We will excel in every field

The students, putting forward their views, said that we not only have to excel at academics but perform well in all fields. This is the real meaning of education. We have to benefit the society we live in. As students, it is our duty to learn well what is being taught to us.
Life throws many challenges at us and we have to brave through them all, hence being confined to the mark sheet alone won’t help us either. True education should reflect in our personality, character and behavior. A morally sound person can only benefit the nation.
The biggest challenge that lies in front of us is making education accessible to all and education should be of a good quality that produces honest hardworking, skillful and patriotic people. Each and every child of this nation should get equal opportunity to prove them and work towards the progress of the nation.
Oxygen... a movement view

We don't need assurances, we want our Nirmalendu back!

The ever increasing number of kidnapping cases in the city has got everyone startled, annoyed and confused. The children, who have been protesting against kidnapping and other related crimes aimed at them for the past one year, would like to know the reason behind the society being so insensitive. The abduction of Kislay on the 21st of Jan. 2005 was made into a national issue by the tiffin-boycott movement of the students. Similarly, the call for keeping Patna open on Sunday, 14th of August 2005 was another step towards sensitizing the masses. Then, after the abduction of Golu, a community fast by 25lakh people of Patna on the 25th of April 2006 was proposed.
Quite sadly though, with the onset of the New Year, another innocent child, Nirmalendu Prakash of class 9, studying in D.B.A. has been kidnapped leaving his friends and all the students of Patna helpless and wondering, “What else shall we do?”, “How can we make the society more sensitive towards the issues of children?”
In this time of sadness, prayers seem to be the only recourse and the children have been continuously praying for the speedy release of their friend.

Oxygen... a movement view

Safe release of Bunty- The success of non violent protest !

A child is a pious representative of God on the earth, but children are kidnapped and tortured for money. Has the society become so insensitive and materialistic? But through our persistent efforts, we tried to make our society alert and alive and Bunty’s safe and sound recovery has given us enough energy to fight against more social evils. Have you ever thought? Why only students protest against kidnappers when a child is kidnapped? Why only engineers go on strike when a engineer is kidnapped? Don’t you think that it is our responsibility to protect each member of our society? Abduction has become rampant in the last two years and children are made soft target. Children are living under the shadow of fear and trauma. Students are not able to concentrate on their studies because the fear and trauma of abduction is hovering over their minds.
Oxygen... a movement has been organizing discussion on every Sunday to present democratic view. We firmly believe that social evils can only be eliminated by non violent and constructive protest. This movement motivated students to form human chains, keep fast, perform havan etc for Bunty’s safe recovery. Students took interest and went for road shows and relay fast. Students were instrumental in the safe recovery of Kislay through non -violent protest and we did same for Bunty’s recovery. Oxygen is a movement by the students, for the students and of the students. We are obliged to the constant support and co-operation of some students. Abhishek Bharadwaj, Swet Sarika, Sneha Smriti, Harsh, Shruti Shalini, Gaurav and Animan Thakur of Don Bosco Acadamey, Khushboo Jain, Urvi Mohan, Priya, Arpita Malhotra, Neha, Anjali Anand, Mahima, Priti, Ankita, Priyanka, Priyali, Sahana, Saumya Singh, Shana Kajmi, Richa, Shubham Sharan, Jaya Prakash, Mohini Priyadarshini, Saman Rua, Apurv Vardhan, Shilpi S. Kumar, Shrishti Agrawal, Monika Sinha, Vagisha Barbi, Snehalata, Smitha Bharti, Amritansha, Shivangi, Mansha Jain of St. Joseph’s Convent, Abhishek Pankaj of St. Karen’s, Akshay Gautam, Piyush, Saurav, Shishir, Shubham, Shivam Morarka and Abhishek Arya of Loyola High School, Mrilani Panday, Suyash and Zeeshan Kazmi of St. Michael’s, Ankita Nayak, Swapnil, Parma, Akansha Seth, Snehal, Snehil and Harini of Notre Dame, Puja Kumari of Holy Mission, Aliya Mariyam of Art College, Rakhi Raghwan and Barkha of Women’s college, Saurabh Sabu of Rose Bud, Shubhada and Anvi Priya of D.P.S., Fozail of Muslim High School, Abhishek of May Flower, Atfa Mariyam of Science College, Meghna, Richa, Anupam Bharti, Garima Gitika, Smriti Raj, Rita Kumari, Mohsin Nausad and Swabal Mishra of Utkarsh of DAV Walmi, Adarsh Deewan of DAV BSEB, Priyanka of International, Sharad Vivek Sagar and Deepanshu of St. Dominic and Sajia, Lopa Akshita and Shreshi of Baldwin. Had they not been there with relay fast, we would not have been able to raise our voice against kidnappers. Oxygen... a movement view

OLD BOOKS CAN BRING REVOLUTION

Holistic state is a condition in which an individual is physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually well. A country can be in holistic state only when its states, finance, management etc .is in good condition, that is, a country with a better literacy rate, employment oriented education system and ample employment opportunity. India is facing numerous problem - illiteracy, unemployment, poverty and deteriorated education system. Until and unless these problems are solved , India can’t achieve the mark of developed country. Each problem can be solved by imparting quality education to the masses. But the question is- Shall we be able to give quality education to the children when education is so expensive and the economic condition is so low?
A book is a bag of knowledge but changing the book sets every year with some modification, it is not only costing the pockets of parents but also our state and environment. Lakhs of books are published for each academic session with little modification and parents are forced to buy those books. It means crores of rupees and thousands of trees are going in waste every year. If students are allowed to use old books for at least two years, by receiving from up going students and giving to their followers as gift, we can save crores of rupees as well as teach them a moral lesson.We do understand the personal problems of students. Problems could be:- a sense of personal belonging may not come , the condition of books can be disturbing, useless pencil/pen marks on them, workbooks can’t be exchanged, modification in content material is excluded and some students may feel a sense of inferiority complex but each problem can be solved if we have to make a better society. Students will have to be little careful, that is, try to use your books as holy books, preserve your books for your followers, mark with pencil if necessary, inculcate a habit of keeping your study material neat and get photo copied all additional topics in your new syllabus.
We urge to the educational community to think about it so that it may be implemented soon. We want a educational reform through old books, which is going to save crores of rupees and thousands of trees. Since our aim is to make education the biggest issue, we try to make the people aware about the obstacles in the journey of making education the biggest issue. Ignorance of educational community in this regard has made education a luxary, not a need and book sharing can be one of the most important step in bringing educational reform. Oxygen... a movement view

