Accepting anything 'Substandard as a Standard' has become a norm in India, any act, product, or service falling into the categorisation of "SUBSTANDARD" is sure to escape the attention of even the most critical of the eyes as the Substandardness is so ingrained in our thought, deed, action and psyche that it is a status Non-Grata in the Indian scheme of things.
National psyche is so tuned to accept Substandard that there is no system, administrative delivery mechanism, which raises an eyebrow for consistent delivery of atrocious quality of service. Indian Standards have over the years become a synonym for Substandard approach.
The all pervasive attitudes of "Chalta Hai and Jugaad" have ruined the moral fibre of the people. "Substandard as a Standard" is such an 'arrogant engulfing Black Hole', that there seems to be no escape from its trap at this point of time.
It seems that Substandardness has creeped into social etiquette affecting one and all with a feeling given to foreigners that the whole country is committed to the cause of Substandard like no other, even urgency to remove poverty, fight corruption, implementation of systems reform and issues of national security seem secondary. The condition in the country leaves us with a question that, 'Do we really understand what a Standard is!!'
Take the case of Indian made equipment or Made for India goods, here even multinational firms have learnt the tricks-of-the-trade and seems to have adopted well to the Indian Standards while producing goods meant for domestic consumption. Shoes especially the sports shoes are available in different sizes of intermediate foot length, height, width in most parts of the world except India. From Farm equipment, Military hardware, research and development institutes, organisation of a sports event to hospital services the Standard is nowhere to be seen. The sense of quality is just not there in the industry in India there by increasing the craze for imported goods. Everyone claims that their product is of 'international standard' without specifying or even probably understanding what does that world standard mean and its relevance to Indian realities. The substandardness in services is so much so that even the individuals with ill begotten money stash it away in foreign banks.
Indian indigenous capacity is ingeniously incapable to conceive or deliver anything of Standard.
It is not a harsh statement or said due to inferior feeling but a hard fact and out-of-frustration of inability to get a Standard product or service despite being willing to pay an extra amount for quality. Just look around you and be true to yourself without nationalistic fervour then you will come to know what kind of Substandard environment we all are living or accepted to live in and of any India made item and its Standard. Public transport(rail and road), the quality of roads, safety systems offered in our cars, preparedness for all types of unforeseen circumstances including war, matters of international relations, hospitals, medicines, postal service, electrical department, police, municipal governing bodies, schools (Private and government alike), research institutes and from soap to space including the food we get to buy is all Substandard. Here I have no intention to type some more issues of Substandard attitude of our society towards meeting or even thinking about the needs of differentlyabled, aged people, women and children. May be we are not taught during formal learning or upbringing to demand quality, our genetic setup too must have got modified to accept Substandard as a Standard.
The only Standard in India is Substandard... Live it, Love it, Loathe it but Lump it up.
It all comes to accepting Substandard stuff, the core question is... why nobody demands? why nobody questions? its an unsolved puzzle! Social activists and other nice hearted people with concern, for quality of life talk off big issues leaving the small but nagging issues neglected. The Substandard has become an omnipresent thing missed even by the 24x7 story hungry media. Maybe we all have accepted and resigned to the reality that there is no escape from Substandard as Standard. Maybe there is mental peace and calmness for soul in accepting and resigning without giving a fight and let things as they are where they are... by doing this we all Indians are a hundred thousand steps closer to attaining 'Nirvana'. Then one must not complain about anything and might jolly well accept the state of affairs as they are.
One wonders what the BIS or ISI is doing or has been doing to improve the Standards in the country, it seems grossly ill-prepared to cover all the concerns of quality and standards by the citizens in all the spheres of their life.
Lokpal Bill, whenever it sees the light of the day will also be delivered Substandardly. Bring it on... I am loving it. We have to include the Standards in the curriculum of education lest the children will grow up on the culture of Substandard and assuming the Substandard as a Standard will deliver to the society in a Substandard way when they are at a position to affect and execute.
Some trivia... 'Who is India's satellite and spacecraft manufacturer?' (we all know the answer, then try...) 'Who is India's leading manufacturer of safety pins and nail cutters?' (I bet no one knows the answer). Made in xyz country retains quality and no sooner its technology is transferred and it becomes Made in India it becomes Substandard. Lest we forget 'IST' the famous Indian Standard Time.
If not confirming to any Standard gives us absolute freedom to be Indians, then so be it!
Accept the fact that India has Alchemical properties to convert any thing into Substandard, with an Eternal Patent to the formula of Substandardness.
If not confirming to any Standard gives us absolute freedom to be Indians, then so be it!
No Substandard comments Oops... No Standard comments will be accepted.
