VORTILONS

  APPLICATION OF AERODYNAMIC INNOVATIONS: VORTILONS

THE VORTILON

Vortilons on an unknown aircraft

The latest innovation in the area of wing-tip stall, and control thereof, is the Vortilon. Vortilons are very simple devices that perform an important function, somewhat like vortex generators, but without the penalty of drag. They are small fences fitted on the undersurface of an aircraft’s wing, “but their main function is to generate a vortex of air over the top of the main wing only at high angles of attack. When the angle of attack on the main wing is raised, the lower surface airflow starts to move outboard at an increasing angle.” They have no loss in performance in all other phases of flight. “The vortilons stick up and move forward as the wing angle increases and they start acting as little fences to the spanwise airflow. They don't stop it, they ‘trip’ it - causing a vortex. This vortex has the effect of keeping the airflow attached to the upper surface of the wing - reducing the wing's local stall angle and increasing aileron effectiveness at low speeds/high Ø.” Vortilons also work with different parts of the wing to enhance stall behaviour.

Vortilons on the DC-9: The DC-9 wing featured vortilons on the lower wing surface that improved control at high angles of attack up to 30º.” In most attitudes, the vortilons were aft of the area where the airflow ‘stagnated,’ so they had little effect. However, when the aircraft was in a potentially dangerous, nose-up attitude, the vortilons “poked past the stagnation point and triggered vortices.”  The vortices extended over the upper wing surface and limited the span-wise flow, thereby preserving lift on the outboard wing sections, so the inner wing would stall first. In a swept wing design, this makes the nose pitch sharply down, enabling the crew to recover control quickly. The vortilons also reduced the downwash from the wing on the tail, which helped crews recover from potential deep stalls.

Vortilons on the HS 125-800: These were also relatively small. The objective was to replace wing fences used on previous models, which minimized span-wise flow and tip stall, and predominantly maintained aileron effectiveness. The standard wing fence ‘fix’ on the -800 required more vortex generators just in front of the aileron hinge line; the combination added drag. “The vortilon solution had less drag than the wing fence and required fewer vortex generators. Also, there were advantages at low speed, and possibly with high-speed cruise performance.”

Vortilons on the Lear Jet: As stated earlier, Vortilons work with different parts of the wing to enhance stall behaviour. According to a Learjet Newsletter (August 2006), the inboard pair of vortilons on the Lear Jet 35 and 35A are placed halfway between the stall strip and the stall fence. The latter forces the inboard portion of the wing to stall first, while the outboard section continues generating lift, giving the pilot better control of the ailerons for a longer period.  The inboard vortilons act as a second stall fence, creating a high-energy vortex, with concomitant benefits.  The outboard vortilon is placed directly in front of the ailerons, which we know is a desirable factor. Pilot workload during an impending stall is minimised, permitting simple recovery.

Vortilons on Boeings: As the basic Boeing 737 evolved with time, extra performance became necessary. The 737-200 NGs have three vortilons on the underside of the leading edge slats to restrict the spanwise flow of air, as shown in the figure infra. 

Three barely visible Vortilons on the Boeing 737-200NG

The Boeing 767-400ER also features three vortilons under the leading edge of the outboard slats. “Results of stall testing were not satisfactory, in that stick forces became light near the stall, and uncommanded and undesirable roll at the stall would tilt the aircraft up to a 20-degree bank. Installation of the vortilons eliminated the problem.”   

Vortilons on the Embraer 145: “The shape and position of vortilons is not yet an exact science and requires considerable flight-testing and knowledge to locate them optimally.” Continuous experimenting is required with various shapes, sizes and positions to arrive at a decision. According to Embraer, Brazil, who integrated vortilons on the ERJ145, the aircraft faced very much the same problem as the Boeing 767-400ER in terms of stall characteristics. Their test pilots found one wing dropping as α reached 20 degrees. Vortilons solved this problem.

Yellow Vortilons are clearly visible

Furthermore, the ERJ145 uses state-of-the-art lifting devices, yet it fell short of ‘the maximum lift coefficient values to meet the short take-off and landing field lengths required for regional airline operations’. Market surveys provided design margins to allow the leading edge to be modified with a fixed 'droop' and the four vortilons on the lower surface leading edge of the outboard wing panel contributed significantly towards achieving their aim. Their interaction with the wing sidewash at high angles of attack produces strong vortices that are convected to the upper surface, where they modify the pressure distribution and boundary layer development, postponing flow separation and increasing maximum lift. Their shape and position were defined using advanced 3D programming. The combined effect of the leading edge droop and vortilons allowed an improved take-off and landing performance without resorting to more complex variable geometry leading edge devices (such as slats), for a small cruise performance penalty.

Figure supra shows a close-up view of four yellow vortilons while the Figure following is a schematic representation of the ERJ145 droop and vortilon. Note that the aircraft is flying from your left to the right.

MOTHERS!

 MOTHERS WILL REMAIN MOTHERS

Moms will be Moms...

Doesn’t matter who you are or where. Here is some Mom talk.

Issac Newton's mother--  "But did you wash the apple before eating it?"

Archimedes's mother--  "Didn't you have any shame running naked in the street?  And, WHO is this girl Eureka???”

Thomas Edison's mother--  Of course I am proud that you invented the electric bulb. Now turn it off and get to bed !!!"

Abraham Lincoln's mother--  "Now that you have become President for heaven's sake get rid of that shabby tailcoat and stovepipe hat, and buy yourself a decent outfit."

James Watt's mother--  "If you just keep watching that damn lid lifting and dropping, rice will be burnt. Turn off the stove now."

Alexander Graham Bell's mother--  "You have installed this new silly thing in the house alright, but I do not want girls calling you at odd hours."

Galileo Galilei's mother--  "What use is seeing that damn moon with your telescope if it does not help me to see my mother in Milano."

Samuel Morse's mother--  "Make sure your school report card doesn't have only dashes and dots.”

Mona Lisa's mother--  "After all that money your father and I spent on your braces, is that the best smile you can give us ?"

Michelangelo's mother--  "Can't you paint on walls like other kids? Do you have any idea how hard it is to get that stuff off the ceiling ?"

Albert Einstein's mother-- "Can't you do something about your hair? Use styling gel or something?"

Bill Gates's mother--  "You keep browsing all day long; watch out if I ever catch you on any adult website."

Daniel Fahrenheit's mother--  "Stop playing with boiling water and let me make tea."

Georg Ohm's mother-- "I don't like you resisting everything I say."

Robert Boyle's mother--  "If your volume is really inversely proportional to pressure, you must be constipated. Take a laxative."

Alessandro Volta's mother--  "It is shocking to see you all the while dipping those copper and zinc rods in that beaker.”

Andre Ampere’s mother--  “Apart from fooling around all the time shall you ever find time to glance through your current books!”

Socrates' mother--  "If you keep drinking from any cup, it is not necessary that you will also survive like Meera Bai."

Christopher Columbus’ mother--  "I don't care what you were busy discovering and where you could still have dropped a two-line letter!”

