Dr M A Shah
Remembering school days, Intelligence Quotient (IQ) was a buzz word among faculty. Teachers thrust was to develop IQ as it was essential for achievements in life. But from the last one decade or so, I as a teacher at NIT Srinagar have been witnessing altogether different scenario across valley, students engrossed in complex matters. Brain is the most complicated part of human body and is made up of more than 100 billion nerves (like IC) that communicate in trillions of connections, probably might be in nano dimensions. It has the ability to control our thoughts, memory and function of many organs within our body. It receives information through our five senses: sight, smell, touch, taste and hearing-often many at one time. It is also the prime location for the origin of intelligence, emotions and feelings.
According to psychologists, there are four types of intelligence (i) Intelligence Quotient (IQ), (ii) Emotional Quotient (EQ), (iii) Social Quotient (SQ) (iv) Adversity Quotient (AQ). Persons with balanced IQ, EQ, SQ, and AQ are the best individuals who can manage the ups and downs, emotional traumas and temporary challenges in life effectively and successfully. Each Q has significant value in life at different stages such as IQ is very important in career development. It depends on the nature of an individual as everyone is different from others, the ratio of IQ, EQ, SQ, AQ would differ in each person depending on the family, society and surroundings. People that have higher EQ and SQ tend to go far farther in life than those with high IQ. A man of high IQ can end up being employed by a man of high EQ and SQ even though he/she has an average IQ.
Teachers and parents have an obligation to expose children to other areas of life than academic. Develop their EQ and AQ on priority. They should become multifaceted human beings, able to do things independently and multitalented, as rightly proposed in New Education Policy. Multidisciplinary education would prepare students for multi-functional activities, equipping them with the key skills, creating holistic and well-rounded individuals. We must teach our children to manage their stress from the beginning to have complete control over their emotions.
Emotional intelligence is the ability to control emotions healthily and positively in order to manage stress, control impulsive actions, overcome challenges and achieve personal as well as professional goals seamlessly whereas the Social Quotient (SQ) is the measure of ability to build a network of friends and maintain it over a long period of time. Adverse Quotient (AQ) is the score of a person’s ability to face the adversities and the capacity to overcome challenges by taking rational decisions. The adverse quotient is one of the components of emotional quotient which is to be applied while facing adverse situations of life.
Taking extreme steps in life and getting involved in bad habits like in drugs/intoxicants and playing dreadful games is not a solution. A dignified Police Officer from North Kashmir has rightly said that if wine is prohibited why not drugs. These are strictly prohibited. Since drugs were not the social problems in earlier times nonetheless “khamr” (alcohol/ intoxicant) is prohibited, as they used to consume alcohol in parties.
Khamr is a composite term, which includes all forms of intoxicants, though the fact is that the specific contexts relate to alcohol drinking. Every drink that intoxicates the mind, veils it and covers it is strictly prohibited. Intoxicants and gambling are repugnant acts-youth need to shun them. Intoxicants and gambling incite enmity and hatred. It is a menace and will destroy societies and civilizations.
The bottom line is:
* Always keep an eye on your child’s emotions and talk to him if you notice any sudden behavior change. Never underestimate his problems, understand the intensity of the situations he is facing.
* Listen to their problems and struggles properly. Sometimes it is enough only to listen to them than preaching them any solution.
* Teach them the lessons of Emotional intelligence. It is important to control thoughts over actions in order to be adaptive to changing environments around us and how to sustain while passing through rough patches of life.
* Make them ready to face real life challenges as well along with the constant expectations of the society to be academically brilliant and sound. “IQ decides your intelligence but EQ decides what type of person you are.”
* Parents, Priests, Peers, Parsons and Police need to counsel youths about dreadful consequences of drugs/intoxicants in society.
(The author is teaching Nanotechnology at NIT Srinagar)
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