Turmoil at JU : Alumni Speak
This is a list of what the alumnis thinking about current state of affairs. Source :
JUALUMNI.
Note of Ackowlegement : It was an initiative on
Sayan Sircar's part to raise this matter in the group and get the alumni talking. So he deserves an appreciation from all of us.
From: Sushil Dasgupta
Subject: (no subject)
Dear Dr. Ghosh:
Your letter in the email came thru' Nilotpal Chatterjee. There are
several points you have made which coincides with my philosophy that I follow in
my life. I have taught for some 50+s of which 20 years in JU . I was a chair
at EE in JU when you passed from JU.
However I am afraid you have missed the woods and concentrated your
opinion on SINGLE TREE. This is where I wished you added the other things
which I felt ought to be there in your email and hence this letter. Since
Nilotpal's letter has been transmitted via jualumni@yahoogroups , I am also writing
what I felt , with a copy to them.
I fully agree that what several students did going out of the way and
exhibited unpleasant behavior to an official of EC - the controller of exam.
I don't know if he reported the reason for the delay to EC his boss. But
surely something happened which led to this unpleasant circumstances. It happens
in our social life too a child sometimes exhibits erratic behavior. Do we drive
them out of our house ?
Our judgement should try to reason out and then take a decision.
I am afraid this has not happened here, hence the unpleasantness.
Hence my comments below.
Thank you.
You said : ??I distinctly recall that when I came to Mumbai, I got shelter
because I was a Jadavpurian, I could walk to any top brass because of my
Jadavpur connection and today one gets a special consideration by almost all of us
if a Jadavpurian walks in??
>>
> My experience ( 50+ years long ) after my graduation vouches your
conviction , . indeed it compares with mine.
Here, I might add a student unrest in University of Wisconsin in 60?s. The
students though were not rusticated. On the contrary, it totally changed
the administrative philosophy of U of Wisc. because the students had a reason.
It is very necessary that the EC ought to have investigated the cause of
this student displeasure not so lightly but more deeply and fast ( one and half
yearfor only one aspect, indicates real sluggishness of EC
.
I believe, to be fair with every body and deliver the ?Judgement ??, it is
essential to do an even deeper investigation as to
1.What went wrong and why the students were so angry ,
2. Who were responsible for the delay - ,
3. What measures were taken by EC to identify the delinquent teachers and /or
the clerks of the controller?s office cauising the inexcusable delay ?
The declaration of one-man committee has only found fault with the few
students pushing the controller into his car . They did NOT, for instance
investigate the reason of the sad incident happening - of why this happens over and
over again and the students are forced to accept it. Thus the judgement metted
out was hardly IMPARTIAL.This must be answered by EC to the affected public.
.At our time when I was a student and then when I taught there in EE , the
time taken by the system was hardly of any concern. They were punctual give and
take a week or so.
Today with the advent of computer facilities it ought to take a few days (
not even a week ) . The result could be easily placed in the web site, with the
students access being limited to
1. Finding his own grade when he/she enters the password appropriately.
2. Even if the results is incomplete.
3. The subjects for which the controller?s office have not received
Grades from examiners may also be available to them.
In such a case no one can blame the controller . Consequently such
unpleasantness could be avoided by the EC. Otherwise - as they say- the buck has to
stop at the office of EC itself.
WHY is this happening now ? I don?t know if you have received info about the
sad report in 1994 where protesting students seem to have been beaten by some
students .And a teacher was seen exhibiting uncalled for and uncivilised
behavior. There was hardly any enquiry about who mollested the protesting
students and why no enquiry was made about who the ?goondas??were , if they were
students of the University, why the EC did not take any actionthen against them
? .Why was the teacher not censured by the EC for his behavior.
What FETSU did try to attract the attention of the EC to do JUSTICE to the
students why are they blind like Dhritarashtra of Mahabharat.
