A TRYST WITH THE SBI ASSOCIATES PROBATIONARY OFFICER(PO) INTERVIEW

I had to report to the SBI learning centre,  Nungambakkam, Chennai at 11 pm on 25-02-2015.In my group,there were 14 candidates out of which 2 were absent. The first step was that of document verification. They would leave no stone unturned to examine the authenticity of your documents.I heard one of the verifying panel members stating that he had caught one of the candidates who had produced fraudulent graduation certificate.

Soon after the verification process got completed ,we were provided with lunch coupons. There were only greens(and not bones) in the luncheon. I didn’t want to attend the GD and interview caressing my tummy, and so I deliberately opted for a light breakfast-type lunch.I then headed towards the lounge where everyone had to wait for the next bigger step-GROUP DISCUSSION(GD).

At 2 pm, a middle-aged man with a visible moustache took us to the GD hall. I was very much impressed(and also slightly nervous) as I made my way into the well furnished room with a name plate placed in front of our seats(plus a mini water-bottle,a pad and a pen on the horse-shoe shaped conference table).Fifteen minutes passed by, and the panel members made a grand entry.The Chairman apprised us of the rules and regulations and he gave us the topic-IS MORAL POLICING WARRANTED IN INDIA?

I made up my mind to speak at the second or third turn in the discussion.But somehow, I managed to grab my turn at fifth position in a race where everyone was waiting to be heard.I raised  the following points arguing why I was against the moral policing-subversion of the right to life and personal liberty,mis-interpretation and twisting of existing laws,tolerance as a cherished principle of India’s rich diversity and so forth.Thereafter,a general discussion took place where everyone was free to air his/her views or contradict the other’s opinion.

The GD lasted for about 40 minutes.Then,we were asked to assemble in a separate room and wait for our turns for Personal Interview.I was allotted the serial no.1 which meant that I would be the first among others to be massacred in the interview.One gentleman took me to the interview hall.’May I come in,sirs?’.’Please,come in’.There were five members in the interview panel,including a graceful lady member.The Chairman was at the centre of the sofa,while two each were on his either side.Let me address the chairman as M1,the lady member as M2,and the other three members as M3,M4 and M5.

Me:Good afternoon to you,Sirs.Good afternoon,Mam.

M1:Good afternoon Durga.Please take your seat.

Me:Thank you,Sir.

M1:What brought you to Chennai?A faraway place from your hometown in Assam!

Me:Sir,I came to Chennai to pursue graduation.

M1:(Looking at the Biodata form)So,you did your graduation from AeSI.I have never heard of AeSI.What is AeSI?

Me:AeSI stands for Aeronautical Society of India.AeSI is a professional body imparting knowledge of aeronautical and aerospace sciences.

M2:I see,AeSI is similar to AMIE and IETE.

Me:Yes mam,you are right.

M1:Durga,why banking after Aeronautical Engineering?

Me:I have decided to go for banking partly as a matter of choice and partly due to compulsion. Compulsion due to the fact that there are limited stable career opportunities in the field of aeronautics in India.Choice,because,as a person from engineering background, I have the analytical skills,problem solving and innovative mind that would benefit the banking industry.(The chairman might have thought-Pakka isne ratta maarke aaya hoga-surely he has memorized the answer for the interview).

M1:But you could have gone to foreign countries for employment in Boeing,Airbus etc?

Me:Sir,I am not cut out for engineering.I had joined engineering due to parental pressure.

M1:That means,you have realized this thing quite late.

Me:Yes Sir.

(M1 passes the baton to other members)

M2:What are your views about performance of Indian banks in general?

Me:Banks in India are robust in nature.It is evident from the fact that Indian banks had withstood the global financial crisis in 2008.

M1 interrupts here asking me promptly about what had caused the financial crisis in 2008.I was totally caught unaware by this question. I tried to answer him by saying that the banking business in western countries like USA got bankrupt.(The chairman seems to be unsatisfied with my answer.Above all,I gave a hesitating reply).

