Acknowledging quality students has been made into a craft
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: June 25 2011 -
That Manipuris by and large produce students above the national par of intelligence and capability is a matter of fact knowledge. That their immense capacity does not even earn a foot note on the national acceptance graph is even better known.
That we fully know of this impaired system and yet we do as is required, that is, to excel, is also ingrained in our minds. It is in this context that we need to re-assess our norms and modes of giving accolades and doing a good turn to our talented youngsters.
There seems to be a trend of handing out a home coming ceremony to those who have excelled in exams.
We have to learn and remember how best to classify these toppers for our better understanding. Therefore while we entertain, applaud and dish out cash awards to our talented students, we must do so with a conscience seeking check of family antecedents.
The point to be understood is, we have this infinitely good habit of heaping financial benefits to all achievers. The point to be better understood is, in the process, are we neglecting our second best ones, pipped by the winners by a whisker to the post ?
Let us take a look from the other end of the social kaleidoscope. We are rewarding our meritorious youth, but in doing so are we forgetting many other children who have also done well but who are absolutely cash strapped ?
To make a point, are we overlooking our talented youth, both in the valley and the hills who are capable of doing far better but are at present foot bound by poverty and lack of opportunities ?
The suggestion being forwarded here is, let us have a think tank, not statutory, to analyse, understand and project those promising students both from the hills and the valley, and let there be core body to look after their financial needs, to the limits admissible, so that they are not sidelined just because they are poor.
So what are we to do ? Obviously our acts of honouring our young and bright prospects need to continue. This in itself presents no problems.
However we must act forthright to identity and prepare a list of those unfortunate youngsters who have failed to hit the headlines, and yet are unexplored raw material of the highest quality.
These youngsters should not feel they have been sidelined because they were born poor.
Let us not make recognitions of embracing our performing youth into ceremonies of handing out token cash prizes, let us go a bit beyond that.
Let us make a committed effort to unearth our, so far, unknown talent, give them the financial assistance they so desperately need to shine in glory.
One senior government official has understood this issue and has taken creditworthy unilateral steps to address this issue.
It is time for our other worthy citizens to seek, probe and find a way to reach out to our young, stranded in the wilderness of poverty.
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