>You said ??This is the only solution, I foresee. Hope good sense prevails in
you. Please note that I am also writing an appeal to Vice Chancellor , JU
requesting him not to show leniency to you unless you repent for your bad
behavior and apologies for the same.??>
>
Don?t you think that by doing you are looking the other way to the creeping
inefficiency that the EC indirectly supported by their ?JUDGEMENT???Don?t
you think this directly reflects to the inefficiency of the current EC ?.
I would have suggested
An unqualified apology from the students involved in the unpleasantness with
the controller .
2.Determine the teachers who were delinquents by not respecting the dead-line
date for grade submission. They ought to be officially censured by the EC
or the Academic council which may be considered at the time of any their
benefit or future promotion consideration.
3The office workers who may perhaps be responsible for the delay of
their processing the result. They also should be censured in some similar
manner.
Item 2 and three MUST NOT consider their political
affiliation
>You said ??Please go back to the class room and feel proud to be a
Jadavpurian and work with the true tradition and culture of a Jadavpurian??>
For the reasons given above ??I am afraid I can not whhole heartedly
subscribe to your advice .
The judgement metted out by EC is HARDLY fair . For the judges miserably
failed to examine the situation and its contexts fully.
> Wishing you all the best
> From
> Dr. Sushil DasGupta,
Emeritus Professor , Temple U. ( US )
Former Professor and Head of the EE Dept. JU, ( India )
From: Nilotpal Chatterjee
Subject: FW: letter from a proud 1972 jadavpurian on ju turmoil
Please read the mail below written by one of our senior alumni member.
Since he does not have access to the yahoogroups, I am forwarding this mail on his behalf.
Regards,
Nilotpal Chatterjee
1999 B.E.(Instru)
> From: sghos
> Sent: Wednesday, May 18, 2005 10:40 AM
> To: Adhikary, Ashok KECMUM
> Subject: letter
>
>
> AN OPEN LETTER TO EXPELLED STUDENTS
>
>
> Dear Expelled Students,
>
> It was really a matter of disgrace to note that one of the expelled students appeared in ETV 6 pm news programme on > "> Kolkata- Kolkata> "> on 12th of May and proudly said > "> I want to slap the Jadavpur management. Even if the expulsion is revoked I may not continue in Jadavpur. The university produces criminals> ">
>
>
>
> Young men, please note that I am also from Jadavpur. I feel proud to be a Jadavpurian and can say with pride that whatever I am today, it is because of Jadavapurs culture and education. In present day life, one will see many corrupt professional but will be happy to note that rarely any Jadavpurian figures in that list.
>
>
>
> This is because of the upbringing, motivation and the value based education we received at Jadavpur.
>
>
>
> I distinctly recall that when I came to Mumbai, I got shelter because I was a Jadavpurian, I could walk to any top brass because of my Jadavpur connection and today one gets a special consideration by almost all of us if a Jadavpurian walks in.
>
>
>
> Therefore your outburst is a reflection of non-Jadavpurian culture. Please appreciate that we were also students at one point of time or other, we also have ghareoed our beloved teachers but we never could think of hitting /pushing our teachers, insult them
>
>
>
> Friends, I can assure you the happening that culminated the expulsion, if happened at any place like Mumbai or any universities in USA, you can be rest assured that the only action that the management would have taken is not the expulsion from collage but rusticated and even sent to jail and mind you no political party would have come forward in support of students who do not have the basic quality to be a student.
>
>
>
> I am from 72 batch of FTBE and working in BARC and represent as President of BARC Officers Association including all India Atomic Energy Officers Association. By virtue of my experience I can assure you that arrogance has no value in life. One must learn the art of living and must know how to address the issues within the framework of law of the land. The relation between teacher and student should be like father-child relation. Therefore, the only alternative that is left with you is to apologies for the unruly behavior including committing a serious offence in pushing a teacher. It is condemnable in whatever circumstance it might have happened. One must feel sorry and must apologies without any delay.
>
>
>
> This is the only solution, I foresee. Hope good sense prevails in you. Please note that I am also writing an appeal to Vice Chancellor , JU requesting him not to show leniency to you unless you repent for your bad behavior and apologies for the same.
