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Age limit for governing body members resented

By Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, June 28 - The Guwahati Senior Citizens� Association (GSCA) has expressed resentment over the decision announced by Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma regarding fixation of age limit at 65 in respect of selection of persons for the offices of presidents and secretaries of educational institutions of the State.

Senior journalist DN Chakravartty, who is also the president of GSCA, in a statement, while lauding the minister for the timely and well-intended initiatives for streamlining the educational landscape of the State, said that it would be a loss to the community in general and the future hopefuls in particular if the distinguished and efficient services of the group of experienced, enlightened, skilled and dedicated people were not enlisted for running the affairs of the educational institutions of the State.

Chakravartty said that India now has an average longevity of 70 years and there are in Assam several thousand octogenarians who are no less competent intellectually and physically than any youngsters in the 30s or 40s. He added that it would be a great misfortune for the community in general and students in particular if the services of scholars and dedicated persons like Dr Pramod Chandra Bhattacharya, Dr Kishori Mohan Pathak, Dr Lakshmi Nandan Bora, Dr Devdas Bharali, Dr Jyoti Medhi, Dr Banikanta Sarma, etc., are not utilised.

Chakravartty, who is also chief adviser to the Assam Senior Citizens� Association (ASCA) and a former member of the National Council for Older Persons, reminded the Education Minister that intellectual brilliance, courage of conviction, dedication to service and profound love for the students should not be measured in terms of age.

He added that he had personal experience of hundreds of young Assamese officers and teachers who were more lethargic and had a marked aversion to work than any of the present-day octogenarians or even nonagenarians. He said that he at the age of 88 he himself felt more efficient physically than any youth of 30 or 40.

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