LIFE IS SO ENIGMATIC!!

How dubious can life be? Well you may enumerate to me a 100 incidents where people of young age, pretty healthy and fit succumb to some common incidents that are avoidable or those that occur due to someone's fault. But what if I say I've seen a young, fit person in his mid 20s battling for a rare disease that has affected only a few people - a number so less that you can count them on the finger tips of just one hand. Yes, you read it correct. My friend, my college roommate was the fifth one in the world (according to the doctor) to get this rare disease - "sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis (SEP)". You may search it on the internet to find there's nothing grave about this disease and that my claim of my friend being the fifth one is factually baseless. But what I want to say is that his problem doesn't end but it starts here.

As a result of this SEP, a part of his intestine was affected by gangrene. Doesn't sound grave enough?? Remember Nirbhaya's case? Her intestine got damaged because it became gangrenous after it was contaminated due to the metal rod inserted in her intestine. Got some chills now? Though Nirbhaya's was the worst that can happen to a person. But the condition of my friend is no better because its not just SEP but gangrenous SEP as we may call it. 

What I want to point out here is that how can life be so cruel, so harsh, so rustic to a person so jolly? Just a fortnight ago, I had a chat with him and he was all fine. As usual, we talked about our UPSC preparation, I inquired about the status of work in his office and everything was fine until suddenly he stopped replying to my calls and messages only to know that he has been admitted to a hospital in Bangalore and was in a serious condition after he reported ache in his abdomen. As of now (23 july 2017) he has undergone 3 surgeries within 10 days, with the third one being the most critical - open stomach surgery" and the only one who can save him now is, you know who, GOD!!!

We are so critical about our life, always complaining, always crying. To achieve what we crave for we leave issues like health, family etc on the backseat. To achieve what? - Satisfaction. We tend to remain unhappy with what we have, with what we have achieved and there's always a craving in the heart to get a little more. But do we ever ponder, do we ever think that there's more to life than just achievements, there's more to life than what we want to become.

True, the fault is not ours. The system in which we grow up moulds us to be like that. In a bid to grow "better than the others" what we miss is the moment we live in, the people we spend time with, the memories that would remain to be cherished for a life time. What do we do then? We compete to be "good" then to be "better" and then become the "best". We may become achievers, people will remember us but that remembrance will be temporary, short lived and the next time some other person achieves the same fete, our name will be a forgotten one. Deep down under there will remain a soul so hollow that, time and again it will pinch us for not living the moment.

Thankfully, I had tried to live my college days to the fullest and so I had spent some quality time with my friend the same as he did. His bond with some of the other college mates is so strong that they are spending days and nights putting in relentless efforts with the only hope that their efforts will make a huge difference - and I believe it will. Writing this post teary eyed, I have nothing to say except that there's much more to life than wasting it criticizing people, things around us etc. Experiences teach us much more than books or internet can. And with this incident i've learnt that the only mantra to live a life to the fullest is to be happy, to do better but not to crave for it so much so that you forget enjoying the good moments that make memories for a life time because there are many means to achieve an end. What matters is the means that you choose.

Ending this post with a hope that tomorrow would be better than today for my friend, for me, for you and for everyone. And yes a small request - Please pray for him. Why? Because when medical science fails, prayers heal. Amen.

STAY HAPPY! STAY BLESSED! 

EVMs: Are they tamper-proof?

So, results of the elections to the State Legislative Assembly of five states have been announced. With BJP gaining a landslide victory in the Uttar Pradesh elections in particular, opposition has raised an allegation of  tampering in the EVMs i.e. the Electronic Voting Machine. 

Source: http://www.afternoondc.in

Election Commission of India (ECI) has brushed aside these allegations saying that EVMs are perfectly tamper proof and no concrete way has been demonstrated to tamper it. So, let's look into the arguments of EC and determine whether the allegations are correct or not?

Background: So, EVMs were introduced way back in 1982 in the Kerala assembly elections by amending the Representation of People's Act 1951, since the act allowed for paper ballot voting. These are manufactured by BEL and ECIL.

Allegations had surfaced during the 2017 BMC elections, 2014 General Elections, 2010 Gujarat civic polls and others.

So, how exactly can these machines be tampered according to the allegations?

• First, there have been allegations that BEL and ECIL outsource the manufacturing of the chips used in the EVMs to a foreign firm. There can be a possibility of rigging by the foreign firm.
• Second, Change in the source code of the chip.
• Third, Control by external device.
• Four: Change in the device post election.

