Re: India's Army

On Thu, 17 Jan 2008 15:56:06 -0800 (PST), "deemsbill@xxxxxxx"
<deemsbill@xxxxxxx> wrote:


That will require a bigger talent pool. After all, there is no
shortage of young Indians who want an army career-or indeed, given
persistent high unemployment, any sort of career. The problem is that
only a privileged minority of school- and college-leavers can pass the
army's entrance exams for officer training. In order to match India's
rise to global importance, the army needs many things: more money,
better technology and a coherent foreign policy on which to build its
doctrine. Above all, however, like all India, it needs more decent
schools.

I see this as a symptom of a much larger problem. Sure, India's
economy has taken off, but it's leaving literally hundreds of millions
behind. India's biggest challenge will be to bring these people...or a
large percentage of them...up so they can help a modern economy. If
India can do this, she will become a world power....if not, she'll be
in trouble.
China faces a similar challenge...the need to spread the wealth
among more of her people. It looks to me, dumb American that I am,
that China is doing a better job of this than India.....but it's
nowhere near a done deal.


Again its a matter of numbers. There are still more than 400 million
in China below the $2 a day poverty level. Yet the number of
university students in China is more 15 millions. They represent the
top (approx) 10 percent of senior high school graduates and are
therefore all pretty smart guys and gals. Failing and dropping out is
very rare given the odds and the enormous effort to get in.

Quote1:
[ http://www.edu.cn/expand_1417/20060323/t20060323_3947.shtml
University Enrollment Set to be Increased
2001-01-01 (note it's a 2001 report)
Increasing enrollment in China's higher education system by about 5
per cent is an obtainable goal, said Shen Shituan, President of
Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and also member of
the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC)

The State's target enabling 15 per cent of school age people to attend
universities by 2010 is in accord with the demands and the current
situation, said Shen.

Currently only 10.5 per cent of Chinese young people between 18 to 24
can receive higher education, according to statistics from the
Ministry of Education, nearly 40 per cent lower than the average level
in developed countries. ]

Quote 2:
[http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/jun2007/gb20070605_780984.htm?chan=globalbiz_asia+index+page_top+stories
BusinessWeek Asia June 5, 2007, 7:59AM EST
China's College Graduate Glut
The mainland's high-speed economy can't easily absorb the nearly 5
million graduates streaming yearly into the workforce .....

PPP: In just a decade the change in employment opportunities from an
almost guaranteed executive job to none at all or a bare survival one
as a USD 100 a month security guard or sales clerk is amazing. The
PLA recruiters have a tough job in screening for only the best college
grads for recruitment into officer cadet courses, screening for
physical ability, health, political correctness, a must in English or
a second language, etc.. Army life is a fullfillment of career aims
and in patriotism, therefore a much coveted position.
-------------------------------

It will be very helpful for youself to get rid of those patronizing
attitudes
China faces a similar challenge...the need to spread the wealth
among more of her people.
because even your best brains haven't a clue as to how to solve your
[America's] comparatively paltry economic problems.

Do get a grip on the magnitude of numbers. 400 million poor is still
more than a 100 million over America's sub 300 million total
population. The Chinese know what their problems are. They have been
around for as long as there was a China. They know what they need to
do. What they have the capacity to do. And how long it will take.

Everything in China today happens at warp speed. But even lifting the
first 400 million out of poverty took 30 years. With luck the
remaining 400 million will take less time, maybe 20 years. This is
the first time in her 4000 year civilization these age old problems
have a chance of being addressed successfully. This is the
foundation of the peoples supreme confidence in their government and
in China's future. Anyone in the way gets run over.

.