The most important function of education at any level is to hone someone's skills in a way that would not only benefit him, but others as well. Or so said Grayson Kirk, former president of Columbia University. As I sit writing this column, his words come to mind. Just as they might have struck Neeraj K Pawan, collector of Karauli, a small district in Rajasthan, when faced with the task of appointing the sarpanch of Ganwada Meena village. The step had been necessitated by the sudden demise of sarpanch Rampal Meena.

The proposition of wearing a sarpanch's crown is alluring as it catapults you into the orbit of greater political clout. So, 11 applications landed on Pawan's lap, all from existing ward members, mostly with the supercilious 'I-am-the-best' attitude. But Pawan knew that the epithet of 'best' suited one who was educated and knew what was best for his district. Karauli, with a population of 4,500, mainly depends on Centre-driven national rural employment guarantee schemes (NREGS) for its livelihood. So, only an educated sarpanch would have a proper understanding of the schemes, their potential and how they could be best applied for the betterment of the village folks.

Pawan commissioned a written examination based on NREGS, in which multiple-choice questions would gauge the knowledge of the 11 candidates. Most of the overzealous aspirants raised their eyebrows. Is there such a law, they asked, voicing their discomfiture. Were they aware of law in the first place, was Pawan's repartee that punched a hole in their initial intransigence.

The D-Day arrived and eight of the 11 aspirants turned up for the exams. A few moments later, five chickened out on the pretext that the posers appeared all Greek to them — a euphemism to shield the fact that they were illiterate. Of the three left in the fray — namely Ramsahay Meena, Magan Meena and Teekaram Meena — Ramsahay stood first and took over the sarpanch's position most deservedly, thanks to the ingenuity of one man, collector Neeraj K Pawan.

With elections round the corner, there are two lessons ensconced in this narrative. One, it knocks on the door of our conscience to elect only those who are well-versed in their field, as our existence lies in their hands for the next five years. Two, and perhaps more importantly, our democracy would do well with Samaritan bureaucrats like Pawan, whose actions hinge on the sole dictum of 'may the best man win.'

 N Raghuraman/ DNA-Daily News & Analysis Source: 3D Syndication