>
>
>
> Please go back to the class room and feel proud to be a Jadavpurian and work with the true tradition and culture of a Jadavpurian
>
>
>
> Wishing you all the best
>
>
>
> From
>
> Dr Sailen Ghosh
>
> 72, FTBE
From: ujjal roy
Subject: RE: Turmoil at JU
I totally agree with Tanmay da's mail .
Yes def when there is a genuine need , then its worth getting into all this . but when there s some body at fault ( if they are ) then why not ?
all over the world , there s has been incidents that students / corporate people have been shown doors , if found guilty .
Then y everytime we go up in an uproar .......... !
Tanmay da i fully agree with you .
From: Sanjay Saha
Subject: RE: Turmoil at JU
I condemn Mr. Pranab Ray's / Tanmay Biswas's statement/mail.
I don't know what happened during 1977. If I agree to what Mr. Pranab ray has described is correct i.e. assuming that some hooligan students were given punishment during that time, how dare he finds similarity with the current students??
does he think that leading a students' agitation means a hooliganism??
does he know that all students in a GB meeting decided to boycott the semester??
does he know the authority could not find a regular student to witness the case??
He can always come into JU and find the actual facts...
Anyway I don't want to forego this discussion. Maybe somebody is having some compulsion towards "Alimuddin Street"..
The news from JU is that, FETSU is doing relay hunger strike in campus....Only final year students are appearing for exam and rest are boycotting the semester..And FETSU is planning to appeal to court...
First of all, they need some donations from allumnus (to bear the huge Court's expenditure)...Please decide whether or how much we will bear??If we give donation, then how we will contribute etc. etc...
it is my suggestion to the JUGAA executive members whether we can give a signed memorendum to the VC condeming the Suspension??
Let us take this battle to save "JU's Pride"...
Thanks
Sanjay
Alumnus,
It had happened during my tenure in 1977. some boys were expelled from
university, because they tortured our own students and they used to drink
and forcefully took money from the junior students. Very few student
supported them. They were banned from the university. Union also did not
supported them. I don't know what is the background this time. Why union is
supporting such undisciplined students. I think current students are the
best judge and they are the sufferer. They should decide their future. We
ex-students do not have the facts. We should not waste time on such matter.
Thanks,
Pranab Ray
From: Rajib Sengupta
Subject: RE: Turmoil at JU
Hello All,
It's great to see such a discussion going on and I
hope down the line this might have some effect in JU
exam policies.
In JU the students union(mainly FETSU as the other two
students union was mainly controlled from
writers-building - except couple of years ) had fought
for this for a while - but haven't had much results.
It's a very valid question : why it take 2/3 months
for publishing results ?
Some of the teachers may be responsible for the delay
but my experience tells that we just cannot blame the
teachers- arobinda bhavan is the other place where the
exam papers just go and sits for ever..
The VC, Register and the Controller of Exam and above
all EC should answer this questions before expelling
the students.
I think the student union, along with the boycott
should take the route to Court to get an injunction on
this decision.There are so many instances where court
injunctions have been misused , but I think this will
be probably one for a good cause.
JU authority first should answer the questions for
late exam paper , punish the people involved , in a
open letter state what measures are the authority is
taking and then only they have the right to judge the
students action.
Violence is not the answer for these - no doubt- but
everything is not black and white as mentioned by
Sushilda.
Infact we really don't know what was the extent of
this incident of alleged beating. I can recall and
some of the other's (Thakur surely can recall) can
recall that during 94 the JU authority had tried to
put same type of allegation against some of the
students - that they had pushed a teacher etc etc ,
which was a blatant lie.
So this situations cannot be described as white and
black - in short , if the present students are reading
this chain of letter, we want to tell them that Ju
alumni knows the pain and trouble that you are going
through-
but don't give up. Authority will surely buckle . And
think of the Court option too as one of the last
resource if nothing fruitful happens. Talk with an
experienced lawyer and see what type of court case can
be lodged (a public interest case might be- I am
totally ignorant about this , though in JNU one such
incident had happened during our time ) to get an
injunction on this decision..
