Page 262 - EducationWorld November 2020

Postscript

Language debate redux Bureau of Investigation) as well.
Given the slapdash TV channels viewership measure-
ment methodology, this was a scandal waiting to happen.
OMPELLING EVIDENCE THAT THE GREAT The number of TRP meters installed by BARC (Broadcast
majority of the country’s youth prefer English — or And Research Council) in Mumbai (pop. 20 million) total
Cmore properly Inglish — as the national language a mere 4,400. Inevitably this egregiously small list of
is provided by the 1.6 million higher secondary school- households was leaked and dozens of households were
leavers who wrote NEET (National Eligibility-cum- suborned by bonuses-driven executives of TV companies
Entrance Test), which determines admissions in order of to leave their channels beaming for hours on end. Simi-
merit into the country’s much-too-few (542) government larly IRS field personnel reportedly quiz small numbers of
and private medical colleges, on September 13. Although sample respondents to identify logos and/or mastheads of
candidates have the option to write NEET in several newspapers and magazines and classify them as routine
vernacular languages, 79 percent opted to write the test in readers.
English. Reportedly for the simple reason that vernacular Against this the methodology and large number
language zealots have never bothered about translating (11,000-15,000) of sample respondents interviewed
English language textbooks, especially science and tech- for the annual EducationWorld rating and ranking of
nology texts into native languages they champion on pub- schools, preschools and higher education institutions is
lic platforms. Yet despite the overwhelming preference for refreshingly large and reassuring.
learning Inglish, the language of business and upper judi-
ciary, National Education Policy 2020 makes an oblique
reference to English/Inglish as a foreign language. Belated penny drop
But then what else can be expected from Union
education minister Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal who writes HE IT (INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY) AND
hyper-nationalist pulp fiction in Hindi under the non- ITES (IT enabled services) industry is widely
de-plume Nishank? This worthy cannot speak a word of Tpropagated — and is by Indian standards — the
English — which means 59 percent of the population can’t best growth and development story of post-liberalisation
understand any of his pearls of wisdom. However, the (1991) India. But it hasn’t realised its full potential be-
good news is that Pokhriyal who has a penchant for end- cause IT companies are replete with penny-wise pound
less ‘consultations’ and marked reluctance to grant media foolish techies with little awareness of the brand-building
interviews has made the Great Leader see the error of value of advertising and professional public relations.
his ways and has reportedly given this less than medio- Although the IT boom began in the 1980s, the general
cre minister his marching orders. It’s a consummation impression is that India’s IT majors provide low-cost,
devoutly to be wished. body-shopping services to foreign IT multinationals.
Against this backdrop, the belated national brand-
Inevitable scandal building campaign launched on August 15 by Tata
Consultancy Services Ltd, India’s largest IT company
(revenue: Rs. 161,541 crore in 2019-20), heralds the dawn
ESPITE A LONG INNINGS IN THE FOURTH of new enlightenment in the IT industry. The company’s
estate, one has never trusted the so-called profes- Part of Your Story campaign on national television and
Dsional readership surveys — ABC (Audit Bureau of social media highlighting the important role played by
Circulation) or Indian Readership Survey (IRS). There- TCS, in delivering a plethora of financial and public ser-
fore none of the path-breaking news magazines helmed vices and its contribution to the healthcare and pharma
by your editor — Business India, Businessworld, Debo- industries, is overdue. Over a decade ago, astonished by
nair and EducationWorld — ever invited the grey men of the array of sophisticated ITES services offered by TCS,
ABC or IRS to certify circulation and/or readership. Deep your editor presented a detailed proposal to S. Ramado-
in their hearts all advertisers are aware of legendary ad rai, former CEO of the company, recommending a mega
guru David Ogilvy’s pithy observation that 50 percent of advertising and public relations blitz to build the TCS
all advertising expenditure is a waste of money, except brand. Although I was given hearing, nothing came of it.
nobody knows which 50 percent, and so they advertise Now more than a decade later, the penny has dropped.
according to their own judgement rather on the basis of Nevertheless it’s a matter of amazement that despite
inherently suspicious IRS and ABC data. advertising expenditure being tax deductible, most of
This suspicion of jugaad-style data collection is vin- India’s technology leaders with multi-million dollar
dicated by the latest TRP (television rating points) scam capitalization are headed by skinflints who believe that
involving ARG Outlier Media Pvt. Ltd which owns Re- advertising and brand promotion is wasteful expenditure.
public, the 24x7 English language news channel helmed Despite live examples of tech giants such as Microsoft, In-
by the company’s promoter, and prime time news anchor tel, Dell and even Chinese IT companies Baidu, Tencents
Arnab Goswami. According to Mumbai Police, managers and Alibaba spending billions of dollars on advertising
of the company have been bribing heads of households in and brand building, India’s IT majors are without honour
which TRP meters are installed, to keep the Republic TV in their own country, and are viewed as IT coolies abroad.
channel running all day long. This results in the channel With TCS having taken the plunge, one hopes that our
recording high viewership which in turn attracts greater other IT companies will awake from their slumber and
ad revenue. Now following a Central government order, start advertising in national and global markets to com-
this swindle is being investigated by the CBI (Central pete with the big boys.

262 EDUCATIONWORLD NOVEMBER 2020