III

Price rise and galloping inflation is more due to the corrupt, inefficient, defective and wrong policies of the government and overspending on the part of government. The government raises taxes and prices to meet deficit but makes no efforts to control its expenditure, wastage and leakage of national funds and does not take remedial measures to control scams and scandals.

The assets and wealth of ministers and bureaucrats, who are busy filling their pockets with national wealth, funds and resources as their personal property, have increased almost hundred times. No effort is made to recover the amount from the corrupt. Even if 50% of the ‘loot’ is recovered, inflation can be reduced to quite an extent.

SP SHARMA, Mumbai

IV

There is no competition among the oil companies, they seem to be working as a common pool who always show huge losses as an excuse to raise petrol prices. The government needs to govern petrol prices, use brain bank, cut taxes, give some subsidy and come forward with a relief package much  needed by the middle class.

SS BHATHAL, Ludhiana

V

The government has put the blame on oil companies and global crisis for petrol hike. Can’t the government atleast foresee and have a backup plan ready before any crisis stares them in the face? There is need for better co-operation and coordination between the Centre and states to tackle the situation. The states can help to decrease the prices through various reductions in VAT and sales tax by the state.

PRITHVI PAL SINGH, Dharamshala

Varsity inspections

The news report “PU panel finds 51 colleges violating norms” (May 23) is an index of quality of education in Punjab. What about other universities in Punjab where no inspections are carried out. Under-qualified and under-paid teachers, non-attendance in colleges or dummy admissions, poor infrastructure and poor teaching-learning environment in a significant number of existing teacher training colleges is common in Punjab and other states.

The state government’s top priority during its second term is education and health infrastructure. In Punjab there are only four government B Ed colleges. The department is unable to provide 4 qualified Principals as per UGC norms in these state run colleges. There is only one government college of education under GNDU, Amritsar, which is  not represented in any university body as a member as there is no regular principal appointed by the state. If this is the state of affairs in a govt institution, what would be the plight of other aided or self-financed B Ed colleges.

SANDEEP SINGH, via e-mail

II

Unfortunately, all this has happened due to grant of affiliation to 'C' grade colleges by the university. The university authorities under the relevant statutes must exercise their powers in strict conformity with the provisions of law and in public interest so as to ensure that the cause of education is advanced.

Surprisingly, various DAV Colleges affiliated to Punjab University have been violating the university rules with impunity due to the uncalled for interference of DAV Management, New Delhi, a non-statutory body. However, much to the chagrin of DAV teachers, the concerned university authorities are not merely a mute spectator but also an active player thereby emboldening DAV colleges to perpetuate mismanagement to the detriment of teachers.