Tampering, really? Above allegations may be proved wrong by the following logic:

• The first possibility of tampering with the chip by the foreign firm (listed above) can be detected in the mock poll itself. So, this eliminates the first allegation.
• The Election Commission says that the EVM has been so designed that change in the source code of the chip is not possible. What's written in there once cannot be rewritten until it is burnt.
• The third argument of control by external device also doesn't seem to be a plausible point as EVM is not connected to the internet.
• There have been allegations since long about the transparency of voting through the EVMs and so in 2009 the ECI called those who have been alleging the tamperability of the EVMs and the ECI ordered 100 EVMs from different states randomly. Result: None was able to tamper the EVM.

The Election Commission has the reputation of holding up the ideals of democracy i.e., free and fair elections and given the number of checks performed before the elections and the safe storage of EVMs after the elections, prima facie the elections doesn't seem to have been rigged. But with the growing demand for checking of EVMs, the EC can again stand upto its reputation by conducting tests and coming out clean.

Further, the orders by the Honorable Supreme Court to the Election Commission to implement the VVPAT system in the general elections of 2019 will be a step towards enhancement of transparency of elections.

Next Post: VVPAT system.

[UPDATE]: The photo provided below will help you understand the way EVM works and how alleged tampering may be done.

Source: Times of India

CIVIL SERVICES (MAIN) EXAMINATION 2016 [PART 1]: My experience (2 of 2)

This blog post has been continued from the previous part. You can read the previous blog post here.

[Part 1] Continued....

I thought that sitting for long hours to study with no physical work would prove detrimental for my health. I had started getting fatter. Walking wasn't making much difference. And then came this unfateful day - the day when I decided to start jogging. The day I started running, believing that everything would be alright, the next day I was lying in bed with muscles at the back of my leg tight enough making it difficult for me to even walk properly. My ankle was aching like anything. Unfortunately it was inflammation in tendons again. I had to take rest for another couple of days.

As if this wasn't enough that my luck had some other problem in store for me. At the end of the first week of October as the pollution in Delhi started escalating, I started facing severe pulmonary issues. I could not sit and study for long, not even 1 hour at a stretch. My nose was consistently running and eyes irritating. And amidst all this the thing I was more worried about was my preparation. I tried every ayurvedic and home remedy but in vain. I visited a Doctor but felt no improvement. At the same time I had to fill in the Detailed Application Form which was also taking a good chunk of my time. My efficiency along with my confidence was at an all time low. I know this is nothing in comparison to what can happen to one. But still, it was enough to break you, enough to make you lose faith in you. And now all kind of queer thoughts premised on superstitions started haunting my mind like - first August wasted, then this tendinitis and now this allergy (which would later turn out to be something unexpected) - my luck doesn't want me to reach the interview stage this year. I felt helpless and after almost 20 days of trying and remaining unsuccessful in healing myself, I decided to go home.

I went back home on 26th October and got a check-up done and I was happy that I took this decision partly because just 2 days later the conditions in Delhi started deteriorating and partly because I was diagnosed with Bronchitis which was transiting from acute to chronic & that at home I would get complete care. I returned back to Delhi on 3rd November. The pressure had built up immensely with a lot remaining to be done and only a month in hand. I was broken and couldn't understand what to do. But then I was motivated by my brother who said those magical words to me - "Have confidence in yourself. This 1 month that you apparently wasted was not in your hands. This 1 month cannot decide your future. It is the hard work that you've been putting in since the last 2 years." Now this was a logical enough statement that provided me a push enough to work hard for another month and do the impossible. These words worked like a charm. This along with motivation by a few of my very close friends helped me pump up the momentum.

I framed a strategy and I started working accordingly. I literally pushed myself to the limits. Even I myself never knew that this was the level of dedication and perseverance that I can reach. This is no bragging about myself but to show that when you have right people with you at the right time you can do wonders. And believe me, that was 1 single spark by my brother that helped me do this. I started taking more tests - even two tests a day to simulate the examination condition. The only thing that I had in mind while writing tests was that I had to write with confidence and I applied my mind to the maximum possible I could while writing the tests and it worked wonders. I started scoring well in tests. This went on until November 20th after which I focused only on revision and skipped all other tests that were there in the test series. Next 10 days I revised and revised and revised. Nothing new (except History :P ).

