Letters to the Editor: OMR examination: The way out

I have always been for a common competitive exam for admission in good colleges of Delhi University and various sought-after universities in India, right from the UG level. For a simple reason, it offers a fair level-playing field to students from disparate backgrounds. Unlike Board Exams, where certain Boards are much more liberal in their marking pattern in comparison to most others! Arguably, like any other system, it isn't a flawless model. One such drawback is the over-technological nature of these exams, these days. The students who are not so tech-savvy in their orientation find it uncomfortable to appear at such online exams. Having appeared at a few NTA tests, I know it is a fully transparent process. Notwithstanding that, we are aware of the erratic nature of the internet and technology: sometime it might run out of function. Like it happened this time with the CUET examination scheduled for 6th August. Owing to technological glitches the exam got cancelled in various centres. When such undue development takes place, the mental makeup of students is disturbed. When stakes are higher, such incidents are highly uncalled for. So my suggestion is that, when the applicants are in such large numbers, the body that is responsible for conducting a hassle-free examination, in this case: The National

Testing Agency (NTA) should strongly consider using OMR (Optional Mark Recognition)-based exam so that some such unforeseen events can be mitigated. Besides, the exam for one subject, conducted in two, or three shifts can also be discarded. After all, despite the normalization formula, this exam is expected to test all students on a common turf.

Amartya Sen,

Bongaigaon, Assam.

NFHS 5: How obese are we?

Obesity as a public health issue has seen a tremendous rise in the present. According to the data from the recent National Family Health Survey (NFHS), India is not far behind. Being overweight puts the individual at a greater risk of heart attack, diabetes, stroke and high blood pressure.

The NFHS 5 data show that obesity is on the rise in the majority of states and union territories. The problem appeared more concerning in children. The proportion of overweight children grew from 2.1 per cent in NFHS-4 to 3.4 per cent in NFHS-5. In NFHS-5, the percentage of overweight or obese women is 24, up from 20.6 per cent in NFHS-4 (2015-16). The prevalence in men increased to 22.9 per cent (NFHS-5) from 18.9 per cent (NFHS-4). As we are slowly getting out of the clutches of hunger, we have to also take care that we don't fall into the obesity trap. It is of utmost importance that India's population consumes a healthy and balanced diet. The government has been taking some steps in this direction, such as the Health Star Rating on packaged food items. More steps like these that make people aware of the harmful ingredients in their food will be welcome. There is a need for government regulation of added salt, sugar and fats to packaged products. There is also a need to encourage early screening of lifestyle diseases and educate people about prevention. Children have to be encouraged to do more physical activity and should be guided towards a healthier diet. It is also important to make sure that people have access to cheap and nutritious food. The government also has to focus on the integration of lifestyle and diet changes into our current medical system. Obesity is linked with a range of adverse physical and mental health outcomes, as well as some negative societal outcomes. Hence, immediate steps must be taken to reduce the risk factors for obesity to ensure the health and welfare of the entire population.

Dhiman Hazarika,

Cotton University.

44th Chess Olympiad

There is little doubt that the 44th Chess Olympiad, which is currently underway at the historic tourist town of Mamallapuram, off Chennai, will aggrandize India's power and reputation in chess by several notches and will further fortify its image in the global arena of the mind game. Though the origin of chess in India dates back to the 6th century, it took nearly four decades thereafter for the country to identify its first Grandmaster in the form of Viswanathan Anand, who received this prestigious award in 1988. While Viswanathan Anand put Indian chess on the world map, the first seeds of the thriving chess culture were planted much before by Manuel Aaron, who dominated the game from the 1960s to the late 80s, and won the International Master title in 1961. Following Anand's triumphs in international tournaments, the number of GMs in India has risen drastically. From having only one GM in 1988, today Indian chess boasts of having 74 GMs, including some young stars like R Praggnanandhaa, D Gukesh and Raunak Sadhwani. The royal game is at the peak of its prowess in India, and rightly so.

Ranganathan Sivakumar

Madipakkam,

Chennai – 600 091