WE NEED BIG HEADS BUT BIGGER HEARTS

Intellectual skills are essential in this world for the progress of mankind and being humans, we have a tendency to move forward on the path of development but of what use is that intellect that does not follow the instincts of the heart in benefitting our fellow humans and making our contributions to society? We can say that heads drive the world but the heart drives the head itself. If your heart allows something, your head will come up with numerous ways of achieving it. They are mutually dependant on each other for any productive work. We need big heads to move forward but we need bigger hearts to help us move forward in the correct direction. Our society today is not only in need of computers but in dire need of compassion. Without the use of our hearts, we humans are not very different from the machines that we work on.
All our educational institutions have been working hard and introducing new ways to enhance our intellects everyday. They are doing everything to develop our brains but what about our hearts? Who will train us in having a better, bigger and wiser heart? The problem here is that on the one hand where we are desperately being forced to improve our mental skills, we are being left on our own for developing our emotional quotient. Cultural activities and extra curricular activities are instrumental in making students emotionally balanced to a certain extent since students learn to work in a group, savour the fruits of hard work and success as well as learn to accept and appreciate failure. But we find that these alone are not enough. To develop compassion and a sense of unity as a citizen of the country children need much more. They must get a chance to witness the living conditions of the different sections of society and not just be confined to their own well being. There should be increased interaction among the students from all strata of society so that each one understands the needs as well as aspirations of the other. These should be introduced right from a very tender age to ensure maximum understanding. On a whole, children learn what they see; hence if we want the future generations to have unity, benevolence and patriotism, we must create such conditions today where these values flourish.
We have created a pool of people with big degrees but tiny hearts. In every field we find big officials indulging in bribery and criminal offences. Why do their hearts allow them to continue with such practices? Isn't there the courage in their hearts to go against the tide and protest against it instead of following it? We expect a good education to not only provide us with a sound mind but a sound heart as well so that we can curb these unlawful acts. At last we can say that it's the people with good hearts who will ultimately make our country a great one since they are the ones who are concerned about the nation, they think about conserving our natural resources, don't support corruption in any form.

Oxygen... a movement view

DEEP BREATHING, LONG LIFE; GOOD EDUCATION, BETTER LIFE

Deep breathing enables us to obtain maximum amount of oxygen from our surroundings. The scientific significance of deep breathing is well known. For a healthy and long life, we must utilize our natural resource to the fullest and thankfully, God has provided us with ample supply of it. It is in our hands to adopt a healthier lifestyle by making minor changes to the way we live and think, thus enriching our lives and hence making the most out of the limited time we have. Good education improves the overall quality of our lives and makes us productive. Knowledge, coupled with morals and a sense of patriotism makes us complete individuals.
It would be great if classes began with a lesson on good breathing and breathing exercises so that students not only become healthier but develop higher concentration and start to focus on their goals. It would not only relieve them of frivolous anxieties but also improve their thinking and reasoning capacities as it has been scientifically proven that breathing exercises in the morning help calm one's mind and anything done with a calm mind produces far better results. If such a simple change in the students' routine can work wonders and improve their performance manifolds, why don't we consider it and see the results for ourselves?
Students invited the President through postcards to intervene in the matter.

Oxygen... a movement view

25th April Community fast- The strength of unity

What we are seeing today is the slow degradation of our society. Every now and then, we find petty acts of crime around us. The ease with which these criminals execute their plan points to the fact that the general populace is helpless. It appears as though for us, the respectable citizens, everything comes as a surprise. We do raise our eyebrows when something disturbing happens but very soon we forget about it and carry on with our normal life. It encourages anti-social elements that come to believe that committing a crime is a piece of cake and their next act of kidnapping, murder, theft or bribery will be as simple as the previous one.
We suffer but we don't raise our voices. We take the back seat and watch everything happen or give up hope completely and don't bother. This does not mean that we don't want the situation to improve. We sure want a peaceful society but expect that to happen on its own.
Our strength is our determination and our unity. If all of us come together and unite for a common cause, it sends out a clear message that we are awake and active citizens and are ready to rise against injustices done to us. When innocent children are abducted, it creates quite a stir and we all express our condolence towards the family, school and friends but if we unite now, we may prevent such incidences from taking place in the future. Let us show the criminals that we are not indifferent towards our own predicament. We are one and we will remain so till we see a significant positive improvement in our society.

Oxygen... a movement view

25th April Community Fast- Establishing peaceful protest

The main reasons behind the 25th April community fast are to protest against the kidnapping of students, prevent them from becoming the soft target for any kind of violence and to make education the biggest issue. However the gist of the entire idea is to promote non-violent ways of protest.
Through the mass community fast we hope of achieving these results but the underlying meaning of this event must be to imbibe the essence of our glorious past into us by adopting the peaceful ways of our great freedom fighters. It is well known and even better observed that a war is no answer to another war and that destructive elements from our society cannot be rooted out with destruction. What we generally observe are the acts of violence in the name of seeking justice but to what extent is it correct? It may or may not bear the results it was intended for but sure brings some suffering to the common man instead of relieving him of the suffering he already bears! So, violent protests are no solution to any of our existing problems instead it creates more problems. Our great leaders of the past understood this. We have seen for ages how mass constructive protests have worked wonders when they reached their pinnacle, using the same principle we would like to bring about another revolution.
This has to be kept in mind that all previous protests by our great leaders could only materialize with the invariable support of the masses hence you are requested to join hands and enable this community event to become a success. This way you would not only re-establish the beliefs of our great leaders of the past but also ensure a safe future for the coming generations.