Now, I, just like other aspirants, faced another problem. Any guesses? Yes! The centre I was allocated to write the main examination was quite far from the place I stayed. But then I tried to keep away myself from thinking about this issue and took metro to and fro during all the 5 days (most of the people did this - I met many of them in the metro itself. This was when I thought that everybody else is facing the issue - why to cry over it). But coming back, I wasn't in a very good shape to revise things. Still out of the fear that I had to I did it. Every day I used to say to myself - Just X more days left... Don't ruin your preparation just because you want to end it asap. This went on for 4 days. And, as I was writing the last paper and it was about to end, I was seeing a big sigh of relief approaching me. On December 9, as the clock struck 5 the invigilator ordered - "stop writing", this time instead of me wanting to scribble a little more, I wanted to hand over my answer booklet to the invigilator and was happy that it was ending.....

IN THIS EXCITEMENT OF ENDING THE EXAM, SOMEWHERE I FORGOT THE FACT THAT IT'S UPSC.... THERE'S NO REASON TO BE JOYOUS. THIS ENTHUSIASM MIGHT BE SHORT LIVED.... LET'S SEE.

NEXT:

1. CIVIL SERVICES (MAIN) EXAMINATION 2016 [PART 2]: Result & Surprises
2. What to do & what not to do while preparing for Civil Services (Main) Examination.

CIVIL SERVICES (MAIN) EXAMINATION 2016 [PART 1]: My experience (1 of 2)

So, Finally after a long pause here comes another article. This one's about my experience related to the Civil Services (Main) Examination, 2016. So here it goes...

So, after a strenuous 3 months time, the day came, the day that we'd been preparing for for the last 3 months - 7th August 2016. It was Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination, 2016 and I already had a very debilitating experience of the previous attempt and I did not want to lose it this time. So, with all the faith on my hard work I took the test and "luckily" cleared the first stage of the examination. I felt as if I had accomplished a gargantuan task. But more was to come. A more dreaded stage. You fall here and you reach level zero. If successful there's another stage that can take you back to square one. I don't know how this stage will turn out to be - Positive or Negative, you'll get to know in the second part. But let me share my experience of writing the first main examination of the so called "most prestigious" exams of not just India but apparently the "world".

Ok, so I went back home after prelims to take a break from my preparation for a week or two and returned back to Delhi after celebrating Raksha Bandhan. Though there were many speculations about the cut-off of the preliminary examination and I was on the edge according to some speculated cut-offs still I thought not to stop because you never know what destiny has in store for you. I started preparing for the next stage but fell ill within two days of returning to Delhi and though I tried hard but couldn't study for a week. Alas, when I recovered September had just set in and I became a little nervous about my capability that I already had wasted almost a month. Just 3 more months to go. However, the lesson that I got from this experience was that staying fit was all the more important. So, I went for a walk whenever I felt exhausted after studying or whenever I got time. Though I wanted to go for jogging, I went only for a walk, fearing that the problem of tendon inflammation  (tendinitis) may erupt again. This problem had already bothered me in college and again in 2015.

Things were going on at snail's pace partly due to the uncertainty of clearing the preliminary examination and partly due to the notion of having wasted a month. Pressure was building up. Lots and lots of material piling up, finding a place only in my bucket list. The results of test series weren't very encouraging either. And then came the doomsday - September 16, 2016 when Prelims results were declared. However, the tension ended with a surprising felicity. This boosted my confidence.

I cancelled the tickets that I had booked for visiting home on Diwali and joined a reading room so that I could prepare better. I started to giving myself doses of boost every now and then to achieve maximum output. But this worked only until the first week of October. And then something happened which hindered my preparation once again and this time not for a week but for complete 20 days.

To be Continued....

NEXT:

1. CIVIL SERVICES (MAIN) EXAMINATION 2016 [PART 1]: My experience (2 of 2) 

Khwaishein

Abhi to suraj uga hi tha... ki din dekhne ki khwaish jagne lagi...
Din ki chamak ankhon me kuch yun padi ki hum ye hi bhool baithe...
ki ye din bhi jaldi beet jayega... aur jeevan ka suraj bhi jaldi hi dhal jayega...
aur raat ka andhera mujhse mera saaya chheen le jayega...

