Servant Leader-A.T.I. Newsletter(August-December,2007)

VOICES FROM The NEWS DESK

Learning from Life

The wise man said, "Let Nature be your teacher". With slight extension of the idea we can say, "Let life be an open book for our learning".

Knowingly and most often unknowingly we learn from characters hovering and events happening around us almost every day and may be several times in a day. A riff-raff, a man from the street, an unknown urchin and even a pet we keep in our household as domesticated animal, can teach us values, selfless love, discipline, commitments etc.

The autocratic ruler of Germany of yesteryears, Bismark, wanted to be reborn as an ant, - he was so moved by their industriousness, sense of discipline and devotion to duty.

Training, particularly managerial training, is a challenging assignment for the trainers, needing constant updating and systematic orientation of the training methodology for homing the knowledge inputs to the learners as effective and lasting impression. Classroom lecture is a time-tested and long tried method, but to limited extent of efficacy, specially for the problem of capturing unflagging attention of the trainees by the faculty, more so in relatively long sessions. Appreciating and being confronted with this problem of deficiency training institutions and faculty assigned to train, had to be on the look out for better alternative since long. This has led to innovation of some quite new methods of training like team exercises, management games, group discussions on given topics and more assuredly, examination and presentation of case-studies and case-Iets to secure optimum attention and direct involvement of the participants.

Lecture method training is solely a one way traffic rarely expected to be participative, whereas training through case-studies or case-Iets is absolutely trainee oriented. Here the faculty only plays the role of an observer and facilitator, being more effective than in the case of group discussion where he is only an observer and is virtually a nonentity. Case-study method stands apart distinctly as a better option on two major counts, viz., it obliges the trainees to go for group discussion in which the faculty can also involve himself in turn and it can be used for all working tiers of an organization from the base-Ievel support staff to the managers at the highest echelon.

The success potential of a case-study/case-Iet lies inherent in the fact that it brings in the outside world, the real life situation within the classroom, offering the participant to identify himself with the crisis of the protagonist and the challenge thrown open to him by the antagonist. The participant knows that all the dramatis persona are real characters and the place or places of occurrence are also real with change, just of names, for maintenance of anonymity. The crisis or the problem faced by the man on the anvil of the story becomes the participant's own problem for the time being, enforcing his all out intent to find an imminent solution as a matter of urgency. 

Appreciating this value, members of faculty of ATI, while conducting courses, are placing more importance on the use of case studies and are using case-studies and case-Iets on regular basis. Not content only with this, ATI, under support from the Department of Personnel and Training, Govt. of India, is holding case study workshops to teach active and enthusiastic participants from different cross-sections of administration to conceive and script in methodical way need based, quality case studies in three day and five day programmes. In these workshops complete case studies on multifarious problems are developed by the participants in groups which are examined in the open house by the faculty and the other group members and few out of them are finally validated after corrections and modifications as necessary. These are then recommended to DoPT, Govt. of India for acceptance and award.

In this issue of the ATI Newsletter and some more to follow, we will try to publish a select few of such validated case studies for benefit and comments of our valued readers. Similar unique materials, worth being developed as case studies and lying within their knowledge, are also cordially invited.

We take this opportunity to place special emphasis on live materials for development of case studies on the use of 'Right to Information' by the common people, living particularly at the grassroots level and the remote corners of our State, i.e., whether they are using their newly conferred right to fight corruption in the PDS, development works being implemented by the Panchayats and Municipalities, delivery system of basic health and primary education by the Government outfits etc.

We need the real life stories of the real unsung heroes who are cleansing governments and are expediting the process of good governance by seeking information and asserting their right to know, to be told to others. This is an area where we are admittedly lagging.

SHAPING UNCUT DIAMONDS

Department of Personnel & Training, Government of India entrusted the job of producing good quality case studies for the purpose of training to the Administrative Training Institute, Government of West Bengal, (ATI).

During the year, 2006-07, we at A. T.I conducted 3 Workshops. The details are given below:

Sl. No

Date of Workshop

No. of participants

No. of Case Studies written by participants

1

12.06.06 to 14.06.06

16

4

2

24.07.06 to 26.07.06

17

4

3

01.11.06 to 03.11.06

20

4

We validated and finalised 6 (six) case studies out of the total of 12 (twelve) which were written by the participants. Those six case studies have been submitted to the Government of India and are now being run by other training Institutes of the country.

