Myanmar and democracy
I commend The Hindu’s recent coverage of Myanmar and the question of how peace can be achieved. The old approach of Myanmar’s neighbours was to indulge the murderous and venal Sit-tat/Tatmadaw for fear of complete anarchy. However understandable that view was, the Sit-tat is now the principal source of chaos. Some in India — inter alia in this daily’s pages (‘Parley’ – Opinion page, “Should India review its Myanmar policy in view of the humanitarian crisis?”, July 5) — have started to demand a less passive Indian policy. They should, more boldly, embrace the cause of a federal democracy as the only path to peace. Caution but prolongs the agony. Today, the people of Myanmar are bombed, beaten, robbed, and raped. But they have shown that they can only be governed by consent.
J.P. Loo,
Oxford, U.K.
On NEET
In settling for NEET counselling from the third week of July, the government seems to have assumed that there will be a favourable judicial order. It was not long ago that the Chief Justice of India had said that cancelling the examinations already held could affect the lives of 23 lakh students.
Choosing IIT Madras to look into the extent of malpractices was a wise move.
The data from a credible agency like the IIT would certainly help the top court in its decision making.
However the National Testing Agency should treat the entire episode as a warning to set its house in order. The conduct of such examinations must not be taken lightly and there should be the required checks at all levels.
Gopalaswamy J.,
Chennai
There is much space being given to ‘pro-retest for NEET 2024’ letters, without understanding the ground-level reverberations. The voices of students who appeared for the test well prepared and who scored high marks in NEET 2024 need to be heard too.
Dr. P. Suresh,
Namakkal, Tamil Nadu
The examination system
Nothing seems to be going right as far as competitive examinations are concerned.
The trajectory of events in examinations from NEET(UG) to the UPSC-civil services now (Inside pages, “Controversial probationary IAS officer joins duty, July 12) is appalling. These issues should be scrutinised and the facts presented to the public. The question ‘why is this happening with the education sector’ needs to be answered.
Sreyas M. Purackal,
Kozhikode, Kerala
The NEET scandal has highlighted the need for systemic reform in India’s education sector. The centralised exam model has exacerbated the pressure on students. India’s diverse educational landscape needs a more flexible and nuanced approach. Decentralising exams and empowering State boards could foster a more equitable system. India’s future depends on it.
Lakshminarayanan P.,
Chennai
