Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore   

Fleecing students

This refers to the report (June 7) about the government’s warning to self-financing engineering colleges against collecting from students excessive money at the time of admission.

This (the warning) has become a regular annual feature. It is a ploy to make innocent people believe that the government has been doing its best to curb the practice of taking huge capitation fees for popular courses.

It is a well-known fact that leaders of all political parties have been indirecly involved in collecting excessive money from students. The government pretends to be ignorant of this or it underplays its seriousness. Occasionally, it punishes a few poorly maintained institutions.

Even aided educational institutions sell seats in popular courses for lakhs of rupees in the management quota.

If a government clerk takes a bribe of Rs. 200 the official is arrested.

But fleecing students of lakhs of rupees by private professional colleges goes unpunished or even unnoticed.

S. Mahalingam,

Erode.

French is an optional language at the higher secondary level. But those who opt for the subject are forced to pay an additional fee by some private schools, citing difficulty in finding teachers for the subject and also because of having to cough up huge sums to those available on a part time basis. It is a pity that students who score the highest marks in the higher secondary examination with French or Hindi as the second language are not recognised as toppers.

While appreciating the government’s eagerness to promote Tamil, one would wish that students are not made to feel they are being penalised for choosing French or Hindi.

J. George Vincent,

Arisipalayam.

Though there is a common lavatory on Tippu Sultan Road in Sathyamangalam, some people ease

themselves on the

roadside.

Municipal authorities

should take action against this and blacktop the road immediately to facilitate

easy movement of

vehicles and pedestrians.

G.N. Devaraj,

Bhavanisagar.

It would have been a surprise if the Tamil Nadu Assembly members had behaved in an orderly way on the opening day. As anticipated, there have been walkouts, shouting, provocation and other violent modes of communication. The members have been elected after spending considerable amount of public money and time and if they do not behave themselves, it is an insult to those who elected them.

I suggest that every member take a solemn oath not to disturb the proceedings of the House and also to avoid violent words and acts. People and media should avoid members who behave in an unruly way in the Assembly.

V.S. Venkatavaradan,

Salem.

Southern Railway and the Indian Railway websites

have been inaccessible for more than six months and the message “this is not an authorised website to access Indian Railways information. For authentic information please go to the Indian Railways website. Or click here to continue...” is displayed.

But wherever one clicks the same message is displayed repeatedly.

Because of this, for any enquiry, one has to use IRCTC’s website. Southern Railway websites are useful to check reservation availability, trains between stations,

PNR status etc.

I wonder why it has remained unchecked for so many months.

I request the authorities concerned to correct the error immediately.

K. Ramakrishnan,

Salem.

This is with reference to the letter ‘New hopes’ (June 15) by V.S. Venkatavaradan in which he hopes that the Members of Parliament will behave in an orderly way. They should set an example for others to follow.

As suggested by him, the

MPs while taking oath should also solemnly state that they will not disturb the proceedings and that they will obey the order of the Speaker.

Now we have a woman as the Speaker and men should behave with dignity and decorum.

Women members who want 33 per cent reservation should also cooperate with the Speaker and ensure that the proceedings are conducted in peace and harmony.

N. Sreedharan,

Salem.

I wanted a survey map from Salem Municipal Corporation. On May 28 I filled up a form and submitted my application along with the required fee. On June 2 the map was ready.

I got it without paying any bribe. Hats off to the Commissioner in making Salem Corporation corruption free.

C.V. Ravindranath,

Salem.

(Readers can mail to

cbereaders@thehindu.co.in with address

and phone number)

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