Trouble in BHU: Structural crisis to blame?
WAY OUT Mechanism to solve the problems of students through dialogue and discourse is need of the hour
VARANASI: Violent protests that broke out at the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) after a student complained of sexual harassment took the campus to a flashpoint in September last year.
Though the BHU campus was not new to protests, last year’s agitation exposed the structural crisis of the university.
Recurrence of the incidents of violent demonstrations, clashes and stone pelting on the campus have become a cause for concern for teachers and students alike.
According to MP Singh, a professor at BHU’s law faculty, lack of proper mechanism to solve the problems of students through dialogue, discourse, and participative decision-making lay in the root of the problem.
“Universities nurture democracy but its issues are ignored by the media. Structural crisis of the university needs to be understood. There is no democratic and participative decision-making at any level in universities,” he says. “I am saying so because the vice-chancellor is generally appointed on political considerations, the executive council is totally nominated, and there is no elected representation. Moreover, all agencies of resistance and dissent have been totally destroyed,” Prof Singh adds.
He said there were no associations of teachers, students or officials.“In such a situation, one of the greatest malady is that BHU has become a totally vice-chancellor oriented society. And for personal reasons, professors have become the cheerleaders of the VC,” he adds.
Prof Singh said there was a need to understand lumpensiation of younger generation in a market-driven economy.
“Most of the students in faculties of social sciences, humanities, science, liberal arts are not able to see their future. They grope in the dark, and therefore, directionless,” he says.
He says proctorial organisation has become a decorative instrument of the VC as they do not have orientation and training in security services.
“There is a security advisor who is drawing around Rs 1 lakh per month for doing nothing. He lives in guest house,” he says, adding: “There is no instrument of catharsis for students, no instrument to listen to their grievances. Therefore, for any small thing they resort to disorderly behaviour. This is also the result of their identity crisis. Economically, socially and politically, they are nowhere.”
“In recent years, particularly after 2014, the university has been communalised. A group of students and teachers consider that this institution is theirs and those who don’t obey or follow them, are ‘the others’ and enemies of political dispensation. They feel such people should be attacked on all fronts –ideologically in discourses, and in some cases, physical too,” he adds. “Too much emphasis on religious rites and rituals on the campus, gagging of the voices of others and organising speeches of people having a particular ideology will destroy academic culture of the campus. This may lead to problems, including violence,” Prof Singh says. There is a need to form a modern BHU Act to restore democracy, autonomy, participative decision-making and settling disputes through discourses, dialogues and discussions, he suggest. “As a student of criminology, I am sure in emphasising that the campus has become a criminogenic constituency, ideologically, administratively, discipline-wise and overall interpersonal behaviour between students, teachers and employees,” Prof Singh observes.
“The only solution to the problem
is to discuss matters in a participative manner. All stakeholders should be given an opportunity to air their grievances,” Prof Singh suggests.
He says at faculty level, head and deans must be in constant touch and hold discussions with students and try to solve their problems. Former officer on special duty at centenary cell of BHU Dr Vishwanath Pandey says, “In the ’90s, such incidents took place due to political reasons. Recent incidents emanate from rudderless and hooligans tendencies.”
Dr Pandey says he had information that in LBS hostel at least a dozen rooms were illegally occupied by rowdy elements. “They often create ruckus on the campus to vitiate the atmosphere of the campus,” he says, adding such people instigate students living in hostels.
A student, pursuing graduation from BHU, says, “We are here for studies but there are certain people who have formed factions and fan trouble. We can’t raise a voice against them as they are influential. If I raise a voice, they will drag me into controversy which I don’t want at all.”
Public relations officer, BHU, Dr Rajesh Singh says, “There are efforts on part of BHU administration to improve communication between students and teachers. Vice-chancellor Prof Rakesh Bhatnagar spoke to students and heard their problems. Dialogue between teachers, students, hostellers and wardens will be promoted. ”