Delhi’s Education Minister Arvinder Singh is a busy man these days as the admission season is on in Delhi. While Delhi’s parents still prefer public schools the Education Minister has strong faith in government’s education system. In an exclusive and detailed talk with the fachcha.com the Education Minister asks ‘tell me how many civil servants have public school background’. His priorities are clear that every student in Delhi should get admission. Excerpts:
fachcha.com: Board examinations for 12th and 10th classes are going to start after few weeks what is your message?
AS: I would like to say all the students that they should not panic. They do the best in their examination. Everybody has worked hard for their better results. It is time to harvest their work without any panic. They should consult their teachers in case of any difficulty and confusion and concentrate themselves on studies.

fachcha.com: Last year government schools have performed much better. But there is common perception that there is qualitative difference between government and private schools?

AS: That is not true. Children of government schools are much better than public schools. They have given much better results not just in terms of quantity but quality too. Caliber of any child can not be measured on the basis of their schools. It varies from child to child and not from school to schools. Tell me, how many civil servants have public school background? Go and see the selection list of Civil Services and IIT and other merit lists you will find majority of selected candidates belong to government schools. This is enough to say about the quality of government schools.

fachcha.com: As a Sports Minister of Delhi what is your preparation for Commonwealth Games?
AS: We are providing training, coaching to the students with potential. We have selected 74 students with such potential for 2010 Games. They are getting training in wrestling, Athletics, Swimming, Tennis, Shooting and Hockey to ensure their seats in national team of Commonwealth Games. I hope that they will earn maximum number of medals during the games. Delhi has been best performer among all states in National School Games for last three consecutive years.

fachcha.com: What about the life skill learning through YUVA?
AS: It has been widely appreciated. We have made several changes too in it. Whatever objections raised earlier about it, have been removed from YUVA.

fachcha.com: Getting admission for their wards in schools is still a difficult task for parents? They are still worried about admission for their children? What are you doing in this regard?
AS: See, the parents are just worried about 10-12 schools and matter of fact is that all children can not get admission in these 10-12 ‘prestigious’ schools. Our aim is that every child should get admission and nobody left.

fachcha.com: The government is planning for opening public schools too?
AS: Yes, we are in the process of starting three public schools. We have identified Civil Lines, Defence Colony and East Delhi for Government Public Schools.

fachcha.com: Is it not an elitist attitude of the government? On one side government say that government schools are better on other side the government is ready to open public school. Is it not a kind of dichotomy?
AS: No, There are several reasons for opening of such schools. First, this will end the claim or perception of the people that government cannot open and run Public School. Second, new public schools are not coming out in the city as DDA has changed the land allotment scheme and started auctioning land for school or educational institution. But people are not ready to open schools by getting land through auction but they go for a university or professional colleges or institutes instead. Third, people are coming to us to get their ward’s admission in the Pratibha Vidyalaya. But as per rule only children from the government schools can get admission in such schools. The proposed schools will open for all. But its fee will be higher than the government schools as these will be self-sustainable. Government will make funding only for one time for such schools. We will run such school on the experimental basis if it is successful we can increase its number.

R B Singh, Senior scholar and teacher of Geography at prestigious Delhi School of Economics (DSE), Delhi University and Secretary General of National Association of Geographers, India (NAGI) has worked a lot on Himalaya region, climate and glaciers. He has been guide for several projects and researches related to glaciers too. In an exclusive and detailed interaction with fachcha.com he revealed various aspects about climate change, glaciers and Delhi’s environment. Excerpts:

fachcha.com: We are facing unusual winter this year. Is the cycle of weather or season is changing?

