Tags:
Journalism of Courage
Does P.V. Indiresan actually suggest selecting certain schools and putting limits on how many students are admitted to the Indian Institutes of Technology from these schools 8216;Testing a great institution8217;, IE, December 12? Surely the biggest advantage of the entrance examination is that we measure candidates on a nearly level playing field. If the writer claims that paying for coaching classes is a difference, then imagine the process of preselecting schools and having tests/interviews to measure social skills. How could someone from a rural background ever measure up to someone from a big city?
8212; Abhi Singh On e-mail
8212; Sanjeev Manral On e-mail
Power equations
Electricity would definitely be a major input for human development index augmentation, as brought out by Jasjit Singh 8216;Get clear about nuclear8217;, IE, December 10. Of the various alternatives, nuclear power generation seems to be most attractive. However, we must prefer indigenous technology instead of overdependence on imports, for obvious reasons. Local conditions, natural resources and the geo-political scenario have to be examined for power production. There is no doubt that in times to come renewable and non-polluting sources of energy will be highly recommended. We must therefore exploit all available avenues of hydel power generation. India also has immense potential to realise much of its energy needs from solar power and ocean thermal energy conversion.
8212; Raghubir Singh Pune
Contracting loyalty
This refers to your editorial 8216;Empire of spoils8217; December 12. It is indeed a bizarre step the US took to ban two-thirds of the world from assisting in the rebuilding of Iraq. This is not the first time that the US has acted in a unilateral manner to protect its interests. Newly independent India had to learn the hard way how the US acts to protect its interests. To oppose the former Soviet Union, Pakistan was chosen as a frontline ally. This relationship gave Pakistan confidence in its belligerent acts against India. As for Iraq, George W. Bush launched his war on the principle that if you are not with me the American administration, you are with the enemy. This slogan was not only applied to the international community but at home too. Well, Bush managed to topple Saddam Hussein8217;s regime and also destroyed the infrastructure of Iraq. Now that the time to rebuild Iraq has arrived, once again that 8220;if you are not with me, you are with the enemy8221; criterion is being applied to not only India, but to NATO members too.
8212; Arvind Amin On e-mail
To defect or not
Defections should be banned in principle 8216;Bill against defectors, jumbo Cabinets soon8217;, IE, December 12. Once elected on a political party8217;s symbol, a legislator should not be able to defect to another party without contesting an election afresh on the new party8217;s ticket.
8212; Surendran On e-mail
