What do you call a job which pays you a handsome salary , but which makes you stay at places with long power cuts ( anywhere from 4-12 hours daily ), and the absence of proper basic infrastructure and market ? Money ( currency notes ) by themselves are useless , until they can be exchanged for attractive consumer goods . In a place with 8-hour long power cuts , consumer goods, even if available , are useless. Whats more, the poor living conditions, and general negative atmosphere ( lack of basic development or hope for the future of small towns in UP can be extremely depressing.) The absence of regular power supply would mean I would be cut off from the internet, including news ( would english newspapers be available in Sitapur ? )

Sounds like a perfect recipe for negative thoughts and depression.

The job of a bank officer in a public sector bank in UP can either be seen as a Punishment if the person is pessimistic , or as a Sacrifice if the person is of a optimistic and positive attitude.
Its always better to have a postitive attitude in life, so i guess I should look at the prospective job as a sacrifice. If i were a married man, I would see my job as a sacrifice for my family's well-being. But given the fact that as a non-believer , I would never get to marry, I wonder for whom I would be sacrificing if i join this job ?

Though India is growing at 8 % annually, only places like Delhi ( new roads, buildings, Metro rail, flyovers, malls, Mc Donalds, supermarkets) , Mumbai and Bangalore get to feel the effect of 8 % growth at ground level. The term " emerging economy " sounds relevant only if you live in a place with reliable power supply, new metro trains, flyovers and new shiny buildings with glass facades.

The term "emerging economy" is meaningless for someone wiping the sweat from his forehead amid 8-hour long powercuts. Many such people can be found in Sitapur and Faizabad.

Uttar Pradesh is one of the most hopeless of all indian states , in terms of its future prospects . Why ? Simply because the absence of political interest and will-power to bring about development and attract investors. With the electoral fortunes of political parties being decided by ethnic and caste considerations rather than developmental issues like Bijli, Sadak, Paani, its little wonder that large areas of the state lack even the basic amenities and infrastructure.

Needless to say, other states have had much better record in development .This can be evident from economic data of states- UP lags behind in almost all indicators of socio-economic development. Having seen the remarkable developmental levels in Mysore ( which is basically just a small town ) , I have confirmed the difference visually too.

I return to my original point - is the job of a bank officer in UP worth trying for , given the fact that posting in a small town is almost certain ? What are the alternatives ? Sometimes i feel i would be happier doing the unstable clerical job of medical transcriptionist in Hyderabad or Bangalore than the higly paid permanent job of Bank officer in Sitapur.

( My parents say they would be able to arrange for a decent place of posting for me ,through " sources "- But i wonder if that is purely wishful thinking ,given the fact that my father has worked in small towns/villages for the greater part of his career )