Bye for now,
Rajib
From: "Sarcar, Shourya C \(GE Healthcare\)"
Subject: RE: Turmoil at JU
Sayan and others,
This is not something new with JU but everytime a 'batch' goes through this -- I consider it a unique forging experience. Every generation has its heroes. You are the ones for your days.
We has a similar issue in 1999-2000 with the fee hike proposals and other issues. Beatings, michils, mobilizations, hunger-strikes -- the full nine yards. At that time, the outcome was extremely impotant for me (and many of us); but now, in retrospection, it was the learning experience that had a deeper impact. Quickly, you could separate friends from hangers-on, comrades (sic) from chaff. You understood the polit(r)ical orientations of your teachers; how to work with and around them. (Aware some teachers are reading this -- with due deference)
Deeper wisdoms in life can hit you at unexepected hours, particularly when you are damn damn hungry. You figure out who's who around you -- but more importantly who you essentially are. Discovery of the quintessence is joy unabandoned.
Reiterating the other people in the emails, "Stand up for your principles; even if you stand up alone". At the same time (and may be this part will raise some commotion
:-), be pragmatic about what you can change and to what extent you should sacrifice your 'personal' lifestream for that. Balance is key. Landing up with a criminal case behind you is not a nice thing always; does not make life easier in front of a VISA Officer.
I am so damn proud of you guys -- everytime I come to hear of this student protest. Because deep in my heart, I know that your motives are way much more pure than that of the proverbial grey-hairs. Your passion is unchallengeable -- my only request is never let it go. Don't become one of those grey-hairs. It is so satisfying to see the core of JU remain untouched. Yes, we may or may not get IIT status ; we may or may not get a better library, digital access, fee scale rationalisation -- hardly matters -- what matters is that the spirit of protest; the fundamental act of discension ; stubborn refusal to accept the status quo and meekful co-existence with the assumed powers to be -- is alive and kicking damn hard.
Cherish these years, The Journey _is_ the Destination.
Shourya Sarcar
Comp. Sci - 2000
From: Rajib Sengupta
Subject: RE: Turmoil at JU
Hello Sayan,
It's the same situation like 94 as mentioned by Arijit.I understand how you
guys are feeling -it's really a horrible time. I can recall several of us
was beaten that night -and our fault was we had just asked for a decision.
But as mentioned by dadu you have to stick with your principal no matter
what (that's why we are JU ,not another glorified institution).
If you guys want more information and how that movement was organized then
you can contact the followings who are in Calcutta and was actively involved
in that movement along with others. Printing 96 Ritesh (he should be in CTS
and I guess he is a member of this group also ), Samik Sarkar production 97
or Pinaki Engg, 97 (I guess both of them are in touch with the present
student union and actively involved with PDSF).
Again reiterating the fact - you have to communicate very well with the
media. Last time media had done lot of difference. If you guys want, I know
some reporter in telegraph (and one of them is JU alumni from English) . I
can ask her to meet with you guys to get the students view and do a report.
Let me know asap.
And last but not least,the help from alumni. I am not sure what the alumni
can do collectively, but this is the time when we should stand next to the
present student with whatever way we can. If someone is in a position to
exert pressure on JU governing body (EC) please do so.
Any ideas are welcome.
Thanks,
Rajib
From: Arijit Sarker
Subject: Re: Turmoil at JU
Hi Sayan,
This also happens to be my first posting to the group.
For the little that I got to know from newspaper reports we had a similar situation way back in 1994. People around that batch would recall.
We were final year students then. The professor's association had gone on a strike where in they were not correcting class test and semester papers and results were with held.
The EC ( so called apex decision making body) was inactive and not taking any decision and our future was hanging in balance. The students went on hunger strike for 3 days and on the day the EC was supposed to take a call .... there was no decison . Instead students were severely beaten up by outsidersand insiders ( with affiliations to so called men in power) .. There was a total boycott for 7 days. Thereafter JUTA relented to complete the process for the final year students. We were able to get our exams completed with a month's delay. I guess in a month's time after that some of the issues of JuTA was addressed by EC.
