Editor
Through your esteemed daily I would like to highlight a very distressing and traumatising ordeal that we as aspiring teachers who are already in the teaching profession but would like to get a sanctioned post which is a dream of all teachers, are facing.
As aspiring candidates who wait to gain experience in the teaching field we were happy to see an advertisement for a sanctioned post in Tirot Singh Memorial College , Mairang which even appeared in The Shillong Times on November 1, 2021 for various posts of Assistant Professors . As has been the case now , there is an official notification on the age bar fixed at 37 as the upper limit by the Government of Meghalaya, so the same has been clearly mentioned in the advertisement, “Age as per Govt Rules”. But what is surprising is when the interview happened this past month a candidate from the Political Science department who is above 42 years is allowed to appear for the interview and might even swing it in his favour. As one of the candidates I am aghast by this blatant flouting of rules which they themselves claim to comply with by declaring in the advertisement .
If this is the case then the DHTE which is the nodal authority here must come clean with an official statement whether the age bar limit is in place or done away with. If the age bar is upheld then this entire process has lost its purpose and fresh advertisement is needed as there are many candidates who did not apply because of the age bar mentioned in the advertisement and hence have missed the opportunity. Secondly, the college has to give an explanation as to why it acted contrary to its own advertisement clearly mentioning that the age bar is applicable and at whose behest is it bending the rules to suit one individual.
I therefore request the authorities concerned to clarify on this matter so that the life and careers of many hard working people who have toiled day and night does not go to waste. Moreover, this sort of favouritism lowers the morale of the teaching community since people who can pull the strings can do whatever they want. I also request the Honourable High Court to take cognizance of this issue in the interests of all who want to be in the profession through hard work and dedication .
Yours etc.,
Ban Lyngdoh,
Via email
Teachers should not murder the talents of children
Editor,
While education is meant to “nourish and nurture” young minds, recent events in Dangar, East Khasi Hills, have exposed the most despicable reality that threatens to “murder the talents” of tender children. Yes, the incident of corporal punishment at the Mary Immaculate LP and UP School under SSA has literally sent chills down the spine of the readers. The incident, which took place on July 21, involved a student of Class 6 being subjected to a degrading punishment for not being able to speak English. The head teacher and two staff members allegedly coerced the student into wearing a garland made of shoes and slippers – an act exclusively meant to shame and humiliate the tender child. This cruel punishment is not only an assault on the child’s dignity but also kills his inner calibre.
Moreover, it is outrageous that the student was further forced into cleaning dustbins where the teacher allegedly spits after chewing betel nuts. Such demeaning treatment of a child should be condemned. Well, this incident should “serve as a wake-up call” for our society and education system. Education is not merely about academic excellence but also about fostering a sense of “self-worth, confidence, and empathy”. When students are subjected to humiliation, their talents and potential are stifled, and they are left scarred emotionally and mentally; some even might think of self-harm such as suicide.
Here I earnestly urge the government to take “exemplary action” against all those involved. The government must not only punish the offenders but also put stringent measures in place to stop similar incidents from happening again. Of course, education should always aim to bring out the “best” in each child, irrespective of their linguistic abilities or academic prowess. The focus should be empowering students, encouraging their strengths, and providing support where they need it most. The aim should be to build a generation of confident, compassionate individuals who can contribute positively to society. What if Albert Einstein, who was very slow in learning and speaking at an early age, was subjected to this kind of repeated humiliation? We would not have had epoch-making MC2 and the THEORY OF RELATIVITY! That would mean we wouldn’t have access to the amazing technical advances we do now. All should salute the parents of the child.
Yours etc.,
Salil Gewali,
Shillong
Poor delivery service from DTDC
Editor,
I had a consignment from Mumbai and due to my absence it was returned back yesterday. I could not attend the calls from the delivery man since I was travelling.
As soon as I traced the calls, I started calling back the same number, but there was no response. Then I received an auto- generated message and I clicked the link to fill the form. It auto responded.
I browsed the DTDC contact numbers of Shillong and could find a few numbers including an office number and kept on trying all the numbers, but no one responded. I really don’t understand why they have the contact numbers!
The full address details are there for the delivery. Recipient’s mobile may not be available for many reasons and we definitely expect that the courier service should deliver our items at our mentioned addresses. Finding no solutions to the problem on Saturday, I met the DTDC officials in their Quinton Road office and expected my packet to be there, but I was told that my article was sent BACK to Mumbai ( the origin of the place of booking). They did not bother to hold the packet even for a day ( if they had verified my two calls to the delivery persons the day before)
Yes, I need to mention that only one person from DTDC messaged me after my message to him that I should go to their office in Quinton road.This was on Saturday morning but my visit to that office that same day proved futile. Do postal services call us before delivery of any item? No. They just drop the packet/letter at our addresses and someone at home receives the items.
Henceforth, should DTDC need only MOBILE NUMBERS, and NOT ADDRESSES while booking articles? In my case my delivery address proved meaningless to them. I have the full call details with me.
Yours etc.,
Anjan Kumar Das.
Shillong -6