Mail

Follow Indian political system

Sir,

I read the article about the ‘missile man’; Dr. Abdul Kalam to the Presidency with great interest published on July 15, 2002. It was a timely and very appropriate article for Pakistan and Islamic community of the world to understand about India, its long lasting democracy with its secular principles. India is often portrayed in the Western media as a Hindu country being ruled by right wing BJP (Bharatia Janata Party). It is now proven that India since its inception of secular constitutions in 1947 followed its founding principles in its true form – not just preaching it. Mr. Abdul Kalam is not the first Muslim President, there were two more Muslim Presidents before him. It should be a lesson for both Pakistan and Bangladesh where non-Muslims are not even allowed to compete for Parliamentary positions or key Government positions and where non-Muslim are barred to be the head of state by constitution.

All of us in India welcome Dr. Abdul Kalam to this important position with open heart and mind. We are convinced that he is the right person to guide the misguided militants of Pakistan and other Islamic fundamentalists to be tolerant and understanding of other faiths following the example of Indian secular democratic political system.

Yours etc...
Amalendu Chatterjee
On e-mail

Trifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir

Sir,

I am writing this article to justify the demand of RSS for trifurcation of J&K state. To be very fair to what the RSS has been demanding, I think this is a very sensible thing that the Government of India can do. I still wonder though how these three regions namely Jammu, Kashmir and Ladhakh came together as a State. There is so much of diversity in the culture of these three regions. People from these three regions don't have a common language, neither they belong to the same religion, nor is their culture in any way same.

So rather than staying together as a state with three regions which not at all compliment each other, they may as well be independent of each other as individual states.

Yours etc...
Rishi Sevak
On e-mail

Governor's Rule

Sir,

Mr. R N Sharma in his letter published in the Daily Excelsior, July 22, 2002 has stated that "Sheikh Mohd Abdullah also met Mr. Morarji Desai. In the course of discussions Sheikh Sahib pleaded that whatever be the outcome of the elections, it was to be ensured that the whole process should be free, fair and without rigging. Mr. Morarji Desai as true democrat assured Sheikh Sahib that whatever be the results, the election would be free and fair".

I would like to say that the above statement is not correct and true. Sheikh Sahib did not meet Mr. Morarji Desai as true democrat assured Sheikh Sahib that whatever be the results, the election would be free and fair."

I would like to say that the above statement is not correct and true. Sheikh Sahib did not meet Mr. Morarji Desai at this juncture. As is well known he was indisposed at that time. It is however true that a representative of the National Conference met. Mr. Desai at the Raj Bhavan Srinagar and brought up the question of free and fair elections which he promised unequivocally. It is a strange historical coincidence that precisely when the NC representative was going in to meet Mr. Desai, late Maulana Mirwaiz Farooq was coming out of the Governor's chamber.

Yours etc...
O N Wakhlu
Buchwara, old Garibal Road
Srinagar.

Poor performance of colleges

Sir,

With reference to the article "Quality education with 27% results" I out rightly reject some of the ideas of Mr. S K Bhalla in this article as he tried to highlight the one side of the real picture.

While I highly appreciate Mr. Bhalla's efforts to highlight such a fact before the people but I do not altogether agree with the author that only the faulty admission systems in our colleges are wholly responsible for the poor performance of students in their degree examinations. Again I disagree with the author that opening of more private colleges will lead to wastage of resources and unemployed youths. Today when world is sponsoring "Education for all" it seems of no sagacity to favour the idea of restricting the admission of the students in the degree colleges and devastating their hope of fetch higher education. The solution doesn't lie in reduction of potential of students but to outline a new system to have room for satisfying the demand. In short the Govt. should not go for the harsh entry system in the colleges rather should prompt for opening new Govt. colleges in the State to enable the students to get the necessary education they require to survive in this competitive world.

Apart from this thing coming to the poor performance of the students at the degree exams, it is surprising but true that the main reason for the poor performance of students is due to the inefficiency of the teaching staff in the Govt. as well as Pvt. colleges. Rather than having entrance test for the students for getting admission in the colleges their should be entrance test for the teachers to know that weather they have necessary skills to lead the hundreds of students to their desired goals. It is the leader that leads the group to achieve their target and once the leader is unproductive where the group stands. It is the quality education which leads to worth results. It is of no doubt that we have some excellent teachers in our colleges but what about the majority of others.

The author raises its finger on the local TV Channels to have not bothered to invite the Heads of the institutions and University to ascertain the cause, but I think that it is of no use to make promises in front of the camera without a whole hearted involvement of the authorities in this matter. After all its only winners which should get acknowledgment not the losers.

I appreciate the idea of the author of having more career counseling wings to assist students in selection of their career and open new doors for the students.

In the end I suggest such measures to be taken so that we can able to kill the snake without our stick broken. Last but not the least I pray to the authorities not to include harsh agenda for admissions in the colleges rather then go for reorganization in the system itself for good.

Yours etc..
Shyam P. Gupta
73, Gurah (Bakshi Nagar)