Kolkata, Jan 31
Frequent campus violence, mass
copying, irregularities in admission procedures, frequent student
protests over trivial matters are plaguing West Bengal's once-reputed
educational institutions that have at one time produced some of India's
best known faces, both leaders and scholars.
One of the the
state's prestigious institutions, Jadavpur University, remained the
epicentre of a massive student agitation that led to the unprecedented
step of its vice chancellor being asked to step down by none other than
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee when she made an unannounced visit to the
university.
The students' movement, that had widespread
resonance with many of the Jadavpur University alumnui across the globe
expressing solidarity, had its roots in a demand by students for an
independent probe into the alleged molestation of a female pupil. A
subsequent "violent" police crackdown on the agitating students
gradually snowballed, resulting in vice chancellor Abhijit Chakrabrti
stepping down in the face of what he called an "undemocratic" and
"unconstitutional" stir initiated by "politically-affiliated" students.
Ironically,
Chakrabarti's predecessor Souvik Bhattacharya had put in his papers
citing personal reasons barely a month after he was confined for more
than 50 hours by students demanding the reinstatement of two students
suspended on charges of ragging. However, academic circles in the
university claim the eminent educationist resigned because of the
non-cooperation of a section of teachers close to the ruling Trinamool
Congress that is being blamed - like its previous Marxist predecessors -
for politicising the educational system in the state.
As
educationists and former vice chancellors blamed political interference,
especially by the ruling Trinamool, for the "anarchy", they also
claimed the students were acquiring a tendency to agitate for "anything
and everything".
"Notwithstanding the political interference, I
believe a section of teachers and students must bear the responsibility
for the crisis that has engulfed the education system, former vice
chancellor Pradip Narayan Ghosh told IANS.
"Students in Bengal
have always been politically active, but the restiveness now seems to be
going beyond limits. The fact that two VCs had to depart in the face of
student agitations does reflect this," Ghosh added.
"The problem
is not only with Jadavpur, the phenomenon is fairly widespread. Reports
of students sitting on fasts or confining teachers and authorities have
become too frequent," he noted.
Even as the Jadavpur imbroglio
continued, another iconic institution, Presidency University, witnessed
similar scenes with students resorting to a fast-unto-death demanding
revocation of the clause that barred students with less than 60 percent
attendance from contesting or voting in the student's body polls.
The
stir was withdrawn after the university authorities made a concession
for this year, allowing students with less than 60 percent attendance to
cast their votes.
"It is alarming, the way we are conceding the
illegitimate demands of the students. Is there any guarantee the
students will not sit on fast again next year? We are only emboldening
the students who are now becoming habitual agitators," a former vice
chancellor, who did not wish to be named, told IANS.
"The
Jadavpur students are celebrating Chakrabarti's removal but are they
concerned about their original demand of an independent probe into the
molestation? They may soon find out yet another issue to launch an
agitation," said the professor, who also taught at the university.
It
is not the JU or the Presidency alone, a section of students, faculty
and officials of the Rabindranath Tagore-founded Visva-Bharati
University too have launched an agitation demanding the removal of
Sushanta Dutta Gupta as the VC.
Gupta has been accused of
jeopardising the academic atmosphere because of his "autocratic style"
of functioning. He is also accused of appointing a controller of
examinations despite having no powers to do so and sanctioning key posts
in violation of the varsity's act.
Educationists Sunanda Sanyal
and Pabitra Sarkar too admitted students were increasingly becoming
"habitual agitators" and squarely blamed the Trinamool for this.
"The
entire blame lies with the Trinamool, which wants to pervade into
everything. While the Left had established partycracy, the Trinamool,
for the sake of extending its influence, has almost destroyed the
education institutions in the state," Sanyal told IANS.
"The
biggest fallout of this is the rise of right wing politics in the
campus. It surely is alarming to see the ABVP gaining ground in Bengal,"
Sanyal added.
Sarkar said the Trinamool was using the growing
restiveness of the students for its "political ambitions, engulfing the
entire education system in anarchy".
"As if the killing of a cop
during campus elections was not enough, our education now boasts of
regular mass copying, goons becoming part of the college administration
and teachers and principals working at the mercy of students. In its
three years, Trinamool has ensured there is anarchy everywhere," Sarkar
told IANS.
Sarkar was referring to killing of police officer
Tapas Chowdhury, who was shot dead in 2013 during a violent clash
between the students' wings of the Congress and the Trinamool at a
Kolkata college.
When and where all this "educational anarchy" will
end no one knows, but increasingly talented young people with some means
are leaving the state to find better and more conducive educational and
job opportunities outside the state, to the south, west and north of
the country, as West Bengal rapidly assumes the reputation of a "failed
state" amongst its own people.
(Anurag Dey can be contacted at [email protected])
