Friday, March 29, 2024
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Whither our National Anthem?

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Editor,

Since the opening of the Digital Multiplex theatres here in Shillong, we are much blessed and enjoy the  premiere launch of movies with other states and countries of the world. I applaud the Gold Cinema at Police Bazaar and The Galleria Cinema (formerly known as Anjalee cinema) for giving us an entertainment and relaxation. Yes, they are excellent and almost at par with big theatre giants around India. To name a few – PVR Cinemas, Inox Cinemas, Jazz Cinemas, IMAX etc., and others who are big giants in the giant screen. The point I wish to make is this. Why is it that these giant cinemas around the country always have the National Anthem playing on the screen before starting their movies? I was dumbstruck when I visited a PVR cinema recently where the National Anthem was played. The person sitting beside me looked at me curiously as he saw that I was in awe and like a dumb spectator at an orchestra. I stood up instantly and at that moment when the National Anthem was played a sense of patriotism swept over me. Once the National Anthem was over, the person asked me, “What happened?”

I was ashamed but had to tell him that the National Anthem was never played in any of our theatres in Shillong. He seemed irritated and stated that its a mandatory on every theatre there that they should play the National Anthem before the start of the movie. The story did not end there. All the metro cities from Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, you name it, all play the National Anthem before the start of a movie.  My question therefore is why the cinema halls in Shillong have stopped playing the National Anthem. In the earlier years it was always played so why did it stop suddenly?

It’s an honour to pay our respects to our country by playing the National Anthem. I look forward to hearing it being played again in Shillong’s theatres. After all, we are Indians and a spirit of national pride and patriotism should be inculcated in the heart of every Indian!

Yours etc.,

Chanmiki Ezra Laloo

Via Email

NCERT text books – Visa to JEE,NEET

Editor,

Apropos Nissar Fazil’s letter “Use of unauthorized NCERT text books,” (ST Jan 18, 2020), contrary to the worries of the writer, I feel we are blessed and should be happy about using the NCERT text books. You may ask why it so? The MBOSE Science text books are replete with errors, fanciful explanations, unheard of experiments that have never been performed at all. It is surprising how VK Sally and SK Agarwal had convinced the MBOSE authorities to recommend their books. NCERT text books provide a sound background for students wishing to sit for the NEET and JEE entrance tests for Medical and Engineering courses respectively. That students of Class VI to VIII are reading the NCERT text books is heartening. Mr Fazil does not seem to know the recent developments in the Education Department led by Mr Lahkmen Rymbui. Four letters to the editor appearing back to back in The Shillong Times about the pack of lies in all the text books from Class IX to XII, from June to August had produced results. The Minister finally had to eat humble pie and to quietly introduce the much desired NCERT text books used for CBSE students in Class XI.  Had the minister acknowledged the error long back then the CBSE Physics text book would have been introduced in Classes IX , X and XII  in this academic year itself.

I have heard teachers complain about MBOSE text books in Mathematics, Chemistry and Biology as well. So Nissar Fazil your discovery of the use of NCERT text books which is in fact a blessing is a bit too late because by the next academic year MBOSE will be using purely the NCERT books. I take this opportunity to thank the 16 JNU and IIT professors with two Higher Secondary teachers, who, I believe, are moderators, for the books with full syllabus coverage and down to earth explanations, even on the dual nature of light, a chapter we covered in MSc in the 1970’s.

              Only one nagging question remains: Who in the Education Department approved the MBOSE texts of Sally and Agarwal and the Mehta brothers? Did he/she go through the texts before torturing our children who aim to study MBBS and Engineering or just want to become scientists? Perhaps money has changed hands to create hell for lakhs of our dear children, especially children of farmers and daily wage earners who could never afford to attend coaching classes. Of the MBOSE toppers of the 2019 batch, only those who could afford JEE and NEET coaching could make it. Those from poor backgrounds missed the bus in spite of ST concessions. Let me also apprise the Education Minister of one fact. For Classes IX AND X comprehensive Physics, teachers with BSc Hons, (Physics or Maths) can no longer teach. By this I mean that any teacher who makes Physics boring is not a good teacher. And CBSE IX and X must have teachers that are post graduates. For Classes XI and XII, I cannot blame the post graduate teachers for the simple reason that NEHU did not have a Professor in Electronics since 1984, when Dr. Sisodia left to teach in the USA. Electronics and Electro-magnetic radiation is a vast subject and in the absence of a strong foundation it is not easy at all to learn and understand.

Yours etc.,

Wandell Passah,

Via email

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