Editor,
While offering hearty thanks and appreciation to the authors of, ‘Let us make Diwali more humane’ and ‘Let’s make Diwali eco-friendly’(ST Oct 23, 2019) I would like to add a few lines on the subject.
Diwali is a festival which signifies removal of all darkness and worldly evils; to lead us from darkness to light. As mythology goes, it was the day of new moon in the month of Kartika (7th month of Bengali year) that Ramachandra returned to Ayodhya after fourteen years of exile, killing Ravana and rescuing his wife Sita Devi. To celebrate the great victory of good over evil, the people of Ayodhya illuminated the kingdom (Ayodhya) with rows of earthen lamps (diyas) and expressed their joy with big sounds of drum beating etc. Bursting of crackers and other sophisticated fireworks had no trace during that ancient period. Diwali is the symbolic expression of that celebration which the country observes as an annual ritual. So, bursting of crackers etc is not a compulsary part of the religious festival, which may be controlled in greater interest of environmental pollution and its dangerous after-effects.
It is worth mentioning that, hundred years ago Rabindranath Tagore, nicely explained ‘Diwali’, in one of his letters, written from ‘Brookside’ Shillong on Oct 23, 1919, (the day of Diwali) as:- ‘Our selfishness lust, luxury, and self-conceit are the darkness from which animosity, animalism and jealousy etc grow thereby, inviting pains and grief’. He explained the significance of the sacred ceremony of Diwali to get rid of such worldly evils and to protect the universe from all filth and narrowness.
So we should celebrate a Diwali which is free from such poisonous pollution and stop the practice of bursting crackers.
Yours etc.
Uma Purkayastha
Shillong – 4
Flouting UGC regulations
Editor,
In the recent UGC notification released on Oct 22, 2019, UGC has directed all the Institutions and colleges to fill the vacancy and update its status regarding the faculty recruitment process on or before 10 November 2019 to improve the quality of higher education. UGC has also warned that delay in recruitment process will be taken seriously and appropriate action would be initiated by UGC against such institutions. The recent notification is follow up of UGC notification dated June 4, 2019, where it gave six (6) months to colleges and universities to fill the vacancies as per the guidelines issued. This was done to address the issue of the quality of higher education mainly attributed to the shortages of teaching faculty in higher education institutions. There are at least 5,000 vacant positions in 48 central universities alone. UGC oversees over 900 universities and more than 40,000 colleges across the country. However, this has not been taken seriously by the colleges and institutions in the state and the recruitment process has not even been started despite repeated UGC notifications. Recently, a memo submitted by the East Garo Hills GSU unit to the Chief Minister’s Office regarding the Williamnagar Government college infrastructure conditions and vacancy of Assistant Professors for Environmental Sciences is an indication that the state does not take higher education seriously. Williamnagar Government College is not the only college in the state which is in pathetic condition but many colleges and institutions in the state are in the same conditions or even worse. In order to improve the quality of higher education in the state and to keep the hopes of Ph.D. and NET qualified students alive, UGC guidelines and notification should be taken seriously.
Yours etc.,
Picky Pang A. Sangma
(Msc. NET-JRF Environmental Sciences and Technology),
Via email
Of good corporate governance
Editor,
The recent move by the government to amend the Companies (Accounts) Amendment rules 2019 to conduct a preliminary test for Independent Directors needs an overhaul. It is given to understand that incumbents should now take up a preliminary test within three months of inception to the board and thus equip themselves with Company Laws, Securities Laws, the basics of accounting amongst others through such a test. The test held by Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs under the aegis of Ministry of Corporate Affairs thus needs to be revisited. The change is needed in an era where technology and innovation play crucial role to an incumbent’s progression (as a director) on the Board.
The term ‘prelim test’ holds no relevance to an individual acting as Independent Director- in an economy which prides itself of grooming leaders under the shadows of Corporate Governance under the regulator’s watchful eyes. The need to address the candidate’s preparedness with respect to the incumbent’s role’s expertise, experience and integrity may not be thus achievable through a one time preliminary assessment. On the other hand it is given to understand that Independent Directors are otherwise appointed only by virtue of a specific expertise they bring in (under the Company’s Act) and thus add value to the Board. Therefore the need to hold a preliminary assessment test in order to be recognised as an independent director in a Board otherwise appears to be a naive move by the Government.
Instead the Ministry can plan innovative learning and training programs to enable the incumbents to get accustomed to nuances of Corporate governance including Company Laws. Some of the leading listed public companies have adopted Leadership Familiarization programs upon induction of Independent Directors and thus the Ministry can well take a leaf out of such industry best practises. The preliminary test can itself be replaced either with a short term or long term Board familiarization program. Also an industry certification program (aided by mandatory compliance with a DIN number) may also be pioneered only to identify worthy individuals as Independent Directors to the Board.
Yours etc.,
Varun Dambal
Bangalore – 72