TASHI NAMGYAL ACADEMY - I Sikkim’s First ‘Public School’: Birth Of An Idea

SIKKIM OBSERVER Jan 8, 2011

Former Principal of Tashi Namgyal Academy (TNA), the Late V N Langer, wrote the following article in the school’s first annual magazine (1969-70). The article seeks to highlight why and how TNA came into being in the 1960s.

April 1956 – October 1965

Ten years seems a long period to wait for the realization of an idea—but when we look back, after its achievement, many years after the gap seems much shorter. The decision to start a public school in Sikkim or, an institution more or less on the same lines, was taken by the durbar in 1956. The idea, however, could take concrete shape only in the year 1966.

In between so much work was to be done. Not only we needed more buildings, more equipment and new play grounds to accommodate those students who could not be fitted into the public school, we needed a new well-equipped and well-staffed Higher Secondary School as well.

Plans were drawn first of additional buildings for the public school and work was started on some of these in 1957. A new annexe to the old school buildings was declared open on April 14, 1959 and by October 1961 we had a big auditorium as well. Plans were now made to build a new hostel but there was a slight set-back during the period of anxiety following the 1962 Chinese aggression in India. When the situation eased a little building work was pushed on again with vigour.

Our new hostel was ready for occupation by May 1964 and soon after work was started in the development area on buildings for the new Higher Secondary School. After the main School building, the hostel and some staff quarters were ready in October 1965, we were asked to go ahead with the idea of reorganizing Tashi Namgyal Academy on public school lines. It was decided also that the new public school should, at the beginning, have seven classes only, starting from K.G. and going up to VI as the highest class every year till we came to class XI which should mark the final School Certificate stage.

This policy, it was hoped, would enable us to build up an institution in which even though the medium of instruction and the first language would be English, it would still remain Sikkimese in its tradition and culture.

October 1965—December 1969

There was an interval of two and half months only between the close of the last session of Tashi Namgyal Academy as a Higher Secondary School and start of the first session of the new Public School which, in any case, would have been the two busiest sessions of the institutions even if there had been no change. The prospectus, however, had already been prepared in anticipation, but we had still to get teachers to replace those who were going to be transferred to the New Higher Secondary School—and it was not possible to know how many, till we knew the number of students we were going to have in the first year.

For our syllabuses for various classes we had decided to follow the outline approved for Anglo-Indian Schools but we had to select and order our books. A school uniform had also to be designed and approved and official drapers were to be appointed. New tasks and new problems kept on cropping up as we grappled with the old.

The prospectus was published in November 1965 and admissions to the various classes of the public school were declared open simultaneously. Posts of teachers were advertised in “Papers” and tenders for uniforms were invited from local dealers. Only one tender was received and so prices of various items of uniforms were fixed through negotiations. The dealer was asked also to send samples of ties, socks and stockings to the Principal while he was out on tour during January interviewing suitable candidates for teachers’ posts at the two to three selected places in India.

On return, in February, the Principal found only forty students had applied for admission. A more anxious situation developed when, just before the start of the new session, out of the four new members of the staff who had been appointed two backed out. One of those was the Matron.

The older Staff of the Higher Secondary days, who had been retained, now gallantly rose to meet the situation. Hurriedly a new teaching routine was drawn out and responsibilities were redistributed among them. The Principal’s wife took over the responsibility of organizing the hostel and its routine so that it might be ready to receive the boarders when they came a day before the start of the session.

Suddenly there was a rush of applications for admission. In spite of many rejections of over-age students, one section of our K.G. class was soon full and we had to start one more to accommodate others. Admissions to Classes I, II and III also were reasonable but rather disappointing in IV, V & VI. Few of those students who had come from Hindi and Nepali medium schools could qualify for admission to these classes and those parents, whose sons and daughters were already studying in the so called ‘English’  schools, naturally preferred to wait till they could get an idea of the standard of the Institution. In-

spite of this we had one hundred and thirty students on roll—more than we had expected in the first year— and more than could be managed by the available staff.

As the days passed the staffing problem, though not quiet solved became less acute. A new Matron took over charge of the hostel leaving Mrs. Langer free to devote herself to teaching work. Two more teachers were appointed, one for the additional section of K.G. class and the other to teach English to senior Classes. A programme of weekly and terminal tests was drawn out and monthly and terminal reports also made their appearance.