Oxygen... a movement view

25th April Community Fast- Sensitizing the masses

A piece of information, received at the right time, can have drastic changes. Knowledge makes us what we are. Awareness helps us understand the kind of environment we are living in a much better way.
Don't we feel that we know all the facts but still act as oblivious of it? We either don't know the present situation well or we don't really want to know what’s happening around us simply because we think it wouldn’t concern us. The community fast on the 25th April would certainly bring the issue of students’ protection and education to the common man. People from all walks of life would at least think together for a moment about this important issue which has not been allowed to take the centre stage in our scheme of concerns. If the masses are aware of the present situation only then can we hope of some positive change. We must realise that by doing something of a community nature we are not doing a work of charity but rather we ourselves will benefit from our own efforts first. By being involved in a constructive protest such as this, we can be instrumental in making the society better as well as making our own living conditions more pleasant. However, if we don't think we should be involved, we are straying away from our moral responsibilities. Hence, knowing the truth yet not accepting it or not working to bring it to light is something we should abstain from. The only way to safeguard our future is to completely understand our present, make everyone aware of it and work towards correcting what’s wrong.

Oxygen... a movement view

People observed community fast on 25th April for children education & safety

It seems wizard what we mean to say or do. The school children of Patna were requesting people to observe fast on 25th April with following motives (1) To ensure education and safety for each child (2) To make education the biggest issue and (3) To establish creative and non-violent mean to protest. We tried to approach all the esteemed citizen of Patna and asked for there consent to observe fast by requesting them to fill the consent letter. The idea was to sensitize them towards this evil, which is kidnapping our children physically and psychologically. Our concern was to highlight the biggest kidnapping which is not done by criminals i.e. what about those children who are not attending any school? ......Contd. Page 2 ....From Page 1 Reports says about thirty percent of children of our city are not going to school. we can imagine the figure of Bihar and whole country. Isn’t it a kidnapping of their dreams, ambition and their rights? Who is responsible for that?
we want to ask those educated and elite who are respectable and hold key position in our society. Are they doing correct things? Why they have made our system corrupt and handicapped? They have become exploiter from server, snatchers from provider. We want to ask our policy makers what kind of economy they have provided in which our major income comes as a foreign loan and maximum output is consumed by paying interest of these loan amount. Moreover 13 times of the total loan is lying in foreign banks as black money. So how can we say that the Britishers looted us? Now who is looting our country? Unfortunately we the citizens of independent India. Its hard time to rethink our values and duties which should be towards our nation. If Gadhiji can win freedom by fasting and Styagraha, why can’t we repeat the same?

Oxygen... a movement view

Once a week Khadi movement started by Student

Once in a week we should wear clothes made of khadi. Education is the right of each child but the fact is that money is also needed for education of each child. Free, compulsory education can deal with this problem only up to some extent but for higher education, this scheme is not going to work. In today's discussion, children were putting up their views and role in the support of education. Education for all is only possible, if each one is employed. Today, most of the people are facing the problem of unemployment due to insufficiency of proper work. Each child has pledged to wear khadi shirt at least once in a week. There are about 2 lakh 30 thousand school going children in Patna itself and each one of them decide to wear khadi shirt it will help thousand of people financially associated with this trade. In return we will be facilitating many children to meet the expenses of their education. This way we can help to build education strongly. There is an illusion among the people that khadi clothes are costly but the fact is totally opposite.
Children would put up their views in support of education before the society also. Their little effort, would surely take the form of huge revolution. In the same way, children have promised not to drink cold drinks and support the traditional drinks like, Lassi, Sharbat, fruit juice milk shake etc. These drinks are not only good for health but also the money obtained by selling them goes directly to the farmers. These efforts are surely will be noticed by masses and can bring a small but great revolution.
Oxygen... a movement view

The Base of education should be love-affection, not competition

The cut throat competition among students to become the best is imposing many ill effects. Children are made victims of over ambition and unwanted pressure is forced on them to perform at any cost. By this unwanted pressure, we are snatching away the precious smile of their childhood. A competition should be healthy, we should consider our classmate as a friend first and then a competitor. The basis of education must be love and affection. At last we should have faith in God and our main focus should be on our work. We should strive for our goal honestly and sincerely.
Oxygen... a movement view

Children protest against the lathi charge on student in Mumbai

In a democratic country like ours, every citizen, including children have complete right to protest or speak in support of any issue. If the system doesn’t agree to their protest or support, it must make arrangements to debate the issue with them instead of using force to suppress the voice of students. Every student of India, today, detests the lathi charge on the students in Mumbai who were raising their voice against the controversial issue of reservation. We feel that this important issue must be dealt with in a nation-wide debate. Instead of politicizing it, we must work towards ensuring good education to all. This will be achieved once we start reserving a significant portion of our G.D.P. for educational expense only after analysing the total requirement of funds for providing good education to all and making the allocations accordingly.
Let us, the students, demand this kind of reservation so that every child of the nation may get a chance to be educated.
Oxygen... a movement view

Capabilities of students don’t reflect in their mark sheets

Once again, the anxious month of May has arrived when millions of students are eagerly waiting for their board exam results. This period in the life of a student is characterized by high level of mental stress giving rise to various physical ailments in some cases. The apprehension is so intense that every year we come across several cases of students committing suicide. And its not only the very weak ones who consider suicide as the only available option but even the good students, taken aback by all the media hype, parental and peer pressure, become emotionally unstable. Why are we subjecting the future of our nation to such stress at such a tender age when learning should be an enjoyable experience instead of a crucial life-death situation?
Viewing the scene broadly, we find that it is not about the actual knowledge attained; rather it is the numerical worth of all that you have learnt in the past one year that is causing such trouble. The very system in which your mind's potential is measured on a scale of a mere 1 to 100 is to be blamed for the students' pathetic condition. The report card that we obtain at the end of the two most crucial years of our life, that is, after class 10 and 12; determine the future course of our lives, or so it has become. Hence it is quite natural to worry about what it might contain.
Assessing children on the basis of their I.Q. would be a better way to label them as 'intelligent' and hence deserve position in good educational institutions instead of a memory based assessment that we have been following for decades.
The system rewards just the merit in scoring marks and nothing much else. This is another cause for trouble. Aspects such as personality development, creative potential, moral quotient and imaginative thinking get dimmed under the supreme glare of marks secured. These qualities would, in any case, not be very instrumental in earning a student a position in any reputed Indian institution so why simply worry about it? The admission process of even the very best of institutions that India has to offer involves a couple of written entrance examinations. Anyone who clears the exams gets a seat, irrespective of his or her past records. Hence we find that the creativity and ingenuity of students are left unaccounted for.
A creative person has the potential to contribute more to the society therefore such a person must get credit for his abilities and a chance to grow. Personality and skills must also be assessed in awarding scholarships and admission instead of the mere knowledge of facts.