Moral: Hold on to your beliefs and ground and do not relent on issues that you find is unfair for the students. The outside world is watching and would put pressure for a resolution.
Please ensure that press carries the correct picture.
regards
arijit ( dadu)
BE Instrumentation 1994
From: sanjay saha
Subject: Recent turmoil at JU
Hi All,
I had gone to JU during last weekend (saturday) to give my moral
support to the agitating students and also to find out what is
actually happening and happened during this turmoil independently,
forgetting my old association with FETSU and any other association.
What I found is very pathetic and everybody could smell something
wrong --
1. It may be true that during that day (deputation to Controller)when
the Controller was trying to break the gherao imposed by agitating
students, there might be some "dhakka-dhakki".
2. But how come the controller identifies the 5 sudents?? does he know
every students by name???
3. Why there is a one-man commitee to inquire??
4. Few of the witnesses are
-- The Assistant General Secretary of BE Part Time, who was present
during the agitation and an active member of an organisation of ruling
party.
-- Another person who is a part time student and also a staff-member
(by virtue of his association with "RED-BRIGADE")
-- A teacher from Metallurgy who was not at all present there.
5. Why no witness was taken from any regular student present there?
6. Why all the witnesses belong a political color?
7. Before the commission submits the report, the officers association
made a deputation to VC, asking for punishment of these 5 students.
But how come they know the names of the students before the report is
submitted?
One of the respected teacher (don't want to take his name) told me
that the fault of the students is "They don't belong to a particular
political party".
It was clear that the EC will try to break the students by imposing
different punishment to the students. And from today's telegraph
report it is clear to all.
As of now (till Saturady), the movement was sponteneous. But don't
know what will happen from tommorow (after the EC decision).
Requesting all allumni members who are in Calcutta to go to campus for
atleast an hour anyday. Is it possible to provide any help to the
students from Allumni?? Most probably financial help is not required
because nowadays FETSU fund allocated is quite high!!!
Thanx & Regards
Sanjay Saha
BPPE '96
From: Sourav Sen
Subject: Re: Turmoil at JU
It was 1994. I was in thr 3rd yr of Chem Engg. JUTA
refused to conduct some exams in protest on some pay
issues. Somehow as Fetsu , we played into the JUTA
hands. Our reasoning was that its the Univs job to
ensure exams take place in time. So we too launched
an agitation against somebody. The agitation involved
graffiti, posters, sloganning , meetings.
Then one day an EC meeting was called to resolve the
dispute. We started a cyclic fasting protest that
morning in the KMR building. That morning
we noticed strange goings on. Some SFI and Phy.Ed
students had started forming a base. Strange looking
men were all over the campus. The informed amongst
us begain the see the first signs of trouble. Some
SFI classmates begin to warn their close Fetsu friends
to stay away. After the EC meeting the plan was to
block the gates so that EC members dont comeout
without a result.
There was DSF guy we used to call Asim da. He led us
to block the gates. Most of the EC members were
elderly faculties. We didnt expect them to start
becoming physical. All of a sudden we realised that
loads of SFI/Phyed guys were upon us peeling us away
and leading the EC members away to safety.
Some of us were actually relieved that we didnt have
to have a showdown with the teachers. But the scene
changes in less that 5 mins. After the teachers have
been led allowed , showers of brick and glass began to
take place on the fasting students. We used some of
the
'chaukis' to block the showers and started to close
the collapsing gates. Unfortunately I along with some
of the other boys were outside the gate holding one of
our placards. The bricks were actually whizzing past
our years. I looked at the guy next to me and he was
trying
to protect his glasses. Each of those bricks would
have crushed thru his skull. Somehow we back tracked.
Some people opened the gates and pulled us in. Others
started pelting back the stones . There were some
girls
amongst us . Fetsu gatherings used to generate a lot
of camaraderie in those days. We entered the EC
meeting
room and stated to vandalise it. Seemed a good idea
for a bunch of loosers who neither had the muscle nor
the courage to get a point across. We decided to
filter out
from the other side of the KMR building where the
water fountain was.
