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MORAL FIBRE OF THE <\/strong>\u2018YOUTH BULGE<\/strong>\u2019 – \u2018Yehi Samay Hai<\/strong>, Sahi Samay Hai<\/strong>\u2019<\/p>\n Major General Rajiv Edwards<\/strong>, VSM (Retd)<\/strong><\/p>\n The most authoritative demographic dataset, namely the World Population Prospects Report puts India\u2019s existing population at the first position among 195 countries worldwide, at a mammoth 1.45 billion. The country is said to be in the second stage of Bloom and Canning\u2019s \u00a0\u2018demographic dividend\u2019, which is marked by a decrease in birth rate, a gradual increase in the number of old people and a dramatic increase in the workforce. Consequently, today about 68%\u00a0of the population in India falls in the \u2018working age\u2019 group of\u00a015-64, making it one of the youngest countries globally.<\/p>\n India entered the\u00a0demographic dividend opportunitywindow in\u00a02005-06\u00a0and is expected to remain there till\u00a02055-56. By happenstance, this increase coincides with the period of the Amrit Kaal or Kartavya Kaal, the final 25 years to the coveted milestone of \u2018100\u2019 in 2047, when India is touted to transform into a developed nation. \u00a0\u00a0A lot of planning and preparation has been done for this ultimate goal, embellished with catchy slogans like \u2018Panch Pran\u2019, \u2018Char Sthambh\u2019, \u2018Saptarishi\u2019 and so on. All these initiatives are intended to propel India through the Kartavya Kaal to Viksit Bharat@2047.<\/p>\n The French philosopher and father of sociology, Auguste Comte stated that \u2018demography is destiny\u2019. Be that as it may, the trump card of India is its human resource or the \u2018youth bulge\u2019. But, the sheer number of young people in itself is unlikely to be the game changer \u2026.. it is the quality and more importantly the moral fibre of this talent that will determine their actual impact. It is well known that, \u2018ethics and morality are the nectar and essence of human behaviour<\/strong>\u2019. So, while the youth resource is India\u2019s greatest opportunity, it is its greatest challenge as well!<\/p>\n The \u2018working age\u2019 of the dividend encompasses the stage from adolescence to late middle age. However, it is the youth segment of the dividend i.e. adolescence (10-19) and young adulthood period (20-25) that is perhaps the most receptive and impressionable stage. The learning and experience of this \u2018youthful\u2019 phase of life is likely to leave an enduring impact and guide future behaviour and attitudes. Today, every fifth person in India is an adolescent and every third, a young adult. Hence, investing in this segment is the best way to leverage the country\u2019s competitive advantage @ its demographic dividend.<\/p>\n PM Modi has stated that, \u2018our nation is filled with tremendous energy of the youth. Whatever future we desire of, we must keep the youth at the centre<\/u><\/strong>. If we do this, we can surge ahead at an unmatchable pace<\/strong>\u2019. That is indeed a truism, provided, literally speaking, youth are not enthused to drift \u2018off centre\u2019! Ostensibly, in our endeavours to educate and empower the youth, we seem to be skimping on the essentials. The fact as Aristotle pointed out is that, \u2018educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all<\/strong>\u2019, for it can lead to superficiality and moral pluralism. Therefore, the crux of the core is building character <\/strong>in the youth\u2026..the truth beyond the flesh<\/strong>! \u00a0A country is as good as its citizens\u2026their ethos, values and character is reflected in the country\u2019s make up and determine its progress or stagnation. Moreover, moral fibre is not only important to develop skills, values and behaviours needed to navigate life successfully, but also to contribute positively to society.\u00a0 Today, many fault lines, at every level of functioning in the country, may be attributed to a paucity of strength of character.<\/p>\n It is a scientific actuality that human persona is shaped not so much by genetics, but by the environment in which one subsists…..the \u2018nature versus nurture<\/strong>\u2019 debate. Character is contextual. Our genes provide the foundation for certain character traits, however, it is our experiences and interactions within our environment that determine how these traits are expressed and developed. Parental upbringing and teacher influence is the primary source of enduring life ethics, but, it is the community environment i.e. the arena in which the entirety of human experience transpires, which shapes values, behaviour and attitude. Youth absorb and internalize patterns of existence from society, which gradually moulds their psyche and behaviour. As the saying goes, \u2018you are a product of your environment\u2019<\/strong>!<\/p>\n India is well on its way to become the third largest economy in the world by 2030, with a GDP of about $7.3 trillion. Be that as it may, this statistic is not a perfect measure of well being of the vast majority of our countrymen nor does it by itself confer developed economy status. Poverty is not deterministic, but the lack of access to basic necessities including meaningful education, health and employment, can have a significant impact on people\u2019s ethics and morality. As it is said, \u2018an empty belly hears nobody\u2019<\/strong>! The fact is that the eeconomy and societal cum human development must grow contemporaneously!