The Conch Shell in the Classroom: What Students Taught Me About India's Future

When I teach the Indian Constitution, I always face the same big problem: students try to memorize it like a dry textbook. It is easy to learn the rules for an exam. It is much harder to understand why we need those rules to survive. To break the ice this semester, I started my first lecture with a famous story: Lord of the Flies.

I told them about a group of schoolboys stranded on an island. At first, they try to vote and make fair rules using a conch shell. But slowly, the rules break down. Without laws, accountability, or a social contract, the boys turn into violent rivals, and their small society falls into total chaos.

"This," I told my class, "is what happens when there are no laws. This is why a country needs a constitution." Right after that, I handed them a blank sheet of paper. I asked them one simple question: "Write an essay on 'Mara Swapnanu Bharat' (The India of My Dreams)."  

I have allowed them to write in English, Hindi, or Gujarati. I didn't ask them to write about the book, and they didn't even mention it. But their papers showed that the story had secretly triggered a deep defense mechanism in their minds. After collecting these 50 to 60 handwritten papers, I wanted to find the deeper patterns in their thoughts. To do this efficiently, I analyzed their responses with the help of Gemini Pro, categorizing their raw, multilingual feedback into core societal themes.  

What the data revealed was extraordinary. They didn’t dream about flying cars or futuristic cities; they dreamed about fairness, safety, and basic human dignity. Here is what the next generation actually wants for India. 

1.      End the "VIP Culture" and Teach Equal Rules

In the island story, the strongest boys make all the rules and bully the weak. My students are clearly exhausted by seeing the same thing happen in real-life India.  

Ø  No More Double Standards: Students are highly frustrated by "connections" and VIP culture. One Gujarati essay pointed out how unfair it is that rich or connected people get instant access ("darshan") at temples, while regular citizens have to stand in line for hours.  

Ø  Fixing the Prison Loophole: Another student called out the legal system, writing that rich criminals simply pay bribes, get out of jail, and commit the exact same crimes again because the law lacks teeth.  

Ø  True Equality: One student wrote that corruption must be destroyed first. He demanded that "badhu cast ne sarkho hisso malvo joie" (every caste must get an equal share and equal treatment).  

Ø  The Job Stigma: One student pointed out that our society forces young people to prefer unemployment over honest, manual jobs (like garage or hotel work) simply because of social judgment. He dreams of an India that respects all hard work.  

2.      The "Foreign Country" Hypocrisy

What surprised me most was that the students didn't just blame the government. They took a hard look at the behavior of everyday citizens.  

Ø  The Cleanliness Paradox: Multiple students noticed a bizarre national double standard. An Indian citizen will become a model, law-abiding person the second they land in Japan, the USA, or the UAE. They won't dare litter there. But the moment they return home, they treat their own streets like a trash can.  

Ø  The Garbage Trap: As one student noted, when one person throws a piece of garbage on the road, that spot instantly turns into a permanent collective garbage dump. They wrote that a great nation starts when individuals choose to stop spitting and littering on roads.  

3.      Real-World Corporate and Educational Decay

Reflecting the breakdown of trust on Golding's fictional island, these young adults are hyper-aware of major institutional failures happening right now.  

Ø  The NEET Paper Leaks: In a raw, emotional English essay, one student lashed out at recent exam paper leaks. They detailed the heartbreaking reality of students being driven to suicide because corrupt actors and businessmen can simply buy exam papers, ruining the hard work of honest students.  

Ø  Fake Food Quality: Another student compared India's loose corporate rules to South Korea and Japan. They pointed out that global companies sell lower-quality, worst-item food products in India, but sell high-quality versions of the exact same food in Japan because Japan's food safety laws are incredibly strict.  

4.      Climate Chaos and Cutting Trees

The physical destruction of the island's forests at the end of the story mirrors the heavy environmental anxieties of my classroom.  

Ø The Oxygen Deficit: A student writing in Gujarati explicitly linked rapid commercial construction to immediate climate damage. They wrote that to build multi-story buildings, we are cutting down our forests, causing oxygen levels to drop and accelerating global warming.  

Ø  The Blow to Farmers: This environmental destruction has a direct human cost. Because of global warming, it rains completely out of season during the monsoon, or doesn't rain when it is desperately needed, ruining the crops and livelihoods of millions of Indian farmers. 