To avoid corporal punishment except for very serious offences, a system of yellow and red report cards was introduced so that when verbal warnings proved ineffective the parents’ cooperation could be sought to put the students back on the right track. At the same time, as incentives to better effort, white and gold merit cards were awarded to students with general proficiency all round. Slowly the confidence of the public grew and on our Annual Day even many of those who had been very critical at first came spontaneously forward to congratulate us on the performance of our students. The Public School had come to stay. ( to be concluded)

TASHI NAMGYAL ACADEMY – II Teaching students to take care of the school

SIKKIM OBSERVER Jan 22, 2011

Former Principal of Tashi Namgyal Academy (TNA), the Late V N Langer, wrote an article in the school’s first annual magazine (1969-70). The article seeks to highlight why and how TNA came into being in the 1960s. The following is the second and concluding portion of the article.

  The second session started on 1st March 1967 with greater confidence all round. One more class VIIth had been added and now among students seeking admission there were also those who had been studying in ‘English” Schools in Kalimpong and Darjeeling. Our K.G. class was split into three sections two of Lower K.G. and one Upper. We had to split Class I also and there were more students in our higher classes also. The total number on rolls was 187.

            Some more teachers were appointed and since games were compulsory we needed more play grounds as well. This problem was solved by converting some flat pieces of land into three new small play grounds, one for basket ball, the second for junior football or senior Net-ball and the third for badminton.

            To keep K.G. children engaged during the evening ‘Prep’ of other Boarders, a K.G. Recreation Room was set up where such students could be taken by lady teachers to play indoor games. The Recreation Room had its own set of games, children’s books, a radio, a record player and a number of children’s Song and Story records. A radio and sets of indoor games were issued to bigger boys also.

            For all round development of the faculties of students a large number of Co-curricular activities had already been started. On the hobbies side we had Painting, wood-craft, leather-work, Dance Drama and Music. Later Sewing and knitting were also added to the list for girls.

            On the games side we had Football and Volley-ball for boys, Basket ball and Hockey for boys and girls both and net-ball and base-ball for girls only. (Cricket was introduced in 1968 and soon this game became very popular).  To keep parents informed of the school activities we started publication of a monthly bulletin called “The Academy News” and a daily ‘News Flash’ written by different students in turns kept them in touch with world events of importance.

            To teach the students the dignity of labour two or three ‘Self-Help’ days were organized in every term. On such days the Staff and Students combined to clean up the buildings and the compound, to repair fences, to clean up the garden and to dig pits for planting, to do the painting of the benches and play apparatus in the children’s park—and even to white wash walls of the School and Hostel buildings which seemed particularly dirty.

            We had tried to do many things during the two years and had achieved a fair measure of success in most but still had not been able to bring about stability in the staff position. There were too many opportunities open outside in the Africian States and in the neighbouring towns. Teachers came and soon left for Kalimpong, Darjeeling or for Ethiopia to take up more lucrative jobs.

       However, by 1969 after the revision of grades, there was some improvement in this direction also. Two Masters with experience of teaching in similar schools were appointed to teach Chemistry and Biology and another Master with special Qualifications in Games and Sports was appointed not only to teach general subjects to middle classes but also to coach our students in Gymnastics, Football and athletics as well. Two more Masters were appointed to take charge of our Arts and Crafts section.

            One more appointment was made in March 1970 of a highly qualified Master to teach Mathematics to Higher Classes.  With passing of each year there had been increasing pressure of students in our lowers classes. Since, however, we were not allowed to have sections above class II we had to restrict admission in Lowers classes from Lower K.G. to I also. In spite of these restrictions and withdrawals of many students, when their parents were transferred, the number stood at 232 in 1969.

Details of changes made on the curricular and co-curricular side during 1969 will be found in the Principal’s Annual Report, extracts from which have been published elsewhere in the issue and for 1970 session (which has just begun, as we are going to the press) we shall present a report in the next issue, which we hope, will paint even a better picture of the progress of the Institution. (concluded)

Patra Commission formed to give clean chit to Chamling Govt: BJP Chief Secy delaying CBI probe: Bhandari

SIKKIM OBSERVER Jan 22, 2011

Gangtok, Jan 21: State BJP President Padam Chettri said the Chamling Government’s latest move to form a commission of enquiry headed by RK Patra, former chief justice of Sikkim High Court, to look into corrupt practices is aimed at shielding the corrupt and giving them  a clean chit.     

In a statement, Chettri said the government is under pressure as both national parties – BJP and Congress – have urged the Centre to act swiftly against Chief Minister Pawan Chamling against who charges of corruption have been leveled by State Congress leaders and the file is with the CBI awaiting sanction to probe into the charges.

Justifying the proposal to set up the State’s own commission, State’s Lok Sabha MP. PD Rai said CBI is an investigating agency of the Centre and is never known to be impartial.

