Shabeer Ahmad Lone
To think well is to live well. Thinking is not merely an act of the brain but a sacred rhythm of the soul-a convergence of reason, conscience, emotion, and vision.
The art of true thinking is the foundation upon which civilizations rise, ethics evolve, and meaning is born. Across civilizations and centuries, sages, prophets, philosophers, mystics, scientists etc. have all affirmed that true thinking is not merely a cognitive act, but a spiritual, moral and existential imperative.
From the earliest philosophies in Athens and the Upanishadic meditations in India, to Qur anic calls to reflection and Confucian moral reasoning, the human quest has always centered on understanding what it means to think rightly, deeply, and justly.
This art is not the privilege of intellectual elites but the rightful inheritance of all: students and scholars, workers and wanderers, leaders and listeners. It is the quiet discipline that bridges intuition with inquiry, silence with speech, and solitude with solidarity. In an age of digital speed, echo chambers, and algorithmic certainties, thinking has become both endangered and essential.
The issue before us is not whether we are thinking, but how we are thinking: Are our thoughts guided by truth, humility, compassion, and courage-or are they shaped by fear, haste, and ideology? True thinking does not merely inform-it transforms. It is the invisible architecture of human dignity, creative flourishing, and moral awakening.
It allows individuals to transcend impulse, and societies to transcend division. Thus, to recover and reclaim the art of true thinking is to renew the very possibility of human wholeness-intellectually rigorous, emotionally intelligent, spiritually rooted, and ethically alive.
The art of true thinking has been revered as the path to self-knowledge, moral clarity, and inner stillness. Socrates declared, An unexamined life is not worth living, while Aristotle noted, It is the mark of an educated mind to entertain a thought without accepting it. From Pascal s reminder that All men s miseries derive from not being able to sit in a quiet room alone, to Meister Eckhart s vision that The eye through which I see God is the same eye through which God sees me, the call to deep reflection echoes widely.
The Upanishads and Laozi affirm that stillness reveals truth, echoed by Sri Aurobindo: When the mind is still, the truth gets her chance to be heard. Sufis like Rumi speak of the sacredness of silence and self-knowledge: He who knows himself, knows his Lord. Einstein urged new ways of thinking for new problems, calling intuition a sacred gift. Jung, Wilde, and Krista Tippett remind us that true thought requires both clarity and compassion. Whether East or West, ancient or modern, sacred or philosophical, all affirm: thinking well is not merely mental-it is spiritual, ethical, and transformative.
To think well is also to slow down. In a time of instant everything, slowness becomes a radical act. It permits attention to nuance; it allows the dust of distraction to settle. Great thoughts, like great art, require gestation.
They emerge not in haste but in silence. The mystics of all traditions understood this: Rumi, Meister Eckhart, Laozi, and the desert fathers of early Christianity all emphasized the link between inner stillness and insight. In slowing down, we begin to hear not only what others say, but what lies within ourselves.
Thinking well requires a threefold discipline: clarity of reason, purity of intention, and depth of perception. Clarity of reason guards against the seductions of propaganda, disinformation, and intellectual laziness. In our age of algorithmic influence and instant opinion, critical faculties are easily dulled.
The over-reliance on AI-generated outputs, as shown in recent MIT studies, reveals a worrying trend: reduced cognitive complexity, homogenized expression, and declining originality.
These findings reflect not merely technological side effects but a larger cultural drift away from deep, attentive, and morally engaged thought. A mind attuned only to efficiency risks becoming unable to wrestle with ambiguity, contradiction, or moral complexity.
Purity of intention in thinking is equally vital. It calls for intellectual humility-the willingness to be wrong, to listen, to revise.
This humility is foundational in all great traditions of thought: from the Socratic method of questioning to the Islamic ideal of ijtihad (independent reasoning), from Buddhist mindfulness to Confucian ethical reflection.
Better thinking is not marked by quick judgment or verbal dominance but by sincere pursuit of understanding. The philosopher Karl Jaspers once remarked that thinking begins when something breaks down. This breakdown of assumptions, of certainty, of habitual patterns-creates space for the deeper movement of the mind: toward reconsideration, toward awe, toward moral self-examination.
