Is it Degree or competent Governance that matters?

                                              By : Ashutosh Asthana

 

There is much hype these days about the newly appointed Union HRD Minister of India, Smriti Iraani, being less educated or qualified for the prestigious post that she has been entitled with. Her critics are raising this point that, how can an earlier waitress in a fast food restaurant, who is not even graduate, can hold such an important portfolio! After attacking Narendra Modi, for being a ‘chai wala’ at a railway station, this the second time when the oppositions are accusing the BJPians for being less qualified to hold such offices in the country.

This political storm was touched off by the congress leader Ajay Maken who tweeted about Smriti Irani being less educated to hold the Human Resource Department in the Government. The BJP has also back fired comments on the Congress by saying that Sonia Gandhi has falsely claimed to be a Cambridge graduate.  The big questions that arise in all these blizzards is that, is it necessary for a political leader to be exceedingly qualified and well-educated for sound governance and to perform public welfare? Is it necessary that only a highly educated minister can make prodigious policies in the field of education?

In my opinion this accusation is too ambiguous and has no substance. It is the governance that matters of a minister and not the qualification. It is just like, a driver need not to be an engineer who can design cars and make it. He has to be well trained in his driving. History proves that, many great leaders of the world were not well educated but there policies and there steps towards governance had become a milestone for the political leaders of the world and there ideologies has helped in the progress of mankind. One of the supreme political leaders of world in the twentieth century, Winston Churchill was from an aristocrat family with good reputation in society but belonging from the upper class, he was very poor in studies and had very low academic records but who can deny the fact that he was the reason, behind United Kingdom’s victory in second World War. Another most towering political figure of the world and the most famous President of America, Abraham Lincoln also comes under this list. The man who ended slavery in USA was not well educated but he will never loose his worth in the future. Talking about our own leaders then Gyani Zail Singh, earlier president of India was not much educated.

If we look the other part of the coin, then we will found that, irrespective of the educational qualification, the lack of governance and lack of attachment with the common man has proved to be a curse for the great leaders recently. Dr. Manmohan Singh has procured a Masters in Arts, Economics from Punjab University while he completed his PhD from University of Oxford, United Kingdoms. P. Chidambaram, the finance minister of UPA government has graduated with BSc degree from Presidency College in Chennai and an MBA degree from Harvard Business School. Rahul Gandhi posses a bachelor’s degree from Florida, U.S. Sachin Pilot, another extremely educated leader has got his bachelor’s degree from St. Stephen’s College, New Delhi, an MBA degree from IMT Ghaziabad and another one from University of Pennsylvania. Salman Khurshid is also an alumini of St. Stephen’s College, New Delhi and Oxford University U.K.

These leaders are a big names of Indian Politics and Congress who is accusing Smriti Irani being less educated and so she should not be given the HRD Ministry, but the point is, how well did the above mentioned big shots managed their respective ministry? Did their policies made any deep rooted impact in the society during their tenure?  The ex. HRD Minister of India, Kapil Sibal is also an extremely educated being with his Delhi University degree and an L.L.M degree from Harvard but he too, like his other congress comrades failed to bring a paradigm shift in the education system of the country. The lack of governance of these leaders is the reason that in the recent Lok Sabha elections of 2014, they could not even make to the Parliament!

The great Indian philosopher and political maestro who by his ideologies of good political system has helped every government, Chanakya also stands by this point that good policies and great governance is the backbone of every king’s survival to the throne for a longer time. He should be well aware about his subjects!

All the criticism that is being made on Smriti Irani by the opposition leaders only show their frustration of not winning in the parliamentary elections. In place of these worthless assertions, the opposition should try to find anything significant to criticise. It’s too early to judge and give comments on the working of the new government and governance. Only time will tell us, what will matter the most, a doctorate degree from a reputated institution or experience and far sightedness!