M A I L B A G

Punjab schools should be depoliticised

Political interference in the working and administration of schools in Punjab must stop once and for all. They should be depoliticised to restore their pre-eminent position in the region. All appointments, transfers and placements should be made on merit and under a transparent policy and not according to the whims and fancies of political leaders.

For quality education, only dedicated, hard-working and missionary teachers should be recruited through an aptitude test. Persons having no interest in teaching should keep off this value-based profession. Likewise, only capable and sincere teachers should be promoted as heads of institutions. Merit and seniority should be the criteria for promotions. If the institutional head is a strong and effective leader, he/she can curb the menace of copying in the examinations.

Teachers should be transferred after every five years to improve their performance. This will create freshness and accountability. One will have to prove oneself at a new place.

RAMESH CHANDRA DUTT, Khanna

Alarming trend

The editorial “Skirting the law: Cap on ministry size turned into a farce” (Oct 29) points out that legislators spare no effort in bending laws to their advantage and care two hoots about the interests of the common man or the tax-payers’ money. In Punjab, surplus ministers are adjusted against lucrative positions, making a mockery of the constitutional amendment.

In the Editor’s Column on the same page, H.K. Dua underlines another alarming trend that people with criminal record are entering legislatures and will leave their sinister impact on the laws of the country. With criminals and self-seekers ruling the roost, the country may degenerate into anarchy and the common man will be in a tighter spot.

A solution to stem the rot lies in educating the gullible population who vote Gawlis and Pappu Yadavs to power. More important is to mobilise those people who usually abstain themselves from exercising their franchise. Their participation in general elections can check criminals from entering politics. In achieving this goal, a vigorous media campaign can help.

Gp-Capt H.L. DHAWAN (retd), Pinjore

II

What a mockery of the Constitution! It seems futile to hope that the Centre would take notice of the development. In fact, the Centre seems too weak to rise to the occasion and apply the necessary course corrections.

Things will improve if the Supreme Court, as the sentinel of the Constitution, takes suo motu notice of the matter and takes the state government to task. Clearly, this obnoxious trend needs to be checked. By the way, is the President helpless to prevent strict adherence to the constitutional provisions by the state government?

TARA CHAND, Ambota (Una)

Statistical jugglery

The article “Punjab progress: How Bihar looks at it” by Mohan Guruswamy (Oct 23) contains a glut of statistical data that is bound to confuse readers. The second paragraph deals entirely with the “Gini Coefficient” which has not been explained. The last line of the article contains a figure of Rs 77,000 crore whose origin is not obvious.

Apart from these technical deficiencies, the article seems to be a tirade against the prosperity of Punjab. An attempt has been made to project the impression that poverty of Bihar is due to the prosperity of Punjab. If things were that simple, then solution to Bihar’s problems would have been easy.

Dr B.R. SOOD, Professor and Head, SBBS Institute of Engg & Tech, Padhiana (Jalandhar)

Costly marriages

In Indian marriages, millions of rupees are spent on pomp and food. In a country where millions of people are living below the poverty line and where starvation deaths are the order of the day, it makes no sense to organise lavish marriages.

Pakistan may be far behind India in IT and some other fields, but it is definitely a way ahead of us. The Supreme Court of Pakistan has put an end to this evil by banning serving of any kind of food or eatables at the marriages.

India must emulate Pakistan in this regard and, if required, enact a legislation to stop or restrict the extravagant spending at the marriages. Even the Dowry Act can be amended to check lavish marriages. It shall save millions of rupees that can be used for the development of those living below the poverty line.

Wig-Cdr S.S. SAVANT (retd), Chandigarh