M1:Why did the banks could not perform?

Me:Sir,the banks could not recover the money that they had lent to its clients.

M1:Why is it so?Tell me clearly?

Me:I do not know the proper answer,Sir.

M3:What are the recommendations of fourteenth finance commission?

Me:The finance commission chaired by Y.V.Reddy recommended an increase in the devolution of fund to the states which is  42 percent of the net tax receipts.Though the statutory grant has been increased,but there will probably be a reduction in the discretionary grants.

M3:What are the other recommendations of the fourteenth finance commission?

Me:Sorry Sir, I do not know.

M4:Mr.Durga,in the GD, you had mentioned about Perumal Murugan.What was the controversy associated with it?

Me:Perumal Murugan authored a book which did not go down well with the right wing fringe groups.

M4:Why is it so?

Me:It was controversial because the right-wing fringe groups alleged that the book had certain objectionable content which was against the cultural traditions of India(The member nodded his head).

M1:What do you know about Article 21 of Indian constitution?(I had raised this point during the GD)

Me:The article 21 of the constitution guarantees right to life and personal liberty.

M1:Do you know Indian constitution in detail?

Me:Sir, I have read the important articles of  Indian constitution.

M4:In what context did you read the Indian constitution?

Me:Sir, I read the Indian constitution while I was preparing for the Civil Services Preliminary examination.

M4:(turning the pages of my biodata form)You have written that you were disqualified in the UPSC Prelims.Were you disqualified or failed?Do you know the distinction between disqualification and failure?

(I realized that I had misunderstood the difference between disqualification and failure.I was silent)

M1:You should have mentioned ‘Failed’ instead of ‘Disqualification’.You have failed in UPSC prelims,not disqualified.

Me:Thank you Sirs for your insight.

M1:What other subjects did you study for UPSC?

Me:I have studied economics,history,science and geography.

M1:Intersting.Will you be able to answer me if I ask you about Geography?

Me:Yes Sir.I think I would be able to provide you a satisfactory answer(M1 smiled at my answer while looking at the other panel members).

M1:The Indo-Gangetic plains has huge potential for irrigation.Yet,why is it that farmers are not well-off there?

Me:(I paused for a moment)The farmers in India mostly have fragmented lands,which is not suitable for cultivation on a wider scale.Intensive farming and irrigation is quite difficult in small landholdings.

M1:Assam is infamous for flood.What is the main reason?

Me:Assam is a low-lying area.The geographical setting of the region is primarily responsible for floods.The Brahmaputra river causes recurrent floods in the region,when it overflows its beds.

M1:But it should be beneficial as Brahmaputra deposits silt and makes the land fertile.People should be happy.Shouln’t they?

Me:Sir,I would like to differ from you.The extent of flood damage is catastrophic though it bring silt deposits with it.Moreover,the river changes its course frequently.Therefore it is difficult to determine where the silts would be deposited.

M2:Why are the NPAs of the bank increasing?

Me:Dr.Raghuram Rajan recently said in a press conference that the NPAs in India are not alarming.Yet,NPAs affect the operational and management efficiency of the bank.There are basically two reasons for the growing NPAs.First,the misgovernance part.While the SEBI guidelines stipulate a minimum 50 percent of independent directors in the governing board,the public sector banks(PSBs) in India do not follow the required norms.Consequently.there is political interference in the functioning of banks.Second,the PSBs do not have a strong follow-up and credit recovery mechanisms which results in higher NPAs.For example,tractor loans.

M1:Are you sure that PSBs do not have credible follow-up mechanisms.Who told you about this?

Me:Sir,I read it in newspapers(M1 laughs).

M1:Your interview is over.

Me:Thank you Sirs.

