M A I L B A G

Devalued degrees with no job prospects

I was shocked to read the news-item, “Jobless engineers, worthless degrees” (Sept 4). It is hard to believe that qualified engineers produced by private colleges in Haryana have applied for the posts of ward boys and peons. Clearly, the quality of technical education in these colleges is very poor.

My sincere advice to the parents of aspiring engineering students is that they should refrain from admitting students to such engineering colleges which do not have proper infrastructure. There is no use of keeping themselves in the dark hoping that their children will get a good job after obtaining a degree from such colleges.

It is better to choose an academic course run by a reputed college and then to go for post- graduation or doctorate rather than acquiring a useless degree. Even if the recognising agency turns a blind eye to the poor standards of these so-called-colleges, these will themselves be closed when no one seeks admission to them.

The Education Ministry should immediately declare a probation period for all the new colleges recognised by the government. If more than 70 per cent students of a college don’t get employment as “engineers” for two consecutive years, the college should be de-recognised by the ministry.

JAGVIR GOYAL, Chandigarh

Edusat will help

Apropos of the editorial “Tele-education” (Sept 21), the country is proud of Edusat. However, it will show results only if we ensure drastic improvements in the present education delivery and acquisition systems and properly develop and upgrade infrastructure, particularly in rural areas.

Owing to the imminent sophistication in information delivery technologies, electronic-learning systems, virtual-schools and virtual-experiences, average learners (even in remote areas) will have much easier and quicker access to knowledge.

The teachers, in addition to knowledge in subject matter, should have e-education and communication skills for imparting education under different kinds, modes and levels of learning. Proper location of schools (based on geographic, social and economic needs), establishment of adequate e-information infrastructure and its maintenance, provision of trained teachers and staff, public-private/NGO collaboration, higher quality assurance will be of paramount importance.

The committee constituted to improve education in Punjab should make suitable recommendations to establish e-education infrastructure for deriving maximum benefits from this high profile education-satellite programme.

Dr M.S. BAJWA, Former Dean, Postgraduate Studies (PAU), Ludhiana

II

It is heartening to learn that the newly launched Edusat will solely work for speedy spread of education. There has been a lot of excitement and euphoria over this project.

We must make best use of it for proper and effective spread of education in the nook and corner of the country. Suffice it to mention, Edusat should not become a victim of officialdom or formalism, which is the main cause of slipshod development in numerous areas.

H.S. DIMPLE, Lecturer, SD College of Education, Barnala

No TV licence fee, please Apropos of N. Bhaskara Rao’s article “Licence fee on TV, radio sets: It’s not in the people’s interest” (Sept 22), dissemination of information through government-controlled electronic media or the print media is the essential function of a nation. The licence fee on radio and TV sets has been abolished as far back as in 1975. It would be unwise to start it again. The writer has rightly remarked: “…the “initiative” to sound the nation about cess on radio/television sets is misplaced...The issue of levying cess cannot be taken in isolation.” Doordarshan and Akashvani earn hundreds of crores of rupees from commercial advertisements. The money raised by these organs of the Prasar Bharti from commercials seems enough to meet the expenses on their liabilities. Rather radio and TV sets ought to be made cheaper, as Mr Bhaskara Rao asserts, by abolishing all kinds of taxes on their production and sale. IQBAL SINGH, Bijhari (Hamirpur)

Noise pollution

Private buses use TV at high volume. This is a great nuisance not only to the passengers but also the outside world. Passengers, mostly office-goers in private buses, are subjected to this torture day in and day out. The selection and volume control are solely at the discretion of the driver. Requests for reducing the volume fall on deaf ears.

The use of cassette players in public transport buses is a clear violation of the Motor Vehicles Act. Surprisingly, no bus is free from this menace. I do not know why the authorities concerned, who are meant to enforce the rules, are keeping mum.

Dr GURMEET SINGH GILL, Samrala

Moral education

Today in the blind race for power, men and women have become mechanical. Students right from LKG are loaded with bulky books. And after joining the service, they start taking bribes mainly because of the lack of a religious foundation and discipline.

People become corrupt only due to inner discontentment which can be removed through religious education and training. A mass programme of moral education should be introduced in all the schools and colleges.

As children are the future of nation, they should be directed in the right path to usher in the needed social change.

MEENAKSHI SHARMA, Talwara