Standard falling owing to trust deficit
Political statements often assume an iconic status. Academicians and mediapersons put such statements to analysis and expand on it unravelling its ramifications politically and of course debating on its larger socio-economic implications.
One such statement among many is about trust in Government institutions very meaningfully articulated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his reply in Rajya Sabha on President’s address to the joint session of the Parliament.
Modi put it in his imitable style: where do the poor go but to Government schools and hospitals, for the rich will always find a way out for everything.
Having been a social activist over 25 years and being associated with many higher education institutions in the State including technical institutes/universities, I have had the good fortune of being a member of the Utkal University syndicate as Chancellor’s nominee for a term of three years. It is in this context, I find Prime Minister Modi’s concept of trust on public institutions very significant. I thought I should share some of my experience having served at the highest body of Utkal University.
Not only does the premier university of the State suffer from trust deficit today but also the whole education system of the State is afflicted by the same malady. Prime Minister’s statement in Parliament is significant having broad social implications in the context of our educational and health care systems that they have not been able to win the trust of the public in general including the poor. Education and health care, the twin important sectors are in the concurrent and State list of the Constitution of India. Having said that let me elaborate on what is happening in higher education in Odisha in spite of the fact the BJD Government is flattering itself on its successive electoral success.
The Utkal University in the past has the reputation of producing a number of civil servants and having the added glory that the products of the university topped in the Indian Civil Service examinations. Now this university does not figure even among the first 50 universities in the country. The condition of the colleges affiliated to this and other universities in the State are in pathetic condition in terms of faculty and the quality of education. It appears that the State Government is more in favour of coaching centres replacing the colleges. Odisha has a dubious distinction of having many autonomous colleges which manage their academic affairs but the faculty are under the control of the State. A State that submits a surplus budget doesn’t fill up the faculty positions of colleges and universities for many years. A few examples could substantiate my point that in the English department of the Berhmapur University there is only one Associate Professor for years and in many affiliated, Government and autonomous colleges, there are no regular faculty at all in some departments whereas some departments are elevated to the postgraduate departments. It may be appear surprising to know how these departments run and what type of higher education is imparted.
The State Government has recruited contact faculty to meet the shortfall of teachers. This contract faculty remain contracted for years almost like bonded labour not being able to get alternative jobs and having crossed their qualifying eligible age for other jobs with the hope that the State Government may one day regularise them. There is no attempt to follow minimum educational norms as prescribed by the UGC in the recruitment of these contact teachers. They are given a pittance as salary that ridiculously ranges from `8,000 to `10,000. When we talk of research one can imagine in such a scenario what research could be undertaken by a university departmentIJ Think of products that come out from these colleges and university departments; they are ill-equipped in every aspect having certificates only to be discarded as unemployable in a competitive job market. But then who cares for qualityIJ
The Government is unconcerned as much as are the rich and the middle class who send their children to privately run institutions. Should then the universities and colleges in Odisha wither awayIJ This a serious question the public of Odisha should reflect upon.
This is an area where Prime Minister Modi’s passionate statement to recover the trust in public institutions including higher education institutions has to be considered seriously. During my tenure as the Syndicate Member, Utkal University launched some innovative schemes to supplement Government funding in introducing 42 new innovative courses. Thanks to Prof Gokulananda Dash who was the pioneer of these innovative courses such as five- year integrated law, MCA and MFC to name a few. These courses served two very significant purposes: (1) supplemented the university income so that the income generated from these courses helped to recruit faculty for these programmes, and (2) the students got an opportunity to study new courses without spending a fortune in going out of the State. The university started having extra seats in other disciplines as paid seats to earn precious extra money to increase the number of faculty and also to add infrastructure. However, over the years, even if this income has increased, the faculty positions remained awfully minimum and vacant. The additional income generated by the university is unfortunately adjusted against Government funding, thereby not allowing the university to spend its income for the development of the university. Universities in Odihsa reel under unsympathetic bureaucratic control and financial crunch. Education is considered as a low priority sector. Of course universities are not mines to be illegally mined for personal gain.
In this pathetic state, how could we recover trust in public institutions and restore the glory of a premier institution like the Utkal UniversityIJ This question disturbs many like me. There has been a general decline except from the time of Prof Mahendra Rout, Prof Manmath Das and Prof Gokulanand Dash who had commanded respect even among the bureaucrats and the administration while being internationally reputed academicians. After these great academic stalwarts and many before them, the university has witnessed appointment of Vice Chancellors who are discredited academics and are chosen may be for their tenacity to wait for hours in the Secretariat veranda to meet not the Secretary of Education but his Section officer for small grants. Prof Pandav Naik is the classic example who epitomises such Vice Chancellors. With such Vice Chancellors at the helm of affairs, the reputation and image of the university instead of going up has nosedived. The best example of their success is that the university even cannot manage its own Guest House today. To conclude, I think all concerned should take serious note of Prime Minister Modi’s call to generate trust in public educational institutions. The Govt of Odisha should rise up to the occasion and let it first start the trust exercise with the Utkal University.
(The writer is a freelance writer, social activist and former Utkal University Syndicate member)