Spoiling India's name Is higher education a guarantee of success?

the convicted killers o f Rajiv Gandhi. The Chief Minister, opposition leaders and other politicians in Tamil I adu Jed demonstrario ns to commute the cap ital sentences of rhe perpetrators. \'v'as the Rajiv Gandhi atroc ity any less worthy of capital punishment, compared to d1e Delhi sexual assault?

President Pranab Mukherjee has iss ued an ordinance at the recommendation of tbe Indian Cabinet, which provides more stringent penalties, amongst others, for group assaults on women. It encapsulates the recommendations of the Justice Verma Committee. It returns the issues which have been so overp layed in the media, to the principles of l egal processes.

Indians spoiling the name of India has seemingly become an art form. No other comparable country soils its own image so well. Political dramatics have been commonplace in Delhi. The first organised giant 111e/a took place in Delhi w hen demonstrations by adults (and their children) assemb led to hear Anna Hazare proclaim himself the prime speake r against corruption. Bur corruption exists worldwide, including in Australia and the U SA Such corrnption led to the G lobal Financial Crises

The An na Hazare campaign was extremely well organised, down to a large number of persons preparing and distributing food. One wo nders from where and from whom d ie mone y came. Soon after, a similar campaign much of the san1e crowd, came to see Swami Ramdev, an exponent of yoga, rant agains t the Congress- led Indian government.

At that time the now famous horrendous incident took place in Delhi - the medical student gang-raped in a bus from which she was a!Jeged!y later thrown out. Her horrific injuries led to her death in a Singapore hospit,11. There were loud and consistent cries fo r the alleged perpetrators to be awarded capital punishment.

The crowds gathered in De lhi now had a live incident to show the world. Bur d1is time the anti- Congress forces were o utwitted.

Sonia Gandhi, the Congress President, took up the agitarors cause as did Sheila Dixit, d1e Congress Chief 11:inister of Delhi. lt was now these two ladies who led the agitation.

\X/ith di is incident, die agitation then moved ro women's safety. India is not the world's only place whe re women are bullied.

The Delhi agitarion against assaulters of women had morphed into a lynch mob. Lawyers refused to defend rl1e accused. Whilst saying that he appreciates the anger of the people, no less than the august personage of rl1e Chief Justice of India A.li:.'l111as Kabir has warned that such anger must not mean that the legal processes are b ypassed.

''Peop le's reaction has been that do not send the accused to trial. Hand them over to us, we will deal wid, them or hang them But let us not get carried away A swift trial should not be at d ie cost of a fair trial," he warned.

There has already been a lynching incident of a high -profile politician , Bikrarn Singh Brahma b y a mob in Assan1. He is the Chairman of die Baksa District Congress Comnurtee and ilie Congress party's coordinamr of the Bodoland Territorial Council.

A political rival accused Bralmia of entering his house earl y one morning and sexually assau lting a woman. The video footage of rl1e lynching has gone viral. He was di ankfolly h anded over to the police as he could not have defended himself when being assaulted.

When sla\7 ery was abolished in the USA in the l 9rl1 century and thereafter until 1920, an estimated 3,500 Negroes and 1,300 wh ites were summarily lynched in America's southern states In 1891, eleven Italian migrants were lynched in New Odeans Such horrendous 'trials' continued upto 1 968!

This led to a wholesale Aeeing of Negro com tmmities to d1e north where they now form a subsranrial part of d1e popularion and enjoy a good degree of political power. egro emancip ation was a triumph for President Lincoln. Creditab ly, the USA sought to pr otect human rights dtrough legislative measures. The Dyer AntiLyn ching Bill in 1922 sought

Indians spoiling the name of India has become an art form. No other comparable country soils its own image

'To assure to persons within the jurisdiction of every State the equal protection of d1e Jaws, and to punish rhe crime of Jynchi.ng .'.

