MyVoice: Views of our readers 15th March 2022

The English medium myth

Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Germany, France, Russia, Germany, and Israel using exclusively their own languages blow the myth of a connection between English medium and economic prosperity. By making English compulsory in schools and colleges as a medium of instruction, there is a destruction of culture and a deracination of its citizens. By trying to make English medium compulsory at primary level instead of allowing an Indian to reach the highest levels of arts and sciences in any vernacular language of comfort, our state policies are only hastening the demise of the great Indian culture based on Sanskrit and a huge number of vernacular languages (equally or more advanced than English). A destruction which even our colonials could not achieve.

Dr Pingali Gopal, Hanamkonda

Apropos "Telugu teachers face testing time over teaching in English medium" (14 March). English language politics both by the Centre and the state government continues to ruin the future of the students still in school/colleges and those who have completed. Leave alone Telugu teachers, even other languages including those who have completed their studies in English are not fully competent in English language. We can't blame them for being victims of unclear English language policy. Our policy makers continue to treat English as a subject and not as a skill. No wonder English teachers are also asked to teach Social Studies/EVS. If the classroom size is reduced and teachers are allowed to train the children in the English language, we can expect a change. A crash course for two months can't make a teacher competent.

Nagarajan, Hyderabad

EPF Trust stance not justified

Those were the days when EPF contributors were benefited with 12% interest. This rate of interest came down to 9% and now it is brought down further to 8.1%. The claim of the Employees' Provident Fund Trust that still the rate of interest is more than that is offered by the banks makes it clear that the Trust is viewing its activity mainly as a business rather than a Social Security related activity. The Trust has around Rs 9 lakh reserve, out of which it invests around 45% in government securities and around 5% in share market. It earns a good amount every year and therefore it should not be a problem to extend a higher rate of interest to contributors. It is time the government intervenes and ensures a higher rate of interest to its contributors to prove its benevolent character.

AG Rajmohan, Anantapur

Pak concerns on missiles valid

Pakistan raised meaningful questions and India should look into the technical malfunction that led to the accidental firing. Whatever has happened only confirms that in the army merit has been compromised to a large extent. Pakistan saved the subcontinent from unnecessary misery by its presence of mind and wisdom by not jumping to dangerous presumptions. It is now left to us to prove to them that the violation of their air space and putting their lives in danger was indeed an accident caused more by negligence and not by intent. Technical answers sought by them should be taken in a professional sense without needless nose lifts from both sides. We are indeed grateful to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan for its presence of mind. Its very presence is indeed a boon to the subcontinent. Maybe you can your friends there to display the same presence of mind and wisdom to not sponsor terror attacks against Bharat.

CK Subramaniam, Mumbai

That Pakistan seeks joint probe into missile misfiring incident of India is a bit absurd. Pakistan has nothing to do with the incident, though its concern over the lapses is understandable. But India should take a serious note of the misfiring incident and fix the problem so that such blunder should never happen again. There should be zero tolerance for any error in highly sensitive areas like defence of the nation.

Dr DVG Sankararao, Vizianagaram

Gandhis a huge liability for Congress

Won't the Congressmen ever learn? If they're serious about forming an alternative to the BJP government, or, to at least function as an effective opposition so crucial in a democracy, it must be shepherded by somebody who is genuinely interested in the same. The present representatives of the Nehru-Gandhi family have been a colossal failure in infusing life into an organization that seriously lacks life.

Dr George Jacob, Kochi.