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By:

Correspondent

23 August 2024 at 4:29:04 pm

Trust Reset

As the recent protests over the NEET paper leak showed, India’s examination system has reached a point where incremental repairs are no longer enough. The appointment of a high-powered task force on examination reforms, headed by technology pioneer Nandan Nilekani, is therefore not merely an administrative response to the NEET-UG paper leak crisis but a concrete attempt to rebuild confidence in one of the country’s most important public institutions. Examinations are gateways to opportunity,...

Trust Reset

As the recent protests over the NEET paper leak showed, India’s examination system has reached a point where incremental repairs are no longer enough. The appointment of a high-powered task force on examination reforms, headed by technology pioneer Nandan Nilekani, is therefore not merely an administrative response to the NEET-UG paper leak crisis but a concrete attempt to rebuild confidence in one of the country’s most important public institutions. Examinations are gateways to opportunity, social mobility and professional ambition. For millions of students across the country, a competitive examination represents years of sacrifice by families and the possibility of a better future. When question papers leak repeatedly, evaluation systems fail or allegations of manipulation emerge, the resulting damage strikes at the idea of fairness itself. The crisis surrounding NEET-UG exposed uncomfortable vulnerabilities in the country’s examination infrastructure. The resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and the subsequent appointment of Pralhad Joshi with additional charge of the ministry underlined the political seriousness of the issue. But political accountability alone cannot fix a structural problem. That is why the composition of the new task force is a move on the right direction. It brings together expertise from technology, space research, intelligence, education administration and logistics. Nilekani’s appointment is particularly significant. The former Infosys chief executive and architect of Aadhaar has experience in building large-scale digital public infrastructure involving hundreds of millions of citizens. The Aadhaar project itself was born out of a similar challenge: how to create a reliable identity system in a country where leakages and duplication weakened welfare delivery. India’s examination system now requires the same kind of thinking. The committee’s mandate to examine the entire examination lifecycle - from question paper creation and distribution to candidate verification, evaluation and results - is the right approach. The problem lies in multiple weak points where human intervention, poor security protocols and outdated processes can create opportunities for malpractice. Technology will inevitably be central to the solution. Artificial intelligence can help detect unusual patterns, blockchain-based verification can strengthen record security and better data systems can improve transparency. But a secure examination system requires independent oversight, professional management, clear accountability and swift punishment for wrongdoing. India’s National Testing Agency was created to bring efficiency and standardisation to public examinations. Its credibility must now be restored through reforms that are visible and trusted by students. The Nilekani task force has been given the difficult job of repairing that trust. The government has chosen a committee led by people with experience of managing complex national systems. It is a sensible first step. The real test will now be whether its recommendations translate into action.

Dev Diwali: The Diwali of the Gods

Dev Diwali falls on the full moon day (Purnima) of the Hindu month of Kartik — known as Kartik Purnima — and this year, it is on 5th November.


In Varanasi (Kashi), it is celebrated about fifteen days after Diwali. The name means “the Diwali of the Gods,” marking the day when deities are believed to descend to the Ganga, whose ghats glow with countless lamps.


Mythological significance

One legend says that on Kartik Purnima, Lord Shiva destroyed the demon Tripurasura and his triple fortress, symbolising the triumph of good over evil — celebrated as Dev Diwali.


Another belief holds that on this night, the gods descend to bathe in the sacred Ganga at Kashi, where thousands of lamps illuminate the ghats in their honour.


The month of Kartik is considered deeply sacred — a holy dip (snan) in the Ganga is said to cleanse sins and bestow merit.


Dev Diwali thus unites mythology, ritual, and purification — celebrating victory, divine descent, and spiritual light.


Rituals and traditions

Even if you’re not in Varanasi, many Dev Diwali traditions can be observed wherever you are.


Kartik snan (holy bath): The day begins before sunrise with a sacred dip (snan) in the Ganga or any holy river, believed to wash away sins and prepare devotees for evening worship.


Deep daan (lamp offering): The most striking ritual — over a million diyas light up ghats, temples, rooftops, and boats, symbolising light’s triumph over darkness. Lamps also honour the gods and the river. At home, devotees light diyas at entrances, shrines, or under sacred trees like the Peepal.


Ganga aarti, evening ceremony: At dusk, the ghats — especially Dashashwamedh Ghat — glow with the grand Ganga Aarti. Priests raise massive brass lamps as conch shells echo and chants fill the air. The river shimmers with floating diyas and fireworks, watched from ghats and boats alike.


Pujas and worship: Special pujas honour Lord Shiva for his victory over Tripurasura, Goddess Lakshmi for prosperity, and Lord Vishnu in some traditions. Homes and temples are decorated with rangoli, flowers, and lamps, with special aartis offered throughout the day.


Processions, culture, charity: In Varanasi, colourful processions carry deities to the river amid music and dance. Acts of charity — feeding the poor, donating lamps, or helping light the ghats — are considered especially meritorious.


Symbolism, deeper meanings

Light and darkness: Like Diwali, Dev Diwali celebrates light — but here it shines beyond homes, illuminating the gods, the river, and the sacred city itself.


Purification and renewal: The holy bath, lamp lighting, and prayers symbolise cleansing past karma and renewing one’s spiritual intent.


Divine descent: It is believed that the gods descend to bathe in the Ganga, and devotees honour them — creating a sacred link between heaven and earth.


Triumph of good: The legend of Tripurasura’s defeat reaffirms the triumph of righteousness and the balance of cosmic order.


Community and place: In Varanasi, the festival turns the ghats into a vast spiritual stage where thousands gather in shared light and devotion.


Celebrations beyond Varanasi

Even away from Varanasi, you can embrace the spirit of Dev Diwali wherever you are.


On Kartik Purnima, cleanse your home, decorate with rangoli and lamps, and after sunset, light diyas at your shrine, doorway, or near a sacred plant.


Offer a simple puja — flowers, a mantra, or a quiet prayer of gratitude for light and life. If possible, take a symbolic dip or wash your hands and feet in a nearby water body.


Share the light — gift diyas, exchange sweets, or do a small act of charity. As Kartik ends, pause to reflect on renewal and your intentions for the days ahead.


Regional variations

While Varanasi remains the heart of Dev Diwali — with its glowing ghats and crowds — many towns and homes mark Kartik Purnima with lamps, deepdaan, and river rituals on a smaller scale.


Traditions may vary — the number of lamps, deities honoured, or timing of aartis — yet the spirit is the same. True to its name, Dev Diwali is the gods’ festival of light — more devotion than display, a quiet celebration of purity and faith.


At home, light 11 or 21 diyas, gather loved ones, share prasad, and tell the story of the festival. If possible, visit a local riverfront or temple, or join an aarti online. End the evening with an act of kindness or charity — feeding someone or donating food — in the true spirit of Dev Diwali.


A deeply spiritual yet luminous festival, Dev Diwali unites divine descent, purification, and light. On this night, Varanasi’s ghats shimmer with countless lamps mirrored in the Ganga — a reminder that even in darkness, the light of faith endures.


Happy Dev Diwali to you!


(The writer is a tutor based in Thane.)

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