Dedicated to all Mothers, but for whom Human Civilisation wouldn’t have progressed.

HAL AT ITS TRICKS AGAIN

  Hal UNFIT TO SELL ANY AIRCRAFT TO ANOTHER COUNTRY

THE HAL DHRUV ADVANCED LIGHT HELICOPTER FIASCO

A Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) made Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) crashed in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district today, 04 May 2023, killing one of the three crew members on board. The other two were seriously injured. The Dhruv fleet was grounded till this Tuesday, 02 May 2023. This accident came close on the heels of the recent Indian Navy accident, where a Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) from the Indian Navy’s newly acquired fleet of ALH Mk-3 MR ditched close to the coast off Mumbai in the forenoon hours of March 8, 2023. The helicopter experienced a “sudden loss of power and rapid loss of height”. The crew (two pilots and one aircrewman diver) who managed to carry out a controlled ditching exited the aircraft and were recovered safely.

The Truth Hurts, Says Indian Navy’s 1^st Dhruv Flight Commander:

I’m a second-generation helicopter pilot and have been flying rotary-wing machines since 1989. Of course, the primary amount of flying has been on HAL-built aircraft, the Chetak and the ALH and of course, the Kiran.

I’m quite saddened by the slew of remarks against a former CNS, himself a decorated pilot. HAL has often taken one or two points in which there may be a slip-up, and highlighted only these points, thereby glossing over the crux of the matter. In this case, the crux of the matter is blade folding, not the “automatic” part that inadvertently came up. I have been in the field at the helm of affairs when the Naval ALH were taken on board the aircraft carrier for the first time. The idea was to test out the helicopter in the role that it was destined for. Sadly, the maiden embarkation on board the carrier was a challenge that the helicopter could not live up to.

Blade folding is a major sticking point that is currently being discussed. The navy had specified to HAL the requirement of a 3.5 m blade-folded width right from the very start. This was based on the shipborne requirements because, after all, the helicopter would have to land on a ship and be stowed in the hangar after folding the blades. At sea, the requirement is also for a quick and easy way of folding the blades. Just like the Chetak or the Kamov, or the Sea King. Logically then, HAL should have thought about this as a major design shortcoming before even offering a helicopter with any width greater than 3.5 m. The navy had contributed a fair amount of money towards the development of the indigenous helicopter, yet it is quite clear that the blade folding requirement was not given its importance even during basic design at HAL. The navy as usual was forced to accept an initial lot of helicopters under concession.

It is always the crew that is pressurised to support the ‘indigenous effort’ and were as usual told to at least start flying the helicopter and gain some experience. This was for the first 8 helicopters. Today, this very acceptance of a concession is being turned around to twist the Navy’s tail by making statements like the Navy and HAL should sit together to discuss these points and engage HAL to let them know what the Navy wants.

As a solution about fifteen years back, HAL had made the suggestion that the Navy should accept the method where one blade remains forward and the other three go back. For this, HAL actually suggested that the Navy should cut holes in the helicopter hangar for the front-facing blade – a classic case of making the hand fit the glove. The thing is, these suggestions are often made at the MoD level, and the impression given is that the Navy is adamant about not taking this option. Similarly, the concession given to HAL was to achieve a 5.4 m folded width, to begin with, instead of 3.5 m. They could not meet even this 5.4 m, and the constant complaint in any forum was that the Navy cannot accept even 0.2 m more than the required width – conveniently forgetting that the 0.2 m was from the 5.4 m, not the original requirement of 3.5m.

The problem in all this is that the person on the top does not have the background and the time to understand the nuances and gets convinced that the Navy is putting unreasonable demands. The segmented blade folding option was discussed way back in 2005-06, so there is no reason that HAL should not already have done this over the last fifteen years if they were serious. At that time HAL had wanted the Navy to sponsor the study and trials. There is nothing new in segmented blade folding. The Chetak has got a two-piece blade from 1960 onward. Retrofitting the ALH for segmented blade folding will not only increase weight but should also involve hundreds of hours of testing. And I’m not sure whether to trust the results of these flight tests, given the efficacy of the rigorous testing that HAL does.

To give everyone a clear viewpoint of the blade folding procedure, there were a total of 64 loose items that had to be removed, used and fitted back at the time the kit was offered in 2005. This took over half an hour, though a timing of 22 minutes or so was demonstrated using five HAL personnel and safely on the ground with no wind and no rolling and pitching of the deck. I can’t imagine five personnel being employed for folding the blade in a procedure that takes over 20 minutes. During folding on board the carrier the first helicopter became unserviceable because the lining on the blade came off as soon as we folded and put back the blades. On the second aircraft, the bolt broke. HAL will claim that they have rectified this, by putting the lining on the bolt and using a better material for the bolt. They also would have reduced the number of items. But the procedure still takes too long, and at sea, this becomes a danger from submarines to the ship which has to maintain a steady course.

To come back to the point, the biggest problem again here is that the customer which is the Indian Navy, was given a product that did not fit the bill. Once again fault is being found with the Indian Navy for not supporting indigenous development. And the crux of the matter is being diverted by focusing the attention on the term ‘automatic blade folding’ that wasn’t asked for, only a convenient and quick blade folding.

Let us go to the testing philosophy of HAL, which many of the crew felt was suspect. The (in) famous crash of the first civilian Dhruv after takeoff from Hyderabad was completely avoidable. For those of you who may not remember, the Government of Jharkhand ALH while on a ferry from Hyderabad to Ranchi, lost the tail rotor at cruising altitude, and had to force-land. The aircraft was a write-off, but the crew survived.

Before emphasising the survivability of the ALH, I’d like to point out that this failure occurred in cruise, at normal forward speed, and there was more than enough time for emergency actions, by the experienced test pilot that was flying the helicopter. If this had happened at hover, it was certain death. Now, a few months before this while ferrying a naval ALH to Visakhapatnam, the tail rotor gearbox had sheared off, and was hanging on just two supports. We could see the entire rotor disc shaking vigorously at hover, and it was quite scary. After landing, it was with horror that the crew found a nearly 8-inch portion of the tail rotor blade leading edge had flown off. This imbalance caused excessive vibrations and damage to the tail gearbox. Another few minutes and this tail rotor would have flown off too.

This was a serious matter and was taken up with HAL. They provided the simplistic solution of changing the tail rotor blades and the tail gearbox on board the ship and expected the crew to fly the helicopter as if nothing had happened. When questioned about the analysis and the steps taken to prevent a recurrence, the HAL staff were surprised why we were questioning their superior method of addressing the problem. To them, the defective item had been replaced with another one, and voila! Good to go.

When we asked them about a similar thing happening on the new tail rotor, the answer was, “We have tested this and it is okay”. Well, the one that broke also was tested, right? In all this, we found that one more helicopter tail gearbox had a crack in a similar place (two down out of only three on board the ship). HAL remained unfazed and claimed that the two cracks were unrelated, and the other helicopter gearbox had cracked due to “over-shimming” so we were not to bother. They would replace the other gearbox too. Nice solution. Overshimming -This had obviously been done at the manufacturing facility. Why was not the person responsible for this over-shimming brought to task? If it were found that a Naval technician had missed out on something important, there would be some disciplinary action if it was negligence and a method of addressing the issue if it was procedural. Not sure if the person who signed off on the paper clearing that helicopter for the flight was taken to task or not.

