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However I regret to say that you are fighting a losing battle. Although you have correctly diagnosed that greater private sector intervention in education is the panacea for remedying the ills that plague the education system at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels, the ground reality is that Indian education is so heavily dominated by the Central and state governments and offers so many opportunities for corruption and graft, that politicians and bureaucrats will oppose greater private sector participation tooth and nail.

On the contrary, at best your efforts for better education for children of households "at the base of the social pyramid" will result in better quality education for the children of the rich and powerful who can afford private schooling. Because as is common knowledge, only the managements of private upscale schools are likely to introduce new concepts and pedagogies discussed in your magazine. I hope I am proved wrong, but you need to know your limitations.

I have read your cover story on the Knowledge Commission (EW November) on which I need to comment.

I was somewhat intrigued by your describing me and Pratap Bhanu Mehta as "liberal", as against Andre Beteille, Deepak Nayyar and Jayati Ghosh, whom you have labelled, "left-leaning". Can’t a person be liberal and left-leaning? Aren’t intellectuals (certainly, leading scientists) overwhelmingly left-leaning and liberal as against right-wing and conservative? The reason I have raised this issue is that the nature of a person’s overall social commitment is bound to play a role in determining not only his views but also his actions. There-fore the contribution of the members of the National Knowledge Commission will surely be determined by the nature of their social commitment.

Further, you described the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad constructed under my stewardship as a Rs.12.5 crore laboratory. This was the money spent on its construction and basic furnishings 25 years ago! The laboratory today, I would imagine, would be worth well over Rs.500 crore. Not only that, even though I spent only Rs.12.5 crore on building and services, the estimates were close to Rs.65 crore which shows where the money in construction generally goes!

It was interesting to read the special report titled ‘English learning fever sweeping India’ (EW December). The article rightly highlighted the growing demand for English language education in all classes of society. In my opinion English as a language should be rigorously taught right from kindergarten in all schools. Moreover the three-language formula being followed from class V onwards should be started from class I.

For instance in Karnataka state English teaching commences from class V. Most students find it very difficult to learn a new language at this stage and this leads many of them to drop out before they can complete class X. I hope your feature will influence public opinion and policy makers to provide early access to English learning to the children of India’s "hewers of wood and drawers of water".

Ravindra Jain
Belgaum (Karnataka)

The cover story titled ‘Swelling stream of corporate crossovers’ (December) made interesting reading. It is heartening to note that these successful individuals have decided to sacrifice high positions and incomes in the corporate world to do something for the upliftment of the downtrodden. Our country needs many more Shukla Boses and Ramesh Ramanathans if it has to compete in the international scenario and achieve the dream of becoming a developed country by 2020.

Every corporate executive in the country should spend at least some part of his/ her time to volunteer/ serve the less privileged. Primarily they should involve themselves in their neigh-bourhood government schools to help improve the quality of education being dispensed.

I would have been happier if you had given the contact details of all the NGOs profiled in your article. It would have been easy for people interested to contact them and volunteer with them.

Surjit Singh
Patiala (Punjab)

I read the special report titled ‘Growing popularity of the IB diploma’ (EW November) with interest. Though expensive, the IB curriculum prepares students for success in the world of work. The best feature of this curriculum in my opinion is the freedom it provides students.

Another beneficial fallout is that talented teachers are at the receiving end of high salaries and perks. This way the much neglected teachers community is benefitted. It is appreciable that principals like Hector MacDonald feel that it is necessary to ensure that teachers are paid well so that they can lead comfortable lives outside the campus also. The new age schools are the first to admit that "it is the quality of teachers that distinguishes the best schools from the also-rans".

Surinder Sonik
Delhi