(I then went towards the exit.The panel member M5 did not ask any questions.He was keenly observing my body language from the start of the interview.While I pulled the exit door,my eyes fell on him,who was still observing me.Overall,the panel members were very cordial and friendly.The interview lasted for about 20 minutes.As I came out of the room,the document verifying members smiled and asked me how my interview was.I said it was good.It was a memorable interview)

SHAYRI

"ZINDAGI USKI JISS KI MOUT PE ZAMAANA AFSOS KAREY,GHALIB,
YUNN TO HAR SHAKS AATA HAI ISS DUNIA MAI MARNEY KE LIYE"
  Life is of those on whose death the world regrets  Ghalib;
As every person takes birth in this world to die someday!                                                                                                                                                - MIRZA GHALIB
                                                                             

Aero-India 2015-Will it be a game changer?

The forthcoming event 'Aero-India 2015 is poised to be the 10th international show showcasing wide range of defence and civilian aircraft.This time,however,the focal theme of the event stresses on 'MAKE IN INDIA' in aerospace,defence,civil aviation,airport infrastructure and defence engineering.

India imports a staggering 60 percent of defence goods from foreign countries.The prominent suppliers include USA,Israel,France and Russia. The 'defence diplomacy' has therefore become a buzzword in India's foreign policy imperatives,with several countries eyeing India as a significant export destination,This is,however,a disturbing trend for India's long term national interests.It contributes to India's widening Current Account Deficit(CAD) due to enormous defence imports and raises our defence budget to disproportionate levels.Moreover,it could impact our security interests in an age where cyber-related crimes and technological sophistication have reached new heights.

The previous events have failed to boost our indigenous capabilities and infrastructure.India has a weak defence industrial base unit.Moreover,India do not have a well trained man-power and human capital catering to our defence needs.It is ironical that a major chunk of the defence budget is spent on salaries and capital acquisitions from foreign countries thus leaving less manoeuvering space for Research and Development(R&D) expenditure.The powerful countries like USA,Russia as well as militarily resurgent China owes much of their defence modernisation to Research and Development,which is not the case with India.

Thus,it is expected that Aero-India 2015 would be a game-changer in promoting self reliance and indigenisation in our defence capabilities.India needs a suitable platform that would incentivise the private sector,both foreign and domestic players,in making joint efforts with the defence PSUs in the area of defence manufacturing.As of today,the government has included 'offset policy' as an integral part of defence procurement policy which mandates compulsory indigenisation in certain sectors.The Defence Procurement Policy mentions 'buy Indian' and 'buy and make Indian' as a cherished objective.Moreover,the licensing norms and procedures in relation to producing defence goods and its spare parts have been streamlined.The government is committed to providing various tax incentives,export incentives and area-based incentives to the participating private entities.

Yet,we do need systemic changes in the form of strengthening our defence industrial base and providing a level playing field for the public sector,private sector and joint ventures.There is a need of a strong industry-academicia linkage so that adequate skills are imparted to the students and employees.The sectoral spending of Research and Development as a percentage of overall defence budget needs to be increased to boost our research capabilities.It would be grossly unwise on India's part to do away with necessary imports altogether.But,India should go for phased reduction in the import of defence goods,while simultaneously augmenting our indigenous capabilities.

An Urdu Sher

"Bane hai asal-e-hawas muddai bhi, munsif bhi,Kisse valeel karein, kisse munsifi chahein"
(When selfish people are both petitioners and judges,
Whom should I make my lawyer,
From whom should I seek justice?)

This beautiful sher of Faiz Ahmed Faiz caught my attention recently.Faiz Ahmed Faiz was a renowned Urdu poet of twentieth century.The sher is a satirical attack on the bastions of power and privilege in a judiciary.
Similarly,I am reminded of an excerpt from Shilapatikarram,a Tamil epic written about 2000 years ago."If people who are in a position of power and responsibility go against righteousness, righteousness itself will be turned into a destroyer."The eminent missile man of India,Dr.A.P.J. Abdul Kalam has mentioned these beautiful lines in his book "Governance and Growth".