Thats where I saw an incident that made me grow up.
One of the faculties in our department was standing
on a elevated platform and screming abuses. IT was
goading on some goons to attack us. One of us ran thru
the field. 2 of them chased him with bamboo poles.
2 of my friends ran towards the places where the
teachers were standing and hid behind our HOD.
But that creature continued the verbal abuse and
instigating the violence. I even saw on of my SFI
friends doing the goading. In one moment , JU lost its
charm in my mind. It looked like someone had invaded
my special relationship with my alma mater. I realised
the reality of JU and its various vested interests. I
realised that each of these vested interests have a
funding , a budget , a marketing allowance and a
defence expenditure. They have to protect their
existence with vigourous lobbying. And sometimes it
was possible to loose site of the goal.Each of these
groups
had a ugly side totally imcompatible with the ideals
behind a University of learning.
I think the net result of that incident was 1 fellow
lost his eyes. A few wore bandages on their arms and
heads. Things returned to normal. We all graduated.
Some very bitter.
That faculty is still in JU. That HOD who turned a
blind eye and blamed everything on FETSU is still
there. That SFI friend is still a friend and we make
fun of the old times.
Honestly I felt quite ashamed of the people who
administered and taught at JU.
From the recent news, the game is still on. Looking
back , I think the authorities do have the right to
punish those who resort to violence on campus. The
problem is it is very often the state sponsored
authorites/student union and that very strange
department called Physical Education - The Bajrang Dal
of CPM - who instigate the confrontation.
Nevertheless , I think the EC has bit off more than it
can chew this time. I congratulate FETSU and each and
every engg student for the show of unity in boycotting
exams. I even congratulate SFI for realising what
expulsion means to a student and doing the right
thing.
I hope the battle comes to a close. I hope a few EC
heads roll. I hope JU rids itself of its political
colors before it gets the 'IIT' branding and
consequent
funding.
Honestly I wouldnt trust many of the JU faculties and
authorities with a single penny of mine. IIT or no
IIT.
Just more tax payers money wasted down the pocket of
corrupt JU authorities.
Lastly I know of a handful of faculties who still try
to behave like faculties.Their love of the rosogolla
or
their family compulsion of staying in Calcutta makes
it difficult of them to think of working elsewhere. I
wish them well.
cheers
sourav
B Che 1995.
From: "Chandan Bose"
Subject: Fw: Turmoil at JU
Dear Sayan,
It is quite natural that all of u at JU are now in great anxiety. This impasse needs to be amicably settled without any damage to any individual. Besides if this problem is not settled immediately, it will send a wrong signal to the industry as our university is well regarded everywhere. In 1985 Aug or July, the year I got admitted to JU, there was a very bad incident when Alumni quota was abolished. The then acting VC's (most probably Mr. Santosh Sarkar) chamber was ransacked and the photographs of his chamber were printed in all leading news paper next day with the blame on the students. To my knowledge that was the first time when Police force entered the JU campus to control the agitation. Further to that there was very serious agitation, most probably in 1988, when one or two students of Civil Engineering stream were given year back. The student union at that time was competent enough to handle the situation and our class mates were allowed to roll on to next year after a series of discussion with the administration. At that time Dr. Shankar Sen was VC and Dr. Pijush Some was Dean and both were able administrators all know. Wish that you all come out of this problem immediately.
Regards
Chandan Bose - BCE1989
From: Pushan Bishi
Subject: RE: Turmoil at JU
Hi -
This is NOT my first post to the group (although quite
a few have been ignored by Subhendu and never saw the
light of day :-) just joking Subhendu).
I just saw too many emails from known people (Thakur,
Rajib, Dadu, Biplab) and all of us were there during
the 94 crisis and just brought back bitter sweet
memories. Getting beaten up was the only bitter part,
trust me ;-)
So this time I am trying to write a more formal and
serious email so that this email really gets posted.
