AI Technology Adoption – Is it a one-way street?

This article explores the growing impact of AI technologies on our lives, highlighting both their potential benefits and serious risks in the realm of cybersecurity. It urges readers and decision-makers to critically evaluate the consequences of AI adoption and consider its implications on security, governance, and society while keeping all categories of people at the centre of such decision-making.

Scratching the AI Surface: Will It Hurt or Help More?

The headline "See: Claude 3.5 Sonnet Can Control Your Computer" caught my attention, and as I read through the article, a flood of questions and concerns emerged. It’s another example of an AI application that has the ability to take control of your computer, performing tasks like an actual user. While such developments might bring benefits, the potential for misuse is troubling. Despite assurances about built-in safeguards, this kind of technology creates new opportunities for crime and harm.

We're still in the early stages of AI application development, and the road ahead promises even more advanced and complex tools—tools that could erode trust and, ultimately, threaten the social order. We may face a growing need to invest in protective measures and redress systems. But even then, businesses, governments, and individuals might still find themselves struggling to keep up, especially when these resources might drain funding from more pressing needs. Technology and online systems are already under constant attack, and AI only adds fuel to the fire. The evidence is clear: cybercriminals are exploiting vulnerabilities faster than ever. This isn't just a Luddite fear—it's rooted in the reality of our rapidly changing digital world. (Read more on this trend: Threat Actors Are Exploiting Vulnerabilities Faster Than Ever).

Even at a consumer level, the threats are mounting. We’re already dealing with the dangers of malware and viruses, but now there are deepfakes (audio and video), and the growing issue of spam attacks fuelled by data leaks and AI-driven online behaviour tracking. Scams are increasingly sophisticated, with attempts to lure us into clicking on dubious links or providing sensitive data. (See: Bengaluru residents lose Rs 95 lakh after trusting deepfake videos of Mukesh Ambani and Narayana Murthy). Here are some of the most common crimes we face online: (Chart: The Most Common Types of Cyber Crime | Statista)

Cyberattacks: A Growing Threat

For many, the idea of a cyberattack conjures images of data breaches or financial fraud. But these attacks extend far beyond banking. Critical sectors such as healthcare, utilities, manufacturing, and public services are increasingly targeted.

Take a look at some notable cyberattacks outside the finance industry:

• Not if, but when: Cyberattacks threaten hospital systems
• Significant Cyber Incidents | Strategic Technologies Program | CSIS
• New Report: Cyber Security Threats in Manufacturing Industry
• Why Does Manufacturing See the Most Cyber Attacks? | Cyber Magazine
• 14 recent cyber attacks on the transport & logistics sector

With AI tools making inroads into industries like healthcare and manufacturing, a targeted attack could trigger serious consequences. Imagine a rogue AI being used to trigger false diagnoses in a hospital or an autonomous manufacturing system overridden to deliberately malfunction, resulting in dangerous products reaching consumers. These risks, often dramatized in films as science fiction, are now inching closer to reality. We once trusted that businesses and authorities would safeguard us, but can we still place that same trust in them?

Cybersecurity: Can We Rely on It?

Given the escalating risks, businesses are pouring resources into cybersecurity. The cybersecurity industry is growing rapidly, with some estimates suggesting a 14% annual growth rate that will continue for the rest of the decade. However, this growth comes with its own challenges. One of the most pressing is the stark inequality in cybersecurity resilience between rich and poor nations, as well as between large, well-funded organizations and small or developing ones. A report by the World Economic Forum highlights this gap:

"The distance between organizations that are cyber resilient enough to thrive and those that are fighting to survive is widening at an alarming rate. The least capable organizations are perpetually unable to keep up with the curve, falling further behind and threatening the integrity of the entire ecosystem."

Moreover, by one estimate, over 82% of small businesses had at least one successful cyber-attack in 2021. (See: 35 Alarming Small Business Cybersecurity Statistics for 2024 | StrongDM).