India too needs upright and honest persons at the powerful positions.This includes politicians,bureaucrats,academicians,business-professionals and so forth.Power comes with responsibility.If prominent people remain honest in their professions,it will set a good precedent in ensuring good governance.Hence,people at the lower rung too would be motivated to value probity in private and public life.

My views on AIB

Recently, much hue and cry was raised on the All India bakchod(AIB)-an ‘insult comedy’ show which went viral on the internet. A section of the star celebrities came out in support of the show citing the need to express one’s opinion freely. On the other hand, there were sharp criticisms against the show, including voices from within the film fraternity. So the moot point is: Where is the red line drawn?

There is no denying that as the civilization progresses from barbarism to intellectualism, freedom of expression and tolerance become the driving force in the transitional phase. Satire and humour becomes a potent tool of journalism with entertainment an embedded component in it. However, the underlying principle of satirical attack on others should be to bring about a positive change in the individual in particular ,and society in general. The AIB show was a ‘insult comedy’ without a sense of purpose focusing on trivial issues like sexual orientation and below-the-belt remarks.

In India, the film actors and the cricketers are treated as demi-gods. That said, the youngsters look up to the celebrities as their ‘style-icon’ and in many cases, as role models. Therefore, when these celebrities resort to vulgarity and obscenity as a medium of unconditional satire, it amounts to betrayal of the public trust reposed on them. Satire should be premised on not just liberty, but fraternity and equality.

Therefore, a culture that includes the freedom to offend others also needs to understand others. The challenge therefore is to strike a fine balance between freedom of expression and respecting the collective sensibilities. There is an old adage that mentions “Your liberty ends, where my nose begins”.Therefore,freedom of expression is not an absolute right. Creativity comes with responsibility. Satire should take on the bastions of privilege and arrogance, not on soft targets based on skin colour, sexual orientation or mocking religious heads in derogatory manner.

Decoding the AAP rise

The spectacular win registered by Aam Aadmi Party(AAP),even outdoing the modest exit poll predictions, is surely, in my view, a victory of democracy. The overwhelming support for the party reminds me of a notable French thinker, Rousseau, who had put forth the secular ‘social contract theory’ during the French revolution of 1789.Rousseau said that the ultimate power or sovereignty lies with the people and all the state authorities are mere servants of the people.

I would rate the AAP victory as incredibly revolutionary for various reasons. First, the entry of AAP in the arena of politics has redefined politics. That said, for the last few decades, the conventional politics in India was regarded as a monopoly of the rich, powerful and the elite assuming the political power on behalf of the citizens. Now, the AAP win clearly states that even a person with humble origins in terms of wealth and charisma can contest elections and emerge victorious. It is all about a lot of hard work and reaching out to the public with benevolent intentions.

Second, as the voting patterns revealed,the AAP gained considerable support from the youth.Therefore,the youth taking active interest in politics is a welcome development for our democracy.Today,the social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter are flooded with comments pertaining to politics from the younger generations. The youth have become an active agent of change voicing support for those parties and candidates practising clean politics and delivering results.There is a possibility of a new politics today.

Third,the people have become increasingly conscious of the issues that affect them.The citizens crave for a politics that is participatory,citizen-centric and development oriented.Good governance has become a key factor in modern politics.The people in Delhi have voted against corruption and a VIP-culture that was prevalent in the previous regimes.

Thus, it appears that the Indian democracy is deepening as well as maturing in terms of electoral preferences.I want to emphasise that a pursuit of power is different from the passion for politics.One is an act of self-aggrandisement, the second a creative search for the public good.The AAP victory is therefore a significant development in the history of Indian politics.

