Setback to Trump’s MAGA push

Refer to ‘Research reels under US fund squeeze’; one of the reasons for the growth of science and technology in the US after World War II was the migration of talented scientists from Europe. If the policies of the Trump administration continue, there may be a reversal of this trend. Despite relatively lower salaries, many bright American students prefer to join US universities out of choice rather than go out and look for jobs. The lower salary is somewhat compensated by the summer salary incorporated in the research projects funded by the NSF and the NIH. In most American universities, the annual salary is for nine months, given in 12 instalments, and the researchers often draw three months’ salary out of the research grant. Such a compensation will not be available if funding to the NSF and the NIH is reduced. One just wonders how Trump’s MAGA will be achieved with diminished funds for research in STEM subjects.

SP Singh, Kurukshetra

Students will look for other options

It refers to ‘Studying in America’; US President Trump is not leaving any stone unturned in creating uncertainty in the minds of foreign students for no fault of theirs. Due to the new visa norms, the student fraternity is in a limbo. First he revoked the Student and Exchange Visitor Program and now he has instructed consular offices and embassies to halt new student visa interviews. It will jeopardise their careers and US universities will also suffer because they rely heavily on foreign students to raise funds. More than one million foreign students enrol for various US universities courses each year. The latest measures will adversely impact enrolment. Moreover, students would be forced to opt for other countries or streams.

Bal Govind, Noida

US victimising students

Apropos of ‘Studying in America’; the latest visa restrictions on international students in the US undermine access to education as well as international academic cooperation. Victimising students for their political opinion goes against the principles of free speech and education. America stands to lose great minds and alienate its foreign partners. Universities must be strengthened as temples of learning, not as battlefields for political purposes. Hope, not fear, should inform policy.

Rudraveer Singh Panwar, ujjain

Quota demands will only grow

With reference to ‘Caste census is a case study of divide & misrule’; divisions have always existed in Indian society and we need to acknowledge them. Nearly every state has its own class structure. The entire Northeast has tribes which are at loggerheads with one another. One does not know how the census will change the way the nation is administered. But one thing is certain: There is going to be a huge churn and demands from different sections of society for quota will only grow, instead of dying down.

Anthony Henriques, Mumbai

BJP to benefit from caste census

Even though the BJP-led led NDA government has agreed to include a caste survey in the next Census, it is apparently just an attempt to counter the Opposition’s agenda. Caste is central to Indian politics. The demand for the inclusion of a caste count in the Census has been on the Congress’ agenda for quite some time. Over the years, even as the original votaries of ‘social justice’ forgot about the caste census, the Congress became more insistent in its demand. However, it’s the BJP that will benefit the most out of it.

SK Singh, by mail

Emotion woven in nostalgia

Apropos of the middle, ‘The courtyard where time stood still’; the article beautifully captures the soul of an ancestral home and the quiet magic of memorable moments. The writer’s evocative storytelling transported me to my own childhood memories — of warmth, belonging and the timeless comfort of the family. Her ability to portray nostalgia with delicate emotions is remarkable. The narrative is a gentle reminder that love and memories outlast time, and that our roots continue to anchor us even as the world around us changes. Write-ups like this reaffirm the power of storytelling to connect us.

Joshita Lamba, by mail