This growing divide spells trouble not just for businesses, but for consumers as well. As the demand for cybersecurity professionals increases, there is a notable shortage of skilled workers. Cybersecurity companies are struggling to find qualified professionals, which creates additional stress on the existing workforce. The pressure of constantly evolving threats leads to burnout, with a high turnover rate among professionals. (See: 24% of Cybersecurity Leaders Are Ready to Quit Jobs: Here’s Why - Techopedia). The skills gap is a significant challenge, but it also presents opportunities for those entering the field.

Explore the demand and challenges:

• Skills shortage persists in cybersecurity with many jobs going unfilled | VentureBeat
• Nearly 4 Million Cybersecurity Jobs Are Vacant: Here’s Why You Should Consider Breaking Into This Sector
• Booming Job Market: 3 Reasons Why Cybersecurity Jobs Will Reign Supreme - Business2Community
• 4 Million Job Openings Await Skilled Cybersecurity Professionals

At the same time, generative AI and other advanced technologies are being leveraged to improve cybersecurity capabilities. AI can speed up software development, automate vulnerability testing, and even help detect breaches faster. However, its potential to also fuel cybercrime has raised concerns. (See: How AI Is Shaping the Future of Cybercrime). As the speed of technological advancement continues to outpace the development of protective measures, there is a growing fear that rogue AI could exploit system weaknesses before cybersecurity systems can adapt. This raises important questions: can we truly safeguard AI-driven systems, and who is responsible when they fail?

The Role of Governance

Governance frameworks for AI are emerging, with some governments introducing regulations to manage its development and deployment. However, many countries, particularly in the developing world, are lagging. The laws are in place, but enforcement is often weak, and there's a growing risk of exploitation by malicious actors who operate outside regulated environments. This creates a dangerous environment where technology might be used irresponsibly, putting consumers and citizens at risk.

What happens to those who use these technologies with malicious intent? Who is protecting the everyday person from these threats? (See: AI governance trends: How regulation, collaboration, and skills demand are shaping the industry | World Economic Forum).

The Big Picture: Who Bears the Burden of Responsibility?

As the battle between cybercriminals and cybersecurity experts intensifies, it's essential for us, as citizens, workers, and consumers, to question our increasing reliance on technology. At some point, we may need to set limits on its use. Drawing clear lines about where we allow technology to intervene is becoming one of the most important decisions we must collectively make.

Governments must take a proactive approach to engage in this conversation and make decisions from a strategic, long-term perspective. Unfortunately, with many governments struggling to keep up with the complexities of AI and cybersecurity, it’s unlikely these issues will be addressed without widespread public demand.

Until we can develop more secure systems—an effort that could take years—citizen education and awareness are crucial. As much as we focus on the benefits of technology, we must also devote equal attention to its vulnerabilities and potential harms. This means evaluating risks and lobbying for technology adoption that considers both the upside and the downside. Only by carefully weighing these factors can we make informed decisions about where and how to use AI.

It’s essential to involve a broad range of perspectives in this debate. We must consider the impact on all people, including the elderly, those with cognitive challenges, and communities in regions with limited resources. AI development cannot be driven by convenience and profit alone; it must prioritize people’s well-being. The metrics for AI adoption should not focus solely on efficiency or growth but should reflect democratic values and social responsibility. We need to create spaces where citizens, not just tech companies, have a voice in determining the direction of AI’s adoption. After all, technology is not an inevitable path in every domain; it must be navigated thoughtfully, through democratic processes, with ongoing review and adjustment.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we must educate ourselves on how these technologies will affect our work and lives and contribute meaningfully to conversations within our communities and workplaces. As AI continues to evolve, we need to consider how it impacts different groups of people—those who are less tech-savvy, the elderly, those with disabilities, and people in lower-income countries or under-resourced organizations. It's crucial that AI development puts people at its centre, not just the convenience of a few or the profits of tech companies.

