Raghuram G. Rajan, former governor of the Reserve Bank of India came out recently with an excellent book ‘The Third Pillar’ while serving as erudite teacher for university students at Chicago. He went back to his profession after serving the NaMo Regime for two years. He had silently handed over his papers and flew away to his old profession and also perhaps to work on his excellent book without revealing the cause or reason for his sudden decision for resignation.

Now it appears that he saw the true character and thinking of the Indian Prime Minister. The lock down directive by him on March 24, 2020 without giving sufficient time to the Indian society to prepare the self for the drastic measure to fight the pandemic long before it turned into a pandemic for India on similar scale of devastation as in North America or several nations in Europe indicates his lack of concern for the Third Pillar. It certainly was not an action without comprehension. He is definitely not an ignorant as the seat he occupies today indicates. Rajan could not accuse him of displaying traits of a dictator. He saw in his wisdom a better strategy in walking away instead of serving him to be a successful dictator.

The book was apparently concluded before the corona virus assumed proportion of the pandemic in countries above the tropic of Cancer. Hence there is no comment on its consequences. The Lock down strategy indicated least concern for its long term consequences on the future generation though the strategy was claimed to be for preserving lives of humans. The places of worship that remained under the lock for few months regained importance in human life. The devastated economy would recover in few years, may be sooner than a year but recovery of younger generation psyche does not appear to be possible as the strategic more to close down all institutions of education from nurseries to colleges has left a deep scar.

Schools are not merely temples of teaching young the ability to read, write and calculate or measure angles or draw figures. They attend to develop their psyche. No child can concentrate for more than twenty minutes on new lesson though every period spans into forty minutes. Half the time in each period is generally used by students for mischief with other colleagues in the class with maximum care to ensure teacher does not notice. Most teachers know it but ignore as it is part of the social education, for creating bonds with other humans of same age group. The silent whispers and gestures build needed abilities to avoid wider impact of actions on unintended individuals and sections. The gesticulations behind the back of teacher are thus helpful in development and sharpening of mental agility and most teachers ignore unless such mischief appears to be unhealthy character development or diversion from main subject.

As schools were shut down with locks on gates, most schools adopted, at least all private schools, and few public schools with students of economically better families, adopted to distant teaching through internet usages. The student could use any pats of the home to sit before the screen of the available gadget for forty minutes of period and listen to teacher. The distant education turned out to be heavy dose as it did not allow scope for silent mischief. As the lock down did not allow movements outside, they could not visit their friends in their homes or have them in their homes. First major impact of isolation was on development of courage element. Silent mischief behind the back of teacher in the classroom breeds element of courage. The absence of it breeds element to turn child to be introvert. The fear element grows and child does not have courage to answer even simple question even though answers is known and on the tip of the tongue. The isolation imposed by the lock down and closure of school made them to stay inside the door for five months. It was a long holiday but without fun and frolics that short holidays provide. They could set up their make shift desk in any part of the home but without fun that same desk in their classes provided them as they could throw surreptitious glances at other students, their favourite and even at not friendly ones.

Several parents discovered to their dismay that their child student of higher classes swoon out in first seven to ten minutes of the subject period on the screen. Many complained of bad impact on their vision due to radiations from screen. Many parents got antiglare glasses to protect eyes of their ward but maintaining glasses became additional burden for their children. Most students need friends of their age and preferably from their class to confirm their comprehension of the taught lesson. Apparently only their classmate can confirm. Getting them on line is possible but it turns into gossiping long sessions that their mothers do not approve. Some parents discovered that their children open widows on their computers to other class mates and start talks that not relevant to the subject of the period. Thus both ignore to attend to teaching in the period

The Indian Academy of Paediatrics discovered recently in its survey that students of higher classes in wealthy families were reluctant to attend the on-line classes. Three fourth of parents covered in survey complained of higher level of stress, disturbance in sleep and anxiety in their teen age children in last five months that were not seen earlier. The academy also discovered in 75 per cent families that their children were putting in weight. The running about, chasing other kids inside the school in six hours of their daily attendance was not allowing extra weight accumulation.

No one can or should overlook that schools becomes a private empire everyday for six hours in life of every student. Their parents cannot dictate them overtly on covertly and teachers have no time or inclination to prevent them from learning of life outside their classrooms. The lock down had deprived them for nine months of roaming at free will and at the same time learning for their future. It cannot be made up by anything else. The Third Pillar is thus hollowed by the lock down even before schools could concretize it before it becomes a part of society. The loss is much grave in nine months.