Time to introspect

Refer to ‘Suicide by students’; it is heart-wrenching to witness children or adolescents taking the extreme step. The notion that grown-ups are responsible for the well-being of the kids seems to be losing ground. Instead of writing them off for petty mistakes, let us help children discover their potential. Keeping the channels of communication open is crucial for youngsters to express themselves. Today, students, especially teenagers, are under humongous pressure. The need of the hour is to ease things for them.

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Ankush Sharma, Panchkula

Worrisome trend

Apropos of ‘Suicide by students’; the pressure to meet high expectations can contribute to excessive stress and anxiety among students, potentially leading to serious consequences such as suicidal tendencies. When parents see or hear about exceptional accomplishments, such as high exam scores or prestigious job offers, it can create a desire to see their children achieve similar outcomes. Every student is unique, with his or her own strengths, interests and abilities. What works for one person may not necessarily work for another. Parents, teachers and mentors should foster an atmosphere where children feel safe to express their concerns.

Gregory Fernandes, Mumbai

Big loss to nation

Refer to ‘Foxconn pullback’; no matter what the government may say about the development, the exit of Foxconn from the semiconductor joint venture is a big blow to India’s ambition of becoming a global chip supplier. The shifting of the project from Maharashtra to Gujarat had caused acrimony between the two states. It now appears that both states had been fighting for no reason. Whatever may be the reasons for this exit, it is certainly a big loss to the nation. One wonders who will bear the preparatory costs of the project.

Anthony Henriques, Mumbai

Threat to stop pension unfair

Refer to “Army’s ‘stop pension’ warning to veterans tarnishing force’s image on social media”; the Army has warned ex-servicemen of stern action, including stopping their pension, for their ‘perceived’ misconduct, and the letter has also been released to the media. Raising concerns about the welfare of military personnel, such as the proposal to discontinue disability pension, curtailment of canteen facilities or shortage of medicines at ex-servicemen clinics, can’t be considered ‘tarnishing the image of the Army’. The Army top brass seems to toe the government’s line. It wishes to punish the veterans for their constructive criticism. It is not right to doubt the integrity and patriotism of the veterans.

Wg Cdr CL Sehgal (Retd), Jalandhar

Promote critical thinking

Refer to ‘The spirit of the university under threat’; our universities and colleges are expected to promote critical, democratic and rational thinking. They must inculcate the feelings of true nationalism and patriotism in students and need not pander to religious obscurantism and ideological extremism. Some of our universities have played a commendable role since Independence in producing talented scientists, legal luminaries and economists of international repute. The highest seats of learning, our universities, ought to gracefully follow the message of Rabindranath Tagore, the composer of the National Anthem.

Raj Bahadur Yadav, Fatehabad

AI news anchor

A TV news channel has launched the country’s first regional artificial intelligence (AI) news anchor named ‘Lisa’. This unique initiative is expected to have significant implications for job opportunities, potentially leading to job losses. Concerns surrounding AI anchors primarily revolve around the absence of the human connect and authenticity. Unlike human anchors, AI anchors lack the innate human touch and emotional intelligence. Solely relying on AI raises ethical questions due to biases and limitations in AI algorithms, which can result in misinformation and undermine trust in journalism. Rather than replacing human journalists, AI should be used to enhance their capabilities.

Vishal Mayur, Karnataka

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