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Reader's Mail

Catch them

I was in the audience for NDTV's "We the People" programme relating to the power woes of Delhizens. Barkha Datt called it an emotive issue which it certainly was.

When the hot debate was almost over, I had a short go at the mike to say that the public outcry had got the message across to the Delhi Government. Now the Chief Minister who not too long ago had been voted to power by us with a thumping majority, but is facing embarrassing swipes now from local politicians, deserves to be given time to sort out the matter of "faulty/erratic" electricity meters and power thefts. What I did not say on the mike is how I was once approached by an electrician to "short-circuit" our air-conditioner so that we would not receive any bill! And that was in an organised colony of flats -- so one can imagine what the high and the mighty can do in order to steal electricity.

The Delhi Government, which has a reputation of five years of good governance, must get down to catch these robbers -- and one way, because our law unfortunately will take its own slow, inconclusive course, is to expose these dark deeds by publishing photographs in the media. Full marks to Barkha who asked the person from BSES for details of the case he was quoting so that NDTV can come out with a programme on "The Baghdad-like Thief of Delhi"!

M.B. Kunte,

148 Munirka Enclave,

New Delhi.

* * *

Hello, Airtel....

I read with interest Mr. Jayachander's letter about his experience with Airtel ( The Hindu , July 25). I say "with interest" because I did not realise that we did indeed have a platform like Reader's Mail to express views on the less than desirable service standards rendered by our so-called world class companies. His letter brings to mind my own experience with Airtel two years ago.

At that time I used to be an Airtel subscriber. I got a call from their office one afternoon asking if I would be interested in additional connections for my family members. Calls between my existing connection and any new connection that I would take under this scheme (a maximum of three additional connections were being offered) would be free of cost. I confirmed that I was interested and set up an appointment for the following Sunday for one of their agents to visit me with the SIM card. Sunday turned up but the agent did not. On Monday I called up their helpline only to be assured that it would not happen again, and a new appointment was fixed for the following Sunday. The same experience was repeated. To cut a long story short, I was assured visits on three successive Sundays and nobody turned up on any of these days!

My Sundays were of course wasted waiting for the elusive Airtel man to turn up. Needless to say, niceties like calling up and expressing inability to keep an appointment did not figure anywhere in their scheme of things. I was sufficiently disgusted to get my existing number disconnected. And, since I believe that successful organisations are headed by farsighted leaders, I wrote to Mr. Sunil Bharti Mittal about my experience.

It was then that I realised why the work culture of an organisation is important and why any organisation is as good as its leaders. Mr Sunil Mittal did not reply either.

Many might say that he is a very busy man with vast responsibilities, to which I would relate another incident. When General S. Padmanabhan became Army Chief, I sent him a note of congratulations. I was a Captain in the Army then, one of a million-plus soldiers serving under him. In 10 days flat I received a handwritten note of thanks from him.

To Mr Jayachander's fond hope that Mr Sunil Mittal reads his letter, I only wish that were the case. But if his experience with the Airtel staff is anything to go by, I reckon that the odds are stacked quite highly against that possibility.

So what should consumers do? Exactly what Mr. Jayachander has done. Publicise your bad experiences, mention them to as many people as you can, shame the defaulting organisations into taking corrective action. In the long term that will help.

In the short term? Well, just lump it and hope for a better future.

Kartik Padmanabhan,

B-1/1033 Vasant Kunj,

New Delhi-110 070.

* * *

Can't bank on them

I wish to draw the attention of the public sector banks' authorities to anomalies in the selection process for bank officers. In the aftermath of dissolution of the Banking Services Recruitment Boards, various public sector banks have set different eligibility criteria for the probationary officers' recruitment exams. We have three types in existence right now: 1. The State Bank of India group with 65% minimum marks in graduation final in any discipline; 2. The Reserve Bank of India and other public sector banks with 60%; 3. The Union Bank of India with 55%.

This has left the students desirous of joining banks in a fix. As private sector banks go in for campus selections in branded institutions, joining public sector banks is the only respite for bright and hard-working students from rural and semi-urban India. It is proven beyond doubt that various Indian universities do not have a uniform marking pattern. Students of prestigious universities like Delhi remain at a disadvantage because they have to undergo rigorous scrutiny of examiners. However, students of lesser known universities come out with flying colours. In the last exam of SBI, more than half the applicants were from Bihar. Everyone knows the education standards in Bihar!

Setting such eligibility criteria also means that banks do not have confidence in their own selection process though they have a written test, a psychological test and an interview before final recruitment.

Another problem is that all public sector banks notify separate vacancies and conduct separate examinations for similar papers, which means wastage of money and time for students as well as banks.

Smaller and lesser known banks have another disadvantage since many students qualify for more than one bank and choose the better and bigger bank at the cost of the smaller ones. And the latter's vacancies remain unfilled.

The public sector banks should seriously consider conducting one common comprehensive examination for their recruitment--on the lines of CAT--under the aegis of the Indian Banks' Association or RBI. This will help not only the students but also the banks.

Dipak Kumar Jha,

514, 2nd Floor,

West Permanand,

Delhi - 110 009.

* * *

Grim reality

The report, "Code of conduct for DUSU polls issued", by your Staff Reporter on August 17 said that action would be taken against those pasting posters or using loudspeakers on the Delhi University campus.

Despite these measures, the grim reality is that the North Campus was defaced by the posters of various candidates seeking votes. Pamphlets were scattered everywhere. Drumbeating and slogans marked various processions, thereby disturbing the traffic arrangements as well as other students on the campus. I hope the authorities concerned have taken note of all this.

Amna Mirza,

M.A. (Previous),

North Campus,

University of Delhi,

Delhi - 110 007.

* * *

No, DUTA

Unlike other strikes, when teachers of the university go on strike (which the Delhi University Teachers' Association does all too often), it is not their employers -- the college or the UGC -- who suffer losses, it is the students who do. It has become a routine affair to go to college only to find classes not taking place due to some strike or the other. Isn't it high time that at least the association of our academicians found some other method to stage their protests rather than robbing students of their chances of learning?

Maaz bin Bilal,

B.A. (Honours) English II Year,

Zakir Husain College,

New Delhi - 110 002

* * *

(Letters for this column may be sent by e-mail to wsins@thehindu.co.in. They must carry the full postal address of the writer and should be marked "Reader's Mail".)

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