In this article, I want to sum up the confusions to which I think I will never be able to find answers. In my college days, I used to be full of Idealism. Always thought that this world can be a better place. The country to which I belong can really overcome its multiple hangovers and work to provide decent standard of living. I felt that one should not go abroad but work for one’s own nation if given a chance be. Sometimes, I used to have argument with my friends that they should use their talent for the nation especially with those who were attracted to opportunities abroad.

Now so many years later, I don’t feel that confidence to argue with them. Not because I don’t have confidence in India’s development dream, but I cannot counter the reality that other countries have built better systems. They attract people to come to them and have a good quality of life. India seems to have several problems in place. While people feel corruption is one of the main problems and to some extent, they are true. But I feel that we have under-rated more severe problems than only corruption.

The first and foremost is the problem of productivity. When I was travelling in Scotland, the driver , guide and facilitator was one single person not three different people. And the quality was better than having three separate Individuals in India. India is suffering from serious disguised and structural unemployment. However, to my surprise this is nowhere debated in India. We have absolutely no debates on efficiency and productivity. Skill India program is a good initiative. But initiatives are not enough. The level of respect for workmanship remains mediocre in our nation whereas respect for power remains supreme. Work has not been given the place it deserves to have in a country like India and power has been given the place which it does not deserve.

Question is that will the things improve. I find no answers in the evening. A cup of tea and some cookies are all I can have to satisfy myself when I think about these things. The other thing that disturbs me is the presence of a number of prejudices in our society. Prejudices are the most problematic human characteristics that can really fade away the reality. India is a diverse country and so are prejudices in our country. Prejudices based on region, religion, caste, color and sex seem to be rampant. Prejudices are not without reasons in India as country has historically faced a lot of discrimination around these axes. However, in a modern India, prejudices will have to give way to the rationale and logic.

But I know that what I am saying is not going to happen so easily. Prejudices are developed over the years and they can go only over the years. But what makes me pessimistic is that we hardly sensitize our people not to bring external judgements into workplace and what happens is exactly opposite. The external considerations start predominating the workplace whereas the work takes the backseat. Sometimes, I am amused because I always thought that India’s problem is lack of talent pool, but problems are so much more complex.

Interestingly, the problems are so complicated in India even when answers to them are very simple. Every human needs a good quality of life. No one likes to live in poverty. To have good quality of life, one should work, and the system should respect and reward that work. After work, one should have the liberty to live one’s personal life the way one wants. But reality is so much different. The misplaced priorities, wrong notions and prejudices are ruling the roost here. When this is the case, how far will workmanship find its place in our society remains a question on which I have no affirmative answer but just like my fellow citizens I hope that we all may get lucky in future.