<\/p>\n No society is perfect, because humans are not perfect. In our context, the chronic traditional fault lines of society are exacerbated by \u00a0unscrupulous governance at the grass roots level. Minimum government and maximum governance does not necessarily translate into good governance if proper oversight and accountability mechanisms are missing. Sadly, the moral foundation of the state, more so at the service delivery level, continues to be eroded by misuse of power, corruption, slipshod law and order and overall a scant regard for rules and regulations. The immortal lessons of the epic Indian treatise Arthashastra regarding ethical conduct, are alien to many in authority!\u00a0 We are a consequence of the times in which we live. \u00a0In such a milieu, the youth may simply coalesce to become part of the system and, unlearn the value system imparted by the parents and teachers! \u00a0It would do well to remember that, \u2018plants can\u2019t grow in toxic soil<\/strong>\u2026it is a breeding ground for negativism<\/strong>\u2019!<\/p>\n Role models too play a significant role in developing character\u2026. the most powerful form of educating. There is no dearth of inspirational figures, but by far, the most visible are the politicians. Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar opines that, \u2018the most significant drivers in the marathon march towards Viksit Bharat are the parliamentarians at the state and central level and they must lead by example<\/strong>\u2019.\u00a0 Ironically, what the youth witness today within and outside of the \u2018hallowed halls\u2019 is far from inspiring! It is indeed ironic that those who are mandated to play the key role in developing India\u2019s demographic dividend and take the country to the next level, are \u00a0insipid role models! \u00a0By and large, there is little \u2018imprint of great leadership in every action of members of Parliament<\/strong>\u2019, as late President Abdul Kalam had hoped! \u00a0It is a travesty that, more often than not, off the back of \u2018grudge politics\u2019, there is more spotlight on nickel and dime issues, rather than a serious debate on\u00a0 the value orientation of\u00a0 society and expeditious and exemplary punishment to\u00a0 the perpetrators!<\/p>\n Social media is a big part of daily life of the youth. It has the power to connect, empower and edify the youth. However, it can also breed negativity and addiction. Harnessing the good and mitigating the bad lies in our own choices and behaviours. Nonetheless, media is a critical part of the environment in which the youth are nurtured and nourished and it cannot abrogate its responsibility in the development of a positive and ethical society! It may be too much to expect, but it is important for the media to be responsible and principled in its coverage and presentation.<\/p>\n India\u2019s youth is the most powerful resource for translating the vision of transforming India into a developed nation in 2047! While skills and expertise are undeniably crucial, importance of the value system cannot be over emphasized. In this context, it may not be entirely misplaced to reflect that in the long run (notwithstanding the viability or otherwise of the Agnipath Scheme), the large number of \u2018disciplined rejects (nee Agniveers)\u2019 would hopefully be good role models for the youth and contribute positively to society. Swami Vivekananda, believed that, \u2018a brave, frank, clean hearted, courageous and aspiring youth is the only foundation on which the future nation can be built<\/strong>\u2019. Fostering a\u00a0positive, supportive\u00a0environment\u00a0is most crucial for nurturing good\u00a0character\u00a0and enabling\u00a0individuals\u00a0to reach\u00a0their\u00a0full potential. The demographic dividend is a window of opportunity with a finite life. Hence, as the Prime Minister avers, \u2018yehi samay hai<\/strong>, sahi samay hai<\/strong>\u2019 (this is the time, it is the right time)!!<\/p>\n (Major General Rajiv Edwards<\/strong>, VSM** (retd) is a historical researcher and commentator on societal issues<\/strong>. \u00a0He is apolitical<\/strong>. Views expressed are personal<\/strong>)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" MORAL FIBRE OF THE \u2018YOUTH BULGE\u2019 – \u2018Yehi Samay Hai, Sahi Samay Hai\u2019 Major General Rajiv Edwards, VSM (Retd) The most authoritative demographic dataset, namely the World Population Prospects Report puts India\u2019s existing population at the first position among 195 countries worldwide, at a mammoth 1.45 billion. The country is said to be in the …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":33119,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-33118","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ferozepuronline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33118","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ferozepuronline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ferozepuronline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ferozepuronline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ferozepuronline.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=33118"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ferozepuronline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33118\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ferozepuronline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/33119"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ferozepuronline.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=33118"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ferozepuronline.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=33118"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ferozepuronline.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=33118"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}