This is with reference to the cover story box ‘Why principals prefer CISCE’ (EW December 2003).
Dr. K.P. Gopalakrishna, chairman, NPS group of schools, Bangalore, has remarked that in the CBSE curriculum science and mathematics syllabuses are very strong as compared to those of CISCE. This is a fallacy, a myth floated by vested interests and very damaging to our board. As a matter of fact, our alumni are the most successful people in almost all fields the world over and occupy the best positions.
Our syllabuses are more challenging than the syllabuses of any other boards in India because there is greater emphasis on the development and testing of thinking skills and creativity in the students. Our syllabuses are constantly revised and updated by a team of experts not only in the subject concerned but also in education per se.
A comparative study of the science and mathematics syllabuses of the CBSE and CISCE boards was conducted some time ago. The study found that CISCE syllabuses were in no way inferior to those of the CBSE and prepared candidates well for the competitive tests for entry into the best institutions for professional education at the national level.
We take strong exception to the remarks of Dr. Gopalakrishna as these are uncalled for. He runs not one but two schools affiliated to the CISCE and thus is familiar with our system and syllabuses. It would be in the fitness of things that to arrive at a fair estimation of our syllabuses, Dr. Gopalakrishna conducts a study comparing the CISCE syllabuses with those of other boards.
[B]Rita Wilson[/B] Deputy Secretary,CISCE Board New Delhi
Ill-informed observation
I read your special report ‘Stemming the tide of campus violence’ (EW November) with great interest. I would like to comment on a remark Ms. Puja Rawat has made in the report: “In foreign countries ragging is meant to toughen freshers. Indian youth lack the mental toughness of their western counterparts…†In an otherwise excellent article I think the above observation has no substance. I went to college in India (B.Tech) and to the US for my Masters. I felt the American campus was much more secure. Ragging does exist in the US, as far as I know, but only when one joins a fraternity (a voluntary students club), and even there it isn’t the norm. When there is no ragging, where’s the question of “toughening freshersâ€? I don’t think the remark has any basis in reality. Krishna Pagadala on e-mail Elitist education board Your cover story on the CISCE board (December) was too complimentary and uncritical. If unlike the Japanese, Germans, Chinese etc we have not been able to develop interest in our national language, i.e Hindi, a large share of the blame must be laid on CISCE which has kept the flag of the colonial language flying high during the past half century. In addition it is also true that CISCE is a very choosy board which awards affili-ation to well-endowed schools for children of the rich. Clearly Mr. Editor, you yourself are biased in favour of English medium education which excludes the great majority of India’s children. That’s why you are all praise for this elitist education board. Abhijit Singh Kanpur In praise of CBSE Before i express my views on the editorial and the cover story on the Council for Indian Schools Certificate Examination (CISCE) (December 2003), I would sincerely like to convey my gratitude to you for so thoughtfully gifting us the world of education through EducationWorld. The achievements of the CISCE have been projected very convincingly. My purpose here is to highlight the unique features of CBSE which is the only board that offers provision for autonomy to deserving and eligible schools that desire academic excellence without any interference. CBSE is also the first board to introduce innovations in examinations, like question papers in custody of nationalised banks, multiple sets of question papers, and nodal evaluation centers, for different subjects, with the system of evaluators evaluating given questions rather than the entire answer papers. The CBSE regularly prepares and adds new optional subjects. The latest additions are multimedia and web technology, biotechnology and intro-duction of practicals in accountancy. I agree with your observation that “due to the sustained education upgradation efforts of… the CISCE and the CBSE… the quality of education dispensed by India’s front-rank schools, is on a par with the best in the worldâ€. If this is so why the scramble for IB or affiliations with foreign universities? Even before the birth of Harrow and Eton, during the Vedic period India offered unique education for holistic development. It is this ancient cultural heritage that we have to maintain and foster. Mahipatsinhji Jadeja on e-mail Disappointing edit Congratulations on completing four years of educating and enlightening readers. The cover page of the anniversary issue (November) looks attractive and busy, unlike some previous issues which looked quite bland. But I was a bit disappointed in your newly introduced editorial page. The editorial(s) seem to lack the punch of the Direct Talk column. I must also take issue about the way Shirin Ebadi’s example has been quoted and compared to the Indian context. You are right when you say she is the epitome of courage, dedication and human rights activism. But I don’t quite agree with you that the Muslim community in India is being cornered by Hindu fundamentalists. Consider these facts: In the entire world there is only one country for Hindus i.e Hindustan/ Bharat or India, while the Muslims have numerous countries which are self-declared Islamic states (including Pakistan and Bangladesh). But still Muslims in India don’t want to let Hindus build a temple in the only land mass available to them. If there was a “liberal majority†within the Muslim community in India, things wouldn’t have come to such a sorry state. I have my own doubts whether your editorial will reach the right people to motivate them to lead the uneducated and intolerant Muslim majority in India.
Rahul Vasisht on e-mail
