The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

When these arguments were advanced to a university professor, he said universities are starved of funds and the government is not giving them any aid. So this is the only way out. Well, if this is the case, then the universities should do a cost-cutting exercise.

At least 50 per cent of the professors in various departments have either no work or they take one or two lectures in a week. Ninety per cent of the research work is meaningless. It only helps the teacher concerned to get a doctorate and promotions. If they are so keen on research work, let them convince some industry about their project and arrange sponsorship. It should not be aided with university funds. The practice of sending teachers abroad on study leaves, most of whom do not turn up, should be stopped.

Even if it is agreed that the salaries of teaching faculties come from the tuition fee, the university authorities do not disburse 12 months’ salaries in advance which may justify collecting 12 months tuition fees at the time of admission.

The government should review this unlawful order immediately in the interest of the general public and revised guidelines be framed. The universities should be permitted to collect at the most one quarter fee at a time.

A selected candidate should be given 15 days’ time to deposit the funds and, if he fails to do so, the next candidate on the merit list can be allotted the seat.

Also one would like to understand how the universities in Haryana and Himachal are managing their affairs where the fee for the professional courses like engineering, despite the increase, is just 20 per cent of what is collected in Punjab.

The Akali government has done enormous harm to education by totally commercialising it, but pity is that neither the Congress nor any of the student unions has made any protest.

BHARTENDU SOOD, Chandigarh

PGI Director

Your correspondent has raised a controversy related to the retirement age of the Director, PGI, (June 19) which I feel is unsavoury and unnecessary. This has come on the eve of the visit of the Special Committee to the PGI, and appears to be at the behest of the PGI Workers Union.

The Director of the PGI is selected through open competition on an all-India basis. The selection committee selects a person and forwards his/her name to the appointing authority i.e. the President of the Institute (Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare). As rightly mentioned in the article, the appointing authority appoints the Director for a term of five years or till the age of 62 years, whichever is earlier.

As per the judgement of the Supreme Court (quoted in the article) Justice K. Ramaswamy and Justice Faizanuddin, in the case of Dr S.K. Kacker vs AIIMS in Civil Appeal No 12078 of 1996 (SCC page 734) have held that the post of Director is a “tenure and permanent post.... selected in open competition”.

In Dr S.K. Sharma’s case, his term of appointment clearly states that the Director is appointed for a term of five years or till the age of 62 years is attained, whichever is earlier. Hence, there is no violation of the much-touted Rule 37-A of the PGI Act. Therefore, this should settle the controversy of the retirement age of Dr S.K. Sharma.

Dr RAJ KUMAR GUPTA, Chandigarh

Gurdwara funds

A news item states that the SGPC has ordered a high-level probe into the embezzlement of gurdwara funds. When I was a boy, I was surprised to note that the “golaks” placed before Shri Guru Granth Sahib were locked and sealed. I was of the view that no Sikh can steal money placed before Shri Guru Granth Sahib.

Now people misappropriate this money for their own purposes. There was a report that a gurdwara management had been showing the purchase of foodgrains from a bogus firm. Time has come for devotees to be vigilant.

DALIP SINGH WASAN, Patiala

Badal’s Sikh agenda

It was interesting to read about Mr Badal’s Sikh agenda (June 2). Surprisingly, Mr Badal, ever since he became Chief Minister, has been silent about the long-standing demands of Punjab such as transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab and control of the Bhakhra Dam project.

Now is the time for resolving these issues. Apart from a friendly BJP coalition at the Centre, Mr Badal and Mr Chautala are good friends. If they don’t resolve the issues now, they will be missing a great opportunity.

G. P. SINGH, New Delhi

Grace marks

Guru Jambheshwar University, Hisar, held the Common Engineering Entrance Test 2001 (GJU-CEET 2001). It was full of dubious errors. To begin with, no sheets were provided in the question booklet for rough work. As a result, the candidates were left with no choice but to scribble on whatever little space they could find in the margins.

Secondly, there was a plethora of misprints, some of which were too serious to be justified by “to err is human”. The university should look into the matter and award grace marks to the candidates.

SMARTHA VASHISHTHA, KANIKA SHARMA, ANSHUL KAUSHIK, Ambala

Guest faculty

The concept of guest faculty by teaching institutions is a good idea. Compared to permanent staff, the guest faculty is less expensive. Institutions can have experienced teachers on various subjects from time to time on an honorarium payable per lecture.

ANAMICA, Chandigarh

Love, sex & fighting

“It takes two to fight” was a realistic piece. Love is as natural as fighting between husband and wife. Like fighting, sex also is a form of energy. It has to be used and has to be refined. Those who plunge into the river of lust do not reach the shore of peace. Love shorn of fighting is nothing but driftwood. Thus love is meaningful only when there is fight between husband and wife.

HANS RAJ JAIN, Moga

No drinking water

The extension of the S/S scheme facility to Dhani Manakpur covered under the water supply scheme of Manakpur in Jagadhri tehsil was sanctioned in 1994. In spite of numerous representations by the panchayat of Udhumgarh, no action has so far been taken by the public health authorities to lay the supply line. About 300 people continue to remain without drinking water.

K. K. SHARMA, Udhumgarh (Jagadhri)

Insult to ASI

Recently an ASI of the Punjab Police was publicly insulted by being called on a stage before thousands of people during a sangat darshan at Chohla Sahib.

The CM, probably, was under pressure of several people who charged the cop with fraud. He owed a debt to a milkman. Instead of feeling any shame, this policeman stood in front of the laughing crowd and showed the mob his empty wallet.

The public applauded as if it was a roadside “tamasha”. The CM seemed like a Caesar who had thrown a delinquent warrior before lions to please his subjects. And it all looked like a comical stage show.

The question is: is it right to insult an officer openly even when the allegations have not been proved in a court of law? This act of taking the law in one’s own hands by politicians is not only a kick on the morale of the department, but also a gross insult to the law itself.

JAGMOHAN SINGH KHURMI, Muktsar