Publisher's Synopsis
This story is based on the sequence of events that happened in the life of Mr. Crusader. Crusader had started his career as a scientist in a central Government Department, which was a nascent department at that time. Rules and procedures were still evolving in that department. Mrs. Boss was his controlling officer. Crusader was an honest person and lived a simple life with a lovely wife and a daughter with exceptional intelligence. Despite his toilsome childhood, Crusader had completed his education from reputed institutions in India on a government scholarship. His smooth and peaceful professional life saw a complete turnaround when he published an academic book utilizing his spare times from hectic official assignments. Crusader was promoted to next higher grade Scientist against the wish of his controlling officer. The departmental promotion in the organization was based on a policy called Flexible Complementing Scheme (FCS). Mrs. Boss started harassing Crusader. Systematically she marginalized him and then withdrew all resources provided to him to carry out official assignments. She awarded poor grade in his Annual Progress Report of the year 2004. It dealt a blow to his career. Promotion and blow to the career? What a contradiction! Crusader approached the judiciary for justice, which eluded him. In the multi-tier judicial system, he was waiting for the justice from the last tier, although his stand had already been vindicated by the other two levels of judiciary below it. Mr. Crusader feared, any research work -an essence of any scientific activity, if done without prior departmental permission, might land him in trouble and he might face undesirable consequences. This was another example of Russell's Paradox which Crusader learned about a scientific institution wherein scientists had engaged themselves in all kind of activities for career progression which could hardly be ascribed as scientific. In the absence of any National Science Policy and lack of clarity in interpretation of administrative rules, chaotic situation persisted in the department. Crusader failed to adjust in such a chaotic scenario. Clarity was important for Mr. Crusader because he was a student of Mathematics and Computer Science. Such subjects do not leave scope for ambiguity. Crusader found that his creativity was being killed in such an environment and therefore he decided to take voluntary retirement and pursue his ideas of creativity. However, destiny had something else in store for him. On the advice of a friend to shift to the academy to pursue a career in his hobbies of teaching students, Crusader decided to join the academy. It is always difficult to change to a different profession after leaving an established career, but he had made up his mind and prepared himself for the change. Mr. Crusader changed his career to the academy and had joined an average grade private college affiliated to a state university. In India, a typical situation persists wherein unworthy yet wealthy academic aspirants are promoted for sheer financial gains but deserving and less wealthy students are kept away from minimum opportunities they truly deserve. Well, teachers do push ahead with the scheme of things for want of salary. Most private institutions with UGC affiliation are well trenched into the discussed structures whereas opportunities for less fortunate still lie with Government Bodies. Crusader realized that the system where he was working was nothing but a mass certification system. Marks awarded to students had no correlation with the knowledge possessed by them. It was against his ethics. "Goal of an employee should conform to that of the organization. In case of a mismatch, an employee should either adjust for survival or leave the organization to ensure mutual growth." This is what Mr. Crusader preached and practiced sincerely. He left the institution and marched in search of the truth he believed in.