Not too long ago, Senator Chris Evans announced an injection of $67 mi llion in funds for a partnership between universities, s chools and state govenu11enrs. The raciouale was simple: he lp more Australians ad1 ieve their goal of going to Unive rsity "A univers ity d egree gives Australians a greater chance at getting a high paid and high skilled job," said rhe Senator.

The Gillard Govermnent believes diat higher education should be encomaged, and says its goal is ro reach its target of 40 percem of young Australians holding a bachelor's degree by 2025. That's desp ite experts like Tom Karmel, managing director of ilie National Centre for Vocational Education Research, indicating d1at there is a ri sk greater numbers of people pursuing university degrees won't get a 'good return' from it.

Yet sin ce the governrnem spends millions each year subsidising education and making ir easy to attend college, d1ere are even more credentialed individuals dian ever before. This naturally makes getting a job after graduating more competitive than say in 199 1, when only 8 percent of people aged 15 and over he ld a tertiary qualification. The re is - in economic terms - potentiall y an ove rsupply of graduates relative to the number of jobs available.

It's nor an exaggeration to say that the current univers ity system promotes conformity at the expense of lateral d1inking and creativit)" Many of the world's entrepreneurs - tal,e Bill Gates or Mark Zuckerberg - were coJlege dropouts who made it big despite, or perhaps because of their lack of formal training. University tends to compartmentalise bur the rea l \vorld isn't always Like it is in t extbooks, especially if diose textbooks are written by state- funded professors whose theories ar en't subject to the discipline of the market.

Chances are, in a free- market without governmem crutches, specialisations such as 'gender studies' aren't Likely to attract man y paying students and will be reliant on philanthropic support to survive.

There would also be significantly fewer economists pontificating about po licy issues - in cenrnries past, economics was considered a hobby, nor a profession Only those disciplines that directly relate to providing a good service - in helping produce computers, cars, trains, or curing cancer - would find large numbers of customers willing ro pay for ilie course

Without government funding of higher education, there would be no raxpayersubsiclised p leasant interludes of se.x and parties between leaving schoo l and beginni ng working life (the laid back undergraduate lifestyle). 1foteover, practical business skills such as admi.nisrracion and effective communication might enjoy a resurgence.

While it's true d1at a lot depends o n di e particular degree yo u do (the arcs degree, forever the butt of jokes, is probably less useful on the job marker than a

\X/'har about rhe Australian commission looking imo so well women being sexua!Jy bullied in the armed forces? A newly established commission is also investigating sexual crime s in Australian religious i.nstimtions. And similar incidents are reported from I rel and, Canada and Britain.

One may get the idea that in India, its peop le favour harsh judgemems and punishment. Bur it was only mond1s ago that there was an agitatio n in Tamil Nadu, si milar to the Delhi agitation, to pardon

''It defined 'mob or riotous assemblage' as 'composed of three or more persons acting in concert fo r d1e purpose of depriving any person of his li fe widmm aud1oriry o f law' D yer was a Republican and his biJJ was blocked by Democrats who then d o minated d1e sou thern states

Ultimately, the USA passed the Fourreemh Amendment which guarantees the eight to due legal process whilst the Eighth Amendment prohibits cruel and unu sual punishment.

Legal processes should remain pararnoum as opposed to mob rule

None of rl1is is ro say diat d1e humanities a ren't worth pursuing or that only knowled ge di ar's commercially valuable is important. degree in medicine), the debate around university qualifications has raised some valuable questions Question s like " ls d1ere a better way to structure our univer sity system , a way that doesn't load students

Bur it's a reminder to parents, students and anyone at d1e beginning of their careers tli at further education isn't necessarily a guarantee of success or gainful employment in one's chosen. field. The number of cab drivers in New with unnecessar y debt and gives rhem a re alistic chance at getting a job down the u-ack?"

