M A I L B A G

Multiple exams bane of students’ woes

The present examination system per se has inherent faults. Multiple examinations conducted by each organisation for admission to professional colleges must stop. There should be only one examination each year for each stream of studies.

The CBSE’s PMT examination for medical stream should also apply to all others streams and continue till an acceptable alternative is available. The CBSE’s all-India ranking should be acceptable to every organisation. It will reduce the physical mental and financial stress of students taking up different examinations.

The selection of multiple choice type questions is a gray area. Questions with more than one correct response should not find a place in the question paper. Most simple and difficult questions with a single correct answer can be set. Those involved in the leak of question papers must be dealt with sternly.

Dr R.K. PATIAL, Prof & Head (Medicine), GMCH, Dharamsala

Hidayatullah’s humour Uttaranchal Governor Sudarshan Aggarwal has given ample expression of his sense of humour in his middle (Aug 26). He was the Secretary-General of the Rajya Sabha when Justice M. Hidayatullah was its Chairman. I recollect how Justice Hidayatullah reacted when there was no mention of austerity measures to be adopted in the Union Budget when Dr Manmohan Singh was the Finance Minister: “The habit of cutting the coat according to the cloth just does not exist because we have perfected the system of deficit financing. We cut a coat hoping to add sleeves later. We make up for our wastefulness by taxation!” How true it is! D.V. JOSHI, Bartana (Zirakpur)

PM’s Kabul trip

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to Afghanistan is significant. Afghanistan has always been India’s important neighbour. Historically speaking, Afghans have been very friendly to us. The Taliban short interlude should not make us forget the long history of our mutual friendly relations.

That country is now writing a new chapter of her history and India should play a much more significant role in helping Afghans to change into a more liberal, pluralistic and democratic society.

The Ministry of External Affairs should have a special desk for Afghanistan, increase flights to and via Kabul, particularly to Central Asian capitals, provide more seats to aspiring Afghan youth in Indian institutes of higher and special education, develop closer ties with civilian institutions and provide extensive consultation in reforming economic and financial systems.

The best way of neutralising Pakistani intelligence agency’s nefarious designs against our security is to help our immediate neighbours strengthen and improve their social, political and economic structures.

K.N. PANDITA, Jammu

Retrograde step

This has reference to the news-item, “No jobs for kin on compassionate grounds” (Aug 19). Hitherto if a Haryana Government employee died in harness, a member of his family was given a job on compassionate grounds. But now the government intends to change the policy. Under the new dispensation, the compensation to be given will be enhanced from Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 5 lakh, but no job. This is unjust.

Compensation is no substitute for job. It will hit the poor section hard. Money will be squandered and starvation will continue. In today’s clamour for social justice and concern for the poor, the proposed step is retrograde and should be dropped.

The funny reason given for the policy change is that many cases are pending. This is no valid reason at all. Please decide their cases, but do not punish them for no fault of theirs.

RAM SARAN BHATIA, District and Sessions Judge (retd), Faridabad