Sikkim National People’s Party President Biraj Adhikari said the decision to set up Patra Commission is aimed at ensuring that the CBI does not conduct its investigation against the powers-that-be in the State.

Meanwhile, former Chief Minister and Sikkim Pradesh Congress Committee President NB Bhandari accused the Chief Secretary TT Dorji for delaying CBI probe into corruption charges against Chamling and his colleagues by refusing to formally allow it to enter the State for investigation.

Govt forced to disclose names of fake Sikkim Subject Certificate holders

Gangtok, Jan 21: Those possessing ‘fake’ Sikkim Subject Certificate issued for a consideration by various authorities in the past are in for a bad time.

The State Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) N. Tsering recently asked the Land Revenue Department to provide the names of 31,180 who were issued fake Sikkim Subject certificates.

The first list of the names have to be provided by the first week of next month. The CIC’s order follows a Right to Information (RTI) application by Ganga Ram Rai, a resident of Mamring in South Sikkim.

The issue of fake SS certificates surfaced when the Land Revenue Department recently brought out a leaflet on the Pink Card issue stating that there were 31,180 cases of fake SSC holders in the State as on December 2005.

The leaflet also stated that of the State’s 6 lac population bonafide Sikkimese possessing genuine SS certificates was around 50 per cent.

Opposition parties in the State recently formed the ‘Sikkim Subject Bachao’ committee to raise public awareness over the Pink Card vis-à-vis Residential Certificate issue.

The Sikkim National People’s Party (SNPP) recently filed a FIR on the issue of fake Sikkim Subject Certificates here at the Sadar Thana.

SIKKIM’S IDENTITY CRISIS - I ‘Pink Card’ will lead to the death of ‘Sikkim Subjects’

SIKKIM OBSERVER Jan 22, 2011

Sikkim’s former Chief Secretary Sonam Wangdi says the Chamling Government’s bid to issue ‘Pink Identity Card’ to residents of Sikkim  other than ‘Sikkim Subjects’, who resided in the State before April 26, 1975 when Sikkim became the 22^nd State of the Indian Union, is aimed at driving the last and final nail on the Sikkim Subjects’ coffin.               

Rule of Law

In a democracy, the Rule of Law is the most important characteristic of a polity. The root cause of most of the fundamental problems in our country can be traced to our Rulers’ inaction or action  -  wrong action at right time or wrong action at wrong time, or right action at wrong time  - which is not consistent with the Rule of Law. The British people do not have a ‘written’ constitution; but they are governed far better than we in India are with the lengthiest written constitution in history. All the people and the three branches of the British government meticulously follow the Rule of Law. The people at the helm of affairs in the developed countries normally take right action at right time in consonance with the Rule of Law and in consonance with their conscience .  

Outsiders in Jorethang

Replying to one of the points raised by a member in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly on  28 March, 1978, the Minister-in-charge, Hon’ble Bhuwani Prasad Dahal from the Rhenock Constituency, (since deceased),  said: “It has been mentioned that unauthorized constructions have come up in Jorethang bazaar. During 1973 agitation many people came from outside and started occupying the places.” [Page160].   The Minister was responding to the statement of Hon’ble Mohan Gurung, Regu Constituency, in the Assembly: “Unauthorized constructions have come up in Jorethang bazaar. The Government should have done the proper planning of the Jorethang Bazar”. [Proceedings of the Assembly, Page 152]

     Outsiders, however, are not confined to Jorethang alone; they are all over Sikkim. The outsiders are wanted by the insiders who cannot do without them. Development works in Sikkim, even during pre-merger days, had been done by outsiders from Nepal, Bhutan and India. The Kingdom of Sikkim had the Sikkim Work Permit Rules, 1965 which required the Nepalese, Tibetans and Bhutanese and other non-Indians to obtain work permits in Sikkim. However the Indians were not required to get the permit in accordance with the India-Sikkim Treaty of 1950. The 1965 Rules is one of the many Laws in Sikkim which are in the statute book but not applied. [The Sikkim Code, Vol II Part I, Chapter I II Pp169-71Published by Law Department, Gangtok]

Immigration from Nepal

Moreover,“159. The largest volume of immigration to Sikkim takes not from India, but from Nepal. In the 1961 census 5,352 persons born in Nepal were enumerated in Sikkim of whom 1,974 were residing there for 16 years or longer, 500 for 11 to 15 years, 735 for 6 to 10 years, 714 for 1 to 5 years and 647 for less than 1 year. The duration of residence of 782 persons was not stated. The 1951 census revealed 3,162 immigrants from Nepal. Therefore, 2,190 persons must have come in the intercensal period.”. [Census of India, 1961 Volume XVI, West Bengal & Sikkim, Part I-A , General Report, Book (i) Population Progress, Page 384]