Wr iters li ke Tony Featherstone, for example, argue d1at in business, a more Aexible mode o f

It's not an exaggeration

to say that the current university system promotes conformity at the expense of lateral thinking and

York City who have degrees should be proof of that. As Michael EUsberg points om in The Education of i'VW/io11aire s: Eve~-ythi11g creativity education would better serve companies. Instead of die stan dard 3 year campus- based degree, why nor allow students to gain qualifications while doing work experience and receive on - the - job training? Or why not let them enro l in a shore-term or part- lime course for subjects, as the need arises?

You Ll7oni lJa1 11 in College .Abo11t How lo Be S11ccesifitl, even graduates need ro learn how to m arket diemselves.

That's a lesson that Julia Gillard would be wise to consider before subtly instilling the mentali ty that tertiary education is an end in itself. It's not the degree that matters - it's yo ur street- smarts, creativity and diligence d1at count.

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A fairytale town with imposing grandeur and contented charm

Volunteering as Protocol Manager during the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, I had oppor tunity to meet and greet a few rimes, a young, jeans-clad Danish b loke Frederik a nd his Aussie gitlfriend .Mary. F ive years la cer they got married and became Crown Prince and Princess of Denmark. So upon arriving in Copenhagen, not knowing exactly where to begin explori n g, this loose royal connection inspires me to go on an imperial odyssey I start with Amalienb org Palace where the golde n couple reside along with Frederik's mother Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II, the present head of state.

Denmark is an archipelago co mprising of over 400 is lands. le is linked to Germany by a land border and to Sweden by a magnificent bridge. Fabled with stories of the 9th cenmry Vikings, this Scandina\Tian nation boasts one o f the oldest monarchies in Europe. Over centuries, the Danish rulers beautified their land with architecturally st:rnrni ng edifices - palaces, churches, bas tions and monwnems that stand today as one of main attraction s of Copen hagen , the capital city where most of the regal actions took p lace.

Like their British counterparts, the Danish royals don't have any real power, b ut carry lots of prestige and charisma. They are highly prized by the peop le as a living manifestation of the country's history and tradition. Also their sim p le lifestyle earns them respect. The Queen, who asce nd ed the chtone in 1972, is highly educated and i ndependent, with her own interests and work as a stage designer and translacor.

The Crown Prince and Princess are said to live Like any other Dan ish citizens and a re often seen within the public domain w ithout any royal hang-ups.

1 reach Amalienborg Palace with the sliui hope of spotting diem somewhere, buc disappointingly find they are all away in London for the Olympic Games. So f am left on my own to explore the regal quarters edged around an octagonal cobblestoned square The centre piece here .is an equestrian statue of Frederic V, the 18th cenmry k ing who developed chis palace and the adjoining neighbourhood as a new, sm art and elite district to celebrate 300 years of bis family's rule of Denmark.

The palace complex consists of four similat looking stately buildings, three of whicb are offi ci al residences of the royal family members while the fourth is converted to a museum. Visitors are aUowed to wander freely in the square, take as many photos they like of the beat- skin hatted gu ard s, buc access to die inside of the royal residences is prohibited, though b)' visiting die museum one can peek into the pomp and grandeur of it all. I learn from an attendant that this palace became the royal h ome after their original abode, the Chrisrianborg Palace was destroyed by fire in 1794.

Copen.hagen to some resembles a fairy- tale ci ty, still L'1rgely low -rise with houses featurin g oxidised copper on die roofs. The ciry area, criss-crossed w idi caa.als like Amsterdam, is small; you can easily w al k from one end co the ocher in less than an hour. A walking tour is best for a han dson encomi cer with sights and sowi ds of the Danish cap ital, h owever a canal cruise is highly recommended for a different orientation of tbe city, very colourful with centuries old gelaticoloured gabled buildings at the starting point in Nyhavn.

Cope nh agene rs claim their city to be the safest in Europe, if nor in the world. It's true; your only fear will be getting bit by a speeding bicycle! Cycling surely is the preferr ed mode of transportatio n for the 1.2 million people here, keeping chem fit in a clean environment. However there is also a good array of public transportation comprising of trains, buses and taxis.