Thinking well also involves emotional and existential depth, qualities often neglected in reductive notions of rationality. Empirical studies in psychology and neuroscience increasingly affirm the interdependence of reason and emotion.
It is not simply the cold logic of deduction that guides good thinking, but the presence of compassion, patience, and inner stillness.
Studies from the University of California and King s College London demonstrate that mindfulness and compassion training significantly enhance mental clarity and emotional regulation. Such findings are not new; they echo the insights of sages and saints across time.
The Islamic philosopher Al-Ghazali argued that true knowledge comes not only from books and arguments but from the purification of the heart. Similarly, the Bhagavad Gita holds that wisdom arises in one who sees without attachment, hears without pride, and speaks with purpose.
To think truly and deeply, then, is not merely to possess cognitive skills, but to embody virtues. It is a form of inner architecture-painstakingly built through reading, reflection, dialogue, solitude, and service.
It resists the temptations of ideological absolutism, rhetorical manipulation, and emotional reactivity.
It calls instead for a synthesis of the analytical and the contemplative, the logical and the ethical, the skeptical and the faithful. Such thinking transcends academic intelligence; it becomes a way of being-integral, awake, and attuned to reality in its fullness.
This mode of thinking is essential not only for individual growth but for the health of democratic and pluralistic societies.
As recent global studies have shown, the erosion of critical thinking skills correlates with rising susceptibility to misinformation, populism, and divisive identity politics.
When citizens no longer think well, public discourse collapses into shouting matches, and truth becomes a casualty of convenience.
Media literacy, civic reasoning, and moral imagination must therefore be revived as pillars of education and public life. The capacity to consider opposing views fairly, to recognize complexity, and to defer judgment are no longer just philosophical virtues-they are democratic essentials.
Furthermore, true thinking cannot be separated from justice and inclusivity.
A society that excludes or marginalizes voices based on caste, class, race, gender, or creed limits the scope of collective reasoning. Inclusivity is not just a political principle-it is a condition for truth.
Traditions across the globe affirm that wisdom is scattered among all peoples, and that no one group holds a monopoly on insight. A truly reflective mind learns across boundaries, listens to the marginalized, and draws from multiple wells of knowledge-ancient and modern, East and West, scientific and spiritual.
Contemporary thought sees the art of true thinking as more than logic-it is clarity fused with compassion, creativity, and reflection. Scholars emphasize emotional depth, contemplative practice, and practical wisdom (phronesis) as core to sound judgment.
While AI tools now aid reasoning, true thinking remains a moral, reflective act. Thinking well is, ultimately, thinking humanely.
In academic settings, critical thinking remains the disciplined pursuit of truth through analysis, reflection, and ethical engagement. It requires questioning assumptions, evaluating evidence, and embracing intellectual humility. Its development depends on open dialogue, reflective pedagogy, and moral courage.
More than critique, it is a generative force that deepens understanding and sustains academic integrity.
In the end, to think well is not merely to sharpen one s intellect but to refine one s humanity. It is to listen deeply before speaking, to question without arrogance, to understand without surrendering conviction. It is to befriend complexity, to welcome wonder, and to pursue the truth even when it unsettles.
The art of true thinking transcends academic categories it touches the ethical, the aesthetic, the existential. It is the courage to pause when the world rushes, to reflect when the world reacts, to unite where the world divides. In doing so, it transforms not only the thinker, but the world the thinker inhabits.
Such thought does not isolate; it integrates. It draws from ancient wisdom and modern insight, from logic and love, from science and silence.
It is, above all, an act of inner architecture-building a mind and heart capable of holding both difference and depth. In a time where intelligence is increasingly outsourced and opinion is easily manufactured, the necessity of cultivating thinking as a moral, emotional, and spiritual discipline becomes more urgent than ever. As civilizations face crises of meaning, identity, and truth, what sustains them is not only innovation, but reflection; not only efficiency, but wisdom.
Most fundamentally, to think truly and well is not simply to sharpen one s intellect-it is to refine one s being, to beautify one s soul, and to elevate the collective conscience of humanity. It is to listen deeply before speaking, to speak with insight rather than noise, to hold convictions without arrogance, and to welcome the difficult grace of unknowing.