RBS: Whatever signals and signs we are getting indicate that it is changing. 90’s was the hottest decade in the history. It has been proved by records too. There is increasing tendency of extreme weather. Events like cloud brust, flash flood, heavy rain, drought, devastating flood etc. have increased.

fachcha.com: What is the role of global warming in it?
RBS: See, increase in such kind of trend is not limited to India only. It has no boundary. Several countries in Europe, Latin America, Asia and other continent are affected by these developments. This is a clear sign that global warming has a big role in it.

fachcha.com: How would you describe the changes in weather and climate?
RBS: One thing is very clear that it is extending further. In other words it is moving forward. For example, there were 2-3 Western disturbances in Delhi and surrounding areas few years ago but it has increased upto 5-6 Western disturbances. Last year, the Western disturbances were appeared till May and caused rain. But earlier it used to appear in December, January and February only. I would like to use the term ‘climatic variables’ for these. These ‘variables’ have been increasing.

fachcha.com: There are four seasons in India – Summer, Monsoon, Winter and Spring. With the extended winter do you think that spring or India’s favourite ‘Basant’ has been vanishing slowly?

RBS: It needs a long time to predict about such kind of change in climate or season. We need at least 30 years’ observation to reach to some concrete conclusion. But yes, on the basis of observations for last six-seven years I can say that the span of spring has reduced by at least six to 10 days. We start facing hotter days much earlier after winter. On the other hand span of winter has increased.

fachcha.com: Would you say that it is again related to global warming?
RBS: Certainly. It relates to global warming. Global warming has some relation with extreme weather and uncertain behaviour of nature.

fachcha.com: What would you say about recent controversy on the issue of global meltdown?
RBS: This IPCC controversy is unnecessary and unwarranted. The situation of climate, glaciers are changing so the assessment too. We are lacking infrastructure to get accurate conclusion. Even, we are unable to do exact forecast of daily weather despite having such a huge infrastructure. The approach of research and availability of infrastructure too influence it.

fachcha.com: But the prediction was made that glaciers would disappear by 2035?
RBS: It is true that glaciers are melting but its speed and life depend upon region to region and place to place. It can not be said that it (glacier) will be totally disappear but you must remember that the report was made in few years ago when the situation was very bad. Lot of changes have been made through human or say government’s efforts.
As far as glaciers are concern one part of the Himalaya is different from the other part of the Himalaya. The central part of the Himalaya is more fragile while western part of the Himalaya is comparatively in better position in terms of meltdown. Though the exact figure is not available but there are about 8000 glaciers in the Himalaya. Glaciers at the central part are melting fast than the other part of the Himalaya.

fachcha.com: Is it in the defence of the mistake (made) about the prediction of meltdown?
RBS: First thing it is just a small part of global meltdown. The conclusion of complete meltdown of glaciers like Gangotri etc. may be wrong, as IPCC head R K Pachauri has already accepted but you must remember that there are chances of human errors also in the findings. That is the reason that some get meltdown speed of 130 meters per year of a glacier while other gets 12 meters. Some find that there is no meltdown in western part of the Himalaya. Moreover, there are some other factors also work in it like research tools, methodologies, available infrastructure and others. But it does not mean that for this a larger cause should be ignored due to undue pressure. And, one thing you must remember that efforts bring positive changes in environment and climate. You can just compare Delhi’s present environment with 15 years’ old environment. It does not mean that the prediction, plans and researches were done 15 years ago about Delhi’s future were wrong. In fact, efforts have changed the situation.

Chief Secretary is the highest administrative office in any state. In an exclusive interaction with fachcha.com Delhi’s Chief Secretary Rakesh Mehta, a 1975 batch IAS officer and alumnus of St. Stephen’s College, JNU and London School of Economics, told about the examination pattern for civil services examination during his time in early 80’s and how it was difficult for an engineer and doctors to get entry in the most prestigious government services. Excerpts:

fachcha.com: How was the Civil Services Examination during 70-80’s?
Rakesh Mehta: It was difficult at that time too as it is today. But there was no preliminary test. There were just written test and interview. There were seven papers for the Indian Administrative Services and five papers for other services including IPS. If a candidate opted for IAS he had to appear in all seven papers and had to qualify in all. Otherwise, he had to clear just five papers.

fachcha.com: How difficult and different were the papers from today’s papers?
Rakesh Mehta: I can not say about the comparison. But the level of difficulty can be understood by the fact that there were three papers in a day, one of three hours and other two of two hours each. In a way candidates had to write seven hours in a day for the examination. Some of them could not even bear it. Some candidates used to faint due to the examination pressure. While some others used to leave the examination in the middle.

