Editor,
I am writing in response to the recent article published on May 23, titled “Govt adopts CBSE syllabi for HS Arts stream.” I believe the decision to adopt the CBSE syllabi and textbooks for Classes XI and XII in the Arts stream is a commendable move that will benefit the students of Meghalaya immensely.
As a UPSC aspirant, I have firsthand experience with the importance of NCERT books in preparation for competitive exams. The comprehensive and updated content provided by the NCERT textbooks is unparalleled. Unfortunately, the Meghalaya Board of School Education (MBOSE) has not updated its syllabi and textbooks as frequently or thoroughly as necessary to keep pace with the evolving educational landscape.
During my preparation for the UGC NET, I relied heavily on the Class XI and XII NCERT books for my subject, which played a crucial role in my success. Adopting these textbooks for our higher secondary students will equip them with the knowledge and skills needed to compete effectively at the national level.
It is worth noting that while the move to adopt the CBSE syllabi is a positive step, it also highlights areas where MBOSE can improve. For instance, the Tamil Nadu Board has developed highly regarded textbooks, and I have heard that MBOSE’s textbooks were also commendable in the past. This indicates that with concerted effort and resources, MBOSE can enhance its educational materials to meet high standards.
However, the sudden implementation of this decision has caused some confusion among teachers and students, as mentioned in the article. It is essential for the state government to address these concerns by providing adequate training and resources to ensure a smooth transition.
Adopting the CBSE syllabi is a progressive step for Meghalaya’s education system. It will prepare our students to excel in competitive examinations and enhance their educational experience. I hope the state government will also consider strengthening MBOSE’s capacity to develop high-quality educational materials in the future.
Yours etc.,
Chingsan R Sangma
Williamnagar – 11
Brainwashed by fake news
Editor,
Scene 1: An aerial shot of the ground during a mass cremation for the victims of the coronavirus disease in New Delhi. Scene 2: A gasping woman receiving oxygen in a car in a parking lot. Danish Siddiqui was awarded the Pulitzer prize posthumously for those photos that speak more eloquently than words. It is aptly said that a picture is worth a thousand words.
Now, we will move to a picture that has quite a few dimensions to explore the meaning of it. The picture shows that a horse has been tied to a small plastic chair with a rope. But strangely, the horse is standing, still behaving as though the chair is too heavy for it to run with! Why? The caption of the picture says, “When slavery becomes a habit, it makes one forget about one’s own power.” Indeed, the habit of a horse not running when it is tied down to something, makes it oblivious to the fact that it is now being tied to as light an object as that of a small plastic chair!
There is another dimension to the picture. A closer look reveals that the chair has been tied in a way that makes it difficult for the horse to run without hindrance. The chair is tied to the bridle of the horse with a short rope. Whenever the horse tries to run, the chair will start hitting the front legs of the horse, causing it much annoyance.
A horse can pull a heavy burden like a cart if the cart is properly tied behind the horse. We can recall the meaning of, “put the cart before the horse.” The wrong order of putting the cart in the front makes it almost impossible for a horse to run, whereas running becomes easy when the cart is behind.
Similarly, some people are tied with a false information that cripples their thinking ability. They download the false information straight to their frontal lobes without cross checking its veracity and cannot move an inch from their preconceived notions.
A disinformation about religious imbalances in fertility rates which says that Muslims will outnumber Hindus in India because of their much higher birth rate than Hindus has been doing the rounds in election campaigns to mislead the voters.
A 65-year-old fertiliser seller who is a voter in Badaun Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh believes Hindus will become a minority in India in a few years if population growth among Muslims is not checked. An LIC agent in Bespur, Bareilly district told a reporter, “The way they (Muslims) are increasing their population, they want to rule the country. A strong law is needed.”
The Pew Research Centre, Washington DC, published a study in June 2021, which was based on India’s census reports and the National Family Health Survey. It found that the religious composition of India’s population since Partition has remained largely stable, with both Hindus and Muslims showing not only a marked decline but also a convergence in fertility rates.
It appears from the study that the difference in fertility rate lies in region and not in religion. Bihar and Uttar Pradesh showed a total fertility rate (TFR) of 3.4 and 2.7, respectively, in contrast to a TFR of 1.7 and 1.6 in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, respectively. Whereas the fertility rate of Hindus has come down to 2.1, and that of Muslims has declined to 2.6.
Many people cannot move an inch from their bubble of beliefs, though the fact gives a totally different picture.
Yours etc.,
Sujit De,
Kolkata
Divided by denominations
Editor
Marriage in Christianity is a sacred ceremony, where two souls exchange their vows in the presence of a priest or pastor who solemnizes the marriage and supplicates the divine benediction of our lord and saviour, Jesus Christ to accord sanctity to the marriage.
But as usual the denomination factors comes into the picture that hinders the union of two people in love. It has been a convention among Christian converts to be a part of this denomination farce though we are of the same ethnic lineage vis a vis the Hynniewtrep identity. Denomination seems to precede the ethnic ancestry among us. This has often led to the frowning of engagement and marriage ceremonies with implausible conditions such as that either one of the couples is from a different denomination and has to convert to a prepotent denomination that one of the couple is a disciple to. Only a few reasonable families would agree to conduct inter-denomination matrimony. This has led to denomination-based segregation in the otherwise egalitarian tribal culture. This has besmirched the cultural tenets of our primogenetor pertaining to matrimony. Let us ponder upon this and awaken the defunct conventions of our egalitarian tribal practice and let not denomination precede our cultural conventions that have stood the test of time and thwart the forces of denominations and sectarianism to divide the close knit clanship (kur) system of our unique race.
Your etc.,
Lionel Pyngrope,
Via email