At this point, HAL should have done a proper analysis of the cause and taken corrective actions for the tail rotor blade debonding. If they had done the study, then possibly the crash of the ill-fated civilian ALH on a ferry from Hyderabad to Ranchi in November of that year, would have been avoided. This is a clear case of, well, so many things. There were many other findings that came as a result of this accident. A peculiar one was that the CVR/FDR stopped recording after both engines were shut down. The simple fact of ensuring that the vital black box is connected to the battery when both engines were shut down had been missed out during design. So, when the generators stopped working, so did the crucial recording device. We all keep wondering what other crucial things had been missed out by design.

I’m not sure of the actual effect of any disciplinary action taken after the crash of the first civilian ALH because there were many problems found in the processes being followed in the manufacture of the blades. Among them, is the process of manufacturing composite tail rotor blades. The entire fleet was grounded for six to eight months until we got replacement blades. Again, these blades started showing signs of cracking up of the resin coating. HAL said it was not a problem. Photographs are scary.

There have been a few crashes on the ALH in the recent past. Two Army aviators lost their lives and in the latest one, the Army Commander was on board, when a critical component in the control chain failed. This kind of failure is unheard of in any modern helicopter and puts a cloud on whether the testing of any modifications is really exhaustive or just that there is some aspect missed out either by ignorance or act of omission. I do not want to elaborate further, because the cause is not yet finalised, but so many crashes in such a short time do bring about a very big trust deficit.

After this embarkation on board the aircraft carrier, there was a detailed analysis carried out internally and it was fairly well concluded that this helicopter would not meet the exacting requirements of Naval flying from ships, and the problem areas were highlighted to HAL.

Well before we embarked on the carrier, we had to contend with many other issues. The strangest one was that whenever it rained, it poured inside the cockpit. Water would come through the overhead CB panel, and pour on the collective pitch where the engine control was located. Water would drip on the instrument panel. Water would drip on the passenger seats. I remember the AME of the civilian Dhruv telling me that the ONGC Chairman when flying on board the civilian ALH once had to use a newspaper to shield himself from rain. HAL will again claim that this point has been addressed. But the main issue again begs the question, why was this not checked out in design and before delivery?

As far as the Indian Navy went, we were the most problematic customers for HAL. We would demand that the helicopter be fully free from any rainwater leakage, we would insist that all the documentation had to be in order and that all instruments had to be fully functional before we left the facility. We would make sure that there was no defect on the helicopter before leaving for the unit. The crew were very sure that once we took off from the helipad to take the helicopter back, we would get no support from HAL. The advantage of the Navy was that our sailors and officers had worked with Western technologies for a very long time with the Sea King, the Sea Harrier etc. The procedures laid out from so many years of following internationally laid down standards in acceptance procedures made the Navy a very painful customer for HAL. HAL may state that they have addressed many of these problems in Mark 3, but why should the problem be there in the first place? Would you accept a car from a dealer that leaks rainwater? HAL designers and others at the plant would often claim that this was the first time they were making a helicopter, so there would be some ups and downs. This excuse even then was completely untenable, because HAL as an organisation manufactured everything from spacecraft components and supersonic fighters to propeller trainers. this is not because HAL is the best, but because nobody else has been permitted to do this. There is no bigger tragedy for the nation than not allowing any competition. Ask any Services pilot and you will hear the truth – the finished aircraft lack quality, HAL lacks commitment and most of all an unwillingness to face the truth. I’ve rarely if at all heard anything good being said about the HAL. If this is indeed the case, why is it that the opinion of the real customer is never taken, the pilot in the field?

The real question to ask is that if HAL is indeed so capable and the ALH is really a world-class helicopter why is it that there are no sales in the civil market and for Military Export? The issue seems to be that HAL has set its standards very low by any yardstick, and it reminds me of the saying that goes “The real problem is not that I will set my standards too high and fail, but that I will set the standards too low and succeed”. Successive HAL products have been pushed down the throats of the reluctant Armed Forces, and they are in no position to refuse – unwilling customers that cannot say no, for various reasons. The correct thing to do for HAL would be to challenge the globally established players; prove that the helicopter and the Company is right up there along with the best. This in itself will ensure that the Services come willingly to the table to buy the ALH for their own use.

Following the 2007 crash of IAF’s helicopter display team’s Dhruv, a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report from 2010 highlighted the fractured relationship between HAL and the IAF. The report blamed HAL for compromising with professionalism to protect its business interests, which in turn could have serious implications for the safety of the people flying and operating the machine. The report also highlighted the problem of “cyclic saturation” with the helicopters, which caused two of the crashes (including the one in 2007). This technical oversight had also reportedly cost HAL a contract with Chile for the sale of the helicopters.

I also perceived a lack of professionalism at HAL. To list out some:

During acceptances at HAL, we would find that individual components would have been switched from other helicopters. In other words, the log card would state that for eg, the fuel pump serial no 12345 was installed, but the actual item on the aircraft would be serial no 98765. Once we realised this, then it became de-rigueur to physically inspect each and every component to check that the component is correct. HAL was concerned about this, and would say, why are you so fussy?  Why is this so important, you may ask. It’s important because each component has certain flying hours and a defect history that is recorded in the log card, and ensures that nothing which is defective or with more flying hours on it than recorded is installed. Would you ever think of doing something like this from any foreign vendor? One expects a certain level of integrity and honesty from any vendor, especially a PSU that is supposed to be trustworthy.

The Final assembly line of the helicopter used to be very bad. There was no proper hygiene maintained. For eg, all the metal filings from the drilled holes would fall to the aircraft floor, never to be cleared. There was no template being used for the drilling of holes, so each panel had to be hand-crafted because there was nothing standardised. I have personally seen people working on the open Main Gearbox / IDS with tools and pens sticking out of their pockets.  Anything could fall out of the pocket into the gearbox, causing dents and leakages. We have removed ballpoint pens and nuts/bolts under the floorboard, in the area of the floatation gear bottles after hours of flying. A very dangerous incident was when we had sparking and melting of the alternator cables. Never heard of! The HAL solution was to replace the cables. All was well, and the team that had come with the cable, told our engineer, that the cable was too long, and they wanted to use tie wraps (or tie-wire) to secure it. Fortunately for us, the designer also came by that day to find out what was wrong. He was horrified to find that the persons installing the new cable did not have a wiring diagram and had routed the cables incorrectly. This was the reason there was ‘extra’ cable. We were saved a repeat of this. There were so many places all over the aircraft where cable bundles were secured with a tie wrap due to which the cables got cut. This was because of the vibrations on the aircraft, and the cables likely not being routed correctly. It is likely that many of these are corrected, so I will not dwell too long on these points, but such a lack of basic engineering hygiene and procedures invariably led to many failures. This is completely unacceptable from any standpoint in a manufacturing company that specialises in Aerospace components and aircraft.