As I read through these papers, I realized my experiment had worked perfectly.  My students didn't need to write about Lord of the Flies to prove they understood it. Their essays were a direct reaction to the fear of chaos and systemic decay. When they wrote about picking up trash, stopping corruption, protecting women, and ending paper leaks, they were actively practicing Constitutionalism.  They instinctively know what the boys on the island forgot: a civilized society only works if individuals choose to respect the rules, stand up against corruption, and look out for one another.

Our job as teachers isn't to make learners memorize dry legal articles. Our job is to show them that their everyday worries and their highest dreams for India are the exact reason our Constitution was written in the first place.  

Easter in English Literature: A Comprehensive Guide for UGC NET Aspirants 📚✨

Easter is a significant Christian festival and holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, described in the New Testament as having occurred on the third day of his burial after his crucifixion. Falling on a Sunday between late March and late April, it symbolizes the ultimate victory of life over death, light over darkness, and divine grace over human suffering. In the realm of English literature, this seasonal shift from the gloom of winter to the vibrant rebirth of spring provides a fertile ground for poets and novelists to explore themes of spiritual transformation, political awakening, and the restorative power of nature. 🌷✝️

The journey of Easter in literature often begins with the Metaphysical poets of the 17th century, most notably George Herbert. His iconic poem "Easter Wings" is a staple for UGC NET questions due to its unique "hollow" or "shape" poetry format, technically known as Technopaegnia. The lines of the poem physically shrink and expand on the page, mirroring the soul’s fall into sin and its subsequent flight toward redemption through the Resurrection. Aspirants should remember that this poem is part of his famous collection, The Temple (1633), and represents the high point of devotional lyricism where the physical form of the text is as vital as its spiritual content. 🕊️✍️

Moving into the Victorian and Modernist eras, the treatment of Easter shifted from purely religious devotion to complex social and political commentary. Gerard Manley Hopkins used his theories of "Inscape" and "Instress" to find Christ’s presence in the "charged" beauty of the spring landscape, while Christina Rossetti focused on the quiet, patient "vigil" of Easter Even. However, for those preparing for the NET, W.B. Yeats's "Easter, 1916" is perhaps the most critical text to master. Yeats famously used the Easter motif to describe the Irish Uprising, coining the immortal oxymoron "A terrible beauty is born" to describe how ordinary individuals were "transformed utterly" into martyrs for a national cause. Similarly, T.S. Eliot integrated the Easter story into "The Waste Land" (specifically in Part V, "What the Thunder Said"), linking the biblical "Journey to Emmaus" with the ancient Fisher King myth to symbolize a desperate hope for regeneration in a fragmented, post-war world. ☘️🌍

To stay ahead in your preparation, it is essential to recognize these works not just as isolated poems, but as part of a larger literary tradition of hagiography and liturgical drama. From the medieval Mystery Plays that enacted the Resurrection for the masses to D.H. Lawrence’s controversial modern reimagining in The Escaped Cock, Easter remains a cornerstone of the Western canon. Practice identifying these authors and their specific "Easter" perspectives—whether it be Herbert’s typography, Yeats’s political paradoxes, or Eliot’s mythic method—as they frequently appear in matching-style questions and assertion-reasoning tasks in Paper II. 🎓📖

Try to Answer! ✅

Which of the poets mentioned above is most likely to be associated with the term "Sprung Rhythm" in an exam question about their Easter verses?

A) George Herbert

B) W.B. Yeats

C) Gerard Manley Hopkins

D) T.S. Eliot

Hint: Think about the poet who saw the "instress" of God in every bird and flower! 🌸🧐

My NET/SET Expert Sessions

In September 2025, I had the privilege of contributing to the NET/SET Guidance Programme organized by the Alumni Association of the Department of English at MK Bhavnagar University. I delivered two sessions—one on the Higher Education System and another on Drama across World Literatures—designed to support aspirants preparing for UGC NET/ GSET exams. 

In the first session, we focused on drama as a genre that interprets life through performance. We discussed classical concepts like catharsis and hamartia, traced dramatic traditions from Greek tragedy to modern absurdism, and examined voices from Indian, British, American, and African literatures. I also shared exam-focused tools—MCQs, chronological drills, and match-the-following sets. 

