So, the VTU is at it again. This time, it wants to ban bikes from all the colleges under it's purview. Needless to say, this move has drawn lot of opposition and criticism from students.
The newspapers are full of reactions from students, but I liked this one, by a student named Shruthi, the best. I did not find it online, typing it as-is from July 8 issue of Bangalore Mirror.
If I travel by BMTC, I have to change four buses to get to college. The college buses charge exorbitant fees. On my bike, I get my emissions checked regularly, hardly go above 40 kph and follow all traffic rules. I have a few suggestions for VC to concentrate on
* Ban lecturers from uselessly dictating notes in class instead of teaching.
* Get a few more servers so that the VTU website doesn't get jammed when results are announced.
* Update the curriculum.
* Most VTU engineers are hardly employable in core industries: address this issue by introducing finishing schools.
I think this comment puts the entire episode in perspective.
My opinion? Well, every Vice Chancellor in VTU in recent past has had this carnal urge to do something to show the students who's boss. Dress codes, pathetic processes for re-evaluation, and what not. Most of these decisions are designed just to wield their power over the hapless students.
However, let us just pretend for a moment that the current VC, Mr. Maheshappa's intentions were good. Let's pretend that safety, environment, reducing congestion were at the top of his mind when proposing this move. That still doesn't take away the fact that his proposal is as impractical as impractical can be. College buses charge in the range of Rs. 10 thousand per year for their services. BMTC yearly buss passes for students are much cheaper. But in many cases there is the dual disadvantage with BTMC – poor connectivity and poorer speed.
Wait, there's more to this tug of war between the VC and his students. The students challenged the VC that they would take the bus if the VC joined them. To prove his point, the VC took the bus to the VTU office yesterday. However, he has been quoted as saying that he would switch to his car on the days when he has “important meetings”.
And with that one statement that smacks of hypocrisy, he has made everything clear. His meetings are “important”? Exams, classes for the students are not? What can one say of the university where the VC engages in such blatant double standards?
All this goes to demonstrate one point though – this is what happens when those calling the shots are so out of touch with ground realities. Politicians, heads of educational institutions, senior management in the corporate world. If only the ones who take decisions were ones who had practical, grass roots level experience!
That's the major problem, Higher management should everywhere come down to the ground level and see the reality and then take action.
Just for example, if you take any engg college, they don't have any faculty which can actually teach the students properly with the actual facts and knowledge. Most of the private colleges don't have any good faculty, which themselves know anything about the subject they teach. The fact of the matter is that students who are eligible get into good companies and others who cannot, they start teaching in colleges. I didn't want to offend anybody, but that's the bitter truth.
All these higher managements should think about some innovative ideas on how they can increase the attendence. We all struggle to attend 75% compulsary attendence somehow. They should go to the root of problem and find out why low attendence instead of making stringent rules.