31,180 Fake Sikkim Subject Certificates

I have quoted above only a few of the most authoritative and authentic government documents to drive home my point that there are thousands of illegal settlers in Sikkim. It may be noted that the Sikkim Government itself had stated that there are at least 31, 180 “fake Sikkim Subject certificate holders”. The Sikkim National People’s Party  even filed “a formal complaint  with Gangtok Sadar Police demanding legal proceedings against 31,180 individuals possessing fake Sikkim Subject certificates as admitted by the State government earlier this year” [Sikkim Express Gangtok  6 Dec, 2010]. The police, however, will not take any action without an order from the Government. And never will the government order any action unless there is a violent agitation. For the time being, there will continue to be the peace of the grave yard. But we should be aware of John Dryden’s  “Beware the fury of a  patient man.”   

During the Dui hazaar saat saal [2007] andolan in Nepal to oust the Rana Rule, many Nepalese came to Sikkim. Some families settled in areas close to my village. Legally speaking, they cannot be  Sikkimese, since they came after 1946.       

Pink Card   

The recent ‘controversy’ about the Residential Card or the Pink Card which the Sikkim government proposes to issue to the people residing in Sikkim from 26 April, 1975 onwards is an avoidable problem. The political war of words over the “Pink Card” or “Residential Card” between the ruling and opposition parties would not have arisen if the powers that be in the past and present  had followed the Laws and the Constitution, especially Article 371F,  governing the Indian Union and  its  constituent parts.

             The Pink voters’ card in 1975 had extinguished the distinct personality of Sikkim as an Associate State, a kingdom associated with a Republic – an unprecedented event in the annals of mankind. The Pink card proposed to be given to all and sundry who are in Sikkim from 26 April, 1975 onwards will snuff out the Sikkim Subject Certificates for eternity.

I quote myself from Now,1 September, 2010: “Since 1975, Sikkim is no more a kingdom. It is unfortunate that the Bhutia, Lepcha and Tsong have lost their country and are strangers in their own land and are being made to part with the Sikkim Subject Certificates given to them by their monarch and go in for “pink cards”. Red is a dangerous colour elsewhere. But in Sikkim, pink is a dangerous hue. In April, 1975, the pink ballot paper was made an instrument to extinguish the distinct international personality of Sikkim. I do not normally vaticinate.  But, thirty-six years later, the ‘pink cards’ will certainly herald the eternal death knell of Sikkim Subjects Certificates – the last vestige of a glorious past – if the people are not alert.” (to be continued)

ENTRY POINT Strike A Fine Balance

HIMALAYAN Guardian  Jan 12, 2011

EDITORIAL

The Centre’s decision to lift restrictions on foreigners entering prohibited areas in India’s trouble-torn states of Manipur, Nagaland and Mizoram is aimed at promoting tourism in the region. The decision to open up the area also comes at a time when the local people are demanding further relaxation on foreigners visiting the region for various activities, including development of the tourism sector in the backward tribal region, which has largely been ignored by the Centre.

Even Indians visiting these places have to have special permits to enter and stay in the region. Now that insurgency in the region is on the wane the authorities need to rise up to the occasion and respond positively to the people’s aspirations. More than financial aid people in the Northeast need to grow and develop at their own pace and according to their own genre.

The restrictions have been lifted for a trial period of one year and it is up to the people to ensure that it is extended further if the new move is beneficial to them. If the move to do away with the Protected Area Permit (PAP) in these areas is successful the Centre needs to look into the demand for doing away with the Inner-Line Permit (ILP) and Restricted Area Permit (RAP) system in the region. Care should be taken that the local population and their unique cultural heritage are carefully safeguarded while opening the region to domestic and foreign tourists.

GUARDIAN Archives A Car for the Panchen Lama

Himalayan Guardian Jan 12, 2011

1907 two motorcars were carried over the Himalayas into Tibet. One was an 8 hp Clement brought as a gift for the Panchen Lama. The other car was a Peugeot, which belonged to Captain O’Connor, who was posted to Gyantse as the British trade agent under the Anglo-Tibet convention. The car has been more exactly identified as a Laurin-Klement made at Mlada Boleslav in Bohemia (then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire).

Raja Ugyen Dorji (1855-1916), Bhutan trade agent in Kalimpong, is shown in the photo at the wheels of the Clement. The photo was probably taken during one his visits to Tibet. He is probably the first Bhutanese to drive a car.

The photos are approximately 80 x 140 mm and most likely belonged to English army mechanics. This is one photo of a set of set that sold for 5760 pounds in London in 2009. (Bhutan News)