M A I L B A G

Need for only one entrance examination

In his article “Joint entrance tests should not be scrapped” (March 22), Prof Vijay Gupta overlooked the falling standards of examination systems of various education boards in the states. The copying menace is widespread. . In some states, the students even take answer-sheets out of the examination halls to solve them. We cannot ease the burden of entrance tests on students, but minimise it.

There should be only one entrance test nationwide based on only 10+2 class syllabus excluding 10+1 class syllabus which should be the same for every board. This will greatly ease the students’ burden.

The entrance test should be of two phases: Objective type (multiple choice questions) and Descriptive type. Every professional institution or university of any state admitting students for 10+2 should follow the ranks of either of the two phases or both as is done by JEE. There should be no separate entrance tests by various colleges and universities.

JOGINDER SINGH MALHI, Lecturer in Physics, GTB Govt College, Sathiala (Amritsar)

Aircraft carriers

I have read with great interest the news item “India to build aircraft carrier" (March 23). The manufacture of heavy aircraft carriers by India, sadly, in this time and age does not fit into the strategic planning of naval warships.

India should have acquired it in the late 1950’s. Even the acquisition of Admiral Gorshkov, the retired Russian aircraft carrier, is late in the day.

The Indian navy needs fast moving frigates and submarines and not aircraft carriers. After the Falkland, Desert Storm I, Afghanistan and the Iraq war, India will need a very sophisticated air and space defence system to guard an aircraft carrier. India has no surveillance planes that can fly all the 24 hours and around the clock to protect an aircraft carrier from the menace of missiles and torpedoes, fired from the air, space, under water or the sea.

To fight the Afghan war alone, Desmond Ball at the Australian National University in Canberra concluded that America had assembled nearly 15 intelligence, communications, navigation and meteorological satellites at a cost of $25 billion. Billions more for the additional highly classified systems have been added to the defence budget.

Does India have these resources? In Kargil, with plane and satellite surveillance by RAW, intrusions by Pakistan into Indian-held Kashmir could not be detected. I don’t believe since then India has acquired more sophisticated surveillance systems to keep an aircraft carrier out of harms way. I am afraid, the regime in Delhi past and present has learnt and unlearnt nothing from history.

SIMRANJIT SINGH MANN, President, Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), Quilla, Fatehgarh Sahib

Diplomacy, UK style The United Kingdom is a master of diplomacy. It ruled the world for decades by virtue of its expertise in diplomacy. The manner in which it handled the visa issue of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi (compared with the USA) is a classic example of its skilful diplomacy. The US straightaway refused visa to Mr Modi and invited international criticism. However, while granting the visa, the UK politely told him that he was welcome to visit the country at his own risk. Subsequently, he had to cancel the visit. T.D. KUMAR, Panchkula

Baisakhi Jatha

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbhandhak Committee (SGPC) does not seem to follow any criteria while selecting people for inclusion in the visa list for the Baisakhi Jatha to Pakistan. We are senior citizens, aged 70 and 73 years respectively. We wanted to visit various gurdwaras in Pakistan and pay obeisance in the evening of our lives. But this is not to be. We appeal to the SGPC and other authorities to reconsider and allow us to visit Pakistan.

SHER SINGH and HARBHAJAN SINGH, Ludhiana

Heinous crime

It is heartening to note that the courts are dealing with rapists and other criminals firmly. These criminals should not be allowed to go scot free merely for the lack of evidence or some other technical grounds because such crimes are crimes against humanity. Clearly, death sentence to such criminals will act as a deterrent.

SUSHIL KUMAR JAIN, Lehra Mohabat

Supreme sacrifice

Nirupama Dutt’s piece on “Bhagat Singh’s mystique” (March 23) was interesting. The word Bhagat Singh is synonymous with patriotism.

Every one of us should take a pledge to fight for the noble causes that he championed relentlessly. This will be a real tribute to the great hero. Let us join hands and resolve not to tolerate injustice and corrupt practices that are damaging our system.

Dr GEETA GOYAL, Lecturer in English, RKSD College, Kaithal (Haryana)

Medical camps

Foreign medical professional teams conducting medical camps in India for the poor and the needy is a laudable initiative. But these must be regulated by the Medical Council of India (MCI) and or the State Medical Councils (SMCs) which regulate the working of medical professionals.

Dr RAMAN K. AGGARWAL, Phagwara