This year (2007-2008) also, we are conducting workshop for writing case-studies. We have so far conducted 2 (two) workshops the details of which are as hereunder:

Sl. No

Date of Workshop

No. of participants

No. of Case Studies written by participants

1

06.08.07 to 08.08.07

15

3

2

26.12.07 to 28.12.07

10

3

POLIO ADMINISTRATION – A CASE STUDY

Prepared by:

  1. Sri Jitendra Roy

  2. Sri Anik Baran Mahata

  3. Smt. Sonali Chaki

  4. Smt. Parul Datta and

  5. Sri Urfan Ali Mandal

1. Poliomyelitis is a preventable disease and can be eradicated through vaccination. Pulse Polio Immunization Program was initiated allover the country in 1996 to eradicate the disease. Children below five years of age are mainly sufferers with long-term effect of handicapped condition. Many countries of the world successfully eradicated the disease with the assistance of different child welfare agencies. However, due to various constraints polio eradication has not been successful in our country even till 2006.

2. Village "X", having a population of 1700, mostly belonging to a particular community with about 250 children of below 5 years, is located in a Block quite close to Kolkata. Like two or three villages of this Block, it is a remote, secluded and backward village. There is no metal road connecting the village. No transport facility is available to reach the main road, which is 2.5 km away from the village. However, telephone and electricity connections have already reached there. Presently, people of all ages including the school-going children have engaged themselves in "zari" embroidery, which has given a scope of earning money to some extent. There is a primary school, a sub-centre of Health and an Anganwadi center in the village.

3. In 2003, the district administration took a special initiative and launched a drive to make the Pulse Polio Immunization Programme a grand success. People of various levels and different organizations decided to work hand-in-hand so that not even a single child was left uncovered by the polio vaccine. At that time, the Block Medical Officer of Health (BMOH) of the concerned Block drew the attention of others to the fact that most of the children of village 'X' were immunization dropouts. Moreover, in the last few Pulse Polio rounds some of the families in the village flatly refused to dose their children with pulse polio vaccine. This time the situation was more alarming as there was a polio case detected in one of the bordering blocks.

4. The Block administration arranged a meeting with the concerned local religious leaders, members of clubs, political leaders, representative officials of the block and karmadhakshyas. It was decided that a special campaign would be conducted to promote the Pulse Polio schedule before the next programme. The local administration, Panchayat members, officers and workers of Health as well as Women and Child Development and Social Welfare departments would participate in the special campaign. Emphasis would be laid on both routine immunization and special immunization.

5. According to that decision, 5 days before the day of Pulse Polio Immunization Programme a health check up and immunization camp was arranged by the BMOH. To help him there was his own team of grassroots level workers and doctors, as well as the workers and supervisors of the Integrated Child Development Services Scheme (ICDS) along with medicine and vaccine. One case study validated in a recent case-study workshop named, "Polio Administration" is reproduced below.

6. It was decided that home visits would be conducted in groups for building awareness. It was found that the village was a congested one with minimum awareness of health, hygiene, sanitation and cleanliness. Moreover, a general picture of poverty was visible. It appeared from the faces of the household members that they were little interested in their unknown 'guests'. Nobody bothered to attend to what they were talking about. Suddenly, one young man, when asked about taking his child to the polio booth on the scheduled day, burst into anger that his child was attacked with severe pain in the leg after taking the last polio vaccine. Now, other people started buzzing around the visitors. Complaints came that they did not receive satisfactory treatment from the local hospital and that many of the youths did not have ration cards. A chorus arose, "If we are not given ration, what is the use of taking polio vaccine! Will it keep away hunger?" In one house a little baby of a couple of months was found severely ill. The guardians were asked to take the baby to the temporary camp, equipped with doctor and medicine, being held just opposite to that house. They refused strongly saying, "Let him die, as it is his fate. Will he get government loans?" A mother was furious: "If I do not allow my child to take polio vaccine, will the officials be paid less!" Ultimately, the camp was not successful.

7. On the booth day of Pulse Polio Immunization Programme, a team comprising of Block Development Officer (BDO), BMOH, Child Development Project Officer (CDPO), Sabhapati of the Panchayat Samity, political leaders, a member of the local religious committee and a representative of the District Administration reached the place at an early hour. Not a single child could be administered the polio vaccine till then. Villagers crowded around, but only the male adults were there. As soon as they were asked to bring the children to the booth, there was agitation in chorus. The prime demand was for ration cards and other necessary services and grants. According to them, Polio vaccine was of no use if they did not have adequate food to live. Then the Block administration was asked to explain the situation regarding the lacunae in issuing ration cards to the eligible applicants. It was explained that there were not sufficient ration cards to be allotted compared to the need. The reason was that a good number of invalid ration cards prevalent in the locality had not been surrendered in case of death, migration and similar reasons. People could not be motivated and time passed. They were resentful and were about to tear off the posters and banners. At this, it was somehow promised that the matter would be looked into and action would be taken accordingly. People went back to bring the children for the vaccine drops. Almost all the eligible children were administered the vaccine. The block had a successful figure this time.

8. In the subsequent rounds, however, the figure of vaccinated children in the village 'X' kept decreasing. On the whole, there was not much difference in the total immunization figure of the block. Everyone was happy with the report. The block is in a satisfactory position.