Adoption and usage should not be the only goals; they certainly shouldn’t be the most important ones. We must have the ability to change course, to reverse or redirect AI adoption when necessary—not as dictated by capitalists or tech enthusiasts, but through collective decision-making by everyday people. Only through thoughtful evaluation, democratic consultation, and regular review can we ensure AI’s integration into society is beneficial and safe. When it comes to technology adoption, let’s make sure it’s not just a one-way street.

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Final Notes

• Consider how AI and other technologies are impacting your life, your work, and the society around you.
• Who is influencing decisions on technology adoption in your area? Do you have a way to communicate your questions and concerns to them?

#artificialintelligence #AI #cybersecurity #technology 

Sustainability and the Role of the Individual in Addressing Related Concerns

I was asked by LinkedIn to share an article or video on what sparked my interest in sustainability and how individuals can contribute: #GreenerTogether #LinkedInNewsIndia. 

So, here it is; this is why sustainability sparked my interest and how I think individuals can contribute to the agenda.

Quality of life is rapidly deteriorating, with declining availability of good air quality, nutrition, and other essentials. While many accumulate luxurious possessions and enjoy extravagant experiences, the majority of the planet suffers from a lack of basic needs. Our health is at increased risk, and as we become aware of the implications of global warming, climate change, and pollution, we realize that our very existence is also at stake. Animals, who cannot advocate for themselves, silently endure the consequences of our excesses, perishing in forest fires, oil spills, and warming oceans. This reflects an alarming trend of increasing selfishness and insensitivity in society. Pair this with the rise of extreme climate events and chronic and zoonotic diseases, alongside reduced biodiversity inside and outside the human body, which is essential for survival, and we are faced with an ecosystem in crisis. There is an increasing number of fatalities because of these crises each year. This trajectory cannot continue; escalating selfishness threatens our ability to live peacefully, as evidenced by high crime rates, intense competition, stressful workplaces, rampant opportunism and corruption.

What we are witnessing is a result of unbridled capitalism, which has driven us toward a culture of one-upmanship and conflict among individuals, groups, and nations. To counter this downward spiral, we must develop a post-capitalist, environmentally friendly, and people-centric economic model. Those in power, who benefit from maintaining the status quo, are unlikely to propose genuine solutions. Therefore, it is up to individuals and groups to unite and propose well-developed ideas at both micro and macro levels to address this unsustainable way of life. This will require creative thinking, problem-solving, and building awareness on a large scale. We need to mobilize a critical mass and ensure that people with the right value-set aligned to sustainability occupy decision-making positions to drive meaningful change. 

While we acknowledge that a genuine solution to the sustainability crisis remains elusive, many piecemeal ideas exist—both expressed and unexpressed. These include legislation (like banning single-use plastics, limiting oil drilling, preventing deforestation, and enhancing effluent treatment), educational initiatives, (such as free environmental and sustainability courses and student eco-projects), alongside concepts around the circular economy (like recycling and rainwater harvesting). However, many initiatives remain ineffectual, often undermined by insincere implementation, leading to accusations of greenwashing. What we need are earnest platforms to enable these initiatives and identify actionable incisive ideas and ingenious individuals to develop meaningful solutions for local and global deployment.

Governments will not act unless it serves their interests, so citizens in democracies must demand more from their leaders. Those businesses and governments that harm the planet will continue to spread misinformation for their benefit; conscientious individuals must counter these narratives. Addressing these challenges requires collective action; otherwise, there is little chance of any meaningful confrontation with
the powerful, who wield more money, resources, and control. We should also recognize the potential for individuals to expose transgressions by businesses and governments, inspiring others to earnestly pursue sustainability.

I have several ideas that can contribute to the solution, but I have yet to find a defined channel for gaining serious stakeholder attention. I can envision countless others with brilliant, workable ideas facing similar obstacles in expressing them and gaining traction. To address this, in addition to platforms for discussing solutions, we must ensure green financing is more accessible at the grassroots level. This includes increasing funding options for impactful and scalable initiatives while protecting our green entrepreneurs, encouraging them to share their ideas and fully commit to their implementation.

