Editor,
The front page of your newspaper ran the story captioned, “Rymbui writes to Centre on draft education policy”(ST, July 28, 2019). This story sadly points out two facts. (1) The Hon’ble Education Minister does not seem at all bothered by the gross errors, the laughable experiments on vital Physics principles, the fanciful explanations and overhyped ideas of the Classes IX and X Physics books by VK Sally and SK Agarwall (2) He also did not read my question, “Who or what team of expert approved the text?”
Right now I am reading the class XI and XII Physics by V.K. Mehta, Rohit Mehta vis a vis the CBSE XI, XII Physics compiled by a list of fourteen eminent professors of famous Indian Universities and IIT’s. The CBSE under NCERT have down to earth explanations of difficult concepts. Read this on de Broglic Wave: – “In analogy to waves travelling on a string, particle waves too can lead to standing waves under resonant conditions”. The down to earth concept brought to the level of a guitar string would never be found in ordinary texts. To compile Physics texts, experienced professors are required, who take the level to everyday life and activities.
Another finding is that CBSE texts have four times coverage over MBOSE texts and will pose enormous difficulties for our students to compete in JEE and NEET. To help our class IX and X students from reeling under wrong concepts, I am publishing small pamphlets to guide our students. Finally for the sake of the future of our students let us humbly accept one fact – that in framing the curriculum and compiling texts especially for Science, there is no better or more qualified writers than the experts who have compiled the CBSE texts under NCERT. Let our Science students be exposed to the robust all India level competition.
Yours etc.,
- Passah,
Ex-HOD Electronics Deptt,
St Edmund’s College
NEHU:Time to move on
Editor,
With regards to the recent issue of delayed announcement of results for the final year students by the NEHU authorities one wonder why it happens in this age of technology. We have moved on from writing letters to talking over telephone to now the era of smart phones. It is a matter of concern when students have to protest the delay in announcing their results and have to join forces with others Unions/Organizations. The results were immediately declared what guarantee do we have that this matter won’t be repeated in the coming years. NEHU should address the systemic rot in the system which is equivalent to destroying the careers of students.
What NEHU needs to address here is that there is a huge increase in the number of entering college every year. Hence the number of answer scripts also increases and these have to be evaluated manually by the professors. So, in this era of automation, why not move on from the pen and paper based examination to an automated multiple choice question type examination through an application as seen in quite a few of the competitive exams in India. Hence, no manual answer scripts need to be evaluated. Not only is less paper wasted but most importantly this would fix the late publishing of results.
Yours etc,
Prashant Joshi,
Via email
Nostalgic songs
Editor,
The recently concluded musical concert Nostalgia: Reliving Memories that featured top of the line bands and artists ranging from Ma Phom Lytan an elderly aged artist who crooned away with the Elvis Presley numbers, to Sara War with her foot- tapping songs from Anna to former King Apple frontman Halcom Tariang to Colors and other wonderful musicians. It was a treat for those who understand and love the music of yesteryears. It was also a success for Rympei, the organisers because they attracted a good crowd that still appreciates rock and roll music in this age of DJ’s Next we would like to see traditional artists from our rural areas coming on-stage and performing with their traditional and folk music. As they say music has no boundaries.
Yours etc…
Dominic S. Wankhar
Shillong-3
Cost of drunken driving
Editor,
A celebrated IAS officer in Kerala who has often taken on the high and mighty in his crackdown on illegal encroachments sped his car in a rash manner and killed a youth KM Basheer, the chief of bureau of the Siraj daily of Kerala. He was in an inebriated condition. The IAS officer Venkitaraman, 32, fresh from training undergone in the US and posted as Survey and Land Records Director in Thiruvananthapuram was on a high after a party at a posh club in the city early on Saturday. After the late-night bash, he summoned his companion an NRI model Wafa Firoz to drive home in her car. But he got into the driver’s seat and sped away with the friend beside, and later mowed down Basheer, who was on the phone after parking his bike beside the road.
High drama followed as the police were accused of shielding Venkitaraman, who at the peak of his popularity and as Devikulam sub-collector had courted controversy by razing a giant Cross installed on a large swathe of encroached land by a Christian group in 2017. However, the police finally arrested him.
It is a proven fact that however ideal a man is, he may have his own Achilles’ heel. The three powerful factors, women, wine and wealth may influence an ideal man too. Here wine has proved to be the destroyer of a young man’s career. So, man is fallible and gullible however great is he. The tragic incident is a lesson to all especially high ranking officials who may go berserk after consuming liquor. It is also an example of how powerful liquor is as it reigns over lives and ruins the one who consumes it.
Yours etc.,
TK Nandanan,
Via email