GDCW pride
I was delighted to learn that my alma mater — Government Degree College for Women, Begumpet, Hyderabad — is ranked among India’s Top 3 government autonomous colleges in the EW India Higher Education Rankings 2023-24 (EW April).
Congratulations to principal Dr. Padmavathi, faculty and students for continuing the GDCW tradition of empowering women with quality higher education.
I was also pleasantly surprised to discover from the distinguished alumni information provided on the college website, that many alumnae have taken up teaching as a profession. Kudos to them for taking up the challenge of educating the next generation!
Renuka Reddy on email
USPs suggestion
Congratulations for publishing the comprehensive EW India Higher Education Rankings 2023-24 (EW April). At a time when UGC has allowed foreign universities to set up campuses in India, the country’s best higher education institutions need to be acknowledged and celebrated.
However as a well-wisher, I have a suggestion for conducting your interviews more innovatively. Without doubt the managements of the Top 3 colleges and universities are bound to have positive reactions. But given that print space is precious, perhaps you could consider highlighting 5 USPs of these stellar educational institutions to enable school-leavers and graduate students to make informed higher education decisions.
Himanshu Jain
Mumbai
For this they need to study parameter scores in the league tables which are presented in detail — Editor
Gritty young achiever
Thanks for highlighting the achievements of promising sailor Preethi Kongara in your Young Achiever section (EW April).
Her story of grit and determination against all odds is inspiring. It’s heartening to read that she greatly values the importance of education for success in life. Wishing her a sea of opportunities!
Kannagi Maria
Chennai
Important omission
I wish to draw your attention to the misrepresentation of India’s map in your magazine (EW April). Although you have taken the trouble of including the Andaman and Nicobar Islands this time, you have failed to include the Union territory of Lakshadweep. However small this region is, it belongs to the Indian Union.
Let’s get our geography right!
Madhavan Iyer
Kozhikode
Sorry — Editor
Flawed recruitment system
In the insightful Expert Comment essay ‘Transfer sword over government school teachers’ (EW April), Prof. Krishna Kumar has rightly questioned why government schools are denied the privilege of school-based teacher recruitment which private schools enjoy.
The centralised teacher recruitment and transfers system for government schools invests tremendous power in the hands of bureaucrats and politicians which they will never give up. The many teacher recruitment scams that surface with monotonous regularity are more than enough proof that this system needs to be replaced, and fast.
Mitali Basu
Kolkata
Corruption sword
The Delhi Education News report ‘No let up in education reform’ (EW April) seems to side-step the fact that several AAP leaders are facing allegations of corruption.
First, Manish Sisodia and now chief minister Arvind Kejriwal are under the CBI scanner for allegedly favouring liquor traders. If these allegations are true, it won’t be long before corruption creeps into the much-hyped Delhi school education model as well.
Cinthya Anand
New Delhi
Time to reboot NAAC!
Re your editorial ‘Time to end higher ed infantilisation’ (EW April), the resignation of NAAC chairperson Bhushan Patwardhan has indeed opened up a can of worms. Patwardhan’s allegations of “malpractices” at NAAC, call for not just urgent introspection but also immediate action. Several mediocre colleges and universities have been awarded highest NAAC grades. Many gullible students and parents get taken by high NAAC grades and make their admission decisions.
The Union education ministry needs to protect the interests of students and immediately initiate a thorough clean-up and reboot NAAC.
Bablu Srivastava on email