Congratulations for your first all-colour issue of EducationWorld. Quite frankly when the first issues of EW were published I had privately predicted its early demise. But I am pleased to note that you are going from strength to strength. Who knows, you might even attain some of your seemingly grandiose targets!

Aptly your first colour issue covers the vital implications of the Kapil Sibal Committee’s recommendations. This important report has received negligible coverage in the mainstream press which seems unconcerned about the radical changes being recommended in the vital elementary and secondary school education systems.

Although Sibal, who as you have repeatedly stressed in your cover feature, is a legal heavyweight in his own right, is of the opinion that the Supreme Court’s judgement in Inamdar’s Case which upheld the right of unaided professional college managements to regulate the admission and fee structures of their institutions, is not applicable to schools and colleges, I beg to differ. The SC judgement is applicable to all education institutions. Mr. Sibal is living in a dream world if he believes that the highest court will permit state and municipal governments to appropriate a 25 percent quota in privately promoted schools. Instead he should advise the state and local governments to informally negotiate with private schools at the local level.

As you have rightly argued the prime duty of government is to upgrade its own 900,000 plus primary and secondary schools, not to grab quotas in private schools promoted with standards and objectives which are personal to their promoters.

Rakesh Shukla 
Delhi

Also read: Kapil Sibal’s ambitious education reforms agenda

All colour surprise

I was pleasantly surprised when I saw the latest issue of EducationWorld. The magazine looks fantastic. I’d like to congratulate you on going full colour; the magazine is now comparable with any other mainstream publication.

Upto now though your content was well researched and presented, the magazine lacked allure because the printing was in two colour and had only black and white photographs. Now with your full colour printing format, quality content, readable layout, it is only a matter of time before EW gives mainstream magazines like India Today, Outlook, etc a run for their money.

Keep up the good work and all the best.

Sudarshan Shetty
Mangalore

Rustom Irani Foundation awards

I would like to introduce myself as the history teacher from St. Joseph’s Boys School Bangalore who was a finalist in your TCS-EducationWorld annual awards earlier this year (EW June).

The purpose of this letter is to share with you my experiences of another teacher awards competition which concluded in early September. The Rustom Irani Foundation, Mumbai conducted a nationwide contest titled “Unsung Heroes… No Longer” to honour teachers across the country.

There were regional contests in six cities. The first two winners from each city were invited to Mumbai for the final round of interviews. Having won the Bangalore round, I participated in the finals and made it to the top five. But it was not so much the contest itself, but the commendably philanthropic attitude of the Rustom Irani family and the great respect they showed every teacher which deeply impressed me.

The foundation’s aim is to draw attention to this neglected profession and honour teachers everywhere. They flew all outstation teachers in and out of Mumbai, lodged us in executive suites at the Marine Plaza Hotel on Marine Drive and staged the final assessment and interviews at the NCPA (National Centre for the Performing Arts) with a galaxy of high profile judges from different fields. The winners received cash prizes starting at Rs.1 lakh. All this with no expectations of any sort from any one of us.

With reference to EducationWorld, every month I read your magazine cover to cover, and wish more teachers would do the same. However currently it is a “class” magazine and not meant for the “masses”. I sincerely feel that adding articles of interest to ordinary teachers without diluting its content would see your subscription numbers soar. I also hope you will enlarge and enhance the scope of your teachers awards next year without losing focus on innovation so that many more teachers can benefit from the collective wisdom of their peers.

Gowri Mirlay Achanta
Bangalore

Different perspective

The leisure and travel feature on Punjab (EW September) was very interesting. The article showcased a state known for its hardworking, cheerful and innovative people in a totally different perspective. The only known attraction in Punjab was the Golden Temple and Jallianwala Bagh at Amritsar.

But thanks to this feature we learnt about several other interesting sites in the state including the Sangrur Diwankhana, Fategarh Sahib and Naina Devi temple. But while the article is quite informative I was surprised how some destinations like Patiala, Pathankot and Ambala have been ignored totally. There should have been at least a passing mention of these places.

As an avid traveler I find your articles very informative. I would not have known about the several exotic and far flung locales had they not been featured in EW. Other magazines and news-papers typically profile only popular tourist circuits which hold no allure for me.

Last but not least EducationWorld in full colour looks fabulous and I hope the new format is here to stay.

Jayasimha S.R.
Bangalore