Re your cover story ‘The Xseed Revolution’ (EW March), Ashish Rajpal should have been conferred the Padma Bhushan in the last Republic Day Awards. He would have been a much better choice than some of the old has-beens and shady characters who were awarded.
I don’t know of any Indian who would give up a Paris-based multinational job to enter the “stagnant waters of Indian education”. The focus and determination with which Rajpal has gathered a galaxy of highly-qualified educationists and business profess-ionals — “unprecedented in the history of primary-secondary education in India” — makes Rajpal an inspiration to young people across the country.
Sri Venkat on e-mail
Disappointing criticism
Re your postscript ‘Billion idiots homage’ (EW March), I feel you are taking the movie 3 Idiots too seriously. Feature films are made for entertainment. Assessed in this context, there’s nothing wrong with the hit film 3 Idiots. It is an entertaining film containing a message for parents to allow their children to choose their careers and vocations according to their inclinations and aptitudes.
Moreover its music and lyrics are original, and 3 Idiots is fun-filled cinema designed to engage youth. Because it’s a good mix of all these ingredients — and has a message for parents — it’s a super hit. Stereotyping is necessary to get its message across. And since the message is positive and gels with EducationWorld’s liberal philosophy, I’m disappointed that you’ve criticised it.
Mahesh Kumar on e-mail
Unseemly hurry
I refer to your special report ‘Deemed universities: can of worms’ (EW March). While I appreciate Union HRD minister Kabil Sibal for the quick and bold decisions he has been making since he took charge of the HRD ministry last summer, he needs to slow down and tread warily. Sibal is a product of the Harvard Busi-ness School, which should have taught him to think carefully before making major decisions.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has been functioning for the past five deca-des and supervising hundreds of universities. Fifty years of experience cannot be dismissed lightly as it will have a tsunami effect upon thousands of students studying in these universities. I believe Sibal is exhibiting unseemly hurry to reform an education system which is decades old. Moreover, while he is in a great rush to reform private universities, he doesn’t seem to care about reforming government-run universities. In fact some of the derecognised private varsities are far better than most government universities.
D.M. Virupaksha Swamy
Chairman, Sri Bhoomi Educational Trust
Tumkur (Karnataka)
Urgently needed
I enjoyed reading your careers piece on the emerging profession of image consultants (EW March). Since most of our businessmen and politicians have acquired a notorious reputation for bad manners such as spitting, licking currency notes, stamps, tickets etc and scratching body parts in public, India needs the tribe of image consultants to multiply and flourish.
Muthiah Santharaj on e-mail
Sex education plea
I am a regular reader of EducationWorld and greatly admire the wonderful work you are doing. I want to draw your attention to the urgent need for introducing sex education in our schools and colleges and doing away with the large number of wrong concepts and myths pertaining to sex.
Sex or adolescent education must start at the age of puberty. It can be taught in a dignified manner in conjunction with moral education so that young minds are not polluted. Of course, there will be resistance, especially from conservative and orthodox families, but that can be overcome with proper guidance and counseling.
Most parents are at a loss when faced with their children’s budding sexuality and sex-related questions. Indian parents just can’t accept the fact that their ‘babies’ are talking and thinking about sex. As a result, adolescents suffer guilt and become irritable and moody.
Sex education should aim at removal of age-old, traditional myths about sex and sexuality. It should be introduced as a new subject under ‘health and hygiene’ since the word sex is taboo in Indian society. EducationWorld needs to take a lead in this important matter.
D. Vinod
Ahmedabad
Communist agenda
I am glad in your editorial ‘Jyoti Basu’s destruction of West Bengal’ (EW February) you didn’t join the chorus singing paeans of praise to Jyoti Basu. Like most communists, his prime agenda was to secure the good life for himself and his comrades.
These middle class bhadralok don’t care a jot for the poor. Communist leaders like to deepen poverty to drive the masses to revolution, so that they can grab power in the ensuing confusion. That was Jyoti Basu’s agenda.
Prashun Sengupta
Kolkata
Demand explanation
I refer to your postscript piece ‘Tercentenary encounter’ (EW February). Instead of feebly complaining in your limited circulation journal, you should demand an explanation from Suresh Neotia and his son, Manoj — who has emerged as a thriving real estate tycoon in Kolkata — why the Tercentenary Square hasn’t been built as yet.
Prakash Singh
Jaipur