Oxygen... a movement view

Students Asked- “Good Education or Reservation ?”

Our constitution has provision for reservation to provide equal opportunity to the oppressed people so that they can be brought in the main stream of development. The motive was to protect their rights which were snatched by the so called elite class of the pre independent India. These classes for long deprived them of their social rights and chance of upliftment due to their selfish and suppressive attitude. After independence, reservation was allocated to these oppressed classes to provide them equal rights and opportunities but the million dollar question still remains unanswered- ‘Can we really speed up the process of social justice by compromising with quality and intellectuality?’ ‘Is reservation the only way out to perpetuate quality among the deprived or whether it's a mere political gimmick to ensure their vote-bank?’. Have we ever analyzed and assessed the results of reservation whether it has been beneficial to the downtrodden people of India or not?
Politicians will definitely comment on these issues with their sole interest that is confined to gaining popular votes during elections. But what are our duties as a nationalist and a true citizen of India? Can't we bring a consensus, leaving behind our caste and social backgrounds? We have to ensure that the light of educational training must reach every child so that the qualities hidden in them can be tapped and given a chance to blossom by which our country can benefit. We can surely say that nobody would object to this effort of ours, then why don't we go for such a reservation where every child gets equal opportunity to study? We don't need quotas keeping into view the caste census to ensure vote-banks, ultimately creating a rift in our social system. We as true citizens of India must say 'No' to these evil efforts. Do we have the courage and unity to raise our voice against these gimmicks?

Oxygen... a movement view

Educate people to value and preserve our environment

It is our duty to repay the loan we have taken. It will be better if we pay the interest of the loan taken. We have taken so many things from our family, parents, teachers and the society but we hardly give value the loan we have taken from our mother earth and her climate. It should be priority of our concern and must be implemented in our actions also. We utilize and get so many things from our environment like air, water, food grains, fruits, and enjoy natural beauty of this wonderful planet which supports and nurtures life in this universe. We have taken a lot rather misused our natural resources on the name of development whether it is advanced science and technology, industrialization, urbanization to make our life rich and comfortable. Have we ever thought what we have given back our planet in return indeed we have given so many things like increasing level of pollution (land, water and air), made her deprived of its greenery by deforestation, made many plants and animals extinct and many are on the verge of extinction, we have grown jungles of concrete instead of plants and trees. It is going to harm us. The ill-effects are very visible nowadays and ultimately we are going to suffer from it.
We belong to educated community, we are also concerned to save our nature but unfortunately it is not transformed into action. We have to repay the loan of our earth in this very life of ours. The world is in danger and it's a fact. The climate has changed drastically and adversely by global warming which is also increasing the level of sea water. And today problem of water shortage os evident in every sphere of life. Today, we face drought in several parts of our country due to reduced rainfall. We are losing lots of fertile land due to erosion and deforestation. Rain water cause menace as floods in many areas which may be trapped and utilized in future by better water management. We can start by making our homes a greener one, reduce pollution by regular checking of our vehicles, optimize the use of water and electricity, banning the use of polythene and plastic these small efforts can bring a lot of change. So, start implementing it from today onwards or else it will be too late.

Oxygen... a movement view

Money can buy literacy; not education

We can observe very easily that we live to earn but have we forgotten that instead of living to earn, we should earn to live? It is true that we need materials to sustain ourselves. It is also true that we all are in the race for survival, development and progress. It is all right as long as amassing wealth doesn't become the sole motive of our existence.
In the earlier times, the status of people was judged by the knowledge they possessed. It would be an obsolete concept for the present generation as the value of knowledge and wisdom has taken a back seat in a world where money drives everyone crazy. Rich people get everything out of life. They can afford the best quality education for their children whereas a man of wisdom may not be equally lucky. If he does not have sufficient wealth, his children wont receive good education. Naturally, a child growing up in a money driven world will have a money driven attitude. The fact here that needs to be considered is that since we all regard knowledge as worth more than wealth, we must have a society which reflects this thinking. An ideal world would be one in which the attainment of knowledge is not dependent on money. It must be available to all, irrespective of their financial status. Creativity must be developed among the children so that they learn to understand that money is not everything but it is just a by-product of skills and hard work. We must always remember that anything material can be destroyed, lost or stolen but knowledge once attained can never be stolen from anyone.
Oxygen... a movement view

Dignity of labour equally important along with education

Books are our best friend it is completely true. They open the window of wisdom for us. We can't be educated if we ignore books. But we must not diminish or degrade the dignity of labour. It should also be included in our school curriculum. This is not implemented properly hence we find problems in correlating it in our practical life and also during taking our career option. Our children are only thought that they should only write or play with keyboards after getting education. They are not taught to make objects with their hands. In European countries plumbers and electricians have neon lights in their vehicle not the VIP'S.
Our father of nation Mahatma Gandhi had a very clear point of view ion these issues, according to him “Education of hand is equally important with books and children should make those objects which can be sold in the market. They should not make those objects which are only meant to be kept in the museum. We must train our children to produce things which will help them grow physically, mentally & spiritually.” Our President Mr. Kalam have the similar thoughts, “India must produce entrepreneurs who are not only self reliant but help many in getting employment opportunities. Then only India can be groomed to become a developed nation.”
It's hard time to realize and act and our schools must implement these ideas for the betterment of our society.
Oxygen... a movement view

