Spiritual rise

Harish Dhillon’s middle ‘The purpose of suffering’ (March 23) was rich in understanding the philosophy of life. If we surrender ourselves before Him, the great mysticism of life is solved and the individual’s pains and sufferings become His. One must lift oneself spiritually and pray, “Oh God ! I only long for one thing. If you can give me something, give me sorrow, then I can always be in touch with you, since I fear I may forget you in my pleasure”.

Charles Dickens said, “Suffering has been stronger than all other teaching, and has taught me to understand what your heart used to be. I have been bent and broken, but- I hope- into a better shape”.

Robert Browning Hamilton beautifully portraits, “ I walked a mile with pleasure, she chattered all the way; But left me none the wiser, for all she had to say. I walked a mile with sorrow, and ne’er a word said she; But oh, the things I learnt from her; when sorrow walked with me.’’

SUSHMA KUMARI, Hamirpur (HP)

Another VDIS

The Indian tax structure is responsible for creating inequality as there is a big difference between the government’s revenue collections from direct and indirect sources of tax. Only 3.5 crore people pay their income tax to the Government in India.

Fiscal deficit targeted at 5.1 per cent of GDP in 2012-13 is down from 5.9 per cent in 2011-12. More resources are required to execute welfare programmes and to reduce the budget deficit as well. Therefore, the finance ministry should introduce the Voluntary Disclosure of Income Scheme (VDIS) again for a second time. It was a successful scheme launched in 1997-98 by P. Chidambaram, then Union Finance Minister. Over 3,50,000 people had disclosed their income and assets under the scheme, which created revenue of Rs 7,800 crore..

TILAK SHARMA, Hamirpur (HP)

Gateway to good life

The decision of the Cabinet committee on economic affairs for starting teacher training centres at the block level, where SCs/ STs and minorities are concentrated, to meet the Right to Education target is appreciable (News item ‘Now, teaching training centres at block level’, March 25).

But another Herculean task in the remote areas would be ensuring attendance of students in the schools. What would the teachers do if there are no students in the class?

The admissions under RTE are not getting a good response from school heads. Poor families are reluctant to send their wards to the school because they are their bread earners irrespective of the child labour law in force.

There hardly has been any action against schools that do not follow under the RTE Act. If the Rs 70,000 crore-grant marked for Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan is paid in the form of cash to poor families in lieu of sending their wards to schools, it can give a boost to school admissions. 

Only then the purpose of giving training to teachers would be really useful to achieve the  RTE target.

HARISH K. MONGA, Ferozepur

II

Teachers recruited on ad hoc basis in schools and rightly labelled as ‘guest faculty’ have started claiming their right on these positions and posts. Adopting the path of agitation and demonstrations to press upon their claim to get employment appears ridiculous.

The High Court decision directing the government to start the selection process and recruit persons who have cleared the required tests should be implemented at the earliest so that deserving candidates get jobs. If the guest teachers are allowed to continue, it would breed discontentment and rebellion in the minds of persons who ably deserve the posts.

SANJEEV TRIKHA, Fatehabad