9. Three years later: On a visit of an officer of the ICDS project on the day of the Pulse Polio Immunization Programme, not a single child could be vaccinated even two hours after the start. Vaccinators were asked the reason. “The reply came in a rather indifferent voice: "The people are asking for ration cards, not polio vaccine".

“The five” – A case-let

Sujan, a lad of 17 years, sitting on a piece of rugged gunny sack placed on the floor inside the Block Development Officer's chamber was binding office registers/books of accounts on piece rate basis. The office registers being highly important documents, Sujan was not allowed to take these registers to his home for binding.

Now, let us take a look at Sujan. Sujan was the eldest son of the 4 siblings of Sri Prabhat Chandra Sarkar, a petty wage earner, living in a small village in one of North Bengal Districts. Sri Prabhat Chandra Sarkar, father of 2 (two) daughters and 2 (two) sons manages two square meals for the family by doing various odd jobs which were very difficult to find every day in a small village. Sujan, a meritorious student was studying in class XI and was simultaneously supplementing his father's income by doing various types of jobs including book binding and giving private tuition to a student of Class IV.

While Sujan was binding registers on that day, it was around 1.30 p.m. and the "lunch hour" set in. B.D.O. Saheb called for the peon by pushing the bell and started counting number of persons present inside his chamber at that time. B.D.O. Saheb started counting 1, 2, 3, 4 (and skipped Sujan who was sitting on the floor) 5 and so on. Sujan was very disappointed noticing that he had not been counted. B.D.O Saheb ordered for lunch packets for all the persons including himself but excluded Sujan. One gentleman present inside B.D.O's chamber silently pointed to the B.D.O. the presence of Sujan there but B.D.O. Saheb flagrantly discarded the necessity of counting Sujan for bringing lunch packet.

Sujan consoled himself saying that when the lunch packets would be served, everyone present inside the B.D.O.'s chamber would definitely share a portion for him also and he dreamt of a sumptuous lunch. Sujan also thought that even a stray dog got a portion of the meal if the dog remained present in front of a beggar taking meal.

Alas! Lunch packets were delivered and distributed amongst all the "dignitaries" including the B.D.O,. but not a morsel to Sujan.

Sujan had only two rupees in his pocket. Extremely hungry, he went outside the B.O.O.'s chamber and bought "Muri" (puffed rice) by paying Re. 1.50 and a cup of tea with the rest 50 paisa. Sujan's hunger was satisfied to some extent but the fire inside him got ignited.

Sujan took a vow to sit on the chair of the B.D.O. someday as a rightful owner of the same.

Today, Sujan successfully cracked the WBCS examination (West Bengal Civil Service) and got a position in the premier executive cadre. After completion of his 'induction' and 'professional' training courses at ATI, Sujan is now posted at one of the North Bengal Districts as 'Deputy Magistrate & Deputy Collector' on probation.

Sujan will be posted as a Block Development Officer within another eight to ten months and will sit on his dream chair of B.D.O. Saheb.

+ Based on a real life experience, the case-Iet has been developed by Sri M.L.Bhattacharya, Dy. Director, ATI.

* A case-Iet is a miniature case-study and has all its major attributes (a full grown case-study). A case-Iet can be more effectively used to begin a brief session where the trainees can read the case, grasp the idea and present their views in the same sitting. A series of case-Iets can be used in a single standard session by a faculty to highlight a common or even diverse messages underlying the cases, to secure direct involvement of his or her audience.

** The teaching notes for the case-study and the case-Iet have not been included in this issue for special reason. Anyone interested may contact A TI either personally or in writing stating details. While there is no objection to the use of the case-study or the case-Iet or both for training purpose only on obtaining prior written permission, due acknowledgement should be given to ATI, Govt. of West Benqal and also to the writers.

Governor has been pleased to approve of the opening of a new head of account for collection of fees from the Information Seekers for the purpose of supplying information as per following details:-

"0070-Other Administrative Services-60-Other Services-800-Other Receipts-021 -Collection of Fees from Information Seeker for the purpose of servicing Information-27 Other Receipts"

For any further queries contact Nodal Officer, SIA at the address given below/ or Secretary, State Information Commission, Bhabani Bhavan, 2nd Floor, Alipur, Kolkata-700027, Phone:(033) 2479-1966/2008

Inserted in public interest by the RTI Cell of Administrative Training Institute, Government of West Bengal, FC Block, Sector - III, Kolkata - 700 106. Phone No.: (033) 2337 - 3818/4015/0647/0120/4043

Edited and published by Gautam Sengupta WBCS (Exe.), Dy. Director, Administrative Training Institute , FC Block, Sector III, Salt Lake, Kolkata 700 106, Phone : 2337-0120, 2337-4043, Fax : 2337-4015

E mail : dirati@vsnl.net, Printed by : The Tradelink,

Kolkata - 700 006, Phone: 93310 54369