One day we came back from a sortie during which we noticed the GPS position not showing. On return, we found that both the GPS antennae had flown off. When I called HAL, I was horrified when I was told that we were not the only ones – so why didn’t they tell us in time? This meant that they knew this was happening. It was a faulty design of the antenna mounting bracket and we found cracks on all of them on other helicopters.

While I can go on about individual incidents, the crucial point is the way that HAL handles any defect reported by the customer.

There seems to be very little accountability. When the customer reports a problem, especially grave problems, the manufacturer must find out the deeper reason for the defect or failure. In Mathematics, it is called ‘deriving from first principles’. The manufacturing process has to be vetted. There could be a flaw in the assembly line, or there could be a problem with the particular tooling used to put together the component. Or there could be just plain carelessness. Like in the case of the alternator wire. While punitive action may not be always necessary, some amount of discipline is required. As customers, the Service pilots never get to know whether the root cause has been addressed – all that we used to receive was a defect summary that did not tell us what exactly has been done.

The way HAL handles most defects is a replacement, without really going into the root of the problem. The tail rotor issue on the ALH is one example, that I have written about. I was not satisfied with the resolution of the problem and refused to fly the helicopter from the Carrier at the time.

The other point is about the way that the design bureau looks at designing a helicopter. A couple of examples are in order. The engine cowlings on any helicopter are designed to open upwards, sometimes they open downwards so that people can stand on the cowlings and work on the engines. Not for ALH. The initial design required two technicians to climb on a huge platform and open about a dozen and half fasteners, and then the entire cowling had to be taken down like an eggshell and laid on the ground. It was only after many meetings with the Navy, that HAL agreed to cowlings with hinged clamshells that would open downwards providing a platform for the worker to stand on. The quality of these clamshells was so bad, that they would bend and break at times. This point will also possibly be refuted by HAL as having been addressed, but the issue is that this should not have happened in the first place at the time.

I actually casually asked some of the designers whether they had ever worked on, or closely studied any other existing type of helicopter, to see the crucial design issues and other small modifications or attention to detail they had done. “No” was the answer. They seemed genuinely surprised about my asking and proudly said all of them were PGs, with some either holding or pursuing Doctorates, (so why would anyone want them to look at other helicopters). My point was also important because it is only when you have physically worked on any helicopter in the field, will you understand the day-to-day problems with regard to accessibility, Human-Machine Interface (HMI) issues and the like. They will also see how other manufacturers have addressed issues that they may have faced. Many of these are simple solutions, may not be patented and can easily be adopted. One simple example is the hand holds provided to climb on the engine deck. The HAL has provided handles made similar to commercial cupboard door handles, sticking out into the airflow. Even these door-type handles were so badly made, that one of them broke when a sailor was climbing on top, and broke his hand. We are fortunate he was alive. What happens if he falls overboard? I’m sure HAL would have then provided a heavier handhold, and come up with some theory that the person should be more careful when climbing up or something like that, rather than addressing the core issue. Other manufacturers have provided spring-loaded flaps, so that the flap goes in when you put your hand or foot, and the flap provides a smooth finish to reduce drag in flight. It must be understood that all most of the other manufacturers worldwide have adequate staff on design and production who have a lot of experience in the field, and therefore know and understand the problems faced by the man in the heat of the battle when tasked to service and to fly the helicopter.

Another point is that there is no independent thought or foresight. A simple example – I also asked one of those on the LUH design team in the Design Bureau, whether they had considered the commonality of parts between the ALH and the LUH. Again, they were surprised, and asked me why is this relevant? Now, if I need to answer that question here in this article, then evidently, the reader has no authority to comment on anything written here.

Coming back to the issue of customer base, the LUH could have been developed and matured in the civil market, and then offered to the Services, if HAL were so confident that the product was good. It must be realised that the civil world has no time to waste on the downtime of aircraft. Time is money, and they cannot afford the luxury of downtime like the Services have to. Penalties are extremely harsh, and could even be up to a lakh of rupees per half hour of delay in the positioning of the helicopter. ONGC and all Oil Companies impose such penalties on the helicopter companies. I myself was working on a contract where the only downtime permitted for the single helicopter was 48 hours in a month, non-cumulative. Can anyone be confident of providing such a commitment were he to operate the ALH?

All pilots will have personal instances of an indifferent attitude or a deliberate wrong being done at the factory, just to get the aircraft off their backs. Our unit once took three months to accept a helicopter from HAL. This delay was because of recurrent problems with vibrations, rainwater leakage, components not matching, the list is endless- but we didn’t budge. Can you think of any other manufacturer that will take so long to deliver a helicopter that has only just come out of servicing?

Before we go too deep into how and whether HAL should be considered to provide the Navy with the 111 helicopters needed to replace the Chetak, we should first consider the current state of our Military-Industrial-Complex. A large part of the income from exports of any major industrialised nations comes from weapons/systems sales. India has practically none that really matters.

Incidentally, ALH helicopters were sent to Nepal, Israel and Ecuador. The HAL crew really put in a lot of effort for preparing the first of the civil helicopters to be sent abroad to Israel, in 2005 or 2006. A lot of effort meant they did a very good paint job. I’m not sure if the rainwater leakage was fixed or not, but the difference in the quality of the paint job between that helicopter and the one they had prepared for the Navy was enormous. Just like the “Export Quality” goods that used to be advertised in India. The HAL had a marketing contract with an Israeli firm, which nobody is talking about. If the ALH was indeed manna from heaven, then why did this marketing contract not produce the desired results? Israel promptly returned the civil registration helicopter and this is never mentioned anywhere by HAL. I’m not sure if Nepal is still flying their ALH. Ecuador has grounded all their remaining helicopters after some of them crashed, one quite spectacularly during a parade and cancelled the contract. HAL claims this is pilot error, and the customer thinks otherwise. In any case, there was a trust deficit and Ecuador cancelled the contract, mainly, because they were at liberty to do so, unlike the Indian Armed Forces. HAL had exported one ALH on contract to Israel which they returned to HAL because they didn’t find it good enough. This and the aircraft sold to Ecuador most of which crashed is not even a drop in the ocean of defence sales. The ALH with Nepal and Maldives were gifted by the Government of India, not purchased by them out of choice.

The Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP) in many ways tries to address this shortcoming of the Military-Industrial-Complex. It is clearly stated in the preamble that “A need has also been felt for identifying strategic partners for promoting defence production in the private sector.” To start with, this one definitive push is in the right direction. A private sector player is interested primarily in the bottom lines. This statement should not be quoted out of context. This is because even the PSUs are required to adhere to budgets and timelines, and finally, generate profits. The approach to this is different for both of these. Private industry will not compromise on the quality of intake, or have to go through detailed procedures and governmental approvals to achieve the desired results. To quote some examples from the non-aviation commercial space, an excellent example is what happened to Maruti, after collaboration with Suzuki, and what was the status of Maruti Motors before that. Prior to this, India was ‘atmanirbhar’ for cars like the Ambassador Mark 4, the Premier Padmini and the Standard Herald. The fact that these were copies is a different matter. The common man had to be happy with the paddle shift gears in cars. The electricals were so bad that batteries had to be disconnected when going out of station. Cars needed petrol to be poured over the carburettor on a winter morning to start. I myself have driven a Premier Padmini and the change from this to a Wagon R was like moving on to a completely different level. Remember how all of us had to tilt our Bajaj Chetak scooters before starting? Do we do this with any of our modern bikes, whether an indigenous bike like the Pulsar or a foreign one like a Honda Activa?

Why I bring these examples to an aviation discussion is that the basic principles are the same – India had a practically non-existent industrial capability and never seen or used modern manufacturing techniques, better standards of equipment and the highest safety standards. Do any one of you think for a moment, that if the Government of that time had not brought in Suzuki, we would have been driving anything other than the Ambassador or Padmini? There is a dynamic difference in the machining, finishing, quality of workmanship and performance of the modern generation cars. Perhaps India would have had a much larger share of global manufacturing of cars, had the Government gone all the way, and allowed more numbers of car manufacturers to set up base here. However, if other manufacturers had been allowed a free run like Maruti was, then Maruti may not have had the lion’s share of the market today. A similar mindset we’re seeing now about the HAL’s entry into the NUH market, existed in 1982 when Suzuki was brought in. In the case of the NUH debate, seems to be a feeling that if another manufacturer comes into India and proves its mettle, then the unchallenged position of HAL will be in danger. If we do not grab this opportunity of tying up with a foreign manufacturer, to set up shop in India, with a Private entity, then we will definitely miss the bus to build a strong Military-Industrial-Complex.

I’m a commercial helicopter pilot now and wish to touch upon the issue of speed. Why is speed so crucial you may ask? Well, to cover a distance of 100 NM (Nautical Miles) a helicopter flying at 150 kts will take 40 minutes, and the ALH zipping along at 110 kts will take about 15 minutes extra. So what’s the big deal? Imagine YOU are the person drowning in the water, fighting to stay afloat, and having to wait for 15 minutes more. Or, you need to reach the point where the enemy submarine is so that you can speedily drop the torpedo before the submarine disappears. Additionally, since the fuel consumption figures of the S76 and ALH are comparable, the same amount of fuel will just take us that of a much lesser distance in an ALH.

The fact that the Naval version of the ALH is about 400 kg heavier than the IAF/Army version is another point to be kept in mind. This difference is as good as 5 passengers and is a crucial point. Weight increase has also been caused by the imported Vibration damping equipment strapped on at a later stage, which should not have been needed to start with, but that is a different line of discussion altogether.

If HAL was truly serious about providing a naval helicopter, the moment the design bureau realised that 3.5m width wasn’t possible, a possible decision could have been taken at the time that the basic airframe could be the same, but the rotor head and blades for the Navy would be optimised for sea level operations and shipborne use. The current ALH is more optimised for high altitude use and to survive battle damage, and hence separating the two designs could have yielded the required results. The Sea King is excellent for sea level use, but cannot cross the Banihal pass. Similarly, the ALH performs admirably at high altitudes, but the same performance could be a drag at sea level (pun intended). This option is just one of the possible scenarios I’m suggesting, in hindsight of course. If this was not considered possible, HAL should have at the onset accepted that they will not design a helicopter for the more exacting Naval requirements. HAL claiming (as per information on a different website) that the cost of an imported helicopter would cost 10-15 crores more without actually knowing the figures is incorrect. We don’t even know the exact cost of an ALH.

Coming back to the ALH, the moot question is – how much of the ALH is actually Indian? The engines are ‘manufactured’ at the HAL Engine Division, a euphemism for assembled. The Avionics are Israeli. Crew seats are imported, as are passenger seats for VIPs. The material used to make the airframe and blade comes from various sources abroad. There is enough literature about the weapons that are going to be imported. Flotation gear is imported. The Rotor brake was made in India with quality control by HAL. These brakes used to suddenly get jammed while flying, and so HAL said to us, fly without the brakes. Sadly with this aircraft, the Sum is less than the Total of the parts.

Coming to the oft-repeated term of indigenisation. When we speak of an Indigenous product, what exactly is indigenous? Something produced by a PSU (with parts from all over the globe) or something that is produced in India, even if it is by a foreign manufacturer with imported and locally produced parts. By different yardsticks, a Hyundai car made in India will be indigenous or will be imported. It is the same for home-use items like Surf Excel or Colgate. Should we stop using any of these products? There are enough clarifications in the news from the Government that an item manufactured by a multi-national company in India will still be considered Indian / indigenous. So we have to understand that if a foreign vendor with years of experience comes into India to set up shop to manufacture a helicopter, he is bound to bring with him the expertise, the precision manufacturing practices, industrial safety and everything that has made that company successful. You are automatically creating a value chain, a supply chain that will increase the standards of manufacturing and design in India. This will also spawn its own network of MSMEs and design experts. This will further spur indigenous R & D and design as well as spinoff manufacturing. This is just like the previously described automobile revolution.

Today there are Indian companies producing world-class components for foreign manufacturers. I was told at the Sikorsky factory that the entire cabin structure of the S92 is manufactured in India and sent across. This is the norm everywhere. An American helicopter can have French engines or Canadian engines, European manufacturers will use engines from Pratt and Whitney, components from all over the globe, so in that sense, any helicopter is a fusion of material from around the globe. What then is different if HAL does the same thing? Sadly with the ALH, the sum is less than the total of the parts.

If we allow a foreign vendor to bring in a helicopter that is suited for the Naval requirements, then ultimately, the Nation will benefit. If we were to insist on HAL’s (unsuitable) helicopter being inducted into the Navy to replace the Chetak, then we are doing a great disservice to the Service and to the Nation. I do not understand why there are so many demands that only a PSU should make helicopters and that the design effort of HAL should not be allowed to go waste. If as I’ve said earlier, the product is really so good, there will automatically be a queue to purchase the helicopter. HAL has its order books full not with willing customers, but with those that had no choice. The Navy today has a choice and there seems to be a determined move to scuttle this choice. If the ALH were to be imposed onto the navy as the NUH, HAL may have won the NUH battle, but India will surely lose the war. We in addition would have lost an opportunity to break free of the clutches of the Soviet-era mentality that believed anything made or done by the government is good, and anything done by private enterprise is evil. We would have forever killed any opportunity of nurturing real talent, as well as allowing knowledge and skills to grow and flourish, all for short term gains of a PSU that really, has nothing to gain or lose from the contract, other than a sense of prestige and balancing of the account books.

When we look back many years later, we will then know precisely on whose door to pin our failure as a nation to seize the moment.