I firmly believe that the problem is surmountable, even with the urgent timelines. However, we need substantial backing from committed groups, along with the necessary resources to maintain independent control over these initiatives and prevent them from becoming lost in bureaucratic processes associated with crony capitalism.

Individual and collective activism is central to addressing the sustainability challenge. Unless changes are adopted by the majority of the global population to counteract harmful practices, we will struggle to find solutions. Every individual and initiative therefore matters, and we must treat them as such. So while we work to encourage participation through education, and enablement, the key questions we have to get everyone asking themselves are: Am I aware enough? Am I on the right side of this? Am I doing what is needed? And can I do more? So, as a reader of this, why don't you give it a go?

#capitalism #sustainability #climatechange #biodiversity #climate #globalwarming #greenwashing 

SYSTEMATIC MECHANISM TO IMPOVERISH OUR ECONOMY PERPETUATES (MUDRA LOANS – CASE IN POINT)

The Mudra scheme has raised the NPA specter for Indian PSU Banks once again, with the NPAs rising at an alarming rate. Mudra loan disbursements by state-owned banks rose to Rs 3.82 lakh crore in 2019-20, from Rs 3.05 lakh crore in 2018-19 and Rs 2.12 lakh crore in 2017-18. NPAs as a percentage of total loans rose to 4.92 per cent in 2019-20 from 3.42 per cent in 2017-18.

It was utterly foreseeable during its announcement that this would be the case. What seems to be a populist measure under the garb of supporting micro-scale economic initiatives is a ruinous method to put the financial system under pressure. It does not take any imagination to surmise that this is a method to funnel money without adequate scrutiny to people and accounts by those in power. This is a form of planned leakage of funds where banks are enabled and even pushed to release funds, resulting in anticipated circumvention of any form of checks and balances. These measures go on because it is a win-win for those who participate in the system. The local politicians can get the banks to issue loans to people in their clique, the senior bank officials can do the same, the customers get easy money, and in the end, no one is accountable. Initially, everyone claims success and glory by quoting large disbursement numbers and how they are doing a fantastic job and helping people and the economy. In the aftermath, when large scale NPAs result, the banks blame the pressures from the government to disburse, the government blames the banks and other circumstances all the while building a case for the government to compensate for the losses and remonetise the banks. The system is exploited by politicians and bankers, while the real burden eventually falls on the taxpayers, including the small and micro-businesses that pay taxes. In times of distress like in the current COVID situation, the government has no money to save existing businesses and reimburse taxpayers’ money that is required to save this tax-revenue generating machinery. This is the worst kind of financial and economic governance that will engender long-term dependence, perpetuate exploitative practices and venality. Several apologists see this as the mechanism for distributing money to the grassroots, and a few other countries too use such schemes, but that does not build a real case for this hugely inefficient mechanism for doling out funds.

There is no mechanism to scrutinise such schemes, and there is no system of accountability. Independent agencies need to rate such schemes for its robustness. Currently, most such schemes are put on display for public commenting and at the most subjected to political debate in the parliament, which is clearly partisan and only serves to obfuscate,  with no clarity on the real merits of the case. Also, we need the case to be reviewed by independent experts and make the commentary public.

It is essential to create systems that put the banks out of politicians reach, and the case for a bail-out or compensation should only be done in the rarest of rare cases. Also, when any scheme is announced, it is crucial to anticipate NPAs using a transparent mechanism, and an acceptable threshold of NPAs must be announced to measure the performance and functioning of control mechanisms of the banks.

Any excesses must be investigated through independent forensic audits and institutional penalties must be levied. Additionally, individuals who have indulged in fraudulent, negligent and unethical practices must be weeded out and subjected to appropriate legal action.

There is a much greater need for scrutiny of banking operations through independent mechanisms. The timing of exercising checks is also crucial, instead of only doing post-mortems, random sampling for scrutiny, while disbursements are being made, is an essential check that must be widely used.