Famous Quotes 4

Patriotism,to me,is about wiping the tears from every eye,about providing individuals the level playing field,where he or she can excel to the best of his or her capabilities and develop critical faculty.-Mahatma Gandhi

The world together has got together as a body.If we can have a United Nations Organisation,can't we have a United Religions Organisation?-Dr.S.Radhakrishnan

Constant development is the law of life,and a man who always tries to maintain his dogmas in order to appear consistent drives himself to false position.-Mahatma Gandhi

The free thinking of one age is the common sense of the next.-Mathew Arnold

One person with a belief is equal to a force of ninety-nine who have only interests-John Staurt Mill

Tolerance gives us spiritual insight which is as far from fanaticism as the North pole from the South pole.-Mahatma Gandhi

Science without religion is lame,religion without science is blind-Albert Einstein

Belief in one God is the cornerstone of all religions.But I do not foresee a time when there would be only one religion on earth in practice.In theory,since there is only one God,there is one religion.-Mahatma Gandhi

Courage is resistance to fear,mastery of fear,not absence of fear-Mark Twain

One of the tests of leadership is the ability to recognise a problem before it becomes an emergency-Arnold Glasgow

The highest possible stage in moral culture is when we recognise that we ought to control our thoughts-Charles Darwin

If we could have electricity in every village home,I should not mind villagers plying their implements and tools with the help of electricity.But then the village communities or the state would own power houses,just as they have their grazing pastures.-Mahatma Gandhi

Originality does not consist in saying what no one has ever said before,but in saying exactly what you think yourself-J.Stephen

The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago.The second best time is now.-A chinese proverb.

We cannot go back to the past and create a brand new start.But we can always start now and create a brand new end.

In a relationship,flow like a current in a water.In a principle,stand like a rock.

The plight of North-Easterners in India

The instances of discrimination, humiliation or harassment against the people from North-east region are increasingly making headlines in mainstream media.The racial discrimination is rampant in the National Capital Region(NCR) but also in other cities like Bangalore and Chennai.Racism is generally perceived as a social malaise that is prevalent in western societies.But,the increasing racial attacks against people from North-east in metro cities or against a south-Indian in northern heartland drives home the fact that India faces the scourge of racism in her own land.This is entirely against the vision of Mahatma Gandhi,who was stringently vocal against racial prejudices of all sorts across the world.

The statistics rather reveal a saddening picture. A survey has indicated that over 2 lakhs of people from North-East region migrated to Delhi during 2005-2013.Out of them about 86 percent have faced some sort of racial discrimination in metropolitan cities across the country. Two-thirds of women have confronted discrimination or harassment in the national capital.

What are the causes of racial attacks against the people from North-East India? The people from the region come to the metropolitan cities in search of employment opportunities. They are employed primarily in lower-paid establishments, where the employers do seek candidates having proficiency in English.This creates a sense of insecurity among the local unemployed youths who then resort to discriminating their counterparts on the basis of racial outlook.

Moreover,the people from the North-east reside in affordable lower-middle class areas in metro-cities.The conservative people, house-owners and shopkeepers look down upon them with suspicion tagging them as ‘bad people. The difference in language and dressing sense make the local people believe that they are barbaric and belong to stone-age.

There is a need to check such instances of racism in our country. In view of the rising incidents against the North-Easterners, the government had appointed a committee under the chairmanship of MP Bezbaruah to look into the issue in detail. The committee has recommended amending Indian Penal Code(IPC) to make ‘racial discrimination’ an offence. Moreover it has suggested setting up of special police units and fast-track courts so as to dispose off the cases expeditiously.

However, legal measures are necessary but not a sufficient condition for tackling such instances of racial bigotry. Change,for good,has to come from the deeper roots of human psychie. That said,people should start recognising differences and become tolerant.Recognition of differences  is vital to keep India unified and intact,especially in a nation where diversity is its fundamental civilizational nature.A good way to start would be to upgrade the educational curriculum in state-level schools and NCERTs.A detailed study about ‘North-East ethoes’ in Ncert text-books is necessary which will readily imbibe tolerance towards diversity in school-going children. Nelson Mandela had aptly expressed “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”