The others have already given a lot of suggestions
about whom to talk to and I don't have anybody to add
to that list.
But I wanted to say hold your course and I really
believe the authorities are going to give into this.
More so because of the impending IIT status (or talks
to that effect) , the authorities will try to resolve
this as soon as possible so this doesn't get bigger
than it is now (its already doing rounds in the daily
publications) and capture national attention.
If you believe what you are doing is right, stick to
it.
Thanks
Pushan
From: Sushil Dasgupta
Subject: RE: Turmoil at JU
Hi Pratik
Am in full agreement with you about the unpleasant incident between a
few students and the controller of exams.
Neither do I subscribe to beating the controller of exam nor the 94
beating of the students who agrieved for delaying the result of students and
was asking for a decision .
I am not aware what happened then. Apperently JUTA was at default not
considering the frustration of the students particularly the final year ones
whose loss of 1 month in the job market is not very excusable. On top of it
beating them is black under any circumstance. The authority should have taken
measure to avoid that.
But perhaps we are not probing at what is happening in engineering
education appropriately, in which politics probably is not paying any attention
at these problems and its root cause.
As far as my understanding goes, there had been mushrooms of
Technological institutes around West Bengal. They need teachers in this area which of
course is not available in dime a dozen there. Teachers in JU and also BE
College are lured there to earn some extra money. I would not blame them for they
need that badly to be at per with their engineer friends in industry. But I
woiuld blame them if they are delinquents in submitting the result.
The students are told by the controllers office they did not get the
complete result. They don't tell you which teachers were delinquents - not
submitting the result ASAP. I suspect they know their employment at JU is
permanent so that has to be least attended to. I have this from some of the retired
faculty members whom I called when I read this news in some local Bengali
newspaper in US . Thus for negligence of only a few , the face of the whole
teaching community tarnished. Result - Gherao of Controller and then the inpleasant
"dhakka dhakki" of controller attempting to get into his car.
Who should you blame ? I suspect the first in the line should be the
irresponsible teachers. Who should also be supplied by the " EC " show cause
notice
"Why they were late submitting there results and why they should not
be considered going into temporary status in JU "
Usually, in our time ( 1961 or so ), when a person is appointed a
teacher , hes made permanent next year depending on the absence of any serious
complaint against him.
But still it does not have enough excuse to not to warn those
students who were involved in the unpleasant incident. This I am in unision with you.
All we want to be sure
that the EC does not rusticate them. That will be too much. The controller of
exam also ought to issue a report ( probably an open letter giving the names
of the irresponsible examiners , and what measures did he take to prevent it) .
And then what happened to those miscreants who beat up our students
in 94 incident ?
It is not that easy to say it as "Black and White " I am afraid!
From: "Shyamal Ganguly"
Subject: RE: Turmoil at JU
These 5 students are charged beating up a semi-robot person controller of
examination - whose job description is:
Schedule exams. Employ guards. Make sure the exam papers are marked and
returned ON TIME BY examiners. Publish the results.
Students must go about making efforts of advancements in jobs and higher
studies.
This job description pretty much fits a robot.
I am a Mechanical Engineer who believes in the Principle "HARD BODY
TRANSMITS FORCE". I have no FALSE RESPECT for Seniors or any GURU or a
TEACHER. Some Jadavpur Teachers I hear have been MULTI-TASKING in various
other Low-Class Universities while double dipping and tripple dipping and
neglecting their main job at J.U. Authorities are aware. If some of these
teachers were late in filing the examination-marks why were they not
punished ? Why did the Controller fail in his duty?
May be there is a lot more hanky-panky going on with money chain all the way
up. Subhas Bose was punished for insolence. Manisha, the Controller of
Examination Calcutta University is suspected to have been murdered by the
order of the Party Bosses. We do not need to endorse corruption and
incompetence in Jadavpur University at any level. In this case, I believe
students were just frustrated and lost cool and beat up a HALF-ROBOT,
HALF-HUMAN.