The art of true thinking transcends cognitive performance; it becomes a way of existing-ethically awake, aesthetically attuned, and existentially open. In a fragmented and distracted world, the thinker who is clear, compassionate, and contemplative is a lightbearer. Such thought does not isolate; it integrates.
It unites reason with reverence, logic with love, precision with patience. It draws from the wisdom of prophets and philosophers, poets and scientists, mystics and reformers-those who dared to ask, to doubt, to feel, and to see.
In cultivating this deeper mode of thinking, we begin to repair the fractures in ourselves and our societies. For in truth, thinking well is not an intellectual luxury but a civilizational necessity.
As humanity faces an unprecedented crisis-ecological, moral, spiritual, and epistemological-what sustains us is not merely innovation or information, but reflection with integrity, questioning with humility, and vision with responsibility.
The art of true thinking is thus not an end in itself, but a beginning: of clearer seeing, deeper loving, juster acting, and more conscious being. It is the unseen revolution-the silent architecture of peace, purpose, and enduring transformation upon which all meaningful futures depend.
And when such true thinking is harmonized with purposeful action, it becomes a force of both inner illumination and outer transformation-bridging contemplation with responsibility, insight with impact, and conscience with change.
It gives rise to actions that are not only effective but enlightened-refined by wisdom, rooted in compassion, and capable of reshaping the world with depth, dignity, and enduring grace.
Author can be mailed at Shabirahmed.lone003@gmail.com
New Delhi, May 12: A massive protest organised by the National Students' Union of India (NSUI) broke out near the Shastri Bhawan on Tuesday, against the alleged paper leak in NEET-UG this year. The exam was held on May 3, following which allegations of paper leak surfaced, triggering investigations by the Rajasthan Special Operations Group (SOG) and central agencies. Earlier, the National Testing Agency (NTA) announced the cancellation of NEET-UG 2026, and said the examination will be re-conducted on dates to be notified separately. In a statement, the NTA said the decision was taken with the approval of the Government of India in the interest of maintaining transparency and preserving trust in the national examination system.
Srinagar, Feb 12: Jammu and Kashmir recorded over 15.48 lakh traffic violation cases in 2025, with authorities collecting more than Rs 34.17 crore as penalty under the Motor Vehicles Act, the Centre informed Parliament on Thursday. The information was shared in the Lok Sabha in response to a question raised by MP Janardan Singh Sigriwal. According to the official data, 15,48,525 challans were issued across the Union Territory in 2025, while the penalty amount recovered stood at Rs 34,17,36,740. The figures further show that in 2024, a total of 15,44,105 violations were registered with a penalty collection of around Rs 43.40 crore, while in 2023, 12,38,584 challans were issued and Rs 34.56 crore was collected. For the current year, till February 8, 2026, Jammu and Kashmir has recorded 1,63,531 traffic violation cases, with revenue collection of about Rs 2.11 crore. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways stated that stricter penalties under the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019 are aimed at ensuring better compliance and deterrence. It also said that traffic enforcement falls under the jurisdiction of States and Union Territories. The government has issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for electronic monitoring and is promoting technology-driven enforcement through Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras integrated with the VAHAN database. Awareness campaigns under the Sadak Suraksha Abhiyan are also being carried out to improve road safety.
