M A I L B A G

Teaching job demands commitment

Apropos of the article “Teaching doesn’t tempt engineering graduates” (Sept 25), in our society everybody seems to be eulogising the role and responsibilities of a teacher in nation building and character formation of our future generations, in articles and public speeches, betraying the impression that this society bestows an exalted status to teachers as role models and icons, which need be emulated.

But when it comes to adopting professions in real life, no one seems to be attaching a premium on choosing to become a teacher. When I posed a question to my class of 30 students, that who of them would actually aspire to become a teacher, only two hands hoisted reluctantly, that too, by girl students alone. Others implicitly wanted to pursue a more lucrative and glamorous profession because perhaps that would enable them to wield greater money power and bureaucratic muscle which alone matters in this materialistic society. Yes, but all of us wouldn’t hesitate to shower glib tongued praises and relentless extolment of the role of a teacher. We value them exceedingly high only in words, but not commensurate with actions to accord him an exalted social and pecuniary status.

Teaching and pedagogy as a profession perhaps seems to be the last resort for us to settle in life, as if by absorbing the “left overs” of society, it would proliferate well and will be able to contribute to a rapid pace of growth of knowledge and progress. Perhaps we have become oblivious of the adage “garbage in, and garbage out”. Society will acquire and refract only that quantum and quality of knowledge and wisdom as is infused in its progeny by our teachers. And in the absence of committed and devoted teachers, society is bound to degenerate with baser values and mundane ideals. Certainly, those who rambled into teaching profession out of compulsion rather than commitment, cannot acquit well.

Teaching demands passion, dedication and unflinching commitment to the cause of acquiring, promoting and disseminating knowledge.

Dr. Vikram Chadha, Amritsar

This is gross apathy

The reported denial of disability pension to ex-serviceman Santokh Singh for 44 years (Sept 22) is grossly apathetic. The disability he suffered from a bullet (still embedded in his back) in the 1948 operations could not have been re-assessed less than 20 per cent even if a fresh Medical Board had been held. That his disability pension was stopped arbitrarily is evident from the fact that consequent receipt of a medical certificate from a competent authority, disability pension has now been restored to the much harassed and frustrated ex-servicemen. The disabled soldier not only deserves an apology. His accumulated arrears must be paid to him promptly lest he is compelled to seek justice legally.

There are many such cases where justice has been denied to ex-servicemen/widows of deceased soldiers. Recently, the HP High Court decreed in favour of an ex-serviceman who had to move the court after his repeated representations to seek justice fell on deaf ears of the authorities.

H.S. Chandel, Malanghar, Una

Roots of the crisis

Apropos of the editorial “The troubled campus” (Sept 18), I appreciate the bold observations on the series of violence in Punjabi University that is haunting the genuine students. A few close advisers, devoid of academic excellence, have been misguiding the Vice-Chancellor to settle scores with fellow colleagues. The Vice-Chancellor, being the principal executive head of the university, should do his job in a fair manner and with responsibility. I wish the present Vice-Chancellor had in-depth concept or vision of a university and trained in the academic atmosphere where universal knowledge, human and cultural values are imparted to the students. These values are lacking at Punjabi University, Patiala. This is the root cause of the disturbed situation in the campus recently.

The students should be treated as delicate budding humans and not as bounded servants or labourers. They are the future of the nation and should have not been dragged on to the roads like hardcore criminals and dumb-driven cattle. The girl students have been ill-treated by the teachers, which is a solitary example in the history of educational institutions. The manhandling of the boys and girls by the police is a gross illegal act.

The teachers and the non-teaching employees in the campus are the horrified silent observers of the uncalled for and inhuman atrocities. The government should not have played its political game to outwit the Opposition parties.

Nirbhai Singh, Patiala