This refers to the news report “Discussion on new education policy to start in January” (September 12). The education system we have right now in the world began in 1900s for the benefit of the industrial revolution. That’s the reason the top subjects are mathematics, science, languages and the least favoured are the humanities.

When children don’t make mistakes, how will they think originally? Look at the lakhs of engineering graduates who are without a job. They are sitting at home playing video games. This is a situation created by our system, which include parents, government and an education model that did not care about creativity.

But jobs are hard to find because of lack of original thinking. When we stop being creative we stop learning. Let’s give importance to creativity in our new education policy as we did for literacy. Let’s teach song, dance and painting in our schools for a positive change.

CR Arun

e-mail

Well begun

This refers to your editorial ‘Well begun’ (September 12). Well begun is half done. There is nothing wrong in relaxing the KYC norms for the sake of financial inclusion. After all, the KYC norms are there to prevent fraud and money laundering and in small accounts the chances of fraud and money laundering are rare.

Since nationalisation, banks have been successfully used for many government schemes, like the Lead Bank scheme, service area approach, priority-sector lending and many poverty alleviation programmes.

When the Government under the new regime is determined to implement financial inclusion and use these accounts for direct credit of subsidy, no doubt that this goal will be achieved. S Kalyanasundaram

Chennai

You have rightly brushed some of the criticism aside, saying that the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) has the basic ingredients for success. With its kick-start by the Prime Minister resulting in a whopping 1.5 crore bank accounts opened on the first day itself, financial inclusion has received a new push, besides giving access of bank accounts to the impoverished.

This enables the government to transfer cash directly to the beneficiaries without having any the role by the middlemen.

HP Murali

Bangalore

The true success of the PMJDY lies not in attaining the numerical targets but in delivering sustainable financial access to the account holders. However, it cannot be denied that PMJDY was launched with much fanfare only because of the Prime Minister's active involvement. As banks' staff are reasonably trained and well-equipped to open fraud-free accounts, the question of opening fake ones are considerably reduced.

If all concerned act in the letter and spirit of the PMJDY, its purpose will be served and millions of the marginalised will be brought to banking. It is banks’ bitter experience that there are a good number of delinquent borrowers among the affluent. The overdrafts to be granted to the rural folk will come back if they are lent complying with the stipulated norms.

C G Kuriakose

Kothamangalam, Kerala

Off track

The Railways Ministry is yet to meet the promises made in this year’s Railway budget. For instance the food served on long distance trains is mediocre. The snacks served are also ordinary. One wonders what happened to the Railways proposal to out source the catering to the ITC Group, MTR and Haldirams?

If this is not enough one also has to put up with rodents and other pests inside the compartments. Has the Railways forgotten that there is something called pest control? On my recent trip to Chennai on the Shatabdi Express I also found to my dismay that the toilet was clogged and dirty. All this after coughing up an exorbitant fare!

NJ Ravi Chander

Bangalore

Erratum

b In ‘Scanner’ published in cat.a.lyst of September 12, the photo of the wrong Cruiser model accompanied the description of Cruiser Luxus pen. The error is regretted.

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