Interaction of Government and Student

a) What are the ways government affects me, directly and indirectly?

For a student, the major interaction with the government is in the form of educational institutions and policies.

At the most basic level, the government decides the syllabus, the chapters and the characters that we are introduced to as a student. Government also directly affects the quality of education that an individual student receives via the setting up of schools at primary level, or of Universities at a graduate and post-graduate level.

Government policies affect the structure of the economy and the kind of industries and sectors that flourish. This affects the choices that students have in terms of profession.

The geographic location in which a person pursues his livelihood is affected by the kind of policies initiated by different government. For eg. manufacturing heavy areas such as Jamshedpur and Dhanbad have attracted both engineering students and professionals.

Governments are also responsible for the overall safety and security of the citizens. Therefore where a person lives is directly related to government action. This is acutely demonstrated during times of crises such as natural disasters, war, communal and regional violence, as well as financial emergencies.

Government policies affect the physical and mental well-being of a person. Some government such as the US guarantee minimum healthcare for all its citizens thereby directly increasing productivity and life-expectancy.

Government decides the amount of money I have to contribute back to the country in the form of various taxes. The use of these taxes is again determined by government policies and dictates how much benefit I get from those.

Government is responsible for providing a salubrious environment to all its citizens. The government provides an environment that guarantees my basic rights which empowers me to express my view and opinions.

Government is responsible for enactment and implementation of laws that protect me from external harm or exploitation.

The government also controls to an extent what I eat, see, hear, read, and experience in the form of bans, censorship and restrictions.

In effect, while every citizen is exercising his individual choices and treading a different path, (s)he is constrained by the actions and policies of various levels of government. These policies may or may not always be decided or influenced by the individual.

b) In what ways do I need to work/interact with government to achieve my objectives?

The first level I can interact and work with government is during election, interacting with local members of political parties to express demands