M A I L B A G

Say goodbye to single-sex colleges

BALVINDER’S article “Time to say goodbye to single-sex college” (Perspective, June 6) is apt and thought-provoking. I fully endorse his views. It is really perplexing that we boast of achieving heights of success in every field but we still have a system of sex-based educational institutions! The system has perpetuated man-made walls between sexes.

If congestion or overcrowding is the reason, the number of co-educational institutions could be increased when such problems arose. In addition to sex-based colleges, we have sex-based schools too. Why? Don’t we have faith in the younger generation?

Young minds can learn much by studying and living together. Male students are bound to act judiciously and responsibly in co-educational institutions. Co-educational schools and colleges will help build up mutual understanding and trust. It will enhance the spirit of competition among the students of both sexes. Moreover, appointments of Principals in such institutions on sex grounds is not only unfair and , irrational but also ridiculous.

Dr VINOD K CHOPRA, Hamirpur (HP)

II

The Tribune deserves kudos for publishing a timely article by Balvinder which highlighted drawbacks of continuing single-sex colleges.

The impact of The Tribune’s article was very strong. The DAV college, Sector 10, Chandigarh, has just announced the start of co-education in many of its streams that earlier were reserved only for boys from thievery academic session. One wishes that other colleges would follow the DAV example soon.

Dr AVTAR SINGH, Chandigarh

III

I have been teaching in co-education colleges for the last 17 years. They have more merits than demerits. Students and teachers enjoy learning and teaching. A co-ed atmosphere, especially in colleges suburban and urban, and universities promotes better understanding between boys and girls. The more they are kept apart, the more they are attracted towards each other.

Teachers’ teaching methodology remains confined to the syllabi. They have to teach properly with due care of words. Otherwise,it may mar the atmosphere of co-ed classrooms.

The Kothari Commission (1964-66) says: “In a state like Maharashtra, mixed colleges are much larger than that of separate colleges for women.” Though there cannot be a fixed or uniform criteria to establish mixed or separate colleges, it is suggested that as far as possible in urban cities (to some extent in suburban), there should be mixed and no single-sex colleges.

OM PARKASH WADHWA, Gohana

IV

Studies point out that overall, single-sex education was more beneficial to women in that it allowed them to express themselves more freely. These studies implied that single-sex education gave the females involved a stronger sense of confidence and identity. The males in these studies, on the other hand, seemed to prefer co educational environment to single sex educational environment. They confer that single-sex schools allow girls access to self-expression. This, in turn, allows these girls to develop more self-awareness.

Simply to create some promotional avenue and reluctant attitude (15-minute late routine to reach the class room) of teachers raises doubts on the ability of the Principal, not on the single-sex education system.

DALJIT SIDHU, Ludhiana

Sonia’s gamble

Apropos of Chanchal Sarkar’s article “The bitter medicine of Sonia’s wisdom” (Sunday Oped, May 30), I disagree with his views. Sonia refused the post of Prime Minister as the political situation demanded it. She is an inexperienced politician who is surrounded by a band of followers.

Her children, who were used to garner votes, can hardly identify themselves with the rural India which is the real India. Merely dressing up in Khadi and memorising a few sentences in Hindi does not make one fit as a great leader like Mahatma Gandhi.

A would-be Prime Minister should be fully devoted to general welfare and security of his country even at the cost of his life like Sir Martin Luther King.

Sonia hardly knows anything about India’s geography, demography, economy, history, art, architecture, customs, manners, fairs and festivals. She resembles a school child in the university of politics. Criticising leaders like Uma Bharti, Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley and Narendra Modi is useless. Therefore, she had to choose Dr Manmohan Singh who had the best political career and was unanimously accepted.

DIMPLE KATOCH, New Shimla