Mango Man

LET THE FOCUS OF IIT STUDENTS BE ON STUDIES AND NOT POLITICS

N. S. Venkataraman for BeyondHeadlines

IITs have been set up by government of India with huge investment, with specific objective of promoting technology oriented educational institutions of excellence. By and large, IITs have maintained the expected standards in the past and several former students of IITs have brought laurel  to the institution in  the country and abroad.

Unfortunately, in recent times, IITs too have been seeing declining standards, particularly with regard to discipline and decorum. Sometimes back, students of IIT Madras were seen indulging in “kissing parade” in the premises, which brought down the esteem with which this institution has been held in the public eye to some extent.  There have been repeated incidents of suicides by IITM students. The professors of IITM have also defamed themselves by resorting to agitation demanding salary hikes.

In continuation of the above unsavoury developments, a section of the students in IIT Madras  are now  reported to be indulging in sort of political activities in the name of Ambedkar Periyar Study Circle, which has resulted in undue criticism of the Prime Minister and even casteist references.

Certainly, in an educational institution of excellence,  such  conditions should not be allowed to persist. The students should primarily be motivated  by their interests in studies. Certainly, they can debate on  socio economic issues in a healthy manner. But, if the students would organise themselves under the banner of any activist, it would make the institution hotbed of politics. In such case,  if the  debates and discussions  would amount to casting aspersions on the Prime Minister or any religious group, such activities should be put down with heavy hand.,

Obviously, politics and politicians  are making inroads in IITs too.  They have already caused severe damage in several other educational institutions, where student elections are now  conducted on the basis of political party affiliations and violence amongst students have become the order of the day.

For God’s sake, let the politicians and politics be kept away from IITs.  IIT management should  act strictly  to ensure that  the purpose for which IITs  have  been created  as institution of excellence of international standards would be maintained.

(N.S.Venkataraman is a Chemical Engineer from Annamalai University in Tamil Nadu and Director of Nandini Consultancy Centre. He can be reached at nsvenkatchennai@gmail.com)

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