Self respect is ultimate source of energy

We all wish to live with self respect as it provides us with the power to accomplish our goals and boost our will power as well. It is due to it that we perform our duties perfectly. In brief, self-respect is like an ultimate source of energy. We gain self-respect when we do something for the welfare of the society. It inculcates the practice of respecting the significance of labour and hard work in the society. Today, we feel inferior in cleaning our study rooms and also reprobate those who work as sweepers, farmers, or auto drivers etc. A question arises straight in our minds that are the ultimate goal of our life is to be a money minting machine. We shall always remember that each one of these play an important role in our life and never ever reprobate them as we live in a society which is inter dependent. It’s the need of hour to respect each other and maintain social equality rather than widening the gap between the rich and the poor. It’s true that if you have self-respect and do well for the society then others will surely respect you and see as a person of great significance. And for this we will have to provide good education to one and all and not merely make them literates as education without moral values, vocational training and pragmatic approach is mere literacy which makes people just money minting machines. Thus, self respect and dignity of labour through quality education is the only way to make the society a better pace to live in and develop our nation by respecting its human resources.
Oxygen... a movement view

Together we will fight against evils of our society

India is a developing nation and we have achieved a lot in many areas since its independence. There are various obstacles in its path which retards its progress and threatens its integrity and existence. The emergence of terrorism in the last two decades or so in different states which are sponsored and encouraged by various anti national elements which tries to tear apart our social fabric. The recent bomb blast in Mumbai local trains was one such effort.
Our responsibility as an educated society and true citizen becomes manifold to not only fight against all odds but also to abolish these social evils. First and foremost we should not get provoked and constrain our anguish. Violence cannot be the solution to these problems. We can show our anguish and protest by constructive means. The Mumbai people not only showed great patience and solidarity but their anguish was evident when they ignored the trauma and went on with their routine life the very next day. It was a great move and sent clear message to those forces which wants to create social menace and anarchy in our society.
Oxygen... a movement view

Media role vital in demand for education

Media is considered the fourth pillar of our democracy. It not only helps in preserving our democracy but also highlighting injustice and all wrongful deeds which disrupts our growth as a citizen and nation. Media has done tremendous jobs for mankind particularly in India the biggest democracy of the world. The recent example is of the six year old Prince who was trapped inside the tunnel. The efforts of media not only helped him get rescued but also ignited the sense of humanity and feeling of oneness which has taken the backseat in today’s fast and professional lives.
Most of the social ills which are still persistent in our society is due to lack of proper education. Unfortunately the whole scenario is fast becoming money and marks oriented. The creativity and activities are lesser preferred than academics. We need amendments in our education system. For this we have to become more vocal and put our genuine efforts to revamp it. Media’s role once again becomes very important in accomplishing these objectives. They have created waves of changes and brought many reforms for the betterment of our society. Once again we are looking forward to them to be our role model, our hero who demands quality and compulsory education for all along with us. Together we can work for the nation progress since we cannot find ourselves in the list of developed nation if all of us are not educated.

Oxygen... a movement view

Recognize the importance and adhere to your social roots

Many Indian’s are settled abroad and many are in the queue to go there for better prospects, a land of more greener pasture. We consider this as a “Brain-drain”. Some feel pride if their relatives are well placed in abroad. Are these people have done something wrong by talking decisions of leaving their native places? Why only the NRI’s should take all the blame. What about those people who have migrated to metros and other bigger cities for better employment avenues. Are they not foreigners in the eyes of their parents, relatives and friends who are residing in their native places?
We must go to other places to learn and sharpen our skills. Many Indian’s in the field of science & technology are conducting research outside their motherland. They are benefitting the whole world with their innovative ideas and discoveries. This should not stop. If someone is employed outside there is no harm in it. The only expectation which requires to be fulfilled by them is that they never-ever get themselves cut off from their roots that are our country. The same is also expected of those who are living in India but in metros and other bigger cities. We owe a lot to our parents, family, friends, society, village, town and we must be ready not to miss any opportunity to serve them whenever it is required of us. Lots of people living abroad are funding different projects in India which not only helps our economy to strengthen but also provide employment opportunity to fellow countrymen. These people must be encouraged and with dignity and due respect. Oxygen... a movement view

Be a true citizen through out the year

We are going to celebrate the 60th independence day of our nation. This is the day to remember and follow the values and spirit of our great freedom fighters and leaders whose die -hard efforts of centuries compelled the Britishers to leave and India emerged as the largest democratic country in the world.
We fought for almost two century to achieve our goal which nobody has ever thought will be converted in a reality. This was the result of consistent and prolonged efforts with the involvement of people irrespective of caste, creed and social strata who made this illusion a reality. This unity, a feeling of oneness is to be cherished.
Now we have to payback what we have taken from our soil. This can be done by making our motherland a better place to live in. First we have to make sure that each and every child of our country must have a school and those who are in the school must perform well in social fields also.
There are also many forces prevailing in our society which are trying to disunite us. Our army men are capable to fight out these elements. But this is also our duty as a true civilian to foil the attempt of these unsocial elements. We should not give importance to the rumors and by keeping ourselves alert and conscious many accidents or acts of terror can be avoided. We can remain a true citizen if we perform our duties honestly and timely. We must celebrate our national festivals with zeal and enthusiasm but ensure that rest of the year our celebration must be reflected in our deeds. Oxygen... a movement view