RBI has limited powers when it comes to PSU banks as compared to private sector banks, and this creates issues in exercising the right kind of power over them. But the RBI retains the right for issuing audits and must exercise these when the NPAs exceed a specific limit, and there are questionable results. The system of regulatory oversight must be strengthened for PSU banks. Even if the RBI does not have the right to penalise board members of PSU banks, they can investigate and issue reports and recommendations for actions. They must exercise these in greater measure.

The independence of the RBI from the government is meant actually to create this arm’s length relationship, but we know that the RBI too is not entirely free from the government’s influence. Right from the recruitment of RBI governors, who are appointed after the proposal made by the Financial Sector Regulatory Appointments Search Committee (FSRASC), headed by the Cabinet Secretary, to their dismissals, to attempts to get more government representation on the RBI board the government continually tries to influence the RBI. While everyone accepts that the RBI’s autonomy is an essential and accepted governance requirement and must be maintained at all costs, in practice, there is a constant tussle and meddling.

While some suggest privatisation as the solution, the reality is that private banks are driven by the sole motive of profit and have their own ways of exploiting the customer base and loopholes through off-balance sheet liabilities and other fraud mechanisms. So frankly, there is no substitute for robust regulatory and oversight frameworks that are free from conflict of interest and impermeable to government interference. Unless we really think and institute mechanisms with rigour the powerful will continue to exploit the system for their gains and the system will continue to work through nefarious means.

Do Not Merely Protect Large Institutions - Financial Support Must Be Reconsidered to Save the Soul of the Economy - The Small Entrepreneurs

The SBI chairman, Rajnish Kumar, spoke today about excess liquidity with banks and stated that the bank had doubled its deposits with RBI. It is a shame that at the same time consumers and businesses are being forced to pay loans when they can ill-afford it. The loan restructuring is already being spoken of for people who have large ticket loans, which again makes borrowers in the most vulnerable segments carry on without any support to ensure they carry-on.

Additionally, banks are only interested in pushing more loans to these people who are already struggling with paying the existing loans, how can they be comfortable in taking more loans given the uncertainty and the risks.

The loan moratoriums were the only partial relief activity that the government indeed undertook to help those struggling in the pandemic. I call it partial because with interest still accruing, it eventually extracts its cost from the borrowers. It would have made sense to provide moratorium and interest rate relief to borrowers below a certain threshold of borrowing at least, as the banks are not going to invest time in restructuring their loans, causing consternation and grief for these people in dealing with the institutional establishments that have come to rule over them.

Individuals with home loans, auto loans, educational loans, credit card loans, insurance premiums and other financial burdens, below a certain threshold should have been granted interest-free moratoriums or even some waiver reliefs. MSMEs and Farmers with loans should have been given some real relief instead of merely the option to load up on more credit. Direct transfers to small farmers have been done to some extent, but one must factor in that the quantum of transfer is more related to personal consumption and not for livelihood sustenance support.

Detractors may still talk about maintaining a culture of responsibility and accountability and not provide free money. But the fact to be noted is that the avenues of sustainable employment are under threat and any measure without the prospect of burdening these enterprises further, must be availed because at the heart of entrepreneurship is initiative, which has been taken at considerable risk by most small entrepreneurs. To sustain the culture of initiative and effort this cohort of pioneers must be supported at the time of an unprecedented crisis.

One must also factor in that the interest rate on deposits have reduced and investments are not bearing returns for people who could have relied on these to make up for shortfalls in business or employment income. A spate of suicides due to financial difficulties are as tragic as they are also avoidable.