 

OROP II

 FUNCTIONING IN GOVT OF INDIA, MINISTRY OF DEFENCE, DEPARTMENT OF EX-SERVICEMEN WELFARE - AT A GLANCE

When the disbursal of arrears of pension to widows and gallantry award winners is to be completed by 30 Apr 2023, as per the directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court, our Ministry of Defence (MoD) Ex-Servicemen Welfare (ESW) issues the authority letter on 28 Apr 2023 to the Service Chiefs to disburse arrears by the timelines laid down by the Hon’ble Supreme Court.

Some of you are very uncharitable to our officers and subordinates working in MoD (ESW). You have to understand that in the Govt of India, you have to follow laid down procedures to carry out any task. Any minor deviation from the procedures invites severe disciplinary action.

Let me explain how the letter has been issued to the three service chiefs to disburse the arrears in the succeeding paragraphs.

1.     The Attorney General or Solicitor General who received the directions of Hon'ble Supreme Court on disbursal of arrears of OROP- II will send it to MoD (ESW).

2.     MoD (ESW) sends it to Min of Def for arranging funds for disbursal of arrears.

3.     MoD asks its Financial Advisor to demand funds from the Ministry of Finance (Revenue).

4.     Ministry of Finance (Revenue) will take its own time to arrange funds and place them at the disposal of the MoD, which, in turn, informs the MoD (ESW).

5.     The draft letter will be made by their Desk Officer. The Desk Officer sends the file to the Under Secretary. The Under Secretary sends it to the Deputy Secretary duly approving the recommendation of the Desk Officer. The Deputy Secretary sends the file approving the recommendation of the Under Secretary to the Joint Secretary. The Joint Secretary approves the recommendation of the Deputy Secretary to Secretary (ESW). He sends it to the Additional Secretary MoD who forwards it to the Secretary. The Secretary (ESW) takes it to Hon'ble Raksha Mantri who is busy in electioneering in Karnataka. Once he comes back to Delhi, the Hon’ble Minister on file writes “issue letter on disbursal of OROP arrears.” The file goes down from the Secretary (ESW) to the Additional Secretary to the Joint Secy (ESW) to the Dy Secy and finally to the Under Secretary to the Desk officer.

Now the draft letter is made by the Desk Officer. He sends it to the Under Secretary. the Under Secretary sends it to the Deputy Secretary. the Deputy Secretary sends the file to the Joint Secretary. the Joint Secretary sends it to the Additional Secretary and on to the Secretary. The Secretary says “Approved”.

The file comes back from Secretary to Additional Secretary to the Joint Secretary. The Joint Secretary says “See the directions of the Secretary on Disbursal of Arrears on the draft letter. Take immediate action”. The Deputy Secretary writes “ See the instruction of Joint Secretary. Take immediate action” and sends it to Under Secretary. Under Secretary writes on file “ See the directions of the Deputy Secretary. Take immediate Action”. Finally, the Desk Officer instructs all three Service Chiefs to implement.

Service Chiefs says “ We do not disburse arrears to Ex-Servicemen” and sends the file back to Desk Officer.

The Desk officer seeks permission from the Secretary to issue a letter to banks. The Secretary finally gives his approval, “Send the letter to the banks.” The file comes back with the instructions of the Secretary through the chain to the Desk officer.

The Desk officer sends the file to the CPPCs of banks. The CPPCs of Banks reply to the Desk officer that “ We need instructions from PCDA (Pensions) Prayagraj.”

The desk officer seeks permission from the Secretary, Min of Def (ESW) to send the letter to PCDA (Pensions). The file is approved by the Secretary, Min of Def (ESW) with instructions “ Send the letter to PCDA (Pensions) Prayagraj”. The Desk officer issues a letter to PCDA (Pensions) Prayagaj.

PCDA (Pensions) Prayagraj tells the Desk officer “ We need instructions from CGDA”.

The Desk officer sends the file right up to the Secretary, Min of Def (ESW) who says “ Approved. Send the file to CGDA.”. The desk officer issues the letter to CGDA.

CGDA tells the Desk officer “ We need instructions from the Financial Advisor of Defence Services”. The desk officer moves the file to Secretary Min of Def (ESW) seeking his permission to send the file to FADS.

The file comes back from Secretary “ Send the file to FADS”.

The Desk officer sends the file to FADS.

FADS issues the letter to CGDA. CGDA issues the letter to PCDA (Pensions) Prayagraj.

You all think govt employees do not work. See how much effort has been put in by everyone to issue a simple letter to disburse arrears of OROP- II.

Finally, the letter is issued to the banks that have to disburse the pensions. At times orders are given on the telephone to cut down time.

So do not blame banks if they have not disbursed your arrears. Govt of India loves the rules and regulations laid down by the British though the British changed their method of government functioning decades ago.

QUO VADIS OPPOSITION?

 Mossadegh....and....Modi

Since Iran exports a huge amount of oil to India, the Iran-US conflict is detrimental to our interests. Whenever the conflict escalates, it affects India as well, so our media goes into overdrive about it.

Have you ever wondered "Why Iranians call America "The Devil's Land"?

The British had historically dominated Iran's oil production, with 84% share of Iran's oil production going to England and only 16% to Iran. The Emperor of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, was a corrupt man (अय्याश), so he didn't care! 

Iran had a constitutional monarchy, also had elections, Parliament. In 1951, Mohammed Mossadegh, a staunch patriot, became Prime Minister.  He did not like the dominance of foreign companies in Iran's oil production and trade. On March 15, 1951, he presented a Bill for the nationalization of Iran's oil industry in Parliament, which was passed by majority. After this Bill was passed, Iranians began to dream of happiness, that now their poverty would be removed! 

Time magazine called Mossadegh "Man of the year" in 1951! 

But due to these developments, the British lost a lot! The British started many small and big attempts to remove Mossadegh, tried to bribe Mossadegh, tried to assassinate Mossadegh, and attempted a military coup, but because Mossadegh was very experienced and intelligent, the British assassination, bribery plots failed and Mossadegh was very popular among the Iranian people. With a popular PM, a military coup was not possible. Finally, the British asked for help from the Americans.

America's CIA approved a $1 million fund to remove Mossadegh. Then one million US dollars equalled 4250 crore Rials (Iranian currency)! The funds were sent to the American Ambassador in Tehran (the capital of Iran).

 Mossadegh wanted to completely end the monarchy in Iran and give all the power to Parliament, so the Emperor of Iran was also on the side of England and the Americans. Their plan was to create discontent against Mossadegh and remove popular support from him, then overthrow his Government with the help of corrupt Parliamentarians.

A large number of Iranian journalists, editors, and Muslim clerics were paid 631 crore Riyals by the US and those journalists, editors and Muslim clerics had only one thing to do in return, which was to incite the people against Mossadegh.

Members of the Iranian Parliament were paid 46 million Rials each to spread propaganda about Mossadegh's work. Thousands of Iranians were paid to participate in the false protests. Then started marches on the Parliament. Big media around the world also started supporting American propaganda. Mossadegh began to be referred to as "the Dictator" in "The New York Times".  The same "Time" magazine that had praised now called Mossadegh a dangerous entity. Opposition to Mossadegh began at a very low level, with cartoons depicting him as gay.

