The Dilemma of A Young Indian MBA

A Young Indian Professional (Representational Image Only)/Source: Pxhere

Like any given normal day in the opening week of June, when monsoon has not reached the northern part of the country, it was raining fire in Delhi.

The earth was parched. The air was depressed. Moreover, the water (in my twenty four hour heat resistant thermosteel flask) was simply undrinkable.

I was dragging myself, just like everyone else, in order to reach home.

Then, somebody called my name. I turned back. I found it was him, the well-paid, well-groomed, bourgeoisie thinking, mildly aggressive speaking in a highly accented English, working as a junior level marketeer, MBA.

He jumped toward me. We exchanged few pleasantries.  He said, "Hi." I said, "Hello." He asked, "How are you?" I replied, "I am Good."

Then, he commented after scanning my tailor-made, un-ironed, ruffled clothes, "You look... You look like a Sarkari Naukar." I was shocked and defended myself with a straight "No." He sympathetically said, "What happened?" It made me a bit more confused, and I said to myself, "What happened?", but to answer him, I said, "Nothing." He said, "But you look like..." I interrupted him, "I had a two-tiered UPSC exam today, and now I am well exhausted. So that's why." He said, "Oh..." I said, "Yeah."

Now, it was my turn, I asked him, "You have also filled the application." He replied, "Yes, but I am not interested in Government job anymore." I said, "okay," and tried to close down our so-called conversation, but he was in the mood of talking. He continued, with a weird laugh, "Though I am looking for a wife with a government job." His declaration made me laugh, but I stopped, when he went on the rant, "How reservation system has deprived him of a Government job." He gave me a Tina Dabi example. He said, last time, he missed the cutoff by twelve marks. On hearing upon, I seriously laughed. I asked him, "Do you really believe reservation system has deprived you of Government job." He was irked. I continued, "I believe, there should be a creamy layer like system for SC/ST reserved categories, because most of them, especially from the rural background, are not getting the due benefit." On which, he half-heartedly agreed.

I tried to move again, but I believe he wanted to make me suffer for not showing empathy for his sufferings. He asked, "how was your exam." I said, "it was good." He said, "Any chance." I said, "Hope so." He said, "You look confident." I nodded in positive. He continued, "So, it is confirmed, you are trying to become a Sarkari Naukar." I laughingly said, "Yes." He commented, "Government jobs are only jobs in this country, other than that, there is no job security." I told him, "Nowadays, there is no job security in Government jobs too. You can be fired at whims and fancies of your superiors. My prime motivation is to help people." On which, he laughed hysterically. He said, "Yes, my mother has fired a few people in her office."

His mother is a senior level Railway officer. He then went on the rant and told me a thousand of other things about his mother. Leave that.

He told me a story, how one day, due to some technical emergency, he went on to help his mother, how he met his mother's senior officer, and how he impressed him. I asked him with curiosity, "what you did." He replied in his accented British English, "I told him. You have a pathetic staff. These people are not efficient with modern technology. Instead, give me a five-year contract. I will give you the same number of people, doubly efficient, working at the mere salary of 15000 rupees." He then told me 'that' senior person is now contacting him to work around the feasibility of the idea. I resisted, "It is not done." He said, "Leave. It is their headache." I told him, "You can instead suggest him to reskill those people." He replied in a pretty harsh manner, "Who cares?" I was irked. I told him, "I am in a bit hurry." He said, "Okay", but he called me again, and said, "Hey listen, if you are going to fill that form again, I mean, UPSC or SSC, please give me a call." I said, "Why? You are not happy with your job." He said, "Yes, it's good, but you know my mother, and I am looking for better and secure job."