Student appeal to make violence free society

The incident that took place in Meerut, Ujjain and Chandigarh colleges can be considerd as a black day for Indian democracy and their must not be any violence in our school and colleges. The girls were so agitated over some issue that they stormed the VC residence and ransacked his home in Merrut city. The incident of Madhav College Ujjain tarnished the age old teacher student relationship. The mobs of student were so agitated that they thrashed their professor and the whole staff and policemen present were mere spectators of the whole incident. India witnessed for the first time a death of a teacher by his own students and we don't have proper words to condole his death.
The main reason for these developments is the political interference in our school and college life. Now many young political aspirants consider politics as a lucrative career option which pays you account less money and student life is a good time to sharpen your political skills. Obviously they are hardly bothered about student's rights and their plights.
If the Indian democracy has to consolidate its base the doors for such budding politician has to be closed and no political party contesting general election must be allowed to utilize students for their political interest. Then only these dirty games can be stopped to ruin our precious time which we devote in school and colleges. We are sorry for this incident and hope it won't ever be repeated again and the age old teacher student relationship will flourish once again.
Oxygen... a movement view

Serve the nation through constructive work not by words alone

Mere singing patriotic songs are not enough and expected of us as a true citizen. We cannot force or blame those who are not interested in singing our national song. It will be foolish to consider those people anti-nationalist. The hues and cries over our national song ‘Vande Matram’ was in the news last week. It was really unfortunate to celebrate the centenary of its origin by dispute and controversy. We could have enjoyed and celebrated this beautiful song provided this issue could be averted from political gimmicks. We can enjoy this song like our freedom fighters if we have the feeling to serve our nation in whatever mean possible. If we are lacking these feelings and are not ready to take challenges faced by our country today like poverty, illiteracy, corruption, terrorism, unemployment, we don’t have the right to claim ourselves as true nationalist and others as antisocial people. The key is to fulfill your responsibility honestly and timely. You are a true citizen if you are concerned and act positively towards social matters of public interest and do not encourage corrupt behaviour your day to day life. We witness day violence is our daily life. India is based on harmony, self respect, brotherhood and co-existent among its people. We must believe in our roots and don’t let is loosen its grip from the soil.

Oxygen... a movement view

The ideal place for children must be school along with their teachers

From 10th of October child labour will be unlawful in India. Thanks to the UN Resolution of the 162 countries who has signed a resolution of which India is a member. We must welcome and congratulate those who were behind these efforts along with the Government. But there are still many questions which are left unanswered. Have we done proper rehabilitation planning for those who’ll be jobless after this process? The first and vital requirements are the food for those children for which they have to work. Second comes the efforts to educate them all. Are there enough school for those children? What will be their fate if they will be thrown out of the household, hotel, spa and small factories? These are the question whose solution we will have to find otherwise we are moving towards a complete mess. We strongly believe that school is the most ideal place for a child along with his teachers. It's not only the govt. responsibility alone and we all as a responsible citizen has to think and act upon these issues.

Oxygen... a movement view

Let the Gandhi within us survive

Mahatma Gandhi brought to life the same principals that were buried in our hearts for centuries and just needed a slight detonation to explode out into the world. We all have a little angel within us. When a child is born, he/she is the true image of that angel. The child is naturally kind and compassionate, emotional and simple. A rent these values quite similar to the teachings of the Father of our Nation? This shows that we all have those intrinsic qualities but the real challenge lies in maintaining those qualities and working on them. We know we are right but we are afraid of taking a step in the right direction. We know it when injustice looms but we hide away instead of rising against it boldly. We are afraid to swim against the tide and this lets us get carried away by the current of general conceptions, which may either be right or wrong, we don’t even care. Now we have to really look within us for the solutions to all the problems facing us. If everyone born pure is turning inconsiderate in the process of growing up, then there is something seriously wrong in the way we are bringing them up. Children have to be taught at every step that "right is might" even if "wrong appears strong". We have to modify our way of functioning first in order to show the next generation the correct way to live. The schools that do not follow their own code of conduct cannot teach its children to be righteous and non-violent.

Oxygen... a movement view

We have the best schools: but where are the kids?

We talk of the high dropout rate of students in rural India and we talk of low attendance but do we ever consider the actual reasons for it? We often blame the poor infrastructure, meager meals provided at school as part of the mid day meal campaign, no water and a whole lot of other stuff for it. But consider this - What if all these facilities are available but still the students do not wish to go to school? Have we not seen children coming up with all sorts of excuses to miss a day of school or bursting out in joyful celebration on the announcement of a holiday? It is too common a phenomenon to go unnoticed. It is just that children prefer more practical ways of learning than the classroom environment. Gulping down knowledge that is being forced down their throats is not what every child can handle, though some have no problem with this form of learning. The classroom environment often contradicts the more creative child's idea of learning. It does not cater to their natural talent and inclination as well as level of curiosity, which is very different from person to person. Every child is a natural learner. Children learn faster than we think they do and restricting their abilities to what the classroom has to offer is akin to some heinous crime. So, when a child, or when so many children make up excuses not to attend their so-called "elite school" classes, it's time we got the hint and stopped blaming the kids for being wayward.

Oxygen... a movement view

2007 – Our goals in the year that lies ahead

Change is inevitable and with the changing times has come the dawn of 2007. In this New Year, with new spirits and a fresh beginning, we would like to reinstate our goals that we are hoping to achieve in the year that lies ahead of us.
The first thing that we have to look forward to is the spread of the Creativity scholarship and the establishment of hand made cards by children as the main mode of greeting people on various occasions. If these cards reach more people whether far or near, a new positive trend will come into the notice of the general masses that children can take the responsibility of their own education and at the same time use their creativity for some constructive purpose and know the worth of their valuable skills.
The second aim for the coming year is to be able to have the News Letter and the News CD, which was a significant development of the previous year, to reach new heights with the increase in their circulation from 18,000 copies per week to hopefully one lakh copies in the near future. The News letter is the voice of the students supplemented by eminent personalities of the state and country. Its circulation will ensure the spread of the views of students as well as people who have already become successful in their respective fields. These ideas can help shape the future by their spread and bring about change. The year 2006 saw the tremendous growth of the Movement in Delhi with more and more schools actively participating in the Creativity Scholarship. This coming year, we are glad to state that the movement will see an increase in Mumbai and Pune as well. We are looking forward to see the kind of enthusiasm we get in these new places.

