Letters to the Editor: Issues surrounding SLET NE

Issues surrounding SLET NE

I am writing to bring to your attention a pressing issue that is causing significant distress among a large number of candidates in Assam and other Northeastern states. The official website of the State Level Eligibility Test (SLET) Commission (https://sletne.org) has been suspended, and as of now, the results for the 2024 State Eligibility Test (SET) have not been declared. The SLET exam is a crucial gateway for aspiring lecturers and researchers in the region. The delay in result declaration, compounded by the inaccessibility of the official website, has created an environment of uncertainty and anxiety among the candidates. This situation not only affects the candidates but also has broader implications for the educational institutions in our region, which rely on the timely availability of qualified faculty members. The transparency and efficiency of the SLET Commission are paramount to maintaining trust and ensuring the smooth functioning of the higher education system. I urge the authorities concerned to address this issue with the urgency it deserves. Immediate steps should be taken to restore the SLET website and expedite the declaration of the 2024 SET results. Furthermore, regular updates and clear communication from the SLET Commission would greatly alleviate the concerns of the candidates.

Partha Pratim Mazumder

Balikaria ,Nalbari

Mirjumla like invasion

Mirjumla, the then Nawab of Bengal invaded Assam on March 17, 1662, and occupied up to the place of Ghilajharighat. He routed the Ahom army and reached Gargaon, the capital of the Ahom kingdom. The then-Swargodeo Jaydhwaj Singh surrendered unconditionally, and it was the darkest chapter of the Ahom kingdom. Mirjumla looted the royal treasury and converted many locals to Islam. Going by the present trend, it appears as if Axom is facing yet another Mirjumla-like invasion by the people of erstwhile East Pakistan, present-day Bangladesh.

Unlike the then-Mirjumla’s invasion, this one is unarmed and silent and started just after independence under the patronage of Sir Sadullah, and it was only due to Bharat Ratna Lt. Gopinath Bordoloi, the then PM of Assam, that Assam became a part of India. Otherwise, history would have been written in a different script. Like locusts, the invaders from Bangladesh have already swarmed the entire western and part of central Assam, aided by our people belonging to a century-old political party that needs no introduction. Are we going to face the same fate as the Kashmiri Pandits? Only time will tell. Bharat Ratna Gopinath Bordoloi must be turning in his grave.

Dr Ashim Chowdhury,

Guwahati.

Sweltering heat and green jobs

Assam and other states in the north-eastern region of the country have been experiencing intense heat waves recently, with temperatures soaring much higher than normal. Amidst a disquieting situation that should act as a wake-up call for us all that the natural environment and ecosystem are far from satisfactory, your editorial 'Green jobs' published in your esteemed daily on July 28 has rightly said that the cumulative impact of wider use of renewable energy will not only help mitigate the global carbon footprint substantially, but also that the adoption of green technologies and the transition of this nature are leading to businesses witnessing a strong job creation effect driven by investments and the application of ESG (environmental, social, and governance) standards. It can be mentioned here that the laying of the foundation of the Northeast's first compressed biogas plant at Sonapur is a welcome step that can hasten the pace of our shift towards green energy. With the spectre of global warming and climate change looming large over the planet, the issue of reducing our dependence on conventional energy sources like fossil fuels has gained unprecedented importance.

The need to put the environment at the core of the decision-making process was never as urgent as it is now. It is time the government promoted a range of options centred around the optimum use of renewable energy resources. With the Centre providing a huge amount of subsidies to the states for harnessing renewable energy, especially solar power, the Assam government should exhibit some proactiveness to take advantage of the policy and help ease its perennial power crisis. As per central policy, NGOs, private establishments, hotels, nursing homes, educational institutions, etc. will also get liberal subsidies for tapping solar power. At the same time, about one million people can be employed in the wind and on-grid solar energy sectors.  Harnessing effectively renewable energy for meeting our day-to-day needs like cooking, electricity, etc. Is it not the need of the hour to save Planet Earth from further pollution?

Iqbal Saikia,

Guwahati.