Prom the Amalienborg Palace precinct I march up to see the Marble Church next door, whose large green dome, designed co rival diac of St Peters in Rome, dictates the city's top view. lt took nearly 145 years co build chis grandiose edifice, made mainly from I orwegiaa. marbles whose lack of supply delayed the completion. It's said at the end Jocal marbles were used and you can easily spot the two types. You are allowed to go to the cop of the bell towe r for a breathtaking v ista if you can n egotiate 260 steep and twisting steps. I give ic a miss and spe nd time m the brick-built Rosenborg Palace, a museum displaying a d azzling collection of crown jewels, perhaps comparable to th e ones disp layed in die Tower of London.

My nex[ stop is che hiscocically significant Cbristianborg Palace, n ow home to the Danish Parliament, Supreme Court and Royal Reception Rooms. Ir i s located on a small island. 1 reach there walking through Stroget, the world's longest pedestrianized street, flanked on bodi :;ides with trendy bars and cafes blended with an interesting mix of churches, stan1e.s and museums.

The hefty granite faced neo baroque palace I see today stands at the site where di e city's founder Bishop Absalon established a cas tl e in 1167, making iL the nucleus of a future metropolis. The castle was later replaced by a grand palace, renovated several times by future Danish monarchs who added more and more grandeur. A devastating fire twice destroyed large portions of it h oweve r, making it unliveab le. The present version was built around what remained of die previous structures, bur by then the royals had settled at the Amalienborg Palace.

Another citadel. that interests royal enthusiasts is che Krooborg Palace which is located in the nearby port rown of Helsingor, 45 km north of Copenhage n Shakespeare has made this imposing castle immorral by making it the setting fo r h is Ho!!llet. The half day trip from Copenhagen is thoroughly enjoyab le ro trace the dramatised paths of Prince Hamlet and his uncle Claudiu s who po isoned Hamlet's father ro become King of Denmark.

You can spend days in Copenhagen chasing royal gra ndeurs, bur there ate other attractions that demand attention as well from first time visitors; most significant among them being the Tivoli and the Little Mermaid

D otted right in the heart of the city in front of Radhus, Copenhagen's grand red brick town hall, rl1e 1843 established Tivoli Gardens i s a colourful and vibrant park filled with adrenalin rushing rides, stage shows and top notch enterta irnnent that brings your childhood alive. At night, the lighting and fueworks display is unpress1ve.

Perhaps Little Mermaid needs no introduction LLke Big Ben i s ro London, Eiffel Tower to P aris, the L ittle Mermaid is the iconic symbo l of modern Cop en hagen

Placed at the end of the city's picturesque harbour promenade in 1913, rl1is tin y bronze srame of a mermaid sitting on a rock a nd sadly gazing at the passing ships was carved by famous sculptor Edvard Erikson. He was commiss ioned ro do so by Danish beer baron Carl Jackson who was in spired by the tale of a little m ermaid falling in love with a prince as portrayed by writer Haus Christian Anderson in his ballet Uttle Me1waid. For many visi rors ir's the first thing ro see in Copenh agen and as expec t ed the waterfront area is packed with busloads of tourists an d souvenir sellers all the rime

As said, the city is small but attractio ns are big and Yaried. So I leave the. once- upon- a- time home of the Vikings with a promise to come back, n ext time. with better luck pernaps to spot some royals

Fly Singapore Airl ines (www.lingaporeair.com) to Copenhagen with aircraft change at Singapore STAY

Set nea rthe water adjacentto Copenhagen's new ferry term inal Adina Apartment Hotel (www. adina.eu) offersstyl ish and comfortableapartment type accommodation

GETTING AROUND

Since roads areseverely potho led, the preferred way to t ravel is by boat. Pandaw Cru ises www. pandaw.com and the Road to Mandalayand Orcae lla www.orient-express.com offer cru ises on theChindwin and Irrawaddy River~

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