In the second session, I explored India’s academic journey from ancient universities to NEP 2020, covering key regulatory bodies, governance structures, and digital platforms like SWAYAM and Shodhganga. The goal was to simplify policy frameworks and make them exam-relevant. 

Both sessions were designed to blend literary depth with strategic preparation. I’m grateful to MKBU’s Alumni Association for the invitation and to the engaged learners who made the experience so rewarding. 

Click here to watch a live session on Drama

Click here to watch a live session on Higher Education System 

Presentations Available 

You can view my expert session slides here:

Drama (All Literatures in English)

Higher Education System

 

The Next Goal: A Gentle Armor Against Darkness

Reflections on Suicide Prevention Day at Dr. Subhash University

On the occasion of Suicide Prevention Day, the School of Arts and Humanities at Dr. Subhash University, Junagadh, hosted a thought-provoking series of expert talks that explored suicide through two essential lenses: the social and the psychological. The event encouraged open dialogue, collective reflection, and a deeper understanding of how we can support one another in times of emotional crisis. 

💬 The Question That Echoed:

One question resonated deeply throughout the session: “How can we stop ourselves from thinking about suicide or falling into depression?” My personal response was rooted in the idea of purpose:

“A goal in life should be so compelling that it doesn’t allow us to stop or end the purpose of living.”

🌟 The Power of Purpose:

Purpose acts as a psychological anchor. As Viktor Frankl wrote in Man’s Search for Meaning, and Nietzsche echoed:

“He who has a why to live can bear almost any how.” Even small goals—finishing a book, mentoring a student, designing a banner—can restore momentum and offer emotional clarity. These stepping stones become quiet affirmations of life. 

🌈 A Cycle of Renewal:

We must learn to layer our goals—one after another—like beads on a thread.

“Each goal is a lantern. When one dims, the next lights the way.” Let these goals be not only career-driven but soul-nourishing: learning a new language, translating a forgotten text, or simply showing up for someone who needs us.

📚 Literature as a Lifeline—On Page and On Screen

In moments of emotional turbulence, literature can be more than an escape—it can be a companion, a mirror, and a guide. Whether it’s the quiet wisdom of a novel, the catharsis of a poem, or the layered storytelling of a play, literature reminds us we are not alone.

Today, literature lives beyond books. Films and series inspired by literary or psychological themes—like Inside Out, A Beautiful Mind, or Never Have I Ever—offer comfort and insight.

“Sometimes, a character’s journey on screen becomes the voice we needed to hear in our own silence.”

📣 A Message to Students:

If you ever feel lost, don’t wait to find a reason to live—create one. Let your next goal be your quiet rebellion against despair. Let literature, learning, and connection be your companions. And remember, you are never alone in your journey.

Subsidiary Supporting Courtesy: MS WORD COPILOT

Beyond the Book: Confronting Human Nature through Lord of the Flies

On 28th June 2025, as part of Dr. Subhash University’s “Beyond the Book: Let’s Talk” series, I had the opportunity to present my reflections on William Golding’s Lord of the Flies—a novel that challenges readers to question the fragility of civilization and the primal instincts that lie beneath our social veneers. 

Set on a deserted island, the novel follows a group of British schoolboys whose attempt at self-governance spirals into chaos. Through characters like Ralph, Piggy, Jack, and Simon—and symbols like the conch shell and the fearsome “Lord of the Flies”—Golding constructs a haunting meditation on power, fear, and moral collapse.

What makes Lord of the Flies timeless is its ability to provoke uncomfortable questions:

• Is civilization just a thin shell?

• Are we inherently good, or do circumstances awaken a dormant savagery?

• What happens when empathy gives way to groupthink?

From a humanities perspective, the novel is more than fiction—it’s a mirror reflecting our collective consciousness. In classrooms, workplaces, and digital spaces, the dynamics Golding explores feel eerily familiar even today.

As we continue this book talk series, my hope is that we move beyond passive reading to active questioning, conversation, and connection. Because sometimes, fiction doesn’t just help us understand the world—it helps us confront the truths within ourselves. 

Click here to have a glance at the major themes of Lord of the Flies.