Caught cheating
Sir — The tables have been turned. It is not uncommon for teachers to catch their students cheating. But perhaps in a first, a student at the Northeastern University has caught her professor using Artificial Intelligence to generate his notes. This incident raises important questions about academic integrity on both sides of the lectern. If students are to be held to rigorous standards, so too must those entrusted with teaching. The first lesson that both teachers and students need to learn is that AI is a tool which can make education easy as long as it is accompanied by transparency and hard work.
Nadeem Aasim,
Mumbai
Political ploy
Sir — The constitution of a new bench by the Bombay High Court to examine the Maratha quota law marks a critical moment for judicial integrity. The question remains whether the Maharashtra government can lawfully enact a law that mirrors the 2018 legislation already struck down by the Supreme Court. Unless the Constitution is amended, the 50% ceiling on reservations cannot be breached. The judiciary must guard against legislative overreach lest the rule of law be eroded under electoral convenience.
Arshad Bastavi,
Lucknow
Sir — The Maratha demand for reservation is not without precedent or social basis. The findings of the Shukre Commission suggest a measurable decline in both educational and economic indicators. Girl child marriage rates and underrepresentation in public services should not be dismissed lightly. However, any affirmative action must align with constitutional limits and broader societal equity. Social justice cannot be delivered by merely shifting quotas between communities nor should it come at the cost of legal sanctity. The high court must ensure that justice is neither denied to the Marathas nor taken from others.
Anupam Neogi,
Calcutta
Sir — Politicians across party lines have long used the Maratha reservation issue as an electoral lever. Reintroducing a previously invalidated law under the guise of fresh data merely serves to placate a powerful vote bank. Courts must remain vigilant in filtering genuine social reform from legislative populism. Electoral gains cannot justify bypassing constitutional norms or judicial precedent.
Arif Hussain,
Hyderabad
Sir — It appears that Maharashtra has found a new pastime: renaming old quota laws with new covers. The Maharashtra State Reservation for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Act, 2024 seems less a legislative breakthrough and more a recycled assignment with extra footnotes. Citizens are relying on the judiciary to sort the legally valid from the politically convenient.
Avinash Godboley,
Dewas, Madhya Pradesh
Still interested
Sir — The Middle East visit of the president of the United States of America, Donald Trump, reflects a decisive shift in American policy towards West Asia. Re-engagement with Syria and the tempered outreach to Iran indicate a transactional, influence-based diplomacy. The lifting of sanctions on Syria and the encouragement for it to join the Abraham Accords represent an attempt to pull erstwhile adversaries into Washington’s fold. However, such dramatic realignments raise questions of consistency, legality, and long-term regional trust. Diplomacy should not be reduced to a chessboard of short-term leverage. Strategic clarity, not ambiguity, must underpin US engagement in such a volatile theatre.
Sofikul Islam,
Calcutta
Sir — Donald Trump’s engagements in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates highlight America’s continued economic entrenchment in West Asia. The staggering value of trade and defence deals, including Boeing’s historic agreement and energy sector investments, reaffirms mutual interdependence. While there is often talk of American retreat from the region, economic diplomacy tells a different story. These agreements, however, must not overlook issues of accountability, labour rights, and regional sustainability. Investments should serve mutual prosperity and not merely deepen the pockets of defence contractors. The region deserves responsible capitalism, not just lucrative headlines.
Bal Govind,
Noida
Be cautious
Sir — The recent uptick in Covid-19 cases in Singapore and Hong Kong serves as a quiet reminder that the virus has not disappeared. While hospitalisations remain manageable and new variants are not more severe, the data clearly signal a decline in population-level immunity, particularly among the elderly. India must heed these warnings. With newer vaccines unavailable domestically, preventive habits remain our strongest defence. Masks, hygiene, and responsible isolation must return to the public discourse. As Covid-19 becomes endemic, complacency is the variant no country can afford.
Tousik Rahman,
South 24 Parganas