Whispers Forum

Recall the ' Sahitya Akademi's awards waapsi controversy, created by 39 writers in 2015, on the ground of the 'Akademi keeping its lips sealed when the writers' purported " freedom of expression was under attack ".The matter had ever since been under examination by the Parliamentary standing committee of Min of Culture, whose recommendations were recently submitted to Parliament. The report, if implemented, will add salt to writers' injuries.
The Parliamentary panel has recommended the Akademi to get prior undertaking from the shortlisted candidates that they would never return the awards, in future. This would be absurd and would hurt the writers' sensibilities and sensitivities. The awards are intellectual and cannot be treated like land deals or agreements.
It may be noteworthy that the works are judged by a body of independent, eminent persons belonging to all Indian regional languages and English from out of several nominations and entries received by it. The supreme decision maker is a 99-member general council consisting of writers, academicians and apolitical representatives and other literary role models from across the country. The Akademi awards are not State-sponsored honours. These are different from Padma awards bestowed by the Government of India, which, more often than not, are considered discretionary (political)
In view of the above circumstances, accepting recommendation of the Parliamentary Standing committee of the union Min of Culture for getting prior concurrence of the potential recipients, would amount to adding insults to injuries of our compatriots - writers, scholars and literary role models—who have selected their works for awards.
How could the writers be asked to compromise their self-esteem? The candidates should be judged on merits of their works rather than ideological affiliations and liabilities.
Let the law makers take the call and save Indian writers from such indignities.
A K Saxena (A former civil servant)

The problem is that in the race to achieve the glory that probably comes with joining the IITs, parents are not thinking of whether their children will be able to cope up with the academic rigour that the IITs have. Students who are ill equipped to join the IITs will tend to not do well once they join there. While this could be so in any group of students, it could possibly be somewhat more in the students who have been given the benefit of quotas to join IITs. The solution to this issue could probably lie in allowing flexibility to the students to change their streams by opting for less competitive streams at IITs if they are unable to cope in the more competitive streams, or allow transfer to other IITs with less rigorous approach without losing academic years, or allow students to choose to have less academic load every semester and have course work spread through holidays or an extra year even before they have started their coursework. Another solution could be to give some credit through coursework in the fields of sports or leadership or co curricular or extracurricular activities in the grade sheet by allowing students from the very first semester to choose some electives of this nature, if they so desire, which could allow them to achieve a better CGPA on their grade sheet. Students might also be given the flexibility to opt for degrees other than engineering which the IITs confer if they find themselves unable to cope with the academic work load in the degrees they have enrolled for. Some other ways to reduce the ill effects of this phenomenon could be to allow students the flexibility to opt for lateral shift to other central universities based on their performance in the JEE advanced without loss of academic years. One way to reduce loneliness and the sense of helplessness that comes when students are unable to cope with academic rigour could come through some credit given in grade sheets through courses designed to help others. For example, a student whose grades are poor might be allowed to take an elective course with a built-in component of social service like teaching in government schools as guest faculty or working as interns in government schemes for the poor. This will allow students to build their self esteem through helping others and also bolster their grade sheets at the same time. More focus on competitive sports, recreational activities and clubs and cultural events could also be a solution to this problem. Socio cultural organizations with nation building at the core of their activities could be allowed on the campuses also. Guest lectures on Indian philosophy, religion and culture could also be increased manifold.
Vijay Kumar

Elections are due in many states and after a few months and in May 2024 the Lok Sabha elections are due. The tenure of a government is 5 years. But the focus of political parties during the last over one-and-half year of their tenure is on how to win elections. Political leaders spend all their energy on preparing poll strategies, holding public meetings etc. During this the atmosphere is repeatedly spoiled as leaders of rival parties target each other. Thus in effect governments waste the last 18-20 months of their tenure in this way.
Ashish Singh

It is time for us to start calling India by its real name, Bharat. Bharat is the real name of India and is the translation of the ancient name, Aryavarta. The name Bharat has been used for India since ancient times. It is time to close the gap between the two names, India and Bharat, and just call our country Bharat.
Nidhi Jain
Female employees can include parents-in-law for availing CGHS benefits
Wrong message...Please go through the OM..It has been allowed for MALE government employees for the first time. Female employees have been enjoying this facility since years.
Swarnendu Singha

The persistent request by the govt to extend the tenure of a high ranking officer in Delhi reminded me of an incident in MP when there was a repeated request to extend the tenure of an Under Secretary in Finance. The then CM wrote on the file:"Iswar na kare ye vyakti kal na rahe". The file did not come back.
B K Saha former Chief Secretary MP
4 officers likely to be promoted as Addl Secretary
The IIS is Indian Information Service and ISS is Indian Statistics Service and NOT what you have mentioned it is not Indian Inspection Service or Indian Supply Service
Ravi Pipal

It is only in the Air, No will not only do rather will not think, every officer knows that our Hon'ble Railway Minister is ex. IAS ,if any officer will resign, his resignation will be accepted immediately.
D D Sharma
"Seema Haidar- from Pakistan with love "
Seema Haidar's case remains a riddle inside an enigma wrapped in mystery ever since it surfaced.
Worse, the Media allowed free access to the accused, triggering wild speculations. Seema's purported conversion into Hinduism, serves as cannon fodder to politicians, robbing the case of all seriousness, it deserves.
Interrogations moving at snail's pace. Thanks to the laidback approach of our intelligence and security agencies. Details of Narco-analysis test, if at all carried out, on the accused is not known.
Handing over Seema's identification documents to Pakistan embassy seems to give the impression that the case has no ISI angle. But, these are mere conjectures. Nothing is shared with the public-at-large.
A breaking news. Strangely, the reverse case of a married indian woman Anju from Alwar (Raj) has surfaced.She reached Pakistan via Wagah border,to meet her facebook boy friend Nasrulla in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
There is striking dis-similarity in two cases between the two sub-continental cousins.Anju followed rules and carried all travel documents including Pakistani Visa.Legal formalities completed.Pakistan cannot label her as RAW's agent. Seema- Sachin story in reverse.
No wonder,at this rate,we may have more such cases of cross-border love affairs,conversions of faiths culminating in marriages in the times to come ,between two hostile neighbours.
A K Saxena (A former Civil Servant)

Whispersinthecorridor.com has the reputation of providing both sides of the coin. Transferring honest and good officers before their term is over or to a lower-level position is a common practise in both the state and federal governments, and the railways are no exception. Straight branches are chopped first, which is the norm and is religiously followed. The Prime Minister should personally investigate such practises, which were also prevalent in the Banking system and have been reduced to nil to fixed tenure, which has increased credibility.
Rita Mohuta

Unless the Information Commission imposes a penalty, the RTI Act will lose effectiveness and there would be no fear of any action being taken for acts of omission. Was the head of office not aware that the user name and password of RTI is unavailable? If yes, what action did he/she take? Should the head of office not be liable for action? In most such cases, the Information Commission takes an easy path and lets the guilty off the hook. Good of you to bring out the case which would generate some discussions amongst the people.
Shamsher Singh

Has the enemy from the seema-paar fired a low-cost weapon which has the potential of the cluster bomb? While India is under the swooning effect of the charm offensive, and the TV channels run their usual business, someone needs to think the choice of the Indian partner, his ST status, elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and the Lok Sabha elections in 2024. Above all the Hon’ble President has been petitioned for mercy by a woman in distress at home and romantic relationship. Besides she has brought 4 children. There is too much in this charm offensive.
M L Gupta