Editor,
I write to share a thoughtful concern regarding the recently notified UGC Regulations, 2026, intended to address caste-based discrimination in higher educational institutions.
At the outset, it must be acknowledged—honestly and without hesitation—that discrimination in universities is not an imagined problem. For generations, students from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes have faced exclusion, humiliation, and unequal treatment, often in subtle forms that escape official notice. Any serious attempt to confront this reality is not only welcome but morally necessary.
At the same time, policies meant to heal long-standing wounds must be framed with care, balance, and empathy. Universities are not merely administrative units; they are deeply human spaces—made up of young minds, vulnerable ambitions, and fragile trust. Rules that govern them must therefore inspire confidence across communities.
The concern being voiced by many students and teachers today is not about the goal of social justice, but about the structure of its implementation. The proposed Equity Committees, constituted without representation from the general category, risk being perceived as exclusionary. Perception matters, particularly on campuses where trust is as important as regulation. A mechanism seen as one-sided, even if well-intentioned, may unintentionally deepen anxieties rather than reduce them.
There is also unease over the broad and undefined scope of “discrimination” under the new framework. Without clear guidelines, safeguards, and an independent appeal process, there is fear that academic disagreements or personal conflicts could be misread, leading to tension instead of resolution. Students need protection, yes—but they also need reassurance that fairness will be impartial and humane.
Social justice works best when it brings people together, not when it makes them wary of one another. A more inclusive approach—one that combines representation, transparency, time-bound inquiries, and dialogue—would strengthen the credibility of the regulations and uphold their core spirit.
This moment calls not for political silence or street-level anger, but for mature engagement. Campuses deserve reforms that are firm yet fair, sensitive yet strong.
Justice must be done—but in a way that feels just to all.
Yours etc.,
Jairaj,
Via email
Breakthrough for NES
Editor,
I wish to share a significant development regarding the ongoing public demand for the restoration of The North Eastern Service (NES) Of Akashvani on shortwave radio. On Tuesday, January 27, 2026, I had the privilege of engaging in a direct telephonic dialogue with the CEO of Prasar Bharati, Gaurav Dwivedi, to discuss the technical and strategic necessity of reviving this service. The CEO was gracious enough to grant me his time and has committed to a formal confirmation regarding our proposal on Wednesday, January 28. In a detailed follow-up dossier sent to his office and marked to over twenty high-ranking officials, including the Director General of Akashvani and the Minister of Information and Broadcasting, I have laid out a clear technical roadmap. The proposal advocates for the installation of a new 100kW Ampegon TSW2100 shortwave radio transmitter at the shortwave radio transmitter site, located in Mawjrong, to be operated at a 50kW capacity.
As highlighted in my previous letters to this daily (March 27th, 2025, January 3rd, 10th and 14th, 2026), the current 100W FM radio transmitter of NES is a shadow of its former self, reaching only a few kilometres within Shillong. For a service founded on January 3, 1990, to unite the eight Northeast Indian states, the “Seven Sisters and One Brother”, this “Line-of-Sight” (LoS) limitation is a geographic failure. Only shortwave radio, utilising Near Vertical Incidence Skywave (NVIS) propagation, can “rain down” signals over the rugged terrain of Northeast India, bypassing the physical barriers that defeat FM radio and cellular signals.
Furthermore, leaving our traditional shortwave radio frequencies of 4970kHz (60.36m) and 7315kHz (41m) vacant is a matter of national security. As we face increasing signal encroachment from foreign broadcasters and the infamous Chinese shortwave radio stations and jammers, India must reoccupy its sovereign airwaves. The infrastructure in Mawjrong, the land and the towers, are ready. We only need the modern “heart” of the radio station to be restored. I remain hopeful that tomorrow’s confirmation from the CEO will signal the end of “The Ghost of Centralisation” and the beginning of a new era of connectivity for Northeast India.
Yours etc.,
Hamemanbha Lyngdoh Lawai,
Via email
CBSE on the right track
Editor,
The Central Board of Secondary Education(CBSE) has made a commendable move by making the appointment of full-time mental health and career counsellors mandatory in CBSE schools. Obviously, students are always under severe stress due to academic pressure. It is relieving that the CBSE has recognised the stressful situations students are going through. Living in a highly competitive atmosphere, students are always expected to perform in the best way. In their attempts to meet expectations and achieve targets, a large number of students succumb to mental break down. Tightly scheduled course structure with no outlet to ease pressure makes learning an arduous process. The students who put in their optimum efforts to perform brilliantly in board examinations must move to the next level of cracking medical and engineering entrance exams. Let’s hope the CBSE’s attempts to soothe the frayed nerves of stressed-out students will go a long way in maintaining their equilibrium. A counsellor for every 500 students is compulsory and mental health support is a non-negotiable part of affiliation compliance for schools.
However, the success of the programme depends on several factors such as the expertise, qualifications and experience of counsellors and how well they can deal with students’ mental health problems.
Yours etc.,
Venu GS,
Kollam
