It has been quite some time since, but I have not been able to forget this one. It was an application for 5 days of earned leave. The resident doctor had brought it himself/herself at about 10 A.M. The clerk had stated on it that there was no casual leave balance in the account of the applicant. The reason stated was 'personal reason'. I could sense something was amiss, but could not place it. I remembered the other time this Resident had gone on unsanctioned leave, gad come back and signed on the muster for those days. We had called it virtual presence, reprimanded him/her, and warned never to repeat that one. That did not mean this one would not try another trick. So I asked the resident why a short duration earned leave was asked for, it being against the civic body rules. I was authorized to sanction such leave only at my own discretion.
"I have personal reasons" came the answer. "I have leave due" came out an additional point after some time.
I explained that earned leave needed justification when it was to be of short duration. Finally the reason came out, which was not something that could not be stated on the application. Something was still amiss, though.
"Why have you not obtained OK from the Associate Professor, as is the policy?" I asked.
"The Associate Professor asked me to see you" came the answer. I showed my surprise. "I will be leaving for home tonight" came out reluctantly.
"But the leave is to be from tomorrow" I said, surprised. "How can you leave when you are on emergency duty?"
"Because the train is at night" came the answer. The logic was apparently solid. But it was not sound.
"But why did you book a ticket for tonight, before obtaining a sanction for your leave? It is wrong to go away from duty much before the leave starts."
"That is OK" came the answer. "I cover for the others sometimes, and they cover for me now."
This Resident Doctor had guts. Not only did he/she plan to do something wrong, but also told the Head of the Department about it, and that too quite casually.
"I shall not permit you to go away at night when you are on emergency duty until tomorrow morning" I said.
"In that case I will apply for leave for today too. I have worked up till now, but it is OK."
I was aghast. I had not met anyone before who planned to do something wrong, told me frankly what he/she planned, had no feeling that it was morally and ethically wrong too, and had the cheek to offer to take leave for the day so as to be able to go away early, sounding as if he/she was doing me and the institute a favor for having worked for a short while during the day he/she had to be on leave. I picked up my pen to sign on the leave application, held it there and asked, "Have you not learned moral and ethical values so as to be able to know what is right and what is wrong?"
There was no answer, just an angry wait until I would sign the leave application.
"Do you have any answer to that question?" I asked.
"No. I don't have any answer" he/she replied.
I hid my pain at the thought of what this future pillar of tomorrow's India was like, and signed that leave application. I have learned to recognize people I cannot change, and clearly this person was one of them.
(Note: 'he/she' is used to protect the identity of the person concerned.)
"I have personal reasons" came the answer. "I have leave due" came out an additional point after some time.
I explained that earned leave needed justification when it was to be of short duration. Finally the reason came out, which was not something that could not be stated on the application. Something was still amiss, though.
"Why have you not obtained OK from the Associate Professor, as is the policy?" I asked.
"The Associate Professor asked me to see you" came the answer. I showed my surprise. "I will be leaving for home tonight" came out reluctantly.
"But the leave is to be from tomorrow" I said, surprised. "How can you leave when you are on emergency duty?"
"Because the train is at night" came the answer. The logic was apparently solid. But it was not sound.
"But why did you book a ticket for tonight, before obtaining a sanction for your leave? It is wrong to go away from duty much before the leave starts."
"That is OK" came the answer. "I cover for the others sometimes, and they cover for me now."
This Resident Doctor had guts. Not only did he/she plan to do something wrong, but also told the Head of the Department about it, and that too quite casually.
"I shall not permit you to go away at night when you are on emergency duty until tomorrow morning" I said.
"In that case I will apply for leave for today too. I have worked up till now, but it is OK."
I was aghast. I had not met anyone before who planned to do something wrong, told me frankly what he/she planned, had no feeling that it was morally and ethically wrong too, and had the cheek to offer to take leave for the day so as to be able to go away early, sounding as if he/she was doing me and the institute a favor for having worked for a short while during the day he/she had to be on leave. I picked up my pen to sign on the leave application, held it there and asked, "Have you not learned moral and ethical values so as to be able to know what is right and what is wrong?"
There was no answer, just an angry wait until I would sign the leave application.
"Do you have any answer to that question?" I asked.
"No. I don't have any answer" he/she replied.
I hid my pain at the thought of what this future pillar of tomorrow's India was like, and signed that leave application. I have learned to recognize people I cannot change, and clearly this person was one of them.
(Note: 'he/she' is used to protect the identity of the person concerned.)