As a society, we must take responsibility by taking risks ourselves. Also, if the government and banks are worried about the relief being misused by undeserving people, it must be known that saving livelihoods must take priority above anything else barring saving lives and hopefully, these are no longer in conflict but aligned objectives. This is what we were debating at the time of lockdown, but now that we have chosen to move ahead by saving livelihoods, we have suddenly prioritised protecting ourselves from unworthy gains by a few, over protecting livelihoods and lives. Why has this additional criterion become more important than protecting lives and livelihood? I believe that the decision-makers must bring clarity to their decision making by clarifying their priorities, which must be to protect vulnerable people and those who contribute to keep the wheels of socio-economic sustainability turning, those who are in between access to employment with big business and those who rely on daily welfare measures of the state, the precious middle, the spirit and the soul of the economy. I hope decision-makers will reconsider their financial support measures, or we run the risk of creating a society of people who will be defined by inertia, indolence and selfishness, over risk-taking, effort and initiative. You will impact the future and while history may or may not judge these events, it will leave an indelible imprint for a significant time to come and the responsibility lies on us in this defining moment of these epochal times.

Ten Points for the Indian Government to Consider While Implementing Lockdowns for Corona Virus Outbreak (COVID19)

The Indian response to the Corona Virus Outbreak has drawn many reactions and has resulted in a number of sub-optimalities. The idea of this blog is not to criticise what has already happened, in this unparalleled time of crisis. This is merely an expression of what hopefully is being considered and worked into the plans going forward. We have already seen issues of breakdown in compliance, support for people and communities especially those most economically vulnerable and shortages of necessary supplies for those at the forefront of the response. Not everything is wrong or right, but we must only look to raise the bar and support the response in our crucial fight against COVID19. What has already happened must only be analysed to improve future efforts and not to ascribe blame or indulge in issues that detract and distract from the most vital matters at hand. 

4 days into the lockdown, the Interstate Bus Terminus in Delhi,
overwhelmed by crowds (mostly poor migrant labour) ignoring social distancing norms,
seeking transportation to get home. 

There are various dimensions in which the challenge has to be tackled, while the financial and economic side is one, the medical services and cure research aspect is another. There are the safety and security aspects and then there are the social and psychological impacts that we need to deal with. There is what we do as the challenge grows and then what we do to normalise once it begins to subside. The goal of this particular blog is to highlight a few points which seem urgent given the heart-rending issues surfacing due to the lockdown that common people are facing. 

So here are ten points we hope the government is going to pay heed to in light of the lockdown.

Law enforcement punishing those ignoring
the call for lockdown and venturing out. 

1)        In light of the travails of poor migrants and other stranded people, brief all those implementing the lockdown that they are dealing with humans who are fearful, anxious, worried and possibly desperate. To add to that, most are protecting themselves and their family, probably on an empty stomach and little hope that someone is looking out for them. These people have been on their own forever. It is foolhardy for anyone to expect them to start believing that the world has suddenly begun to prioritise and work in their best interests now.

People walking carrying their belongings across states hoping to get home,
some prepared to walk for hundreds of miles to get home. 

All that many of them are trying to do is merely survive. They are just trying to get back home to their loved ones or find food and shelter. Their movements, as a result, may cause worries to some others. Still, the least they deserve is compassion and understanding if you are unable to offer them anything more. This must be considered while the law enforcement agencies and planners carry out their work. Read a news18 report on migrant workers plight here.

 2)        Organise food and essentials in a planned manner. It is vital to ensure that all areas are covered, and that requires a massive logistical and communication exercise. This requires local police and perhaps even community support. This is an extensive and urgent campaign that need to be put in place. It is also essential that people know where the reliable and safe places are, to get food from. Often, well-meaning people do take the initiative that fizzles out in time or may overlook essential safety aspects. This is in no way undermining their effort and God bless them. Still, the administration must do over and above, something that is systemic and sustainable. Enrolling people who are volunteering into the arrangements may be a win-win and may be planned but addressing various critical aspects of it such as safety and continuity. Quality assurance plan must support safety at food preparation and distribution points. 

Report of a husband carrying his wife
who was immobilised due to a medical condition

3)        Transport is essential and must be planned. No matter what there will be emergencies of various kinds and people will need to travel. There must be a mechanism for people, especially poor people, to make essential commutes. A safety check must be made for the mode of travel. Read tragic news of a migrant worker here.

