Corruption and Youth Culture today in India

Since ancient times, the development in all spheres of life has been possible because of man's curiosity and eagerness to learn. This resulted in inducement towards knowledge, and also, man became concious of his duty to impart this knowledge to the coming generations. That is why, for directing, guiding and reshaping the innate potentials in an individual for the process of growth of society and exploring what is within, education came into existence. Education a system on one hand and process on the other, is for life and not only for livelihood. Education is fundamental to idealism and the human mind generates experiences in the process and leads the mind to greater maturity and perfection. It stresses or burnout on the dignity of human personality.

We are about to enter a new era. India has passed through a critical period with many ups and downs. There is no denying the fact that India has made remarkable progress in the sphere of education. Yet we have a long way to go, standard of education of the country is not at par with the expected and laid down norms. It is mostly sterotyped, with less emphasis on understanding and comprehension of students, and lack of infrastructure like efficient teaching staff, building, equipments, library are some of the factores leading to falling standard of Education.
Today's education system is emphasizing more on gaining good marks, Good jobs, lteracy and subjective knowledge. Education has become more of a theoretical process where ethics, manners, values, behaviours, cultures, corruptions, globalization etc are ignored to a greater extent. In other words, it has restricted itself to classrooms, and has intensified the commercialization of education leaving fundamental solution of various issues related to life. It is hoped that the educational practice during 21st century would be in the proper line if the follwing means have been adopted:
1. Youth culture today.
2. Corruption in any form must be severely dealt with.
Youth: a symbol of enthusiasm, vigour and power. Youths have always revolutionized the world. Youths are the biggest assets and backbone of any nation building.
In India, the era of social reforms that started during the 2nd half of 19th century was marketed by the efficient leadership of the youth. Raja Ram Mohan Rai, the father of Indian renaissance, faught against the social and religious evils that prevailed in the society at that time.
Swami Vivekananda recognized the potential of Indian youth and he asked the young men of Indian to be fearless and work for the glory of the country. Today the youths have become selfish, concerned with themselves and do not have any respect for the ideas which were follwed by our forefathers. It seems that the Indians have become the slaves of a borrowed culture. If the Indian youth really want the peace of mind they will have to come out of this slavery.
Today youths have become the puppets in the hands of mean politician. Politicians engage them in anti-nation and anti-social activities in the name of politics. This type of politics has produced characterless, corrupted and criminal politicians. Today the youths are caught in the web of illusions. Every time we find them over-ambitious and confused. They try to embrace more than they can hold and strive more than can quit, today they are on the cross-road an do not know in which direction they should go. Gossiping and going to movies has become their favourite activity. Most of the youths today are not ready to face the reality and try to avoid the challanges the life. What has gone wrong ? Should we keep the blaming youth for each and every fault? Youths are not responsible for this. To identify and analyze their problems, first of all we have to see that the degree of social control has significantly reduced in modern times. In the past there used to be a system of joint families and the youth had respect for their elders which ensured effective social control. But now a days the trend of nuclear families is increasing, wherein the parents have no time for their children, as in most cases both parents are employed. Parent think that by satisfying the monetary needs of children, their resposibility is transferred to the educational institutions. But it is the bitter fact that teachers do not show any concern towards the youth. In the past teaching was considered as sacred profession and teachers were considered to be the builders of nation. But today the whole scenerio has changed. Teachers have forgotten their responsibilities. Today they adopt teaching profession just to make money. Not only teachers and parents but also the government policies are responsible for frustration among the youth. In India, educated is not job oriened. The number of educational unemployed has considerably inceased during the last decade. We can sum up by quoting the words of Ruskin Bond " Considered what heavy responsibilities lies upon you in your youth, to determine among realities. By what you will be delighted and among imagination, by whose you will be led."
 Corruption: Moreover, corruption and nepotism in public life further adds to their anger. They stand in a revold against the whole system and some of them enter the world of crimes. In this way their energy could be channelized in building of a strong nation, becomes the reason of this restruction. It is shocking to note that a recent study revealed that most Indians feel that the system is beyond repair. The time has come to deal with the great seriousness deserves.
Corruption means perverson of morality, integrity, character or duty out of mercenary motives with regard to honour, right or justice. this deep rooted menace in Indian society has socked into every sphere of life. Even Kautilya remarked in Artha-shastra," Just as it is impossible not to state honey or poison when it is at the tip of tongue, so it is impossible for government not to eat up a bit of revenue. And just as it can't be found whether a fish swimming through water drinks or not so also Govt.-servants can't be found out while taking money for themselves.

In India, corruptionhas quantum-jumped and today the pervasive pathology of pollution in public life spares no department of governance. In the spheres of economic, social and cultural activities, the threatening infilteration of vices has shaken the creditability of our democratic regime, social order and constitutional instrumentations.
The suffering of the common man has no bounds. An ordinary manhas to bribe to live in the society. From getting admission, to getting jobs, from getting licences, to getting death and birth certificates, common man has to suffer every time. The gravity of the problem can be adjust from the fact that one has to bribe for certifying a legal thing as right. The fact of paying for getting a wrong thing as right is at least, somewhat, understandable. The standard of morality has so fallen in the society that the corrupt ones have no sympathy for the ever suffering masses.
Corruption is a multifaceted problem and and requires a multipronged strategy can't be found to take it. India having a dubious distinction of being among the ten most corrupt nations of the world, should start by providing a comprehensive electoral reforms. Greater accountability of political parties through strict cheque up of their accounts, moral upgradation and awarness among the voters, strict punishment for violation, can prove milestones in this direction.
Judicial activism in the recent years has been trying to curb this menace. But the loopholes in the legal system render the judicial initiative futile. Moreover, section 164 of Indian Panel Code(IPC); whoseover, being a public servants abets the offence, as defined under section 162 &163, shall be punishable with imprisonment which may extend upto three years, or with fine or with both. At present, it looks like a mochery of law because such a meagre punishment and that too after such a long ordial process of law, is unable to deter this greatest social maladay. The authority is in the hands of parliament i.e. political will, to make the law more stringet.
The menace of corruption does not have any instant solution. It can't be wiped out by a miracle or a gimmick. It demands a sovial intervention, long struggle to cleanse the public life and of course some concrete legal and executive measures. The A.E.I.O.U (Apathy, Evasiveness, Incompetence, Obstructionism and urge) for unwarranted power combinations should be replaced by the 3Cs (Commitment, Constituency and Competency).
In essence, we have to keep in mind that no society can progress, prosper and achieve enduring success without a war against corruption in public life. We should look down upon the issue of combating corruption in the same way we look at the problem of malaria. One can deal with individual cases of corruption and punish the corrupt like dealing with individual victims of malaria. A much better solution is to see that the mosquitoes do not breed and therefore there is no malaria. In other words, if we are able to go into the root causes of what creats corruption in our system we are likely to succeed.