Oxygen... a movement view

6,000 handmade cards to Pakistan to create awareness towards our concern for education

Borders may be divided but we are all striving for a common goal, that is development.
Every country aims for a better future and improved living conditions as well as skilled manpower and efficient human resource. How can all this be brought about? The answer is good education. This is a fact that cuts across cultures and continents. In this fast developing world where education has become a global concern, people of all societies realize its importance.
India and Pakistan, divided by borders and border disputes, have in the past, made several attempts at promoting peace between the two nations. These efforts were directed towards establishing a common consensus between the countries for not using weapons against each other. Such peace talks and efforts are better left for the politicians since they have the military under their control. Let the common citizen make peace on a different level altogether, that of providing good education to each and every one of their children.
As this gesture of promoting awareness towards education, on the 60th year of India's independence, we have decided to send 6,000 (sixty hundred) hand-made cards prepared by our students to Pakistan. The trend that we are trying to establish here, may as well get some support from our immediate neighbors who would come to know about our earnestness towards promoting education which is not only of a good quality but is accessible to all. These greeting cards would be as good tidings from their neighboring country, telling them that they may be divided by political boundaries but are united when it comes to promoting education and development. By doing this and by realizing the importance of quality education, we would be marching straight on the path of developing, on either sides of the border.

Oxygen... a movement view

We are born Gandhians

We, as a nation, mourn on the 30 of January every year. This was the day Mahatma Gandhi, father of the nation was assassinated. Perhaps the major part of our grief comprises of the realization that there was just one Gandhi and can be none other in the future as well. The principles he taught us and the example he set by his own austere lifestyle are too difficult to be emulated. The path he treaded and urged us all to tread is too difficult for everyone to walk on.
But is it really so? Have we forgotten that truth and simplicity are values we are all born with? As children we are oblivious of life’s unending greed, we cry when we are hungry, eat as much as is required and say what’s on our minds.
Isn’t it all about being righteous and honest? And aren’t the principles of non-violence akin to them?
We have forgotten about the time, when as kids, we used to continue stating our demands till they were fulfilled and how we would be extremely satisfied when
we got what we wanted. But as grown ups, we are never satisfied with what we get. It’s usually the wealthiest and people on highest positions who ask for the biggest bribes.
‘Satyagrah’ is all about fighting for your rights, restating your rightful demand and being content with its fulfillment. It is exactly what we used to do as kids. But why does this trend discontinue in later in life?
We somehow stop believing in our own powers and abilities. We start believing in what others tell us regarding the way in which we should lead our life, so as to be an ideal. We should realize that every child is born pure and free from any hatred for anyone.
Instead of simply celebrating the birth and mourning the death of one of our great leaders, we should try to incorporate ideals in our lives. Let not these events remain a formality for us now or in the years to come. Let such events not just mark an important point in history but show us the way to a brighter future.
Oxygen... a movement view

Equal importance to Academics and Activities

The education system should bring out the best in every individual. Every person possesses some talent in the area of their interest. Is it fair to judge people only on the basis of the marks they obtain? Can the marking system, which tests nothing more than memory power, be the only attribute for assessing someone's personality or skill level?
Academic excellence is a significant achievement, no doubt, but the misconception that those who are not academic achievers are good for nothing needs attention. We still give due credit to the knowledge of facts and basic literacy. We undermine the hidden potentials of the people who are made to bear a system that they are not made for. We are overlooking the diamonds in the pursuit to find gold.
At the end of each academic year, students are handed down their report cards which are the so-called assessments of all that they had learnt and managed to retain throughout the year. In fact, it turns out to be a list of things the students didn't learn throughout the year! It is high time we started giving due importance to the developing talents of our youngsters. Promotion to a higher class should depend on the overall skill of the student in any field of their choice and not merely on academics. A sports person should have the liberty to pursue his interest without the pressure of failure in the exams If we allot a total of thousand points on the marking scale then half of those points should come from the area of interest of the student. Unlike the academic part where the knowledge is limited by the scope of syllabus, extra curricular activities are areas where students can define their own boundaries and can reach any level of expertise based on their true grasp and interest of the subject.

Oxygen... a movement view

Education should lead us to inner as well as outer journey

We strive to get the best out of everything in life. In terms of position, status, money and power, we want to leave no stones unturned. In this long journey called life, we walk on two completely different paths. One path leads us to the outer journey in the world, a journey which ends in the attainment of all worldly pleasures. The other path leads us to the inner journey, one of self realization, which ends with the contentment and the knowledge of the fact that material gains are nothing as compared to inner happiness which stems from a pure and simple soul devoid of ill feelings towards others.
The point we must contemplate over is whether we are once again encouraging the younger generations to walk the outer path or are we considering a change of scenario and trying to imbibe good values to them for a fruitful inner journey. Parents, Society and Educational institution should aim at enlightening the students and making them good human beings who can work for others as well as themselves.
We are talking about people who are not only productive but people who are working with a genuine cause. The present case is one in which we find no role of educational institutions in bringing out a good personality and a sound moral base in students. They just train them to churn out facts and work as mechanically as possible.
We shall not only set ourselves upon the task of reforming the education system in this regard but must also change the situation by setting examples ourselves. If we believe being a good person is more important than being a wealthy person, we must idolize people who are good at heart for the children to learn from instead of inspiring them to acquire immense wealth by idolizing rich businessmen and celebrities.

Oxygen... a movement view

Is education disconnecting us from real life?

Exam phobia does not exist in vain. It is a fear of the ultimate kind and quite worth the trouble it evokes for we may never know what terrors the next examination would hurl upon us.
The purpose of education should be to help us become productive individuals and help us understand and dwell in our surroundings better. But the hype surrounding examination and the entire procedure itself is designed in such a way as to disconnect us from our environment. Exams just do not remain a test of knowledge but become a whole lot of trouble for children as well as their families. Very often we see children forgoing everything for the sake of a few hard-earned marks on their report card. They miss out on the real flavors of life in the pursuit of attaining something that promises them a good life in the future and creates a disillusion that their marks reflect their personality and intelligence level. More often than not they end up having little personality development and become people with a whole lot of knowledge but little virtue of its utilization.
The examination schedules cut across festivities leaving no room for the charm of the festival to remain. Children dreading their examinations for the fear of marks, now have another thing to add to their misery. The system hardly desires us to be humans. We are being trained to become robots on every step of this educational ladder. The mechanical questions and straightforward answers require little creativity and genius, and on top of that, show little consideration towards the joys of life. Why should something that is meant to make our lives better be isolated from real life itself?

