But then why, at the first instance, discriminate teachers by not giving them non-practising allowance like doctors? And may one ask that how many doctors have ever been arrested, on the pattern of teachers, for undertaking private practice? And why the private earnings of both teachers and doctors cannot be made tax free, like the earnings of big sahibs from their allegedly bogus agricultural produce of their farm houses that many of them acquire at the beginning of their exalted service. A teacher, getting a higher salary than such officials, cannot even dream of owning a farm-house even if he resorts to private tuitions! Doesn’t everybody know that the so-called agricultural income, mostly alleged to be on paper alone, is there to laundry their dirty earnings?

It would be a great service to the nation if these barra sahibs, sitting, wrongly or rightly, at the helm of our educational affairs, could bring a proper and apolitical learning atmosphere in our educational institutions. In case they are seriously thinking of improvement in our sliding education system they should first put a ban on the politically backed elections in our varsities and colleges before putting a ban on ‘teaching’, private or public. They should ban the politically motivated appointments to the posts of higher educational administration before putting a curb on ‘teaching’. And then see the difference.

BALVINDER, Chandigarh

Crusade against tuitions: Though it is immoral and unethical for a teacher to indulge in tuition work, still the evil has persisted for long. The teachers are bound by their service rules to keep away from such dirty task. Year after year rules are flouted with impunity. There are reports of government schools where teachers were found absent for months together and they were running public schools nearby. Further these teachers hired senior students or others at very low rates to teach classes on their behalf in government schools.

The situation in colleges is slightly better. A small proportion of teachers indulges in tuitions in case of science and math subjects. Sometimes dubious means have also been used to rope in students for private groups at home. Creating fear of low assessment in practicals, using coercion and even harassing a student if he or she is going to some other teacher for such purpose are common. In other subjects like commerce, economics, English, statistics etc. students opt for tuitions for varied reasons like less classroom teaching, inability of a teacher to deliver the goods. Some students opt for it just for the sake of opting it.

Whatever the reasons may be, these cannot be used as excuse for indulging in tuitions. Now the Punjab Government is serious to eradicate this malady as it has sought affidavits from the governing bodies of non-government colleges. Government colleges observe it in letter since long and from now they will follow it in spirit too. It is common to cry hoarse about rights and keep silent about duties. So teachers and government should do their duty honestly.