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Clear JRF, Don’t Bother about NET: Book List and Strategy for Political Science Students

Clear JRF, Don’t Bother about NET: Book List and Strategy for Political Science Students

This article was written in my earlier blog. I have made some updates about the books to be read for the examination. I hope it helps in your preparation in some positive way. UPDATED: JANUARY 1, 2021. If you are willing to do research (M. Phil/PhD) in India, well then it is needless to say that you will definitely want to have JRF. Books cost money, travels cost money, printing articles, and…

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JNUEE/DUET 2020 MA POLITICAL SCIENCE GUIDANCE PROGRAM

JNUEE/DUET 2020 MA POLITICAL SCIENCE GUIDANCE PROGRAM

Dear all, I hope you are all safe and doing well. The pandemic has affected all of us in different ways and not pleasantly. However, I don’t want you to lose HOPE. It is often in the most challenging moments that the best of our character and strength comes out.

I know that some of you might not be able to prepare well in the past few months. Some of you might not be feeling very positive…

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Shared few years back on my Facebook timeline! I feel the relevance and hence sharing with you all (unedited)!

This time in Delhi is extremely cold and everyone feels it. As per some reports, in 2014-15, more than 450 people died due to cold in North India. But is it actually low temperature that kills people?

I do not think so.

No one dies of low temperature. People die due to lack of food, clothes and shelter. People die because we do not know how to help each other in need. If a rich person meets a car accident near a slum area, the people in the area will ensure that he is taken to hospital. If a homeless person dies of cold on the street, all those enjoying the luxury ride will hardly give a thought. If you ask them why they did not act, they will say it is the duty of the government, not theirs. This is true most of the time. You may remember the incident that happened few years back when a pregnant woman gave birth to a child on a street of Delhi and no one helped her. She almost died!

What I believe is if we are ready to help each other, then we can save many lives and transform the city into a truly caring one.

On the morning of 24th December, 2015, I was wondering how I could help the homeless people in Delhi and contribute my bit to make them a little warm in this winter. I literally jumped out of my chair and immediately called up a close friend. The moment I told him this idea, he was in. In the evening, we started knocking every door of our residential building. We politely asked them for old/unused clothes which are still wearable and in good condition. In the beginning, we got nothing. Some people did not open their doors even when we told what we were for. But there were also people who contributed and encouraged our effort. Some people even had their old clothes collected in case someone came or asked. Some told us to come back the next day. We went back the next day and people generously contributed.

I had already done a background study of some NGOs that work for homeless people in Delhi. I also thought on how to distribute it ourselves. Though too idealistic, I wanted to distribute the clothes to homeless people on the streets directly or to people in the slum area and wanted to see the smiles on their face.

So on the night of 25th December, we hired a van and went to the office of Mother NGO and one Ashram (Nirmal Hriday, Majnu Ka Tila). Both the offices were closed. Actually, we talked to one of the representatives of Mother NGO before going there. He did not inform us whether the office would be closed. We also presumed that since they worked for homeless people, they would be open round the clock. For Nirmal Hriday Ashram in Majnu Ka Tila, the gatekeeper of the Ashram did not let us talk to the people of the Ashram since it was late and we were asked to hand over the clothes to him or take back with us. We took the clothes with us.

Undeterred, we considered it an opportunity to directly go to the slum area and try our luck. We went to a slum area near a bridge few meters from the Ashram. There we started distributing the clothes. But due to lack of manpower and limited resource, we could not distribute all the clothes (My friend, the driver and me alone would not be able to manage the crowd). We were afraid that we might create a chaos. When resources are limited and people also know it, chances are that they will compete to grasp it and this is mostly true when the things they are competing for are things they do not have and badly need.

We came back disappointed. The next day, on 26th December, we went to Mother NGO’s office and handed the clothes to Mr. Harish Massey, a representative of the NGO. We were not given any receipt but we took a snap with him.

From what we have experienced, I think that the Government of Delhi, the bureaucracy and the common people can do a lot. The civil societies and NGOs are doing their bit.

As for the Delhi Government, it can launch an initiative like a Youth Leadership Program where young people or students can apply for an internship with the Government to help the homeless. The interns can organize into three-four groups in every locality and collect old/unused clothes as well as food. We can safely presume that every household in Delhi has some old/unused clothes that are unnecessarily occupying their cupboards. They are never going to wear these clothes again. These clothes can make people in need warm. These clothes can save many lives. Many people in Delhi waste a huge quantity of food. University Hostels also do the same. People can be organized to collect the good food to distribute to the hungry and starving people in the street. In this way, it will be an opportunity for the youth to serve the people more or less directly and many lives can also be saved. The government can reward the interns with certain incentives to encourage them. For many people, serving the people might be a reward itself.

The Government can do this by joining hands with NGOs. The collected clothes and food can be handed over to NGOs like Goonj, Uday Foundation, Mother NGO and many other organizations, and these organizations can distribute the clothes and food to the people.

Individual efforts are very limiting. It can be effective when an organization or the Government which has the manpower and resources back individual initiatives and efforts. I personally believe that there are many young people who want to serve the poor and the needy, who want to contribute their bit for a better world for everyone, who are ready to act, given the opportunity.

My friend is a student. I am a student. We could not spend more time. We don’t have a lot of money. All that we did was that we spent three days effectively. In those three days, we could collect a good quantity of clothes. We spent only Rs. 300/- for transport. Yet, we were super happy for what we could do to help homeless people. It may make 20 people warm. Out of hundreds, that’s a very tiny number. However, even if we could make only 2 people warm, we would still do it. The lives of those two counts.

Delhi has a population of more than 16 million and the homeless people account for roughly 50 thousand. Even if one out of hundred people in Delhi contributes one clothe, no people in the city would feel cold, no people in the city would die because of cold.

