RAIN WREAKS HAVOC AT ARTS COLLEGE screams a headline of The Hindu on August 18, 2020. This was a news report about the predicament of the Osmania University college building that suffered extensive damage in the current spell of rains.
Such reports are neither isolated nor for the first time. While the Arts College has shown up signs of decay and damage for over two years, shortcomings in Medical and Health care has been identified for years, particularly during past six months, ever since the devilish COVID-19 has been the major challenge. The problem has been aggravated with the onset of monsoon
Gandhi General Hospital (GGH) has been an exclusive COVID Centre and with a light shower, the drainage water surreptitiously enters the wards in OGH, which is the only facility available for non-corona patients.
As a matter of fact, every educational institution of national renown is being misused by all the political parties. But once the goal is achieved, they are curry leaves, smelt and thrown away. Where are the student leaders who had thrown their weight with Telangana movement?
They are mute and blind at the pathetic conditions of their successors. Ironically the political leaders are the rulers and Administrators.
It has also been reported, more than once in both the electronic and printed media that the government of Telangana is not bestowing as much attention on the essential infrastructure as on the construction of the palatial Secretariat.
It is also a subject for behind the screen discussion and debate among the intellectuals. In a Welfare State, Medical & Healthcare and Education shall get the utmost priority. They are the best social security measures. In the course of history, only a few emperors are titled GREAT. They are Greats, merely not because they had their sway over a vast empire. But they were enlightened. Social studies teachers used to say that the common features of the kingdoms ruled by benevolent rulers were good roads, and trees planted along the roads, dug-wells and constructed choultries. They instituted centres of learning and safeguarded public health, both preventive and curative. Ancient Indian teacher-philosopher Kautilya lays down strict rules to be followed when the epidemics break down. He also mandates royal patronage for academic activities.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal took a leaf from history and started improving the schools and hospitals. They were converted into models for the country and in many respects better maintained than the corporate establishments.
He did not bother to control the Private Enterprise. On the other hand, he encouraged the spirit of competition. He reaped the political dividend in the form of thumping success in the 2019 general Elections to the Delhi Assembly.
A Delhi government school/ Credits:http://edudel.nic.in/
Setting aside the political inhibitions, the Central and other State Governments should emulate the good systems in any State. The GoI has accepted the National (New) Educational Policy (NEP) 2020 recommended by the Dr Kasturirangan Committee. It is expected to be introduced from the 2021-2022 Academic year. It is being told that the system would embark on a golden era and an Eldorado would rise up in India. It is not a magic wand and mesmeric. It must be implemented in letter and spirit. Leaky and uninhabitable classrooms, paucity in the quality teaching and quantity of the teachers are the primary drawbacks in the present system. I remind the readers that Macaulay didn’t expect it.
These deficiencies must be overcome before embarking on the NEP.
Any system to succeed requires a mindset to fit in the system; more so a new system. We cannot replace the existing teachers in the lock, stock and barrel. Parents have fixed notions. The taxpayers expect their hard-earned money to be utilised for a noble cause. Students from generations are trained to mug up, score marks, get jobs and earn. Individuals may be changing. But a tradition has been established. Change is never accepted so easily.
Concerned with the suicides by the students, the govt of A.P. in 2017 formed an Ethics Committees at the State and the Districts level for the Junior Colleges.
The then chief minister Chandrababu Naidu himself was the Chairman of the State Committee and the District Collectors for the District Committees. Regional Inspecting Officer was the Convenor, a principal and two social activists were members. The committee had wide powers on the papers. Primarily its duty was to counsel the students to be brave and courageous and receive any setbacks in life, particularly the academic failures with sportsmanship, to be calm and cool in any adverse circumstances; Be tension-free, cool and composed, etc. Each member also could enter into any College or hostel and admonish the management against not adhering to the rules & regulations and the prescribed time table and Syllabus. Private managements cared little for the committee and the corporate colleges did not recognize the existence of the Committee at all.
Now, Gandhi Smaraka Nidhi and the govt have joined to celebrate the 150th Birth Anniversary of the Mahatma Gandhi. The idea was to carry the Gandhiji’s message to the youth, particularly the students in schools and colleges.
I was a member of the ethics committee of Kurnool District and convenor of the Kurnool district Gandhi Smarak Nidhi. In spite of the circulars and instructions from the govt and the district collectors, our attempts and trials were a failure. Very few cooperated. Principals and the Managements were not prepared to change their exam and test schedules and expected no deviation from the time table and the Syllabus. Nothing can be imposed.
Therefore before embarking on the ambitious programme of undoing Lord Macaulay, a gigantic task, the Governments must create a hospitable academic atmosphere. Healthy surroundings are a must for a patient-friendly hospital.
KC Kalkura
(KC Kalkura is an advocate from Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, Mobile:9440292979)
