Blind IAS candidate Ajit Kumar fulfills his dream!

Not been allotted to IAS because of limited vision

Ajit’s ranked 208 of 791 in the general category
Story: 

• Thirty-year-old Ajit Kumar from Haryana has an inspiring story to tell.

• Ajit, who became visually impaired at the tender age of three, managed to beat the odds and has qualified for the Indian Administrative Service (IAS).

• Currently teaching in Shyam Lal College, Ajit graduated in Political Science from Ramjas College. He did his B.Ed. from Delhi University’s Central Institute of Education and also qualified the UGC-NET examinations. “I always knew I wanted to do some work which would also benefit the society. Earlier, I wanted to be a surgeon, but due to my lack of proper vision I had to give up on the idea,” says Ajit.

• “Around 2006, I thought of becoming an IAS officer. In my first attempt I cleared the preliminaries while I qualified on the third attempt,” he adds.

• Musing over the difficulties he encountered, Ajit says: “One needs to study a great deal to crack the IAS exams. I had to make creative use of the various media available. I would make notes in Braille, listen to recordings and make my own recordings.” “My father, who is a retired block development panchayat officer, motivated me constantly,” he adds.

• Ajit cleared the examinations in 2008. However all is still not hunky dory. According to Ajit there are more hurdles.

• “I am very firm that I want to become an IAS officer,” says Ajit whose rank was 208 of 791 students in the general category in the Civil Services examination.

• “Initially I was being allotted a post in the Indian Railways Personnel Service. But that is not befitting of the rank I had earned in the examinations.”

• “I have not been allotted to the IAS since I do not have full vision,” says Ajit. But I am determined to get into the IAS. I have earned it and this is what I deserve. According to the law, one per cent seats in the IAS are to be reserved every year for the visually impaired,” says Ajit.

• However Ajit claims that for some years the reserved seats have not been filled. “The seats if they were allotted in some years were given to persons with low vision but not people who are blind. The Department of Personnel Training which had said it would fill the seats is yet to do so.” “My case is being considered and I hope to receive a notification about my recruitment into the IAS soon. But if I am not absorbed in the IAS, I am ready to take the matter to court,” he states.

Don't Compare with others Be Happy

• A crow lived in the forest and was absolutely satisfied in life. But one day he saw a swan.

• "This swan is so white," he thought, "and I am so black. This swan must be the happiest bird in the world." 

• He expressed his thoughts to the swan. "Actually," the swan replied, "I was feeling that I was the happiest bird around until I saw a parrot, which has two colors. I now think the parrot is the happiest bird in creation."

• The crow then approached the parrot. The parrot explained, "I lived a very happy life—until I saw a peacock. I have only two colors, but the peacock has multiple colors."

• The crow then visited a peacock in the zoo and saw that hundreds of people had gathered to see him. After the people had left, the crow approached the peacock. "Dear peacock," the crow said, "you are so beautiful. Every day thousands of people come to see you. When people see me, they immediately shoo me away. I think you are the happiest bird on the planet."

• The peacock replied, "I always thought that I was the most beautiful and happy bird on the planet. But because of my beauty, I am entrapped in this zoo. I have examined the zoo very carefully, and I have realized that the crow is the only bird not kept in a cage. So for past few days I have been thinking that if I were a crow, I could happily roam everywhere."

• That's our problem too. We make unnecessary comparison with others and become sad. We don't value what has God given us. This all leads to the vicious cycle of unhappiness.

January 12 being observed as National Youth Day : Swami Vivekananda's 152nd birth anniversary

In India, January 12 is being observed as National Youth Day.

This day marks birthday anniversary of social reformer, philosopher and thinker Swami Vivekananda.

On this day, numbers of functions are being organised nationwide to celebrate the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda.

Background:

• Union Government in 1984 had declared and decided to observe the birthday of Swami Vivekananda i.e. 12 January as a National Youth Day every year from 1985 onwards.

• Significance of day: It will help to propagate the philosophy and the ideals of Swami Vivekananda for which he lived and worked. It will also help and act as a great source of inspiration for the Indian Youth.

About Swami Vivekananda:

• Swami Vivekananda was born on 12 January 1863 and died on 4 July 1902.

• He was born Narendranath Dutta and was chief disciple of the 19th century saint Ramakrishna Paramhamsa and the founder of the Ramakrishna Math and the Ramakrishna Mission.

• He was one of the most prominent figures of India who introduced Indian philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga to the “Western” World.

19th National Youth Festival begins in Guwahati, Assam : All you need to know about 19th NYF

The 19th National Youth Festival has begun in Guwahati, Assam. This festival coincides with the 152nd birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda.
Theme of this edition of youth festival is Youth for Clean, Green and Progressive India. It aims to spread to spread national integration and harmony.

Events :

• It is 5 day event, which will provide platform to the young talents to perform their level best in music and cultural events.

• During this festival, different competitions, exhibitions, cultural programs, and seminars will be held.

• In this festival sports persons including Virender Sehwag, Sushil Kumar and Mary Kom along with several young MPs are participating to motivate the young minds towards nation building. This youth festival is also likely to give a boost to the tourism industry of the state.

• It will showcase various shades of youth talent through Yuva Kriti, Food Festival, Young Artist Camp, Youth Convention, Suvichar and Adventure activities.

• Besides these there will be other competitive and non-competitive events between youths of different states.

Opening ceremony: 

• It was attended by Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, Union Sports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Minister of State for Home state Kiren Rijiju at Nehru Stadium in Guwahati.

About National Youth Festival :

• It is an annual gathering of youth during National Youth Week i.e. from 12 to 16 January. It is celebrated to mark birth anniversary of youth icon Swami Vivekananda.

• It is organized by Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in collaboration with one of the State Governments