Friday, February 25, 2011

Is this the new value system?

I'd a wonderful interaction with Mr. Jagan Mohan Rao, the Manager of a branch of the Syndicate Bank in town where I'd gone to open a new account. I'd wanted to know as to how he viewed his job because once upon a time, a banking job was considered to be a comfortable and cushy job and hence preferred to by youngsters, while choosing a profession! It's no more so, what with the public - often incited by the wily politicians for their personal ends - targetting the bank officials for not providing educational loans resulting in a couple of suicides, committed by students, in the state.

While accepting the fact that the procedure for getting a bank loan is tedious and difficult, the Manager had the following observations:-
(a) The stringent measures have been put in place only to ensure loan repayment capability of the customer.
(b) The history of loan repayments, in general, paints a grim picture. For example, in case of an educational loan, the parents enthusiastically support their children's cases in the fond hope that they'd repay it on finding suitable employment consequent to completion of their education. But paradoxically, many of the children refuse to fulfill this part of the 'unwritten' agreement saying that it's their parents' responsibility and refuse to give their subsequent addresses. The banks are left with no other alternative but to retrieve the loans from the hapless parents!
(c) Lately, there's another game of taking up an insurance policy almost concurrently with the application for loan, in the fond hope that one would sort out the other, in case of a difficult situation and that makes matters more complicated.

Though Mr. Rao and the banks have their point of view, what amazes me is the manner in which the parents of today encourage their children to pursue avenues, which are often, much beyond their reach. I remember my parents who'd insisted that I'd to do well in studies to pursue my dreams of taking on a professional career of my choice as they'd no money to give away as capitation fees/donations or to grease anyone's palms. They'd also made it very clear that they'd not use their influence for securing me something that I wasn't deserving! And frankly, I've no ill feelings on that score because :-
(a) My parents did not have to lose face or get into difficult situations on account of their children.
(b) I and my two sisters could pursue our dreams as our educational performances were good.

I'm of the opinion that the parents are to blame for giving false perceptions and hopes to their children. The children need to be brought up with the best of values and the emphasis should be to make them good human beings that would eventually make them do well in life!

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