Srinagar, Jan 8: Contractual faculty members working in government degree colleges of Jammu and Kashmir Higher Education Department (HED) have expressed strong resentment over what they term as a glaring disparity in salaries, demanding revision of their pay in line with University Grants Commission (UGC) norms and regularisation of their services. The faculty, many of whom hold PhDs and are qualified through NET, SET and JRF, said they have been denied UGC-recommended pay scales despite discharging academic responsibilities equivalent to their regular counterparts. “Hundreds of highly qualified scholars have been pushed into silent suffering. For years, we have been assured that our pay revision is under consideration, but nothing has materialised so far,” said Dr Ishfaq Gowhar, a contractual faculty member. Earlier, Director Colleges J&K had acknowledged the legitimacy of the faculty’s demand, stating that while the issue was genuine, its implementation involved significant financial implications due to the large number of contractual appointments. “We are aware that they deserve salary enhancement, but the number of contractual faculty is huge and it has financial implications,” he earlier said. Dr Gowhar pointed out that contractual lecturers, who form the backbone of the higher education system, continue to work on a fixed monthly honorarium of Rs 28,000, which has remained unchanged for nearly a decade. “The irony is that a Class IV employee with a Class 10 qualification draws a salary exceeding Rs 50,000, while doctorate-holding teachers engaged in teaching, mentoring and academic research are paid a fraction of that,” he said. He added that institutions such as SKUAST-K, University of Kashmir and Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) have implemented revised UGC pay scales, but the Higher Education Department has failed to extend similar treatment to its contractual faculty. Dr Gowhar said the demand for “equal work, equal pay” gets prominently featured in election campaigns, raising hopes among contractual teachers. “Promises were made and slogans echoed during elections, but once the process ended, our voices were reduced to silence. Even meeting officials now feels impossible,” he said. He said contractual faculty were not seeking privileges but dignity, fairness and recognition for their service. The faculty appealed to the Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and the Education Minister to intervene and take concrete steps towards addressing their long-pending demands. “This issue is not merely about salaries. It is about survival, justice and dignity in the classrooms of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
Jammu, March 10: J&K Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo Tuesday chaired a meeting to review the status of vacancies and the progress of recruitments being undertaken through the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC) and the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB) across various departments of the Union Territory. The meeting was attended by the concerned Administrative Secretaries, Chairperson JKSSB, Secretary JKPSC and other concerned representatives from different departments. While reviewing the progress, the Chief Secretary stressed the need for expeditious filling of all critical vacancies to strengthen governance and improve public service delivery. He called upon all Administrative Secretaries to hold regular follow-up meetings with their departments and recruitment agencies to ensure that pending issues are resolved and vacancies are filled at the earliest. He emphasized that timelines fixed for ongoing recruitment drives must be strictly adhered to, and directed that all posts received by the recruiting agencies should be advertised without delay. The Chief Secretary further advised the recruiting agencies to prepare and publish examination calendars simultaneously, enabling aspirants to have clarity regarding the schedule of examinations and adequate time to prepare. During the review, the Chief Secretary also took note of several bottlenecks affecting certain recruitments in JKPSC and JKSSB. He examined each issue in detail and directed the concerned departments to issue necessary clarifications and resolve procedural hurdles immediately so that the recruitment process is not delayed. Observing that prolonged recruitment cycles often create uncertainty for job aspirants, the Chief Secretary underscored the importance of conducting recruitment within a defined timeframe. He noted that a predictable recruitment cycle would allow applicants to plan their careers better and reduce anxiety among candidates. During the meeting, the Commissioner Secretary, General Administration Department (GAD), M.Raju presented a comprehensive overview of vacant posts across government departments. The data revealed that a total of 40,661 posts are currently vacant in different departments, including 3,808 Gazetted, 24,507 Non-Gazetted, and 12,351 Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS) posts. Among major departments, Health & Medical Education accounts for a significant share of vacancies with 2,497 Gazetted, 8,088 Non-Gazetted and 2,712 MTS posts, while other departments with substantial vacancies include Agriculture Production, Power Development, Finance, Revenue, Forest, Public Works (R&B) and Youth Services & Sports. While reviewing the recruitment being undertaken by the JKSSB for Non-Gazetted and MTS posts the Chairperson SSB, Vikas Kundal revealed that since 2019 the Board has received 46,744 posts, out of which 9,260 were withdrawn, leaving 37,484 posts for recruitment. The Board has already completed selections for 32,956 posts, including 27,449 selections pertaining to this period. He further added that at present, 10,035 posts remain under different stages of recruitment with JKSSB. These include 2,532 posts yet to be advertised, 4,768 posts at the examination stage, 1,258 at the selection stage, and 1,477 posts under live advertisements awaiting completion of the recruitment process. Meanwhile the Secretary, JKPSC, Bashir Ahmad Dar apprised the meeting about the status of posts referred to the JKPSC for recruitment. He divulged that at present, 1,745 Gazetted posts are under process with the Commission out of these, against 1,573 posts selection schedule has already been drawn, while 172 posts are yet to be scheduled due to certain procedural issues. He also gave out that a recruitment timeline has been worked out by the Commission for filling these posts. As per the schedule, 630 selections are targeted for completion by March 2026, 476 during April–May 2026, 158 during June–July 2026, and 309 during August–September 2026. Additionally department-wise analysis shows that the highest number of posts with JKPSC pertains to Health & Medical Education (872 posts) followed by School Education (470 posts), General Administration (170 posts) and Higher Education (129 posts), among others. The meeting was informed that all departments have shared the latest status of advertised posts, vacant positions and posts proposed to be referred to recruiting agencies. It was resolved that all clear vacancies without legal or procedural issues will be referred to the respective recruiting agencies at the earliest for timely recruitment.
