MU : 'No longer a Thika Makon' : MUSU on revival track
- Sangai Express Editorial :: February 21, 2014 -
"No longer so". "The scenario no longer resembles an engineering department like say the PWD."
This was the Vice Chancellor of Manipur University, Prof HNK Sarma when asked about the 'Thika Makon' (Den contractors) tag given to the university after it was upgraded to the status of a Central University way back in 2005.
The VC fell short of candidly admitting it, but in the two sweeping statements lie the position of where MU stood or maybe stands today.
Only time and a close look at the ground reality will tell the veracity of the claims of the VC, but it is not without reason that there were and are talks galore about how the highest seat of learning in the State has been turned into a den of contractors, where the university administrators seem/seemed to be more interested in the process of awarding contract works, which almost invariably involves kick backs and of course playing the game of favouritism at the expense of not only the quality of the works taken up but also at the expense of academics.
Scripting anarchy within the campus of a seat of learning, driven by the passion for money and more money.
The unflattering sobriquet of 'Thika Makon' or a den of contractors lies on this foundation.
Add the politicking amongst the faculty members and a number of students who are more into activism than academics and surely MU still has to overcome a series of hurdles on its way.
In Mr HNK Sarma, MU has a man with vast international exposure and it would be in the fitness of things, if the VC can translate his international experience on the turf of MU, not only inside the concrete buildings of the varsity but on its lawns, in the library and the canteen, where every topic under the Sun and beyond are discussed and talked about.
MU may have produced some outstanding students, but as an institution it is still miles behind the mindset of 'Classes end by 2 pm and college starts', echoed so eloquently by the late Principal of St Stephen's College, Delhi University, Anil Wilson many years back.
As Prof HNK Sarma put it, sure MU may have produced some outstanding students, with some of them getting admission into prestigious institutions such as the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre and the Indian Institute of Science, but just as a swallow does not make a Summer a handful of students cannot be the parameter of the standard of a university.
This is a point that should be kept in mind. Concrete structures, with state of the art equipments have come up in MU, in the last few years.
There is no doubt about it, but has the university taken or attempted to take the step towards the profound observation, "The battle of Waterloo was fought and won on the play grounds of Eton ?"
This may be too tough a call at the moment, but benchmarks have already been set from across the world and Prof HNK Sarma, with his vast international exposure must be aware of this.
The decision to put the Manipur University Students' Union on the track to revival is a positive move, for it stands that despite its nuisance values, student bodies or student unions are the breeding ground for future leaders of the land and the State.
A look at the profile of some political leaders should suffice.
Just to cite two examples, the erudite Mr Arun Jaitely of the BJP and Union Minister Lalit Maken have their moorings in Delhi University Students' Union.
This is what a university is about and more.
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