4)        Many issues around supply are coming to the fore. Not only is there an issue of availability, but there is also the issue of overcharging for essential commodities. A nationwide helpline must be made available for people to report overcharging issues. Exploiting vulnerabilities for profit at this stage must be dealt with zero tolerance. 

5)        There must be a way to get people tested in an organised fashion and this must be communicated to them in each locality. A campaign must start for the same. At this time, a line of communication must be made active to all community representatives, including those with RWAs (Resident Welfare Associations) or in poorer (unorganised) communities where such groups may not exist. Emergency communication systems and their nodes (hierarchy) must be identified not just to disseminate information but gather local intelligence. MLAs, Councillors and local Police Stations are not good enough to be the last mile communicators.

6)        Clear distribution channels and points must be identified. These must communicated to locals for provision of essential protective gear such as masks, gloves, etc. 

7)        Delivery mechanisms must be allowed to function. Food delivery is still on, but other e-tailers that are also are members who can provide delivery support are shut down. In fact, in such a situation, delivery networks must be strengthened and reinforced. Communication must go out in each community to make people aware of such mechanisms of delivery, and they must be encouraged to use these and not venture out on their own.

8)        Each locality must know their nearest healthcare facility that is equipped to handle the medical requirements and where people from each neighbourhood should go. This will keep people from overwhelming select facilities and distribute the load, helping not just hospitals and testing facilities, but also the people by ensuring they don’t find themselves in avoidable long queues and unnecessarily travelling long distances.

9)        A production plan for essential equipment and gear that may be in short supply I would believe is already in play. We must have scalable and responsive production plans, along with storage and distribution. Any potential bottleneck must be identified and undone. Lockdowns must factor in need for production and distribution of these items.

10)        One must ensure that law and order, military forces should not be put under undue risk. They must be used only where their specialised capabilities are critical.  The option to mobilise trained personnel from other avenues, medical support volunteers including doctors and other medical staff under training, private security personnel, and many other sources must be exercised to meet human resources requirements. Such sources must be identified and kept on call for emergencies at all times. Risking a spread among armed forces can multiply other risks resulting in undue distractions and open battles on other critical fronts.

We really don't know what times like these can eventually result into. Our only hope is that we learn, and live up to the expectations one can have of a considerate, competent and a wise society. The next few blogs of mine will focus on various aspects of this crisis and what we can learn from it. I will express thoughts on what we  may need to do hereafter to evolve and progress. 

Furthermore...hastening our fall, as we fail to learn

The government has been trying to highlight the failure of the private sector in driving the Skills Agenda and has been calling them ineffective and corrupt. Unfortunately, the inefficacy of the government structures is as flawed. We have repeatedly been stating that it is important that we radically overhaul the system by creating proper structures with the related capacity building at all levels including senior levels. We also need to create responsive systems for current, reliable information, decision support, and quality assurance. Yet, we keep doing the same things over and over, just refusing to acknowledge ignorance that governs and ineffectiveness of current approaches and practices. Every new initiative is only a regurgitation of the past; the rigour required to plan and implement something well just seems to elude our decision-makers. In the end, they will have no choice but to succumb to the unethical engineering of data and perceptions, or the machinations of external market players with vested interests that will lead us back centuries, only because we fail to recognise and reward merit, commitment, and real effort. This is a colossal waste of taxpayers money and given the burdens that are being borne by honest businesses and individuals, we are pushing them towards unethical practices and non-compliance, and paving the way for eventual anarchy.

It is a real shame that money is being distributed to people by the hordes when it comes to elections, yet we cannot invest wisely in protecting our collective future. India time is running out.

Skills Development Structures in India

Structural and fundamental mistakes, along with limited understanding of scope and principles, underpin the skills development reforms in India. Internationally advocated models and practices inspire the core structure of the endeavour, but neither the interpretation nor the implementation has been effective and well thought. It is though commendable for politician, bureaucrats, the private and development sector to recognise the need and articulate the pressing requirement unambiguously, as a critical agenda for development and progress. The fact that the agenda is now devolved onto states and other government and quasi-government bodies, also is a step forward. 

