Gunvant Shah snubs school board, says no to edu panel membership
Well-known Gujarati writer Gunvant Shah miffed at not being consulted by GSHSEB; declines to be on its 15-member education reforms panel
By Yogesh Avasthi
Posted On Thursday, July 30, 2009 (Ahmedabad Mirror : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article§name=News%20-%20City§id=3&contentid=2009073020090730032050765cfaa86d7)
The Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board’s (GSHSEB) attempt to cobble up a 15-member committee to suggest crucial changes in the examination system has run into rough weather. All because the GSHSEB went about it in a roughshod manner, sans consulting the parties concerned.
Trouble with the committee is that one of its members, thinker and well-known Gujarati writer Gunvant Shah, has snubbed the Board by declining to be on the panel. Talking to AM, Shah, a resident of Vadodara, said he was surprised to know from his friends two days ago that the GSHSEB had appointed him on the education reforms panel.
“The Board never consulted me over the issue, leave aside asking for my consent. Two days later, on Tuesday, I got a letter from the Board informing me of its decision. I promptly wrote back my disapproval of the decision on a postcard.”
The GSHSEB set up the 15-member panel to give recommendations on three issues — whether it was feasible to make class X exams optional, if there was need to introduce semester system in classes XI and XII, and whether issuing a toppers’ list hurts the morale of those who have missed it by a whisker. The panel was to submit its report in two months.
You have politicians, why have me on panel
Gunvant Shah is clear in his mind why he does not want to be on the panel. “Firstly, the Board did not inform me of its decision even by way of courtesy. I got to know of it through friends and newspaper reports. Secondly, the panel consist of a lot of politicians, and if they are there, why does the Board need me? Thirdly, I honestly don’t have time to be on the committee as I’m extremely busy these days,” says Shah. Sources said Shah had once in the past too declined to be member of a high-powered panel.
The GSHSEB had announced the setting up of the panel on July 16. On Monday, it announced the I5 names consisting of former chief secretary Sudhir Mankad as chairman; Prof R Govinda, vice chancellor, National University for Planning and Education, New Delhi; Vibha Parthsarthi, ex-chairman, National Women Commission, New Delhi; Vinodini Shah, Surendranagar Education society; Gunvant Shah, author; Shreedhar Rajgopal, Eklavya School; Saubhagyachandra K Shah, CN Vidyalaya; Kiran Bhalodia, Kansagra School, Rajkot; R S Patel, dean, Gujarat University; Prof Bharti Vyas, HOD psychology, Surat; Varsha Doshi, MLA; Praful P Patel, Konsba board member; Dr P T Patel, Anand board member; Priyavadan Korat, Jetpur board member and R C Patel, Vadodara.
When contacted, Board chairman Hasmukh Adhia said he had heard of such a development but didn’t know the details. He said he was not aware of Board’s deputy chairman H K Patel, who is handling the issuing of letters to members, receiving such a postcard.
By Yogesh Avasthi
Posted On Thursday, July 30, 2009 (Ahmedabad Mirror : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article§name=News%20-%20City§id=3&contentid=2009073020090730032050765cfaa86d7)
The Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board’s (GSHSEB) attempt to cobble up a 15-member committee to suggest crucial changes in the examination system has run into rough weather. All because the GSHSEB went about it in a roughshod manner, sans consulting the parties concerned.
Trouble with the committee is that one of its members, thinker and well-known Gujarati writer Gunvant Shah, has snubbed the Board by declining to be on the panel. Talking to AM, Shah, a resident of Vadodara, said he was surprised to know from his friends two days ago that the GSHSEB had appointed him on the education reforms panel.
“The Board never consulted me over the issue, leave aside asking for my consent. Two days later, on Tuesday, I got a letter from the Board informing me of its decision. I promptly wrote back my disapproval of the decision on a postcard.”
The GSHSEB set up the 15-member panel to give recommendations on three issues — whether it was feasible to make class X exams optional, if there was need to introduce semester system in classes XI and XII, and whether issuing a toppers’ list hurts the morale of those who have missed it by a whisker. The panel was to submit its report in two months.
You have politicians, why have me on panel
Gunvant Shah is clear in his mind why he does not want to be on the panel. “Firstly, the Board did not inform me of its decision even by way of courtesy. I got to know of it through friends and newspaper reports. Secondly, the panel consist of a lot of politicians, and if they are there, why does the Board need me? Thirdly, I honestly don’t have time to be on the committee as I’m extremely busy these days,” says Shah. Sources said Shah had once in the past too declined to be member of a high-powered panel.
The GSHSEB had announced the setting up of the panel on July 16. On Monday, it announced the I5 names consisting of former chief secretary Sudhir Mankad as chairman; Prof R Govinda, vice chancellor, National University for Planning and Education, New Delhi; Vibha Parthsarthi, ex-chairman, National Women Commission, New Delhi; Vinodini Shah, Surendranagar Education society; Gunvant Shah, author; Shreedhar Rajgopal, Eklavya School; Saubhagyachandra K Shah, CN Vidyalaya; Kiran Bhalodia, Kansagra School, Rajkot; R S Patel, dean, Gujarat University; Prof Bharti Vyas, HOD psychology, Surat; Varsha Doshi, MLA; Praful P Patel, Konsba board member; Dr P T Patel, Anand board member; Priyavadan Korat, Jetpur board member and R C Patel, Vadodara.
When contacted, Board chairman Hasmukh Adhia said he had heard of such a development but didn’t know the details. He said he was not aware of Board’s deputy chairman H K Patel, who is handling the issuing of letters to members, receiving such a postcard.
