Where you will find this?
Before answering what is it, it is must to explain where you will find. You may find this directory within your parent’s social circles. All your uncles and aunts, every friend of your dad and every member of your mom’s kitty party group has a customised version of their own. Even your friends might have one.
What is it?
It contains details of CTCs of various persons, ranging from its owner’s kid to the kid of an acquaintance or a distant relative. It may also contain the CTC details of the owner’s colleagues or peers.
Why haven’t you seen it?
It doesn’t have a physical existence. Just like the saying,” Beauty lies in the eyes of beholder”, this directory exists in the mind of every person. That is the main reason everybody has their customised version.
How it’s updated?
It is updated based on guesstimates. The ground level information is collected by interviewing or talking to people at each social event. The information provided by separate persons is verified with each other. If there is any mismatch, a guesstimate is reached by discussing with others. Many times, even direct questions are also asked to the person whose CTC is to be updated (Who cares if s/he feels uncomfortable). Some people take a leap forward, they even ask the “in hand amount” that person is getting. The directory is updated on a real time basis; as soon as the information is received the directory is updated.
Purpose
The directory may serve many purposes. The CTC directory serves as a barometer for comparing people (Although what is the necessity of that comparison is not known). People use this directory just to brag among their family and friends. People brag on the CTC data of their first cousin’s brother in law’s daughter’s husband. They’ve an automated list, containing the CTC data of persons’, which they would use for bragging in front of their relatives and friends. Few people go a step forward; they present the CTC data in such a manner so as to shove it in the face of the listener. To do so they also manipulate the CTC data using a multiplying factor of 1.25 to 1.5 times or more as per the requirement.
How to find CTC directory?
As there is no physical existence, you can’t read CTC directory, but you may find/experience it at any social gathering. You just have to mention the word CTC in front of some uncles and aunts in that gathering and listen. A voice will automatically come, just like the “AKASHVANI” depicted in our mythological serials. It would be like listening to an audio book. In a short span of time you would have CTC information of so many people, that you would want to forget about your own CTC.
Suggestion/Protests
Few youngsters are protesting against this ideology of people. They say it is contrary to saying “you should keep your earnings a secret”, which is taught by our elders. They say the elders are not following the above saying, depicted in the picture. Youngsters are also saying that they are not bothered about the questions from the elders but the question should be about life, happiness, extracurricular, ambitions etc. The youngsters are also against comparison as each and everybody is unique and comparison on the basis of money is not acceptable to them.
PS: India ranks 140th out of 156 nations as per the latest happiness index, way behind China, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Refer the below article from business today