So while there has been considerable focus on this, the lack of fundamental understanding and the ever-present pressures of political compulsions have not only severely undermined efforts but have decisively led the movement towards disrepute and disservice. The situation has also been vitiated and hampered by the addling turf wars between the government and the private sector, each trying to ascertain control and maintain their autonomy to do things are per their own volition, resisting the need for honest effort and accountability.

As often is the case in India, plenty of funds and efforts have been dedicated to the field, only to find itself given to venality and misappropriation. While many clamour for stopping this massive squandering of resources, by halting in its tracks the new model and tearing down structures that have been created, it in my strongest opinion will be tantamount to throwing out the baby with the bathwater.
It is important that people stand up to demand change that is meaningful, monitored for integrity and held accountable by transparent decision making, information sharing, and scrutiny. Concomitantly, we need to create structures that lend itself to controls but are independent of political and bureaucratic manipulation and expediency. The effort was also derailed by the lack of competence by those given charge of this new reform, and scaling up too quickly,  amorphously also obfuscated the negative results, and before many could comprehend the impact and analyse the workings, the vehicle had become a juggernaut. 
While this is the underpinning, isolated and sporadic progress has been made on few counts, whether it is moving forward in instituting periodic skills competitions or redesigning of the apprenticeship programme. Albeit, it is still not only too little to show for the efforts, and these efforts are in themselves much in need of improved design, execution and quality assurance.

The challenge in our country which desperately requires some serious, fit-for-purpose Skills Development at all levels, is that there is very little by way of capacity building, especially at the level of decision-makers and gatekeepers, whose rulings impact the system, structures, and practices far more intensely than at the lower levels where most capacity building efforts are directed. Also, the selection of those to lead these efforts needs some serious rethink as most people in those positions of power have little understanding and competence in the areas in which they are expected to lead.  Along with this, may I also risk saying that even mostly the commitment is lacking and together this results in the total inability to make meaningful, well-informed, and responsible decisions related to these areas.
I am reminded of an International Career consultant with World Bank once calling me from another country to only state that in his life's experience any hope for governments and development agencies to solve the problem is seriously misplaced and will never materialise. That for me seriously puts the onus on individuals and benefit corporations to find ways to contribute to the resolution of obstacles in forwarding this agenda. At the same time, I know any form of achievement will be contingent upon coalescing of capable, complementing entities with the vision and desire to effect meaningful change and building a network that supports each other. It will require people within existing structures to take bold and informed decisions to work with capable people and agencies, casting aside their egos and insecurities, to move forward towards progress. 
India today, carries ignominious charges including having one of the highest rates of suicides across segments of vulnerable people such as students, farmers, and others. We are grappling with increasing statistics of road fatalities going opposite in direction against a target of shelving it by 50% by 2020 set by the UN. We are a nation which is being now considered unsafe for women, where crime rates are shooting up, where the quality of food and drink is becoming increasingly suspect. People today are questioning the ability and integrity of institutions of democracy. We have a capital city where even the day-to-day breathed air is considered poisonous and infrastructure in every metropolitan city is crumbling. Joblessness is already the order of the day and corruption seems to be the rule and not the exception in this nation.

Issues that are fanning terrorism, global warming and our demographic profile, which is low on patience and carries a high risk of immature responses to times of difficulty and pain, creates an even more complicated, challenging and unhelpful environment

The country is perhaps at the end of the tethered rope of time, that we have to construct structures and systems give us some semblance of hope for salvaging a livable, civilised future. If unable, it is not far-fetched to imagine the aggravating condition of society, peaking in the next decade or so where due to poor quality of skills and values across the board we will be staring at social and economic ruin of this country. This disintegration will be driven by a population that doesn't have jobs and finds their inspiration in the demagoguery of those with vested interests and ambition for power to be the oppressor instead of the oppressed. You have the potential to be on the right side of change, learn and come together to do it now.
#skills #skillindia #educationreform