Oxygen... a movement view

The progress of a nation can be judged by its performance in various sports

This statement is true as it can clearly be seen from the medal tallies of various international sporting events that the most developed countries are the ones that perform best in the maximum number of sports.
It might be because of the fact that developed nations have a better human potential and its people are endowed with the facilities and opportunities to take up a career of their choice whereas people in less developed nations are trying for survival and hence naturally opt for jobs that would ensure a steady income. It might also be for the fact that developing nations like India have completely forgotten about overall development of its human capital and are hell bent on making its people intellectually advanced. And to what extent do they succeed in this goal is a matter of doubt.
It would be wrong to say that we are not a sporting nation, keeping in view the magnitude of fan following and insanity related to a couple of sports. To be precise, its just one sport that Indians fall for, and that is Cricket.
We don't have many countries that actually play cricket as seriously as India does. Despite this fact, we are still not the number one team in the world. Sporting devotion does not only mean painting your face in the tricolour every time your country faces an international team. It means being passionate about it with the true sporting spirit. If we are really passionate about our cricket, why don't we know the names of the players that make up our state teams? Is this real fondness to our one-and-only sport?
We are entangled in a complex net of conceptions and misconception that a 'complete nation' must have a sport it worships. We are blatantly doing things just because other countries are doing it as well. Neglecting the true sporting spirit that we should instill in our students, we aimlessly go about idolizing rich cricketers and evolving all the wrong reasons for association with a sport. Children dream about becoming cricketers, and recently tennis players, just because there's huge earning potential plus popularity in these sports. Nations that stress the true sporting spirits are the ones that have winners in whatever sport their countrymen choose. And that is the reason their countrymen choose a whole array of sports and live up to everyone's expectations.
Oxygen... a movement view

Sports that direct us to kill: Why can't we accept failure?

Sporting events are designed to impart a sense of healthy competition and aim at physical development of the players. It also teaches the fans to take both wins and losses with equal fervour. Sports are an excellent tool for overall development since they teach a whole lot of values through their intended fun and frolic.
Rigorous planning and intense pressure goes into the preparation of a single match which brings a few minutes of excitement and amusement. Apart from this, the amount of resources and money involved as well as the prestige issue associated with some serious sports make it all the more intense, eroding the actual purpose of game. So much so that people are even ready to kill each other if things don't go according to their plan.
The recent murder of Pakistani coach Bob Woolmer speaks volumes for itself.
The outward and violent expressions of rage and grief on our country's loss in cricket and the burning of effigies of the same players we once worshipped are all examples of how fickle we are and how much we abhor failure.
The question to be asked here is 'why have become so intolerant'? Not only as country but as a whole race of people, we have lost all tolerance and forbearance. We are not ready to accept failure as sportingly as we should. If we cannot be sporty enough in accepting failure in sports, we can just imagine about the kind of acceptance we would show in other spheres of our lives. It, perhaps, gets programmed in our heads right at a very tender age when we are taught a kind of repulsion to the word 'failure'. We should teach our kids that failing is just about knowing how a certain thing is not supposed to be done and not about the inability to do it.
Dealing with children who do not perform academically up to a desired level has to be met with a complete revision. It should be our aim to help children learn from their failures instead of developing a fear towards it. Once this fear is gone, we would see a change in a whole lot of aspects of our lives where we'd be more tolerant and willing to learn from our mistakes instead of blaming ourselves or others for it.

Oxygen... a movement view

Internal values - use them or lose them

We are all born with a certain set of inherent values which act as a guide for us on our path of righteousness. More often than not they help us make correct decisions and go for the wiser choices. Unless altered by the external environment our conscience is usually right and shows us the most judicious way out.
The sad part to this tale, however, is that we are increasingly losing our faith on our very own instincts. We are always taught and encouraged to make calculated decisions using solely the mind and seldom the heart. We are always shown the more mechanical alternative. Be it the way we should answer questions or what profession we should chose, all important decisions have to be made leaving the instincts and inner urges far behind. If this inner conflict with oneself and the so called correctness taught to us by our society continues for long, we become a confused lot, unable to decide about our own actions. And this indecisiveness bears us down till we ultimately settle once again with what others find right for us. The time has come to make ourselves stalwarts of our own internal values. We should have faith in ourselves and teach the next generation to have faith in themselves as well, unhindered by what a million people around find suitable for them. Let us give them the wings to fly greater heights instead of caging them by imposing rules.
Oxygen... a movement view

Put in your effort instead of passing the blame

Blaming others is perhaps the easiest and the most obvious thing we do when things don't go according to our plan. We have it in our minds by default that mistakes are always made by others and not us or any of our kin. It is a dangerous presumption because our conscience knows that blaming others is an act of hiding the insecurity created by our knowledge of having committed something wrong.
Very often we find our politicians blaming each other for the sorry state of affairs in our country. They assert that if they or any of their kin had been in that position, nothing would have been amiss. But when they or any or their kin actually get a superior position of authority, they are proved no different from the others.
Its not only our politicians but every one of us find it very simple to state that the people in power are not doing anything. We find it extremely delighting to put forward our views regarding our vision and the change that would be brought about if we were put in their shoes. We hardly ever put forward our views regarding what we can do being in the position we already are. Why do we underestimate our position so much? Why do we assume that we can't do anything without being the Prime Minister of India?
Being a responsible citizen of India, be in it any profession, we can make huge changes by changing our ways and attitude. As students too we can contribute a lot towards making a better society by vowing that we'll make the best of our opportunities. We can look for ways by which the system can be changed for the better.
Oxygen…a movement view