Aaj jab din ke prakash sa mai vibhor hun...
aaj apne prakash se jalkar doosron ko roshni dene layak ban baitha hun...
Fir bhi khud ko kuch kam... kuch akela sa paata hun...
shayad iss tez raftar zindagi me uss khwaish ka wajood dhoondna chahta hun...

Meri wo khwaish aaj kahin gumnaam nazar aati hai...
Iss urjit chitt ke navodit prakash me wah khwaish dhoomil maloom padti hai...
Par aaj bhi us khwaish ki yaad mere zakhm hare kar jaati hai...
kyunki zindagi wapas suryoday ka rukh karna chahti hai...

Mai santusht hun... par fir bhi laachaar hun...
Nisha ke andhere se nahi... par apne tej se khud jhulas jane se darta hun...
Uss khwaish ko paane ki koshish ko waqt asafal bana deta hai..

To be continued....

#1: The end of another chapter.

Yes! This is it... the harsh reality of life feels to be harsher.... it is the end... the end of another chapter of life... the end of another episode of life... no re-telecast, no recording, only a vague reminiscence of the past left in mind, only to be cherished for a lifetime. With geographical distances separating the physical beings, our souls are still bound together, tethered to the place where we spent the most beautiful and the most amazing phase of our life. These 4 years have taught us enough and forged our minds with permanent imprints of exquisite memories that will remain green forever.

Its the final day, we've received the receipt of checking out of this phase of 4 years of being together. Its our Convocation, the day of the commemoration of 6 years (4+2) of our hard work. But for me, its the other way round. The other face to the coin is that we are not going to meet again altogether, I know it and that's for sure. But still, the unbound faith of my mind keeps hallucinating me forcing me to realise as if nothing's over, as if its just a usual small break and there's another semester coming. Friends, yes they are bastards but still you can't live without them, and I could well realize it while bidding them adieu when they pacified my sentiments with the same old cliche "Koi na s*%le, tension na le, milte rahenge". Huh... an addition to the hallucination of my mind that towed away the perception of reality I once had.

All these years we had fun, we enjoyed life in every way we could but there was also a darker side to it. Quarrels, fights and some degree of hatred, that is natural to occur in a gathering, only added to the worth of bonding we had with others because it is innate in human nature to realize the actual worth and essence of people in their life when they know that they are not going to meet those people again, not any time sooner atleast. This was discernible this time when we met again after 6 months of staying away when keeping our differences away we had the best gathering ever. This made our lives livelier than ever.

But the spirit is still not pacified, there's something missing! Give me another 4 years and still something would be missing again!

Now that everyone would be back to hell, they'ld have no other option but to move ahead and to carry on the same monotonous schedule.

I know its impossible, but I feel like breaking the shackles of nature travelling back to the same phase, the same place, coveting to be a part of the same environment and the same people. All that I know and have realized is that life has given me so much and no matter whereever I am, whatever I do or whoever I am, life would never be the same again. :(

Expect no reciprocity. This world is selfish!

The world is bonded to you till you fulfill its requirements (greed).

I was born selfish. Yes, I was and if you ponder a little you won't find it strange to realise that every living being is born that way. The struggle to survive in this world is all that makes you selfish right from the point of time you enter into this world. But, this selfishness is justified to some extent owing to its very nature of commensalism in contrast to predation.

This world is an evolving place. Its very dynamic nature triggers the birth of creed in humans to fulfill their greed and it is the same dynamic nature which makes their greed insatiable. May be humans are born with this creed or may be they inculcated it during their genetic evolution. This creed for satiation, per se, is not bad. But again, homo sapiens are gregarious animals. We love to flock together, share our experiences with others, help each other & learn from others' experiences. After all, each person evolves in a different set of situation, in a different tone with different abilities which makes everyone's experience during his lifespan unique & distinct and this is what makes flocking together all the more entertaining & enriching. Thus, it is the timespan of the evolution of an infant into a fully mature human that uncovers a lot before him & makes an individual learn, adapt or cope up with the set of situations he is exposed to and this is where it all starts. This very need to cope up with the adverse situations makes the individual self-centric. His actions are then guided by the motive to ensure his own welfare first. But, welfare at what cost?

It is completely ethical to think about your welfare until and unless it is driven by empathy from your part. Mind my words, I do not mean that one needs to be emotional rather one needs to be rationally emotional. That realization, that sense of pain realised by you that others might go through while you are enjoying your welfare is what we call empathy. Here comes the concept of reciprocity.

To be continued........