Shyamal Ganguly B.M.E 1963
From: Somnath Basu
Subject: JU-a reality check
Last month we were flying high and talking about why
JU should be considered as good as IIT. Within two
weeks of that euphoria came the crash-landing! JU
(Engg faculty in particular) is in the news again, and
NOT for the best reasons.
JU authorities have reportedly decided to suspend 5
students for alleged "physical abuse" on the
controller of examinations. Nothing extra-ordinary, on
the face of it. One can argue that the university is
well within its rights to maintain discipline.
Unfortunately, JU's hands are not really as clean as
it wants others to believe. And this is perhaps the
strongest aspect that draws the demarkation between JU
and IIT.
1. Why did it take the university take more than 1.5
years to conclude that assault on the controller of
examinations constitutes a breach of discipline? Over
and above the technical expertise, a student is
expected to imbibe some "more fundamental" values at
the university. For example: punctuality, timeliness.
What example of timeliness is JU setting by taking
a year and half to decide the disciplinary action? As
far as my understanding goes, there is a provision of
a case getting time-barred in the court of law. People
conversant with law can explain better but it roughly
means that if an "offence" has been committed in 2000
you probably can not wait till 2010 to frame the
charges. If the university can not take decision on
such disciplinary issues within a month, then it
should better not act at all. And the so-called
enquiry committe was definitely not probing
proliferation of nuclear secrets!
2. There is no question of saying that physical abuse
(if any) on the controller was the right thing to do.
However, such an unfortunate incidence occured
primarily becasue the controllerate of examinations
failed to address the grievance and frustration of the
students. As has been pointed out by some of the
alumni, only a handful of the teachers are probably
responsible for holding up the results.
To be fair on the controller, he definitely could not
grab the defaulting teachers by the collar and make
them sumbit the marks on time. However, he first tried
to shield his errant colleagues, and then had to cry
foul as the things became too hot. No doubt he is now
coming under a lot of criticism.
3. The so-called enquiry committe took 1.5 years to
indentify the act of indiscipline and then, amazing
enough, managed to pin-point just 5 students as being
solely responsible for all the trouble!
There is reason to believe that the university
authorities wanted to pick some "whipping boys", more
to save their own face than ensure discipline.
Clearly, not talking any step would have gone down as
encouraging indicipline and it has probably become too
late to weed out the root cause. As to what role
politics may have played in this, I wish to refrain
from deliberating on that.
4. I'm afraid this "witch-hunting" measure will do
good to neither the students nor the teachers and
definitely not JU as an institution. Unfortunately,
it's the same saga that gets repeated. On one accasion
it may be FETSU v/s EC, the next one becomes EC v/s
JUTA, and so on.... It is immensely painful to see
signs of enmity fostering between the students, the
teachers and the administrators at the university that
gave some of the best years in my life.
Since I started this mail with reference to the issue
of IIT-status, let me sign off with a couple of
experiences from JU, and IIT, to show how far wide the
gulf is (it has got nothing to do with intelligent
students or brilliant teachers), and what JU also can
do (if, I repeat, IF it wishes). If JU is to go
anywhere near the IITs, the authorities must stop
witch-hunting ventures and start addressing the root
evils.
** Prof Nandi used to take most of his lectures
during the 1st period. He was always on time and a
student late by even just a few minutes was refused
entry to the class. He led by example!
** Shortly before one of the exams, Prof Bhadra fell
ill and had to be hospitalised. The department made
alternate arrangements so that neither the exams nor
correction of the answer scripts saw any delay.
** At IIT, there used to be a gap of 5 - 10 days
between end of semester exams and start of vacation.
Results for about 90% of our papers were announced
BEFORE start of the vacation, even though printed
grade-cards were issued about a month later.
** One professor skipped some UG class in our dept
twice within 10 days, without any prior intimation.
His case went up to the Deputy Director as a complaint
and the professor, in spite of his seniority, had to
digest a few "not-so-nice" comments from the faculty
council. Is JU ready to do the same?
Best wishes
Somnath
