Fiber Optic and IT infrastructure
By M. Fatteh

India and Gujarat in particular, being very strong in Science and Engineering potential, needs to speed up (WITHOUT BEUROCRACY and RACIAL or RELIGIOUS BIAS) in setting up the strongly required educational and physical infrastructure at a clip faster than neighboring countries like CHINA and THE FAR EAST, to be able to survive and forge ahead in this game of new era of information technology. There is no time left to waste any more if India wants to survive through this millennium. Every time I talk to my relatives in India, I feel so sad to recognise that the 5 to 40 year olds have no Idea who Bill Gates or IBM is, let alone what a computer can do for them. I recommend the following steps to combat this problem:

EDUCATION EDUCATION EDUCATION at all levels and branches of society.

It is a no-brainer to see that it is human nature not to meet the standards that are NOT set in the first place. Therefore, those concerned about the development of Gujarat and India as a whole, must draw up a comprehensive constitution of highest of standards and strive hard to have the society as a whole meet them. Any attempts to neglect any part of the human resource development will lead to a faster and faster brain drain or brain power loss, as (due to the speed at which the IT technology develops) the divergence between it and the education level of the Gujaratis will increase faster and faster.

1. Setup an unbiased, honest, responsible and independent IT education infrastructure development body (ITEID) to perform the following tasks.
2. Drastically, increase the direct and unhindered interaction between the schools and the Industries with strong research and development programs to promote a sense of connectivity for the students. This is a very important and absolutely necessary step as we all know that after graduation, it is very hard to develop uncorrupted contacts with the employers and also hard for the employers to know who are the eligible candidates they seek. This is the only way to attract jobs from other countries to India and Gujarat. Believe me the word will spread, if these things are put in place. Above all, India cannot afford not to do so. This is the best way to attract and lead the neighbouring countries and protect the borders of India as well.
3. Make sure the teachers regularly learn and pass the required tests given by an ITEID and other independent responsible and non-corrupt testing services, to keep their teaching licenses. This can be achieved by having quarterly regional conferences for teachers and students in the related education categories to make them feel a belonging in a larger family of educators and learners.
4. Regularly, randomly and spontaneously test the students at all primary, secondary and advanced levels to make sure that they meet the IT and other related knowledge criteria. This will keep teachers in line and constantly learning new subjects.
5. Elect highly technically educated people into government offices to develop the vision of the future who are not squeamish about being pro-world. These are not the times to be the ostriches in the sand or narrow-minded as the world is changing rapidly toward being informationally and technologically speaking, borderless. Divisions among the groups within are no different from the "DIVIDE AND CONCUR" policies of the Europeans of the past.
6. Install only the latest _DSL and equivalent technology, thereby preventing a repeated waste of resources otherwise squandered in upgrades and corruption.
7. Replace all of the degrading entertainment programming with educational programs for TV, radio, entertainment, newspaper and magazine industries related to IT and other hitech (including biotech and healthcare) knowledge base. These programs may include demonstrations of methods of use and applicability of products for productivity enhancement. Also make available these products at affordable prices through bidding contracts with the Manufacturing and related companies and have them run projects in all the villages and towns to educate the people under the auspices of the ITEID or related body.

When I was growing up in India, I felt as if everything was invented that a human could possibly need or want. I had no concept of thinking beyond what already existed around me. But when I left India, my eyes saw the kind of things I never imagined and suddenly realised, how much more was invented that I did not know about. Let me emphasize that I am not talking ONLY about material things. I am talking about what a human brain is capable of inventing by understanding the rules of science and math and nature as well. Today, I feel like there is no limit to what the brain can come up with, if is given the healthy environment to do so. In India, there is a tremendous lack of such an environment. I love to see India become a leader in technologies of the future, because I know India has the brains for it. It only lacks the will to throw open the floodgates of resources to the Indians, that citizen of the developed countries take for granted.

ONLY SEEING IS BELIEVING AND BELIEVING IS TRUSTING. NO TRUST, NO PROGRESS.

Make the Indians trust in the future by giving them the government and the education they can trust. Teach Indians how to love instead of hate. Hate makes a person ultimately give up trying and the rot spreads wider leading to the degradation of the country.

Best of wishes for my fellow Indians.

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