Realizing that his Government was about to be overthrown by corrupt MPs, Mossadegh dissolved the Parliament, and finally, the US forced the Iranian Emperor to remove Mossadegh from his post as Prime Minister. (Since Mossadegh had the authority to accept or reject the order, the Shah decided to arrest him if he refused the order!). But Mossadegh's soldiers arrested the Army unit that had come to arrest him, and upon learning this, the Shah of Iran fled to Baghdad! 

Finally, by paying a bribe of 210 million Rials, the US instigated fake riots in the capital of Iran, with mercenaries on the sides. Rioters attacked Mossadegh's house, and Mossadegh was forced to flee, (the military helped in the overthrow of Govt), a puppet was made the Prime Minister, citing the old order of the Emperor. After the Emperor returned to Iran, Mossadegh surrendered. He was put on trial, imprisoned, and then held under house arrest until his death. (Mossadegh died in custody at the age of 85.)

After that the Americans and the British started taking of share of 40% - 40% of Iranian oil and the remaining 20% was given to other European companies. For decades the Iranian people had to live under the dictatorship of the Shah, a revolution ended the Monarchy but then the fanatical Khomeini came to power and made the lives of the Iranian people even worse.

WHAT WAS MOSSADEGH'S CRIME? 

His idea that the economic sectors of our country should be dominated by indigenous companies instead of foreign companies. This policy was his crime..? Under Mossadegh's leadership, Iran would have become a fully democratic country before 1955, and 100% of the oil production would have benefited Iran. 

The decades of torture inflicted on the Iranian people would not have happened in a strong democracy and a Government that favours indigenous companies, Iran would probably be a more prosperous country than Saudi Arabia today. But Iran's corrupt parliamentarians, journalists, editors and protestors sold Iran's rich future for just one million dollars.

During this period of oppression, the Iranian people began to realize that America had a hand in overthrowing Mossadegh's Government. In 1979, the Iranians detained Americans in the US embassy for 444 days, and 77 volumes of documents the Iranians found in the embassy were released, in which there was evidence of the American hand and how they helped the oppressive puppets in Iran.

That's why Iranians call America, "Satan's Country"! 

Mossadegh could not complete the policy of breaking the dominance of foreign companies and promoting indigenous companies, he made enemies with the two superpowers of the world. In the end, he had an unfortunate end, as in Bollywood films the hero doesn't win every time.

Finally, who were the real villain for Iran..? Journalists, editors, MPs and activists who had been sold to America! 

Had these people not been sold, the Iranian people would have stood behind Mossadegh and America would not have succeeded like England. But for a few dollars, the patriotic leader of Iran was called "Kumshah" and soon the whole country was ruined! 

Our country 'India' is also on the same path today. 

It is a great misfortune that the common citizens do not notice the ongoing conspiracies unless they suffer endless atrocities.

It is wise to be alert in time and not fall prey to corrupt media propaganda, trust our patriotic present Indian leadership and stand firmly behind it.

Otherwise, a disaster like Iran is inevitable....and this is why intelligence agencies of big capitalist countries are working day and night. These intelligence agencies are making many politicians of India work as their agents and there are also some journalists, urban naxals, pseudo-liberals and NGOs working with the aim of selling the country for dirty money. 

It is no longer a secret that a campaign for regime change in India has been launched by foreign agencies. It is said that our destiny is in our own hands, we just need to understand it properly.

From Balu's Twitter feed 05 Feb 2023

NEW NATURAL LAWS

 AN UPDATE ON LOADED PRINCIPLES

1. Solomon's Paradox: We're better at solving other people's problems than our own because detachment yields objectivity. But Kross et al (2014) found viewing oneself in the 3rd person yields the same detachment, so when trying to help yourself, imagine you're helping a friend.

2. Cunningham's Law: The best way to get the right answer on the internet is not to ask a question, but to post the wrong answer, because people are more interested in criticizing you than helping you.

3. Bonhoeffer's Theory of Stupidity: Evil can be guarded against. Stupidity cannot. And the world's few evil people have little power without the help of the world's many stupid people. Therefore, stupidity is a far greater threat than evil.

4. Brooks's law: "Adding manpower to a late software project makes it later.

5. Gibson's Law: “For every PhD, there is an equal and opposite PhD.”

In courtroom trials & political debates, anyone can find a subject-matter expert who supports their view, because having a PhD doesn’t make someone right, it often just makes them more skilled at being wrong.

6. Surrogate Activities: The more we eliminate struggles from our lives, the more we create artificial struggles – sports, video games, Twitter culture wars – because the mind wants peace, but also needs conflict.

7. Shirky Principle: To ensure survival, institutions will try to preserve the problem to which they are the solution. E.g. Arms manufacturers lobby politicians to push for new wars, and light bulb manufacturers deliberately make their bulbs short-lived so you buy them more often.

8. Babble Hypothesis: According to multiple studies, what best predicts whether someone becomes a leader? Their experience? Their IQ?

        No. The amount of time they spend talking. It doesn't even matter what they say, just how
        much they say it. We suck at picking leaders.

9. Noble Cause Corruption: The greatest evils come not from those seeking to do bad, but from those seeking to do good and believing the ends justify the means. Ironically, few things justify the immoral treatment of others more than the belief that you're more moral than them.

10. Noise Bottlenecks: Consuming online content makes us feel like we're learning, but 90% of the content is useless junk—small talk, clickbait, marketing—which crowds out actual info from our minds. As such, we feel we're getting smarter as we get stupider.

11. Walson's law: If you keep putting information and intelligence first at all the time, money keeps coming in.

12. Clarke’s Second Law: The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible.

13. Clarke’s Third Law: Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

14. Godwin’s Law: As a discussion on the Internet grows longer, the likelihood of a person/s being compared to Hitler or another Nazi increases.

15. The Streisand Effect: When an attempt is made to remove a piece of information (because it is not meant for that audience), it gets much more publicity than intended, and becomes known more widely.

16. Kidlin's Law: If you have a problem, write it down clearly and that's half done.

17. Falkland’s Law: When there is no need to make a decision, don't make a decision.

18. Gilbert's Law: The biggest problem at work is that none tells you what to do.

19. Amara's Law: We tend to overestimate the effect of a technology in the short run and underestimate the effect in the long run.

20. Andy and Bill's Law: When a computer chip is released, new software will be released to use up all of its power.

21. Benford's Law of Controversy: Passion is inversely proportional to the amount of real information available.

22. Betteridge's Law of Headlines: Any headline which ends in a question mark can be answered by the word ‘no'.

23. Dilbert principle: "the most ineffective workers are systematically moved to the place where they can do the least damage: management.

Gall's Law: A complex system that works is invariably found to have evolved from a simple system that worked.

