Freedom to teach

Refer to ‘Rise of bulldozer academics’; the educational scenario in our country from top to bottom is dismal, being run by commercial houses and controlled by small men in state capitals. Consequently, a teacher is an odd cog in the total machinery of education. However, the teaching community is to be equally blamed for the gradual deterioration in the quality and standard of our education. Majority of teachers nowadays are teachers by default and not by choice. Hardly any proposals for academic reforms come from young academics. One notices some resistance to innovation, as in the matter of giving freedom to colleges to design their courses and examinations. No true academic community can be other than democratic. There have been many occasions in recent years when the country should have benefited by informed controversy on public issues by unattached academics. They should have spoken out, but they were busy building their little empires or fighting their little class war. We need learned men to devise a new political style.

Anil Bhatia, Hisar

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Doesn’t bode well

Apropos to ‘Rise of bulldozer academics’, bulldozer has become a buzzword in new India where not only just liberty, freedom and constitutional values of individual citizens are being bulldozed, but it also indicates that academic, social and federal structures are in threat. Misrepresentation of historical facts and figures testify to this unprecedented negative trend. Basic rights like education and RTI are being denied. As a society, it would take us downward. We are hurting ourselves for our petty interests.

Gurinder Gill, Moga

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Messing with education

Anyone who is truly concerned over the way Hindutva-centred education is elbowing out real education from our schools, colleges and universities must rise against the suspension of the political science faculty for trying to make his students ‘think’. The whole country is looking back at the 20th century fascism and the ongoing efforts for establishing Hindutva in this country. Let the young generation discover the facts for themselves. Are these ‘bulldozer academicians’ clear about the aims of education, the chief being to sharpen the critical potential of student, whether studying sciences or humanities? A teacher is entrusted with the sacred task of producing thinkers, not gullible graduates. Unfortunately, even posts of Vice-Chancellors are now political.

MOHAN SINGH, AMRITSAR

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Congress’ own doing

Reference to ‘Congress introspects’; the poor state of the party is not due to the BJP’s performance, but due to its own negativity. Instead of focusing on its own agenda, the Congress is criticising the PM’s decisions without analysing the strengths and weaknesses. The party at all levels distanced itself from people and ignored party workers at the grassroots level. Infighting among every level for supremacy without doing anything cost the party dear. Party unity is in disarray. To rejuvenate the party at the cost of loyal and aged workers can’t be a success mantra.

Mukhtiar Singh, Malerkotla

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Jakhar’s exit

Refer to ‘Cong old guard out in Jakhar’s support’; the concerns shown by some senior leaders from the Punjab Congress are genuine and must be considered by the high command. The exit of Jakhar, a leader with impeccable family track record, is unfortunate. Jakhar is made to pay for the sins committed by other leaders who still enjoy proximity to the Gandhi family. The party is not going to benefit from any ‘Chintan Shivir’ if such an exercise is responsible for showing the door to leaders like him.

JAGDISH CHANDER, JALANDHAR

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Help Lanka get on feet

Apropos of ‘Why Sri Lanka may soon slip into the abyss’, the writer has described Sri Lanka as a classic case of a failed state. It is not. It is a flourishing democracy of more than 2 crore people and high on all parameters of the Human Development Index. It is in acute economic distress, but the reasons for this are well known: populist political measures and unbridled external commercial borrowings with an aim to keep the Rajapaksa clan in power. Many a nation have fallen into this trap. The test is of our Bretton Woods system of the IMF and World Bank to bail out Sri Lanka urgently. Reforms and restructuring can wait. G-7 nations which fund these institutions have special responsibility. The cooperative international system of nations is also under test. India has played an exemplary role in pledging $2 billion aid.

Lt Col GS Bedi (Retd), Mohali

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Historic victory

Reference to ‘India’s Thomas Cup win’; beating Indonesia so comfortably is indeed a historic achievement for the Indian badminton team. It was a tremendous performance. The team has created history by setting a benchmark for the future.

Sikandar Bansal, Shimla

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