Jammu, Jan 18: Minister for Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Transport, Youth Services & Sports, Information Technology, ARI & Trainings, Satish Sharma Sunday said that the remarkable achievements of Jammu and Kashmir’s youth are a powerful testament to what can be accomplished through fair opportunities, modern infrastructure and unwavering government support. Addressing the gathering during the SRIJAN initiative conference, the Minister stated that the success of young athletes clearly demonstrates that with the right ecosystem in place, the UT youth are capable of overcoming every challenge and competing confidently at national and international platforms. Highlighting the core focus areas of the SRIJAN programme, Satish Sharma said "the initiative is playing a transformative role in strengthening the sports landscape of the Union Territory by expanding grassroots sports infrastructure across Jammu, Kashmir and other regions. This is being done by ensuring transparent, merit-based selections free from any bias; integrating sports with education and skill development; promoting greater participation of girls and enhancing inclusivity and establishing sports as a dignified and sustainable career option with viable livelihood opportunities, he said0. He reaffirmed the government’s firm commitment and said that sustained efforts were underway to create international-standard sports facilities, including modern cricket stadiums in Jammu and Srinagar. He also highlighted the strengthening of Khelo India Centres, promotion of traditional sports such as Dangal and enhanced collaboration with the Union Ministry to transform Jammu & Kashmir into a national sports hub. “As Sports Minister, I assure our athletes that the government stands firmly with them. Our focus is not only on infrastructure creation but also on nurturing talent, discipline and confidence among the youth,” he said. The Minister lauded the determination, resilience and dedication of young sportspersons, describing them as the living legacy of the SRIJAN mission. He urged them to continue training with passion, remain disciplined and dream fearlessly, assuring them of full institutional support at every step of their journey. Satish Sharma expressed hope that the conference would serve as the foundation of a new era where every talented child, from the mountains of Kashmir to the plains of Jammu, is provided an equal opportunity to shine on the global stage. He concluded by reiterating the government’s resolve to make sports a powerful vehicle for youth empowerment, social inclusion and regional pride in Jammu and Kashmir. Director General, Youth Services and Sports, Anuradha Gupta and prominent persons from different fields and states along with senior officers of the Youth Services and Sports Department, were also present on the occasion.
Bhat Hilal AhmadA policy framework backed by transparent Matrix only can withstand judicial interventions while maintaining social harmony.G D sharma report should be released for public scrutiny.True interpretation of rule of prudence be made.A revisit of Rule 17 is must for ensuring appropriate seat balance.Rationalisation of reservations is directly proportional to meritocracy and ensuring a just society.Jammu and Kashmir with a young demographic profile has one of the highest proportions of general category population in the country estimated arround 60 to 70 percent but lowest open merit quota which roughly stands between 30 to 40 percent.States across the country with comparatively lesser general category population continue to maintain 50 percent reservation for open merit share.A shift from policy decisions and demographic legal principles has resulted in a structural framework which significantly differs from the national norms.It is when courts across India have always emphasised that reservation policies must rest on contemporary quantifiable evidence.Though government maintains that the present reservation framework follows Reservation Act 2004 and its rules according to 2005 that should be read with new notification SO-176 of March 2024.But lot of reservations and concerns have emerged about the proportionality , transparancy and opportunity of merit where certain newly introduced reservations are found drawing benifit patterns on the basis of regions and geography.In its verdict on November 16 ( 1992 ) Supreme Court in Indra Sawhney verses union of India case held that reservations should not ordinary exceed beyond 50 percent except in the exceptional and extraordinary circumstances.However in 2022 in Janhit Abhiyan case court while upholding the ten percent reservation for economically weaker sections observed that fifty percent ceiling is not a compulsory limit but a rule of prudence.Taking a flexible and wider interpretation of this directive parliament in February 2024 ammended 2005 reservation rules and reservation percentages were altered by introducing EWS at 10 percent and increasing it to 20 percent for ST , 28 percent for OBC while RBA saw reductions.This was largely based on publicly available socio economic survey and not on an updated sensus or data.Consequently LG administration