23. Brandolini's Law: The amount of energy needed to refute bullshit is an order of magnitude bigger than to produce it.

24. Campbell's Law: The more any quantitative social indicator is used for social decision-making, the more subject it will be to corruption pressures and the more apt it will be to distort and corrupt the social processes it is intended to monitor.

OUR INDIAN EDUCATION RACKET

THE INDIAN EDUCATION RACKET

In a society that has almost normalised the practice of corruption, is it surprising that we are hearing the never-ending tales of scams in the educational sector? Yet, despite this routinisation of corruption — and even its societal acceptance, when we find a Vice-Chancellor (VC) involved in selling fake degrees, or a minister and his associates manipulating the entire process of recruitment of school teachers, it becomes difficult to remain silent. The reason for this anguish is that if we continue to destroy the realm of education and devalue the vocation of teaching, none can save our children and activate their creative potential. In the process of worshipping money, or celebrating the newly emergent ‘heroes’ — techno-managers and traders as educationists, and politicians as agents of the corporate elite — we have almost forgotten that a society that has lost its teachers, the carriers of the illuminating light of education, is already dead.

WHITHER INDIAN EDUCATION

Switzerland with a total population of 8+ million tops the Ranking in the Global Innovation Index (indicates innovation performance). Ironically, India stands 52nd in the same list despite having a population of over a billion and producing over 1 million engineers annually. No Nobel Laureates in Science from India since independence. The US has 100+ Nobel laureates with a far smaller population. PhD holders applying for clerk jobs is a common sight.

What’s failing? Despite having such a high number of graduates passing out each year, where are we lacking? Do we detect signs of a fraudulent system anywhere?

Manav Bharti University (MBU) of Solan in Himachal Pradesh has been embroiled in a massive scam, understood to have been ongoing since around 2009 when the institution was opened. Issuance of fake degrees numbering over 36,000 to students across 17 states was first unearthed when an anonymous complaint was registered with the University Grants Commission. The UGC then proceeded to inform the authorities about the fraud back in 2019.

The education system that we follow was set up during the East India Company rule under the guidelines of Lord Thomas Babington Macaulay in the 1830s. This system was based on the British requirement. They wanted Indians as clerks and labour, performing all the low-level work. Communication was also a challenge. Hence, subjects like English, Math and Science made it to the curriculum putting aside any holistic approach in studies and suppressing creative thinking. Unfortunately, even after independence, we’re still a slave to this curriculum.

In most cases, the education system fails to teach the relevance of subjects in practical life. The pattern is such that the students are gauged on the basis of their cramming abilities barring any creative approach to learning. Decent marks do not assure proper learning and actual application ability. A banal example is how the students cram Sanskrit textbooks in schools and score high marks but when it comes to speaking, they fail miserably. Limited options of courses are another hurdle for students trying to make unconventional career choices.

The most successful Indians we see, top business tycoons, sportspersons, politicians, et al, have not fallen victim to this age-old education trap. Most of them have either educated themselves in what they actually want to do or have pursued education in foreign countries rather than just aiming to get a degree. The plight of the Indian Education system is well-known to everyone, this is the reason why most Politicians and big shots prefer to send their kids to foreign lands for education. What then, is the need of the hour? is to eradicate this system and emphasise an overall holistic development approach. The world is changing dramatically and new technologies are emerging with each passing day opening up a different arena. Jobs like that of Influencers, SEO managers and Artificial Intelligence Engineers weren’t even dreamt of back in the day. We will see new jobs in the coming future that we might even not have heard of.

Think of a huge tree in Santiniketan, and under its shade Rabindranath Tagore and Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi sitting together, reflecting on education, culture and civilisation, and inspiring a nation with new dreams and aspirations. Think of an educationist like Maulana Abul Kalam Azad in Nehru’s Cabinet, and educating the political class. Think of some of our great VCs like Ashutosh Mukherjee and Gopalaswami Parthasarathy. Think of great professors like CV Raman and Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. And think of many unknown, yet, immensely dedicated, teachers who drew their inspiration from the likes of Maria Montessori and Gijubhai Badheka, and sought to implement a creatively nuanced and life-affirming agenda of education. Think of a generation who loved to converse with Paulo Freire and Ivan Illich, or was fond of listening to Jiddu Krishnamurti’s talks on education. Think of some of our finest minds — historians, physicists, social scientists — giving up lucrative careers, choosing to work with rural and marginalised children, and making it a point that the Eklavyas in new India should not be deprived of light education.

Possibly, the new generation would not believe it. The reason is that they are already disillusioned as they hear an altogether different story, say, the notorious tales of some of our VCs. Recently, the Hyderabad police arrested a current and a retired VC of Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan University, Bhopal, for providing degrees — from B Tech to MBA — in exchange for money. And the chairman of a university in Himachal Pradesh has been accused of selling 55,000 degrees. There seems to be no end to the tales of these multi-crore scams. Yet, in another recruitment scam in state-run government-aided schools in West Bengal, the minister concerned, it appears, was involved in manipulating the merit list for the recruitment of out-of-turn persons in 2016. No wonder, the Calcutta High Court did not hesitate to instruct the daughter of West Bengal’s junior education minister to return the salary which she has received since 2018; she has also been barred from entering the school premises where she was working as an assistant teacher. Amid the constant flow of this sort of news of corruption and nepotism, is it really possible for the new generation to believe that the world can be different?

How do we make sense of this education racket? There are many reasons —the naked form of commodification of education (money can buy a cup of Starbucks coffee; likewise, money can buy a B Tech, BEd, MBA or even MBBS degree); the unholy alliance of the political class and the traders of education resulting in the mushrooming growth of poor quality medical colleges, and technical universities with ‘management quota’ and capitation fee; and the chronic diploma disease that urges many, even the most disinterested ones, to get a BA/MA or even PhD degree at any cost.

But then, what about people like us — English-educated, urbane, professional middle-class? We are no less responsible for this pathetic state of affairs. Do we really value the vocation of teaching? Do we really want our children to be nurtured by great teachers? Do we really come to the street, and demand that our children need good libraries in schools, creative and experimental pedagogic practices, and good teachers who make them realise that education, far from being a mere technique of cracking standardised tests, is essentially the integration of intellectual cognition and aesthetic imagination, or sensitivity that generates humility, kindness and a sense of altruism? Do we raise our voices for saving some of our good public universities from the ongoing political assault? Or do we think that we need not bother because our children would leave India, go abroad, and settle down comfortably? Or, are we only searching for some brands, or, for that matter, coaching centre strategists, Ed Tech companies, and packaged ‘success manuals’?

How many of us realise that a teacher is not a technician who forces the child to memorise that ‘A’ means apple; or 19x19 is 361; instead, a teacher is a catalyst who, even at the time of playing with mathematics and physics, or history and geography, seeks to arouse the child’s hidden faculties? We seem to be in a hurry. In the age of instantaneity, we need instant results — a seat in a medical college at any cost, or admission to a foreign university. No wonder, we passively watch this severe blow to the vocation of teaching and allow the mafia to run the emergent education industry.

Without a people’s movement to save education, there seems to be no escape from this rot.