fachcha.com: Whether entry of engineers and doctors was possible? What was the situation of language?
Rakesh Mehta: Yes, it was possible but they had to complete their graduation from normal stream. Nobody with the qualification of B.Tech or BE or MBBS was allowed to appear in the examination. Today the situation has been changed a lot. Today, even a graduate in anatomy can appear in the Civil Services examination.

fachcha.com: What about language?
Rakesh Mehta: Today you can appear in the examination with any language even with Sindhi, Sanskrit but situation was completely different at that time. There were few language papers available for the candidates. Four or five language papers were there and most of them were foreign like Russian, English etc.

fachcha.com: What is your view about the proposed changes in the examination system?
Rakesh Mehta: I have just heard about it. But I am unable to comment about it.

fachcha.com: In some way the proposed system will follow the pattern of IIM-CAT? Do you think that it will work to select right candidate for the Civil Services?
Rakesh Mehta: See selection process for civil services has always been rigorous and comprehensive. If IIM can get best candidates for management through it why not UPSC.

fachcha.com: But IIM teaches corporate governance while the Civil Services is about public governance?
Rakesh Mehta: That is true. But UPSC conducts tests at various levels to select a candidate for civil services. There are mechanisms like main examination and interview or personality test also to judge a suitable candidate.

Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) President Manoj Choudhary is an IT graduate, management degree holder and currently a student of MA (Buddhist Studies). His election as a DUSU President was a surprising event for even university administration. But he got the support of students. In a detailed and exclusive interview with fachcha.com he revealed many things about the students’ politics and university-student relationship. Excerpts:

fachcha.com: Why DUSU is working through a makeshift office? The DUSU President as well as its office-bearers are sitting in Delhi University Karmchari Union’s (DUKU) office. Whether DUSU office bearers have been displaced?

MC: The DUSU office had been locked on July 31st. When I got elected I asked the university administration to handover DUSU office. But both the university administration and Vice-Chancellor Deepak Pental have been making excuses. DU Proctor Gurmeet Singh told earlier that it will be handed over by 15th October. But it did not happen. When I raised the issue with Vice-Chancellor he told me that by 30th October it will be handed over to us. But it again proved a farce. Now as we insist upon the demand VC says that his term is going to complete. He does not bother about all these things. So, these things do not matter for him.

fachcha.com: What exactly the university administration says about DUSU building?
MC: They sometimes say that it will be a part of Mathematics department, sometimes they say that it will be used for infrastructure of extended seats of OBCs…

fachcha.com: But a good number of students have elected you to fight for their welfare? You even could not fight for your designated premise? Where is students’ power?
MC: We can show students’ power. But we want to resolve the issue amicably.

fachcha.com: What is DUSU’s stand on semester system for undergraduate courses?
MC: I myself have studied in semester system as an engineering student. But fact is that, for general courses in Delhi University it will prove a big flop. Vice Chancellor says that it will help students to migrate internationally after completion of first semester. But, even inter-college migration has become almost impossible in the university. Interested candidates had to go to court to migrate from one college to another college. In such a situation we do not believe that it will help students anyway. Of course, it will help the Vice-Chancellor to prove him as a successful administrator.

fachcha.com:What is the status of student’s welfare in DUSU?
MC: Administration is just apathetic. They increased the examination fee many times. Despite clear guideline university administration is not ready to give representation to students (DUSU) in the university’s highest decision making body Executive Council of the university. Former DUSU President Amrita Bahri was the first and last representative in Executive Council in the recent past. Apart from these the university administration is not ready to increase fund for Student’s union. For such a huge university fund of only rupees 3.6 lakh has been provided for the DUSU. On the other hand several colleges have increased student union fee by five to ten times but our fund is same.

fachcha.com: What DUSU is doing for these?
MC: We are doing a lot of things. You will see the changes in a month.

fachcha.com: It is said that you have been elected DUSU president by chance or due to the action taken by VC during the election on the name of implementation of Lyngdoh Committee report?

