Education reforms

The news report ‘94 schools in Nuh district without teacher, 87 have only one’ is shocking and a reflection on the lackadaisical attitude of the state education department. The scenario in colleges and universities is equally grim. Incompetent teachers drawing a paltry salary of Rs 10,000-15,000 have no interest and accountability. The structure of education is like a pyramid, but unfortunately, the system is reverse in our country. Sound school education is the strongest base of every child. MC Chagla, during his tenure as minister of education, aptly remarked that ‘we made a serious mistake when we drafted the Constitution by making education a State subject.’ Education is the most crucial investment in human development, and even after 74 years of Independence, we are still far away from the goal of literacy. We spend too little on education, and poor planning and implementation have dogged the system. We lack the political will to take the right step in earnestness to streamline our rotten system.

Anil Bhatia, Hisar

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Can’t go scot-free

This refers to ‘Stir off for now, farmers head home from Dec 11.’ The farmers are ending their agitation following the acceptance of their demands. But, two demands need to be rejected: retracting all criminal cases against them and no criminal liability on stubble-burning as it goes against law enforcement. Their activities during the tractor rally on Republic Day in New Delhi were illegal. The government will be creating a wrong precedent by not punishing the perpetrators and interfering in law enforcement by the police. Why should the police risk their lives to protect public lives and property during protests, if the government does not allow them to punish the protesters who carry out these criminal acts?

O Prasada Rao, Hyderabad

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Voters understand

Refer to ‘Stir off for now, farmers to head home from Dec 11’, policy-makers need to learn from botched attempts like the poorly drafted farm laws. One lesson is the importance of attention to detail. In intent and overarching vision, the package of farm laws got it right, but the design of the legal framework limited the potential impact of such a far-reaching reform. Though the BJP government has taken the decision to repeal the laws to appease farmers ahead of the elections in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, but its image has already been damaged. Voters understand vote politics. There is no doubt that reforms are needed in each area, but a certain procedure must be adopted in framing and implementing any new reform.

Sanjay Chopra, Mohali

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‘Combat General’

India’s quest for supremacy over the developing China-Pakistan military axis has suffered a major blow following the death of CDS Rawat in a helicopter crash. The threat perception was deftly handled by the Indian forces under the able guidance of the CDS during Doklam and the Galwan Valley skirmishes. General Rawat, better known as ‘Combat General’, was responsible for the surgical strikes in the PoK and Balakot to destroy terror camps. His death is a setback to the process of theatre command and modernisation of our forces to take on the challenges of futuristic warfare.

Anil Vinayak, Amritsar

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CJI’s concern

The deep concern shown by the Chief Justice of India over ‘formative years in prison-like institutes’ is a strong rejoinder to those who are responsible for the holistic growth of students to build the future India into a strong and dynamic country. The most serious challenge is from those private residential educational institutions that are run in the name of promoting religious cults and sectarian beliefs. But ultimately, such organisations encourage violent, unscientific and lopsided growth of their ‘inmates’, which needs to

be checked.

Jagdish Chander, Jalandhar

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Idealism missing

Reference to ‘Formative years in prison-like institutes a concern: CJI’, the advice of CJI Ramana to future lawyers to combine ‘idealism with ambition’ is most relevant in the present context, where materialism has taken over all idealistic principles of life. The CJI is right that in residential schools and coaching centres, pupils are treated like robots and are devoid of holistic development. Can’t we device a new model where ‘gurukul’ values can be a part and parcel of modern-day educational system?

VK Anand, Chandigarh

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