announced new quotas like Paharis , paddari , koli , Gadda brahmin and other casts.Social welfare department quickly followed by distributing new proportions which led to decrease of open merit quota.As per new policy 61% seats of government jobs and professional admissions are reserved and only 39 are for open merit share.This clearly shows that open merit candidates are slowly pushed out of the system though government stands by its constitutional interpretation by saying that it goes well with constitutional guidelines and court rules.In just last two years 8.21 lack reservation certificates were issued in J & K in which 6.78 lakh ( 82% ) were issued in jammu and only 1.45 lakh certificates were issued in kashmir.For scheduled cast only more than 69000 certificates were issued in jammu while it remained only 474 for Kashmir which is just 0.64 percent.Accordingly for ST 5.25 lakh certificates were issued for jammu while it remained 76656 for Kashmir.Out of 21386 , 18963 EWS certificates were issued for jammu and only 2431 certificates were issued for kashmir division.Similarly for ALC jammu is ahead with 85% and it is for RBA only where kashmir is ahead with 31804 certificates while jammu has 15550 certificates.While looking at the shares in the second line bureaucracy JKAS , JKAS ( accounts ) and JKPS the numbers itself tell the story of last three years.In 2023 only 39 selections were made for open merit in JKAS as compared to 50 selections made for reserved categories like Sc , ST and Ews.In 2024 open merit selections were 50 while 43 selections were made for reserved categories.In 2025 , 24 selections were made for open merit while the numbers remained almost equal in all the three civil services.In JK Accounts service 29 , 27 and 15 selections were made from open merit in 2023 , 2024 and 2025 while it remained 26 , 25 and 09 for reserved categories in 2023 , 2024 and 2025 respectively.Though the numbers does not go against any legal quota but it questions fairness and representation.In March 2020 J&K government constituted GD Sharma comission to examine backwardness and rationalise reservations for different categories and the report is yet to come in the public domain.The current reservation structural framework stands at ten percent for EWS, ten percent for RBA , 8 percent for SC , 8 percent of OBC , 10 percent for ST-1 10 percent for ST-2 and 4 percent for ALC/IB which makes a mighty total of 60 percent for the reserved categories.The rest 40 percent are shared by general category and horizontal reservations.An element of the centre of the debate is Rule -17 which allows reserved categories to initially take open merit seats and letter shift back to their respective categories.When this happens the seat already occupied does not automatically return to the open merit pool thereby further reducing the share available to open category competition.Not only so the horizontal reservations which cover women , ex servicemen , sports , and persons with special abilities appear to be applied largely on open merit quota rather than proportionally across all categories.This again makes general category to bear the brunt of disproportionate share of adjustments which was otherwise expected to be distributed evenly.In December 2024 a cabinet sub committee was constituted to consult all stakeholders for reviewing and revisiting the existing policy to reshape a much acceptable reservation policy.The report was approved by the council of ministers in the cabinet and sent for its final approval to honourable LG.If sources are to be believed the cabinet has reportedly slashed reservation of EWS by 7 percent and RBA by 3 percent while managing a much needed ten percent quota for general category subjected to approval from the LG administration.If the same trend follows in filling the vacancies it will be very hard for the merit to survive and that will lead to an absolute brain drain.Moreover , the absence of an updated data and matrix question the basis of the changes and modification.The question is not about reservation but the way of its dis-proportionate distribution.G D sharma lead committee report should be made public for its scrutiny.It is high time to go for a data driven neutral and transparent re-examination which is based on updated statistics.Recalibration rather than an overhaul of the structural framework will do the job.Open merit share must reflect demographic proportion.Distribution of horizontal reservations should be made across all categories rather than concentrating them fully on general category.The much controversial Rule 17 should be revisited and probably done away with to ensure a proper seat balance.This will lead to a structural framework which will be purely based on fairness and transparency and grounded on the principles of proportionality and opportunity thus maintaining a fine balance between merit and constitutional limits.That will give rise to an equitable and a rationalised reservation system which will be effective and acceptable to all sections of the society.Bhat Hilal Ahmad ( Biotech ) is a writer who comes up with a comprehensive analysis on Educational, Social and Political developments.
