What an anomaly!
Imagine being thrilled to brainstorm it out in a quiz/debate competition not simply for the love of it, but more for the tempting prize money at stake. But imagine being told by the organizers after winning the contests that they are clueless about the said prize money.
This is exactly the fate of the winners of the quiz and debate contests held in the city recently. The high weekend spirits dissipated into Monday blues as the participants were offered less than one-third of the cash they thought was rightfully theirs after winning the events.
Determined not to let this far from pleasant surprise sink in, the contestants mulled ways to restore, the ‘lost treasure’. It was at this moment that our very own Google, an influential person came to the rescue.
The search engine retrieved the notice that talked of promised sum to the winners. The involvement of the known personality appeared to clear all doubts relating to the prize money from the minds of the organizers, who blamed a strange confusion for the forgettable fiasco.
They say “all’s well that ends well.” Notwithstanding the comedy of errors, the contestants and the organisers later shook hands as a less than eventful day progressed towards a more memorable evening at least for the winners of the contests
Way to go KSU NEHU unit
Last week the Khasi Students’ Union, NEHU Unit organized a discussion on mechanisms to check influx due to migration. They invited opinion makers from the city to deliberate on the topic. For once it seemed that those who have vociferously advocated only the Inner Line Permit as the single effective instrument to curb influx, now have an open mind about integrating other features coming from the other panelists, one of whom is a firm believer in the three-tier identity card to distinguish permanent residents of Meghalaya from semi-permanent (central government, defence personnel and other professionals) citizens and the last category which is a temporary card that allows a person to come to Meghalaya and work purely on temporary basis for two years.
This temporary card cannot be carried forward. It is to be renewed every two years. Those holding this type of card cannot access any government services and benefits. But the proponents of the ILP also realize that unless a system of e-governance is in place and digital-finger-printing mechanism is introduced the ILP as a legislation would have limited impact.
Eavesdropping at NEHU
So much is being talked about the CMJ University fiasco but most critics forget the oldest University in the State – NEHU. Walk around the campus and you are likely to hear students chat animatedly among themselves about the deteriorating quality of the NEHU faculty, some of whom literally grapple with the English language.
If the faculty cannot communicate in the primary language of communication in the University which is English then what education are they imparting? Indeed that is a good question to ask the teachers of this prestigious university which recently was in the news because a professor procured a fake certificate from Jadavpur University.
A professor of the University remarked, “We have a fake dean in what is increasingly becoming a faltu university. How can a fake dean construct the curriculum for the students of engineering?”