PS. 1. We got two more small bags of clothes after the photo was taken. 2. We donated the clothes to Mother NGO because the organization is working with the Government of NCT Delhi and sound credible. We earlier contacted Goonj and Uday Foundation through phone calls but we could not reach them.

What Little More Can We Do to Help the Homeless People this Winter! Shared few years back on my Facebook timeline! I feel the relevance and hence sharing with you all (unedited)!

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The Relevance of Mahatma Gandhi and His Ideas

“Non-violence is the first article of my faith. It is the last article of my faith…” – Gandhiji, at a trial court on March 18, 1922 after he was arrested following the calling off of the Non-Cooperation Movement. The apostle of truth and non-violence, one of the greatest upholders of peace and harmony humanity has witnessed, and the leader of India’s freedom movement, Mahatma Gandhi and his ideas…

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The Marxist View of Politics: A Critical Look

“The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles.” Thus begins the Communist Manifesto. Indeed, politics as a mode of class struggle is the hallmark of Marxism. The Communist Manifesto   Marxism is one of the most important ideologies of the modern age. It influenced the entire world politics, and threatened the capitalist philosophies and countries around the…

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#outliers #malcolmgladwell such an exciting and immensely inspiring masterpiece. (at Delhi)

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The Pursuit of a Clean India and Its Enemies

The Pursuit of a Clean India and Its Enemies

“I will not let anyone walk through my mind with their dirty feet.” – Mahatma Gandhi Thanks to honorable Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his ability to spread awareness and reach to large population of the country, the talk of the nation today is about a Clean India. Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India Campaign) has been a game changer at least at our level of consciousness. Initiatives for…

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Freedom as Non-domination: An Appraisal

Freedom as Non-domination: An Appraisal

If you enjoy non-domination, there is a protection for you from any form of arbitrary interference, whereas enjoying non-interference does not provide any such security. In short, freedom as non-domination ensures immunity to arbitrary control. BY HEIGRUJAM PREMKUMAR The concept of freedom occupies a significant position in almost any intellectual discourse concerning human beings whether as…

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The Unity of Indians Lies in the Reviews of Snapchat App

The Unity of Indians Lies in the Reviews of Snapchat App

I was watching this viral video of some personnel of Indian Army being ‘harassed’ by Kashmiri youths. The youths were shouting and asking the personnel to say “Go Back India” repeatedly. It was not definitely a pleasant sight. Then, I watched another video where a Kashmiri youth was being tied in front of an army vehicle apparently to dissuade the ‘stone pelting’ youths from throwing stones…

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If History Can Be Of Any Lesson

If History Can Be Of Any Lesson

The middle of the 8 A. D.

One of the most powerful and flourishing empires in the world in 8 A. D. was that of the Abbasid empire in Arab. It ruled for about 150 years. At its height, it included all the important centres of civilisation in the area- parts of North Africa, Egypt, Syria, Iran and Iraq. And, it was the greatest civilisation of that period.

“The truth will set you free, but first it…

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I am a Manipuri and I am not Ashamed When Irom Sharmila got only 90 Votes

I am a Manipuri and I am not Ashamed When Irom Sharmila got only 90 Votes

I have my reasons.

I have come across many news-reports and comments on social media shaming the people of Manipur for “forgetting” (as they put it) what the Iron Lady of Manipur has done for them. Irom Sharmila has fasted for 16 years demanding the repeal of AFSPA. She has been an icon among many. She is one of the most well-known human rights activists in Manipur. Inspite of her fight for the…

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Every NCERT Book You Should Read For UPSC Civil Services Examination

Every NCERT Book You Should Read For UPSC Civil Services Examination

I am also in the same journey- the UPSC Civil Services Examination. Some of us start little ahead and naturally the new starters in the journey are eager to know what to read, how to read etc. for this examination. We are all full of curiosity. I did the same. I asked my seniors what books to refer and still always want to know that perfect strategy of how to approach each topic in the syllabus.…

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She Shouts, She Fights, She Drives- The Lady E-rickshaw Driver of Burari

She Shouts, She Fights, She Drives- The Lady E-rickshaw Driver of Burari

    She asks you where you are going. The destination does not matter. She will take you to where you name any destination. She has the guts to do things in her own way. And, that’s what inspired me to write this post.

I could not inquire much about her. All that I could know is that she has been driving e-rickshaw on the Burari-GTB Nagar line since last four years. She is about 35 years of age.…

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The Four Types of Writing

The Four Types of Writing

There are four main types or styles of writing. These are expository, persuasive, narrative, and descriptive writings. In the most basic and short description, these four types of writing can be defined as follows:

Expository means writing in which author’s purpose is to inform or explain the subject to the reader.

Persuasive means writing that states the opinion of the writer and attempts…

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One Thing About Travelling in the Delhi Metro is That It's Shitty

One Thing About Travelling in the Delhi Metro is That It’s Shitty

These days, I have been taking long rides using Delhi Metro. The metro rides in Delhi is itself a huge challenge nowadays. Besides being very crowded, the lack of travel etiquettes among fellow travellers makes the situation even worse. The pushing and pulling while boarding the train, and breaking of queues at each point are the norm. Most metro travellers do not respect the feeling of other…

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What are the Childhood Social Indicators?

What are the Childhood Social Indicators?

Picture for representation only. Image: Pixabay

The social-emotional health in the early childhood years has a long term bearing on a person’s personality and well-being.

Some of the important childhood social indicators are discussed below:

Poverty: Poor children are disproportionately exposed to factors that may impair brain development and affect cognitive, social, and emotional functioning.

P…

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yes yes gdhjdgfdfasa