Polls progress: The final phase of campaigning will end in 4 days. MLC elections for a graduates’ seat will be held in Telangana tomorrow. We are getting ready to absorb the final mandate on 4 June, and its repercussions on our future. What changes come with the new regime in the next 5 years is the big question. India’s current reality – 1.44 Billion Indians with a 3.7 Trillion USD Economy. 40% urban. The majority are younger than 25 years. Per capita income is about Rs. 2 lakh/year. 80% literacy. Life expectancy is 70 years. IMR 2.8%. The official unemployment rate is 10%. Underemployed 50%+. Poverty official 10%. Vulnerable proportion 50%+.
Can we move towards ‘results’, rather than inputs/activities? Can we move to change systems and processes for meta-fishing, fishing, rather than fish alone? We are just 3 Crore public employees – 2 per 100 people. Can we move to 5 per 100 in the next 20 years? Can we decentralize more – 50-60 states@1 state/2-3 Crore people, 1000-1500 districts@1 district/10 lakh people, 10000-15000 blocks/mandals@1 block/50,000 people, GPs@1 GP/2000 people? Can we increase accountability of the Government on the ground? Can we transfer rights, and responsibilities to local governments? Can we have directly recruited governance teams? Can we let the team leaders recruit, and choose their competent efficient management teams? Can we have more education-literacy, digital, AI volunteers? Food, nutrition, health, care volunteers?
AI tools are available to tell us whether we have taken text from AI. There are AI tools to humanize the text so taken so that it cannot be detected whether we have taken from AI. AI tools are coming up to say whether we have humanized the text. A cat and mouse of AI tools? Off-beat use of AI is fine. Pilots are fine. The real test is using it on a scale. AI could be transformational. It could come in handy even in orthodox natural farming, extension, communitization, value-addition, consumption, nutrition, health, enterprises, value-chains, fair share, eco-credits et al. We need to invest in it. Can we?
Raising funds, and resources for social impact work, and work that matters to society, is not easy. It requires special efforts. Being strategic helps. The minimal scale helps. Networking helps. Promise, evidence of change helps. Can we raise resources – ideas, people, funds, and architecture?
Let us invest in unlearning-learning; mastering something useful; listening-articulating; easy living; living passionately; power of vulnerability, power of not knowing, power of introvert; achieving ambitious goals; perseverance; becoming a master, creative genius; body language in sync with articulation; better work, and happy life. There are TED talks on these that help. We can then start practicing. Can we invest time, energy, and practice?
Can we prepare the nextgen for the future? Can we equip them with the necessary knowledge, skills, tools, and resources for the same? To cope with and steer ahead in a rapidly changing volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous VUCA world. Can we simulate the future to see trends, and patterns, and experience future possibilities? Can we care to move from degrees and resumes to behavioural competencies, skills, and acquaintance with tools? Can we offer experiential learning and real-world engagement? Can we offer the ability to acquire adaptable skills that can be used across different fields and industries? One estimate is that 65% of primary school students may do jobs that do not yet exist. They may look like – AI ethicists, climate change workers, natural farming facilitators, etc. Most of us work in jobs not directly linked to our degrees already. Many of the successful moved away from formal education-career paths. Let us remember we are an enterprise, entrepreneur, and self-employed country. We remain so. Can we?
Yes, we can if we coexist. Across ages. In N? In lokyoga for 7L.
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