Editor,
I write to you and the public, dragging the spotlight onto the State’s Education system once again. We’ve heard of the idea, “If a person does not know how to swim, throw them into deep waters, they’d gradually know how”. I hope that isn’t the State Government’s strategy to deal with the students of this State, because deducing from the past decisions taken by the Government we can say that this idea remains at the centre of their discussion table. Ever since the implementation of the CUET, we have seen a major shake in the peace of students and teachers in schools, colleges and universities.
Now, we see a growing unrest regarding the 4th Year Implementation. However, do understand this : we do not decline the implementation of methods that will benefit us students and improve our future, but we strongly decline the execution and the efforts put into the implementation. The recent update from NEHUTA revealed to us that the teachers of the NEHU had strongly persisted that the University was not ready. Yet despite their honest concerns, the University’s higher authorities along with the State Government proceeded with their wet-cement establishments. Similar to the past CUET situation, the students and teachers are thrown into deep waters to figure it all out on their own, only to drown deeper into confusion and stress.
A relative of mine stated as a joke that the students of our batch are like lab rats, and I can’t help but agree that we are nothing but guinea pigs at the hands of the Government. Based on the Union Ministry of Education’s Performance Grading Index (PGI) 2.0, Meghalaya is the only state in India relegated to the 10th and lowest grade. Not only have we been played pawns, but we are also being played in a losing game. Unfortunately, the ones on the losing side aren’t the ones playing but rather the ones played. T
The 6th Semester batch in colleges remain in a dilemma while lower classes are filled with fear of just what our future might be. It’s a shame to see that Meghalaya, a State so rich with talent and potential, be placed at a position where it does not belong, because we see glory wasted in impulsive choices. At first, NEHU had stated that students can enter the 4th Year with at least 75% aggregate marks up to the 3rd Year, “along with the availability of sufficient PhD-qualified faculty members in the department.” The former part is understandable to some extent, but the latter part remains to us a laughable statement.
What about underprivileged students in colleges from rural areas that are less equipped with proper faculty? Is higher education now a bar too high to touch for low-income families? Again, we do not shame these colleges, but rather the efforts put into them which is the Government’s responsibility. I dare say it has all become an “all bark, no bite” situation now, where promises are made, futures envisioned and hope is seeded, while ironically, the students and teachers are left to blindly trust the authorities who turn a blind eye to us.
Now, to write about the Teachers’ situation regarding their salaries deserves another column.
Is the future of the State to plummet into doubts and blurry ends? Students spend every day asking themselves if what they’re studying is even worth it at the end. Teachers spend every day worrying if their present occupation will even ensure their retirement benefits. We will also cling onto the words of Prof. Bez who stated, “All students who complete the third year will be eligible for the Honours stream,” in hopes that our three years in College will earn us a dignified Degree with Honours.
We cling on to promises. We’re children after all, leaning onto adults whom we have trusted. We believe and trust. Please do not make us trust you less than we already do now. It would be a regretful, yet necessary action to be taken for us to rally in streets, chanting cries over and over again, to adults deaf and blind.
We do not plead because you are our masters, but we plead because you are our parents, and this State’s children look up to you for help. Please do not make your children beg. We are appearing for our even-semester exams now, totally unsure if they’re worth it, if what’s waiting for us at the end is disappointment and revolt or a promise kept.
I’m sure that, unlike us, you do not remain helpless in front of the Central Government. We do not want to go back to older education systems, but rather, an improved and grounded system, that stands on firm foundations and preparedness, that we can sense visually and experience without delusion and falsity. We ask you to fight for us, defend us, represent us and to not settle for a mirage nor take part in building one.
It would be a shame that rather than focusing on our studies, we’d have to pick up our pens, saddle our horses and fight unnecessary battles. But we do dare say that we would not hesitate to stand our ground if the situation does not come to an agreeable end.
We will fight, for we are children, we will revolt, for we’ve been taught to, but standing helpless and staying silent will never be our move. We will not be played pawns nor will we play a fool’s game. A gentle push to the State Government to remind them that we still do want the future they promised us, failing which we will try to seize it on our own terms.
Yours etc.,
Iaphilaniewkor
Thangkhiew,
Via email
Editors’ Guild’s Concern for Press Freedom
Editor,
The Editors’ Guild of India (EGI) has recently expressed deep concerns about the government’s growing intolerance towards media questioning. The Guild cited the recent confrontations involving Indian officials and journalists in Norway and the Netherlands during prime minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the two European countries.
The Guild , in a strongly worded statement, said that the ‘embarrassing stand-offs’ between Indian government officials and journalists from the two countries were triggered after the Prime Minister declined to take questions from local media following press briefings.
The Editors Guild noted that Norway and the Netherlands rank first and second, respectively, in the World Press Freedom Index, while India stands at 157 out of 180 countries. The EGI said in the statement that, “It is a regrettable fact that Prime Minister, Narendra Modi has not addressed a single open press conference during his more than a decade in power”. The organisation alleged that intolerance towards questioning is increasingly visible across different levels of government, both at the Centre and in the states.
“The EGI calls on the government to refrain from treating the media as an adversary merely for doing what it is supposed to do — hold those in power accountable,” the statement further added. The fact that the Guild has issued such a strongly worded statement in itself is a reflection of the malaise that has plagued the media across the country. But what is the way forward?
Yours etc.,
D Bhutia,
Guwahati
