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Eligibility for IIT entrance

The decision to revise the eligibility criterion for the IIT entrance test is not only irrational but also harsh. The plea that it will check the mushrooming of teaching shops and uphold the dignity of school system might be sound. However, the approach is unfair and negative.

Moreover, why target only the IIT entrance tests? The coaching institutes also prepare for entry to medical colleges, business management schools and even for competitive all-India services examinations. Will a similar technique be adopted in these tests also?

There is a wide variation in Class XII board standards in our country. First a national board of secondary education should be established.

Only then the percentage of marks will be comparable. Raising the IIT entrance bar will only add to the stress on students and narrow down their scope for entry to the prestigious engineering institution. 

Dr YOGENDRA AGNIHOTRI, (via e-mail)

Air-Cmde RAGHUBIR SINGH (retd), Pune

IV

It is encouraging to see that more than six decades after Independence, attention is being paid to modifying our education system. However, first making the Class X board exam optional and now the move to change the eligibility criterion in IIT entrance exam is bound to create confusion and add to the existing mess in our education system.

Students, parents and teachers are not clear as to how to deal with the new education reforms.

K C TANDON, Sirhind

V

There ought to be a healthy and a sincere debate before raising the bar.

As things exist, the state-run schools are not able to compete with the public schools.

While ensuring that only the best are admitted to IITs, equal opportunity should be provided to all students.

B B GOYAL, Ludhiana

What to eat?

Dr Vitull K Gupta wrongly separated obesity from malnourishment (letter, “Combat killer diseases”, Oct 3). A noted nutrition authority says that all patients are malnourished until proven otherwise. Patients not only eat too much but eat the wrong foods as well.

Obesity is the bane of today’s society. In the book Food Becomes You one can learn about how much to eat and drink. Cheerfulness should also be a guest at meals.

Dr SURYA KANTA, Kurukshetra

Terror in Pak Indeed, the western powers use Pakistan as a pawn in the misplaced belief that it will come in handy in the war on terror. How can that be when Pakistan itself is one of the largest exporters of terrorism? (editorial, “Nobody’s friends: Terrorists bite Pak hand that feeds them”, Oct 13). The Pakistan army had been unwilling to strike at the Taliban. However, under enormous pressure of the US it had to announce an offensive against it in tribal areas. The attack on headquarters of the Pakistan army has been carried out in retaliation. Still, the ISI continues to nurture the Taliban and extremist organisations. Various attacks on the NATO supply trucks and the bombing outside the Indian Embassy in Kabul are deliberate attempts of the ISI to hamper the reconstruction process in Afghanistan. Even though the US administration had publicly acknowledged the misappropriation of funds by Pakistan, still more grants and funds are being provided to it. This raises doubts over the US’s sincerity to fight global terrorism. Sooner the western powers realise that Pakistan is the epicentre of global terrorism, more successful they will be in their fight against global terrorism. RAJESH SHARMA, Jalandhar Cantt