Editor,
The sporadic leak of class IX question papers was expected. The system adopted by MBOSE has the risk, nay potentiality of leakage. The writing was on the wall. The questions have to be collected by SSLC officer in charge either from Tura or from Shillong without any security. What if miscreants capture the question papers on the way. The questions are then collected by respective heads of school. Where they keep these question papers, MBOSE too does not know. Here too there is too much risk and danger. How can MBOSE trust heads of schools so much? Does MBOSE expect everyone to be people of integrity? Unscrupulous humans are always there. Does MBOSE not know this reality?
MBOSE was forced to set questions for class IX and XI precisely because of unscrupulousness of some heads of institutions. They take two or three chapters the whole year and test the students only on those lessons. Some even take the class X and XII syllabus in class IX and XI respectively. It seems MBOSE has not learned from experience. It will be quite an ask for MBOSE to put in place a full proof system. Can it employ the method of SSLC and HSSLC system? There will be the issue of cost and inconvenience. The present system is quite meaningless. MBOSE only sets the questions. Correction is done by individual schools. Manipulation can still take place. Finding alternatives will be tough.
Yours etc.,
Albert Thyrniang,
Via email
The boot is on the other foot
Editor,
Why should we get agitated if PM Modi snubs Meghalaya? After all it is the making of our short-sightedness and self-centeredness which was so ineptly presided over by our political leadership. As noble and meaningful an activity as politics is, it does seem demeaning, disrespectful and cheap to raise the following points. However on hindsight and keeping in view the nature and form of politics as it is, I believe these points aptly fit the discourse. In relation, I would like to draw the attention of the readers to the news item ‘Busy CM denies audience to Gujarat delegation’ (ST December 7, 2013) in addition to the many other hollow and renegade rants made in many forums and news-bites. Over all, they reflect our treatment. Today the boot is on the other foot. The rags have turned to riches and the servant is now master. In this case, ‘the weak has become strong’ phrase applies to PM Modi but it is vice versa for CM Dr. Mukul Sangma. As such, the pointers on the December, 2013 news item are as follows.
Firstly, it was done in order to gain accolades and favours from New Delhi. It was a perfect symbolicism for renewing loyalties and reaping rewards. Again one may argue that it has paid off as our CM is somehow holding on to the chair despite explicit and implicit snowballing opposition. However, all of this is at what cost? Immediately, it seems it is at the cost of the state being pushed into the back-burner.
Secondly, Dr. Mukul Sangma is not a private person per se. He is the CM. This means that the misgivings, if any should not cloud the approach and decision-making when it comes to serving the greater good of the state. As such, as CM he is duty-bound to meet any and every delegation, especially the ones with an ‘expression of interest’ for business and development. It is a perfect case of ‘keep your friends close and your enemies even closer’. Thus, one may conclude that our snub and rants over time have led us to this unsavoury situation as, after all, politics these days is a game of one-upmanship.
Thirdly, I am not implying that the programmes of the other states are less important. However, the historic train network does call for a visit and plus it would result in a stock-taking of the recent floods in Garo Hills. Moreover, clash of schedules could have easily been tweaked and rejigged so as to fit all appropriately. On the periphery of it all, the University also missed the opportunity of the PM’s visit during the recently held convocation.
Yours etc,
Benjamin Lyngdoh
NEHU Campus
Shillong – 22
Ward’s Lake no longer a tourist’s delight
Editor,
Every now and then the menace of drinking and drugs and other obscenities in the Wards Lake area is reported in the newspapers. But there has not been any action taken by the law enforcing authorities. The Forest Department under whose purview the Wards Lake is, is charging entry fees which works out to thousands of rupees per day. Why is the Forest Department not using the services of private security agencies who can keep proper vigil in the area thus checking these unwanted activities?
Yours etc.,
S.L. Singhania
Shillong-1