Politics should get class back

The type of support that the student community gets from political bosses is one of the reasons for the deterioration in the quality of political discourse as well as academic activity on campuses

Having spent more than 35 years in higher education, I fail to understand arguments in support of political activity on the campus. Newspaper reports have highlighted the opinion of Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan in this regard.

If the speaker thinks that the ban on campus politics is irrational and antidemocratic, then he must define rational action and democracy as is being practiced on campuses. Even if he thinks that the High Court order is stupid, the Speaker should not have aired his arrogance and disrespect to judiciary unmindful of his constitutional authority and responsibility in public domain.

The type of support that the student community gets from political bosses is one of the reasons for the deterioration in the quality of political discourse as well as academic activity on campuses. 

There is no proof to show that campuses that encourage political activity report a decline in substance abuse. On the contrary, in many colleges student politicians use drugs as a ploy to finish off opponents and to earn a fast buck.

I have not seen an occasion of local political parties condemning violence as and when it occurs. The tragedy is that senior politicians protect and promote violence on campuses if it is perpetrated by their political affiliates.

Bad is never bad if you belong to my party. Campus politics suffers on account of poor quality leadership. During the early 1970s, student leaders were the cream of the campus. Of late, brain power has given way to muscle power. Leadership has slipped into hands of people with no scruples; campus unions are controlled by extraneous forces.

Few leaders have emerged on the campus but those that have been thrust upon the student community. How many members have moved resolutions in the Assembly against stone-throwing, use of abusive language against authorities and political rivals on campuses? How many have condemned the destruction of public property? Instead they condone such barbaric acts as being committed by “children”, forgetting the fact that they are adults with voting rights.

No political boss condemns vicious slogans. Is this all about learning politics on campus? Legislation must be made to make campuses centres of democracy and learning, where students behave properly. Respect for authority and the awareness that campus property and public property belong to the nation must be incorporated into learning processes.

Campus violence owes to inefficient principals, unscrupulous teachers and politicians. To get nominations to University bodies or to get accommodated to lucrative posts, teacher's often indulge in activities unbecoming of teachers. Such activities include facilities for mass copying and undue favors in internal evaluation, viva voce marks and free attendance.

Wonder how many of our college union chairpersons, university union councillors and secretaries can write a few sentences in English or in mother tongue without mistake about the plan of action of unions for a year. How much money is being collected and spent without proper accounting in elections. Nobody bothers.

If students learn well, they can serve the country well. Through campus politics, those who do not learn well can aspire to become “ministers and legislators” and not servants of the Nation.

(Prof C. Mohan Kumar is former deputy director of collegiate education Email: mohanakumar.c2010@gmail.com)