Mohammad NoumaanA parent always wants their child to rise, to do something great in life; something which can earn them a good reputation. There is a time in everyone's life that is Teenage, in the phase of life a child starts developing different habits and positive thoughts, teens go through many changes over this period.During this time a child longs for parental trust and support, but sadly this is where things go wrong, parents get lost in thoughts like "What if my child got involved in something bad" or "What if my child makes mistakes".And to stop the teen from exploring the evils of the society which are often tempting, because teenage is the time when curiosity among youth is at its peak. So to tackle this a parent has two options: first it can doubt the child unnecessarily, killing the young and ambitious mind, or most of the parents overthink about the child, listen to what opinions do their relatives have regarding their own child.Moreover, parents can talk to the child, show trust upon him/her or check what the child is actually involved in. Teenagers need trust, not suspicion; guidance, not restrictions. A little support can turn curiosity into creativity and doubt into confidence. Meanwhile, during teenage a teen starts to explore hobbies and passions, teens starts doing things which excite them, some get involved into bad company, bad habits or maybe the social evils, disrupting their life and reputation, but many others start to discover what truly excites them, some like playing cricket or any other sport, some take part in gaming, singing or something else.But over the changing times some children are drawn towards working online, or learning skills which they actually enjoy, like some of the new-generation teens like doing cinematography, some like doing photography at a very young age, some like doing freelancing, not to make money but to get exposure, to learn something new and more practical, some like creating content, not to get fame or money but to try something out of the box,but there is the problem. This is the point where most of the parents fail, suppose when their teen says "I am going to play cricket!" Parents often reply positively, when the teen says "I am playing a video game" the parent allows without any second though, but when a child asks for a phone to learn cinematography, parents hesitates and think "what if this phone derailed my child from his studies", but they really forget that what if this phone was the gateway to their child's passion, what if that's the child's actual path! When a teen says "I am working for a client online", instead of doubting or over thinking, parents can simply ask the child; "Son, can you show me what did you made for the client?" "Can you make a cinematic video of our kitchen?"By showing this simple interest a child gets deeply motivated, it shows the teen that their dreams really matter, which results in making them more ambitious and confident.A parent should always support a child, it should always listen to the child especially during the teenage years, and they should always try to understand what their child is aiming for. If you see a child in the society doing something wrong, don't imprint the same on your child. Instead educate them about the pros and cons of every path and keep guiding them with love, trust and clarity. Why stick to traditional career paths just because that s what has always been done? The world is changing and so should our thinking. Every child is built differently, if you give the same task to 10 different children you will get 10 different outcomes, because every child learns, understands, and acts in their own unique way.So a parent must let their child learn and understand things at their own pace. You cannot force a child to learn something that they don t like.Today's parents often give wings to their children to fly but they forget to give them an open sky! A child can be a cinematographer, a cricketer, an entrepreneur or whatever they are passionate about. We as a society must learn to accept and celebrate such talents. Have we ever thought for how long are we going to stick to the traditional way of choosing professions, like completing school, getting a degree, the degree which is often chosen by the parents and relatives instead of the actual child, the question arises, Why? Just because that is what we have always been doing, but does that make it right?Now the world is changing, the upcoming times are going to be more crucial and challenging then we can actually imagine! Parents want their child to do something extra-ordinary but do they let their children explore? Do they let their children do what they are truly passionate about? Why is it necessary to be a doctor, an engineer, a civil servant, or a teacher?A child can be a cinematographer, a cricketer, an entrepreneur or whatever the child is passionate about! And we as a society, need to accept, encourage and celebrate such talents, and this is what is actually going to take us forward.I believe every parent needs to read this article, my parents have always been supportive, they have always trusted me for whatever I did, which is exactly why you are reading this article today.The author is a student of Faiz-e-Aaam secondary school Bandipora