MC: I am not here due the VC’s ‘kripa’ (blessings) or by chance. Students of the University have elected me to work for them. I have full support of them. But as far as whatever has happened on the name of Lyngdoh committee report I would strongly say that this VC actually want to scrap DUSU and nothing else.

fachcha.com: There is problem in the co-ordination of the Office-bearers of the DUSU? It is appeared that you are not leading them as a leader like DUSU President?

MC: There is problem of political affiliation. Everybody want to work here as a team but than political organization or identity stop them doing so. I believe in team work only.

Senior Journalist and Special Correspondent of India Today (Hindi) Shyam Lal Yadav is known as an RTI journalist among his friends. In fact, he is the only person from the media who has been awarded first RTI award 2009. The jury of PCRF-NDTV RTI Award 2009 included former Chief Justice of India Justice J S Verma, film star Amir Khan, NDTV’s Prannoy Roy, Classical dance exponent Mallika Sarabhai, Infosys’ Narayana Murthi, Media personality Madhu Trehan, Dainik Jagran’s Sanjay Gupta, former Chief Election Commissioner J M Lyngdoh and several others.
Shyamlal Yadav has filed over 1700 RTI applications and has done many stories with help of RTI. These include stories on huge travel expanses on foreign trips of central ministers and bureaucrats (which ultimately helped the government to check the money drain) , LIC policies and several others. Five years’ old lapsed LIC policies were revived after his story on the LIC in the history of 52 years of LIC. In an exclusive and detailed interaction with fachcha.com after the award ceremony at Shahjahan Hall of Taj Palace Hotel in New Delhi he revealed his struggle with RTI. Excerpts:

fachcha.com: How long you have been working on RTI? How could you file such a huge number (1706) of RTI applications?

SLY: In 2005, the year RTI Act was implemented, I and my colleagues were told to explore the way how to use this act effectively in the welfare of the society. I started working on this since than.

fachcha.com: But 1706 RTI applications! Isn’t it a huge number?

SLY: That is true. I have filed RTI applications everywhere from President to Prime Minister’s Office, Cabinet Secretary, state governments, PSUs, Election Commission … to get the right information. My editors and colleagues helped me a lot.

fachcha.com: As a part of media you have access to these people. Why do you need to file RTI’s to get information from the government?

SLY: Despite having access we need RTI. It is a great weapon for media. In fact, RTI is the only act which empowers the media after article 19(1) of the Constitution (about freedom of expression). Apart from it we need to come out from the journalism of press release and Public Relation Officers (PROs).

fachcha.com: Does not RTI make media’s job very easy. RTI is basically meant for common citizen and not for media.

SLY: If you think that getting information through RTI is easy, you have a wrong perception. Some of my friends too used to taunt me that lazy and slow people got job due to RTI. But getting right information through the RTI is a difficult task. I had to file 59 RTI applications and wait for four months to get the story of foreign trips of Ministers of UPA government. Babus sitting in the government offices have thick skin and they have expertise in hiding information. Despite this the RTI has made it easier to get information about driving license, Passport etc. for common people. NGOs are widely using it. Media should visualize that how could it be used in right perspective and in a right way.

fachcha.com: As a person of media you might have not faced any problem but a common man when file RTI he gets threatening calls, development work is stopped in his area and he has to face several other problems. What should he do in this situation?

SLY: He should approach to the police and judiciary or higher authority to seek the help in this case. It is a new act and it will take time to evolve properly. It is true that system is insensitive at the grassroot level and it tries to avoid such queries through these manners.

fachcha.com: How RTI is useful for students and younger generation?

SLY: It is a very useful and powerful weapon for them. IIT had to make its selection system transparent due to RTI only. Wherever they find any problem they should file RTI to make the system correct. Even I would suggest that RTI Act should be included in the curriculum of students. I am not saying that it will bring revolution but situation will certainly improve.

fachcha.com: But officers say that they are overburdened with the RTI applications?

SLY: They are giving wrong perspective to save their skin.