NEHU’s inordinate delay in giving marksheets
Editor,
The B Ed results were declared by NEHU on August 23 but the marksheets have not yet been given to the graduating students. This is unacceptable because B Ed is a professional course and those graduating and have applied for a teaching post in several institutions in the state and outside it are facing a difficult ordeal. Many have lost the opportunity to others who have passed their B Ed from other states. Why does NEHU always fail its students? Why are NEHU authorities unable to keep up with technology? If the results have been announced over a week ago it stands to reason that the marks of the students too are available with the University. So why the delay in doing what is an imperative? Clearly the Controller of Examinations is at fault here. Will the VC take immediate action?
Yours etc.,
KL Nongrum,
Via email
Much ado about nothing
Editor,
Another ritualistic, short duration Assembly session that will extend for a mere 5 days from September 15 has been fixed. As had happened with several previous Assembly sessions, we can expect no positive outcome from this session too.
I have in the past written about the futility of these short duration Assembly sessions. I’m sure these short sessions are not called to carry out any important work but merely to fulfil a constitutional requirement that a session must be held every six months.
Looking back, short duration Assembly sessions started to become the norm about 25 years ago and they are characterised by an almost total lack of legislative activity. In contrast, prior to the above period more than half of the time of the Assembly was spent on debating policy and legislation. About 30% to 40% of the bills used to be sent to Select Committees for in depth studies before they are again placed in subsequent Assembly sessions for further debate and passage. It may be noted that in the previous and present Legislative Assemblies these practices have dropped to almost zero rendering our so-called ” representative democracy ” meaningless.
The function of the Legislature as an institution of accountability and oversight over policy, legislation, proper articulation of constituency grievances has also been rendered meaningless and as if all this is not enough, in March this year, we had the shortest 7- day Budget Session on record and the same Budget was passed without discussion! This implies that the Opposition had given the government tacit approval to spend the entire budget of 15,000+crores as it pleases! Moreover, the Opposition did not find it important to ask for a review of the financial and physical achievements of the last Budget (2022 – 23). So, where is the principle of checks and balances which is supposed to be one of the hallmarks of representative democracy?
It may be mentioned that there is a Business Advisory Committee that fixes the number of days of an Assembly session. I wonder how the leader of the Opposition (who is also a member of this committee ) agreed to these extremely short duration Assembly sessions. I cannot believe that an experienced legislator like him does not realize that MLAs require enough time to do their homework and due diligence on legislation and conduct rigorous scrutiny of bills, budgets, etc which short duration Assembly sessions don’t allow. Then there is the need for enough discussion time in the Assembly. In the previous sitting of the Assembly, MLAs were allotted 10 minutes each to say what they had to say. Is this amount of time enough?.
In light of the above circumstances, we can see that the government is no longer constrained by the Legislature which is supposed to be the second pillar of parliamentary democracy. Fortunately, we still have our High Court which is conscientiously performing its duty as the third pillar of our democracy. But if one pillar of a democratic structure is weak, the structure may collapse.
However, can everything that has gone wrong in our state be blamed on politicians only? I think not. The silent majority is equally to be blamed. By its very silence, the silent majority has allowed politicians to fail us and also bring about its own irrelevance.
Yours etc.,
Samuel Swett,
Shillong-2.
Inordinate delay in processing ration card applications
Editor,
I am writing to express my profound frustration and disappointment regarding the abysmal state of affairs at the DC’s office in Shillong, where the processing of ration card applications has been nothing short of a monumental failure. I submitted my application for a ration card in 2018, and shockingly, it remains unprocessed to this day. Despite sending numerous reminders, it seems that the authorities are content to let my application gather dust. When I muster the courage to inquire about its status, I am passed from one desk to another like a mere inconvenience. It is disheartening to note that they haven’t even initiated the processing of new applications for the card.
The Prime Minister’s ambitious ‘One Nation, One Ration Card’ initiative is a beacon of hope for equitable distribution of essential resources, but its implementation in our state has been sluggish at best. We are lagging behind in the execution of critical schemes such as the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the Ayushman card, and even the conduct of CUET exams. It is an undeniable fact that these programmes are vital for the betterment of our society.
I implore the relevant authorities to wake up from their slumber and commence the much-needed work to benefit our society and achieve development. The apathy and negligence displayed thus far are inexcusable, and the citizens of our state deserve far better. It is high time that action is taken, promises are fulfilled, and the welfare of our society becomes the top priority.
Yours etc.,
R Sarki
Shillong
Footpaths are for pedestrians
Editor,
The letter, “Hawkers on footpaths: A perilous menace for Laitumkhrah residents” by R. Lyngdoh, (ST Sep 2, 2023) is a reminder that the government is still untouched by the need to address the problem that hawkers pose with each passing day. The number of hawkers that seem to be on the increase are indeed a menace, whether at Laitumkhrah, Civil Hospital, Police Bazar, Motphran etc. Hawkers spread their wares unabashed and with no consideration for pedestrians. If at the makeshift eating joints at the Civil Hospital gate, have captured the footpaths, at Motphran hawkers are spreading their wares on the road itself. Thus, pedestrians, vehicles and hawkers seem to be colliding with one another. Granted that the Meghalaya Street Vendors Act, 2014 permits hawkers to occupy public spaces like sidewalks, footpaths et al but that does not mean that they can inconvenience anyone. I for one have nothing against the hawkers and I feel that the State Government must provide them space so that they can carry on with their trades without imposing any hassles on others. If a space is provided for them the footpaths and road would be free. After all, the pedestrians have a right to the footpaths as much as vehicles to the roads. Will the State Government wake up from its slumber?
Yours etc.,
Jenniefer Dkhar,
Via email