Kudos to Yashpal Committee! Great Going.

The proposal to dissolve UGC, AICTE, MCI couldn't have been better timed. I salute the members of the Yashpal Committee. And I have a special salute reserved for Mr Kapil Sibal.

1) Indeed with countless engineering colleges coming up all over the country , the B.E degree has lost all the importance that it once had. It has been reported there are several engineering colleges in Chattisgarh, Bangalore and other places which are running in just one room. I really wonder how? No surprise, the engineering giants say that today's engineers are not worth employing!

2)In case of MCI, it is just the reverse! The officiating body is forever finding faults with all medical colleges . As a result, medical colleges are very few in number. This forces the students stay on in spite of severe ragging. This apart, there is always a fear of de-recognition from MCI. In Indore itself there is always a sword hanging on MGM Medical College for lack of PG doctors. From where will the P.G doctors come if just a few colleges run PG course?

Even otherwise, one needs to see the ratio of engineering and medical colleges. If engineering colleges are in lakhs, the medical colleges are barely a thousand something!

3) While restraining myself from saying much about UGC and NAAC, I shall just comment that awarding 3star and 5 star on the basis of one or two days survey makes no sense. UGC certainly lacks feedback system regarding the classes being conducted in departments and colleges particularly related to commerce and humanities. UGC cares two hoots for the payment of visiting faculty which is downright cruel. Further, there is a need to dig into the PhD's that are being done particularly in Humanities. The students and their research appear nowhere near the mark. It would indeed be nice if university examination papers are set outside i.e. by another university. That will truly decide the merit of the students and teachers alike. Partiality and nepotism will then end. I hope, the proposed 'Commission for Higher Studies and Research' go deep into this. This commission should have the facility called 'Ombudsman' to check the growing malpractices in various universities.

4) Regarding scrapping of 10th and 12th exams, the only thing I feel strongly is that students who pass out of school should at least write a few sentences without spelling mistakes. That, there should be either schools or coaching classes. This unnatural pressure that has come on the students and parents must end. This may also bring down the rates of suicides, I feel.

P.S.
As per the news report today, the Bhopal Gang Rape case was a concocted story. Things will get clear in a few days I am sure.

Death due to Ragging

My heart felt condolences to Aman Kachru's family. It is really sad that this19 year old boy died due to ragging, in a medical college in Himachal Pradesh.

I really don't have words. It's the person who faces the loss knows what it is. And so I only pray to God to do speedy justice.

There are so many dreams and aspirations when a baby is born. The dreams grow with the child. And if the same child were to get into medical, what better luck could one have! And then suddenly news of death?And all dreams coming crashing down. It is not fair! It is just not fair!

What were those senior boys trying to achieve? And what were all the witnesses (of several days) thinking? That they would relate the tales of ragging with much spice later on? How could the "future doctors " be so cruel and inhuman? I also wish to know how the accused boys secured admission to the medical college. What disturbs me most is how did this ragging last so long? As per me, ragging means a simple question-answer session, which sets a rapport between the seniors and juniors. A bit of song and dance, by which the talent is detected. And finally, this is something which is enjoyed by both the juniors as well as the seniors. And normally, this kind of interaction gets over with the Freshers' Night, i.e. in a month's time. But then, it is best to ban this harmless act also, if decency is going to be trespassed each time.

The academic year is coming to an end soon. At least, next year we should not have cases of ragging or brutality. One thing more. Every hosteler must have a Local Guardian. This should be made compulsory. Secondly, we must have more medical colleges so that students will be nearer their respective homes. How come engineering colleges are dime a dozen? And that, they also succeed in meeting the requirements of the AICTE i.e. All India Council For Technical Education? But the medical colleges invariably fail to meet the expectations of the Medical Council Of India? In fact, a sword always hangs on every medical college. I have seen this in Indore.

Besides this, there is a need for UGC to try and make other courses interesting too. For, there will always be some who will be interested in Chemistry, Economics, etc. The students need to be shown hope here. Besides, the world cannot just run on engineers and doctors. I am sure by working on this aspect, several students will be nearer their homes at the under-graduate level . Naturally, they will be happy, secure and relaxed.

We cannot afford to lose our younger generation this way.

On this note I end ."Happy Gudi Padwa"- Marathi New Year.