She, along with her two daughters (12 and 10) and toddler son  started a peaceful sit-in protest at the nearby police station for 9 days in June 2012. The assurance of the police and The local Tahsildar had no meaning. So in July the protest was shifted to the office of the District Collector ,who installed a police  post .But the sand smugglers continued to take sand . Finally on July 24 she and her children started theist sit-in protest at the capital of Kerala before the state secretariat,and on August 2 the Chief Minister met her ,and assured action. But she knows that her struggle will have to continue till her beach is saved. Officials and police are hand in glove with the sand smugglers. For instance , during her protest she was threatened with action on the ground that she was exposing her toddler son to health hazards.

From Kanyakumari to the Himalayas, coast lines , rivers ,backwaters , and forests are ravaged by mafia in collusion with politicians , officials , and police . Mineral wealth is ruthlessly looted. Kerala, known as God's Own Country , has lost substantial forest cover ; many parts of the state face water shortage during summer in a state where water was once in abundance ; the rice-rich state faces the prospect of becoming rice-deficit ; quarrying of rocks is causing massive destruction of life and property during monsoons.

Many honest officials lost their precious lives in the discharge of their duty . Hundreds were hounded, suspended , transferred and , their families were destroyed .Jazeera faces serious threat to the safety of her family. In her struggle, she has the support of her husband , a Madrassa teacher. Says Jazeera ,
               " THEY CAN KILL ME ,THEY CAN DESTROY MY FAMILY,
                  BUT THEY CAN NEVER DEFEAT ME.."
India needs its citizens to stimulate Young Jazeera. It is not probable. But such a possibility alone can eliminate Corruption and Protect our Environment and Natural Resources.

INDIA'S STEEL FRAME : BROKEN AND RUSTED

Impressed by the British system of governance,  the constitution makers preferred  All India Administrative ,Police ,Foreign ,and  Allied Services to give advise to the political leadership on clean and administration, to implement policies and programmes efficiently, and to ensure that the Indian nationhood remains a reality through the constitutionally protected Steel Frame of civil and police service. In the early years, the committed political leadership at the Centre and in the states maintained a dignified relationship with the civil servants and police officers of the All India Services,selected through a rigorous countrywide selection process based purely on merit.

With the passing years, the quality of political leadership began to change, and criminalisation of politics has been taking place at a fast pace. Young recruits to the IAS, IPS and other services, who joined with high motivation , had either to compromise with the corrupt Ministers and leaders or to face punishment by way of frequent transfers,suspensions,and even elimination through organised murders. Many preferred to quit the prestigious services, and take up socially relevant service, advocacy, and political activism like Arvind  Kejrival  of Aam Admi Party. Corruption and bribe in securing even a birth certificate or getting the dead a decent burial, not to mention the mind-boggling scams involving Ministers, Civil servants ,and Business houses. Sand and quarry mafia, and other high profile mafia depleting iron,and other mineral wealth like the Bellary Kings who were Ministers in Karnataka , virtually control the reins of state governments. Upright officers are to be removed for the sake of their prosperity : Suspension of Durga Sakthi in Uttar Pradesh, attempt to kill  an officer using  sand trailer in Himachal Pradesh , and transfer of Thoothukudi Dictrict Collector in Tamilnadu are examples that took place within the past month.

The governance pattern  once preferred by the great Constitution makers of our Country has been effectively broken by the political parties of all shades. At the same time many officers compromised  with the corrupt system either due to pressures or because of choice for comfort. Mounting corruption  and disastrous depletion of natural resources  have become a serious threat to the environment and the lives of millions of Indians. Getting the system back to the clean days of the 1950s and 1960s is impossible.Highly frustrating.

POOR INCREASE IN NUMBER AND PERCENTAGE,BUT POVERTY RATE DECLINES

Is it magic ? YES, a magic with Statistics. The Planning Commission, a national Agency with No reality orientation, is adept at Statistical jugglery and data fudging , and it has come out with the startling poverty reduction figure of 21.9 % which even the govt of India is unable to digest. The govt sources admit that the number and proportion of people living in poverty are far higher. Spending below Rs 27.2 in rural areas and Rs 33.3 in urban areas will mean Below Poverty Line ( BPL) according to our insensitive Planning Commission.

Poverty is a great political weapon for political parties. It is doubtful whether the politicians can survive without poverty . Overzealous Congressmen went all out to defend the new poverty decline data. Raj Babbar ,actor ,asserted that 12 rupees are adequate in Mumbai or Delhi for sumptuous meals. He then retracted his words.Another Congress leader said that with 5 rupees one get a decent meal at Mumbai. Marie Antoinett, the French Queen during the latter half of 18th century, has many followers among our politicians. She asked the starved poor: Let them eat cake ". Our leaders' comments are worse than that of the French Queen. Once elected our politicians lead an opulent life and remain out of sync with those who elected them. Even a Village Panchayat council   member builds a beautiful house and drives a costly car. Our politicians are sure that they can manipulate the poor endlessly because GUILLOTINE is not available for the poor.


THE POOR WILL ALWAYS BE  WITH US .OTHERWISE "GOD " WILL CREATE THE POOR FOR THE POLITICAL CLASS. 

INDIAN REPUBLIC OF BRIBES

WE THE PEOPLE of India gave ourselves a Republican Constitution in 1950. The Constitution  made provisions for public servants for our well-being. The large body of public servants has become our nemesis.These "servants" demand "service charge" for doing their duty. IF WE DO NOT PAY THEY MAKE OUR LIVES MISERABLE.

There are two types of bribes or service charges :Wholesale and Retail. 2G, Coalgate, Railgate, etc etc are astronomical whole sale BRIBES.High profile politicians, corporate tycoons, and   big Babus  are the architects of these.But the AAM ADMI (COMMON PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND I  ) have to pay RETAIL BRIBES OR FACILITATION FEES for everything from birth certificate to death certificate. Even after death bribe is to be paid at the burial spot by the relatives. What a great country is ours ?

India Today of July 22 had an article titled BRIBE REPUBLIC. Swathi and husband Ramesh Ramanathan returned to India from Berkely, USA, with grand dreams to be shattered. A blessing in disguise for the country.They promoted Janagraha Centre for Citizenship and Democracy at Bangalore.Its website I PAID A BRIBE is a great platform for all Indians to share their experiences in STRICT PRIVACY. From its data it is revealed that urban Indians bribed "public servants" Rs 6.3 lakh crores in one year (Minimum Estimate ).Imagine the likely figure if we can get data from the rural ares.Where is our country going.It is the duty of every Indian to protest to protect our children from this disastrous menace.LET US JOIN HANDS.