Need to nip in the bud
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: May 05, 2014 -
In a welcome development, University Grants Commission (UGC), one of the statutory organisations set up by the Government of India with the task of maintaining the standards of university education in the country, has very recently appealed to all universities to include the history and culture of the Northeast region in the curriculum prescribed for higher education in a move to reduce the problem of racial discrimination faced by students from the region in other parts of the country.
While the initiative taken up by UGC is really appreciable as this would go a long way in clearing many of the myths and misconceptions associated with this neglected region and its people, which are at the root cause of recurring instances of racial attacks and discrimination; what is even more laudable is the fact that losing no time, the academic council of Mumbai University has started look at ways and means of incorporate the heritage and history of the Northeast in its curriculum for courses at the graduate and post-graduate levels.
We hope other universities would also follow up. If other universities also followed the footstep of Mumbai University, then we could rest assure that the recurring problem of racial attacks and discrimination faced by people from Northeast particularly young students and professionals in other parts of the country would be reduced to a large extent, even if not we be able to made a thing of the past altogether.
The appeal of the UGC for inclusion of lessons on the history and culture of Northeast in the curriculum for the graduate and post-graduate courses has come close behind the suggestions given by the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development, which has also constituted a task force to promote educational opportunities and the welfare of students from the Northeast.
Besides, calling for spending some time in the Northeast for students who are not from the region to “understand and appreciate its culture” through regular cultural exchanges between institutions in the region and other areas, the newly constituted task force has also recommended a range of areas where the existing curriculum can be changed or modified by including novels or short stories from the Northeast in the English Literature, teaching of history of Northeast from the pre-colonial era to the Indian independence including individuals from the region who had participated in anti-colonial uprisings as well as in the freedom movement.
All these changes that need to be brought about in the curriculum of higher education are very well, but we feel that racism or hate crime is something that needs to be nipped in the bud.
Children are born into this world without any prejudice, but learn as they grow up.
So, to catch them young, it would be equally important for the authorities concerned to pay serious attention to the recommendations given with regard to inclusion of lessons on Northeast in the curriculum of school education as well if we are to combat racism without leaving anything to chance.
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