Page 25 - EW September 2023

WEST BENGAL
education which was made a concur-
rent subject during the Emergency, Campus chaos
should be brought back to states” — a
long pending demand. “If brought un- he mysterious death on august
der state control, the education poli- 10 of Swapnadip Kundu, a
cies can be tailored to suit the specific Tfirst-year Bengali literature
needs and culture of states, leading to student of Kolkata’s high-ranked
more relevant curricula and pedago- Jadavpur University (JU, estb.1905),
gies. Also, states are better positioned because of alleged ragging by a group
to preserving and promoting local of senior students has once again
languages, history, and culture. The brought the issue of harassment and
role of the Centre should be restricted ragging into the national spotlight.
to providing guidelines, financial and Thus far, 13 students, including three
technical support,” says Gajendra former students, have been arrested
Babu. for abetment of suicide.
In support of this contention, Ga- Swapnadip’s death has sent
jendra Babu argues that until 1976 shockwaves across the state because
when education was made a concur- JU is West Bengal’s show-piece
rent subject, Tamil Nadu had built university ranked #4 nationally
an impressive record of being India’s in EducationWorld’s government
most educated state with numerous multidisciplinary universities rank-
technical institutes, medical colleges ings 2023-24, and #4 by the Union
and primary schools every 3 km and education ministry’s NIRF Univer- ments were revoked by the state’s
high schools at every 5 km. “States sity Rankings as well. Trinamool Congress (TMC) govern-
have vast experience in running With ragging continuing in Ben- ment. Therefore on August 10 when
schools and colleges, so why not re- gal’s top-ranked varsity, it is a clear Swapnadip died, JU didn’t have a VC
store the pre-1976 arrangement?” he indicator that the recommendations and the offices of three deans were
queries. of the anti-ragging committee consti- also vacant. Moreover, student union
While there is some merit in this tuted in 2009 under the chairman- elections traditionally held annu-
argument, academics in Chennai warn ship of former Central Bureau of ally, have not been held regularly
that it’s important to bear in mind that Investigation director R.K. Ragha- over the past decade after the TMC
India is a Union of States. “If there’s van which inter alia recommended government’s clampdown on them
no commonality of curriculum and es- separate hostel accommodation for following incidents of violence. The
pecially in the teaching of languages first-year students and installation last student union election at JU
and core subjects, it could lead to bal- of CCTVs, are not being followed in was held in 2020. So there wasn’t
kanisation of India. Mobility of labour West Bengal’s 26 universities. a students’ governing council at JU
and capital and India’s huge market — According to academics in Kol- when this young scholar met his end,
its greatest attraction — could be nul- kata, one of the major reasons for either.
lified. NCF-SE 2023 provides a broad persistence of ragging in JU is weak Moreover, with the UGC discon-
curriculum framework within which administration. After the nine year tinuing its grant of Rs.4 crore per
states have considerable space to pro- tenure of last full-time vice chancel- year and the state government also
mote their own histories and culture. lor Suranjan Das ended on May 31, having slashed its budget for JU
A national curriculum framework is the VC’s office has been vacant be- with dues pending since 2019, JU is
a necessity for national unity going cause of an ongoing dispute between experiencing a serious funds crunch.
forward. The DMK and chief minister the state government and the Central Evidently despite being the show-
Stalin are playing dangerous electoral government-appointed governor of piece university of Bengal, JU has
politics by interfering with children’s West Bengal C.V. Ananda Bose, ex been floundering in a sea of troubles.
education,” says a Chennai-based so- officio chancellor of all universities Therefore, within the students’
cial scientist, speaking on condition of statewide. community there is apprehension
anonymity. As reported in June by this that the state government is all set
As an ancient sage observed: “A correspondent, although this is a to raise tuition fees, which have
politician thinks about the next elec- ceremonial office, Governor Ananda remained static for 22 years. Tuition
tion; only a statesman thinks about Bose suo motu appointed interim fees are a hot potato subject in public
the next generation”. vice chancellors in 11 state universi- higher education countrywide —
Shivani Chaturvedi (Chennai) ties (including JU) whose appoint- especially in West Bengal, which was

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