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When I say academia has degenerated into a mafia, particularly in third world countries, one of my teachers is quick to suggest that it was always so. There is nothing like a negative approach or unenthusiastic argument that I am here to propagate against any particular university or educational institution neither am I against the student activism of any sort, let me be clear on this front first before proceeding further. Nepotism and violence, be it symbolic or structural, upon the student community is the order of the day in academia. What I'm trying to do is to make the student community in Kashmir Valley know about what ails KU Campus and what makes us realize this mess when we get an opportunity to study somewhere after crossing the Banihal tunnel. Also what makes the student community in Kashmir Valley to quit Kashmir education system and migrate outside the state. Other than this I also have a focus to deal with what constitutes a sizeable number of issues of the students who are on the rolls of any University, and the polite violence meted to them in such institutions which ultimately leads to psychological disorders. There are numerous reasons to hold the student communities responsible for most part of the problem as students hardly dare to stand against administration out of the fear of being harmed in sectionals, or final exams or any such similar cause. Well, I belong to the category of students who have had the privilege of attending University of Kashmir as well as a university outside the state, i.e, Jamia Millia Islamia, Central University, New Delhi. Not so long ago (till March,2010) I was enrolled for P.G. course and then in my M.Phil in Sociology at Kashmir University. Having always yearned to be a student of the magnificent university of Kashmir, because of its beauty, campus and being only one of its kind in the valley, I sat in the entrance exams and, fortunately, got through. I was enthusiastic and entered the university with vibrancy and desperation for betterment. But it was short lives as, very early in my academic carrier in the university, I began to notice things that could demoralize and deflate any student. I qualified my P.G and joined M.Phil. I worked hard on my synopsis pertaining to the ‘Status of Ladakh women and children’. After almost one year, the university authorities decided to conduct (Board of Research Studies) BORS meeting, which rendered me almost frustrated as I had to wait for such a long time. After exactly two months, the Minutes of BORS Meet were out and I was very roughly informed that my synopsis has been cancelled simply on the ground that it was regarding Ladakh and Ladakh, as per the will of the Vice-Chancellor (Prof. Riyaz Punjabi the then), will not be treated as the area of study anymore. Despite my work on it for more than one year, despite departmental research committee deemed it fit and fine, despite no one objected for 13 long months of the study, here I was aghast and petrified for no faults of mine. With broken heart, frustrated mind and shattered aspirations, I prepared yet another synopsis and thanks to my kind teacher and supervisor Dr. Tariq A Rather (CCAS) who was always there for me and fostered enough confidence in me to stand and fight with the circumstances. Nevertheless, I submitted my new synopsis and, as per norms, it took another seven or eight months to reach to BORS again, where it was appreciated and deemed good as it was now on Uzbekistan Gender Scenario. Even my Guide was appreciated for supervising such a project by the V.C himself. The appreciation had definitely come with a cost as, now I had lost all my energy, faith and enthusiasm for research and my love and admiration for the university had vanished in thin air. I, earlier, used to ponder over the fact that higher education or these exalted institutions should be for real empowerment of youth particularly for those who had less exposure to the outside world and living with limited modern accessibilities. KU had failed me on several fronts and all the fantasy had perspired out of my body by the heat of faulty procedures and defective academic strategies. The university proved nothing more than an exploiting agency for me. During my P.G, I couldn’t reach to the gold medal despite being a hard worker. But the real qualification for such an honor, I found, was favouritism as the whole system was marred by this bureaucratic trend. I couldn’t get my M.Phil seat in my parent department (Sociology) despite vacancy as I was not from an influential family or any one’s favorite there. What prompted me to join JMI was to rebuild my career and see what makes JMI different from universities like KU. I wanted to ascertain what is it that makes the products of JMI so special and distinct from others and I till remember the times when, out of college, I looked forward to my first day at KU. Be it the nonsense admission formalities, the arrogance of the clerical staff and the highhandedness of Proctor Office etc and other formalities, it is enough for any enthusiast to feel discouraged and disheartened. Students in Kashmir know this fact very well. But, mind you, I didn't have to do all this at JMI as the admission assistance was provide by the Dean office itself and the staff never rebukes you but treats you with respect and gives you the full space to inquire about anything after listening to your queries and problems. I didn't face any inconvenience, whatsoever and student ID, library form, library card, internet access form and I-card, all absolutely free and provided in no time. Moreover pure and cold water available at very centre, much cheaper and quality food available for students at canteens, cheaper Xerox facilities available for students, ample scholarships, friendly and hardworking teachers, equal treatment for all and above all the registration for PhD which took more than two years at KU and never completed took only 28 days at JMI was certainly a treat for me. The wrath of KU upon me and all other students made me feel pity on myself as the thoughts about the arduous and hectic process of enrolling myself were no less than a Third Degree Torture. The whole 'brand experiences' of student- teacher relationship, the work culture, resource availability, classroom atmosphere, public meetings, discussions and, above all, a little gap between day and night in terms of work and action were there for me to notice. The walls of JMI buildings, notice boards and Dhabas, all had one thing in common i.e. they depicted the intensity and active nature of students and Campus culture. Only a day after I had joined, I was deep into the formalities for student fellowships and scholarships for all of us, without administrative hegemony, imperialist designs, upper caste/ class monopoly, favoritism and what not! Here I recall the ongoing uprising in Kashmir While the students of KU and people of our whole valley were up in arms against the establishment, chanting slogans and going to their beds in the evenings only to repeat the same the next day and even dying everyday, the students over here were busy in reading rooms, book stalls, group discussions, net surfing, assignment works etc. Seminars, guest lectures are a part of everyday life here for real developing real education. In Kashmir, in my view, we are beset with intellectual bankruptcy and far from developing argumentative student and scholar pool and the like. Coming back to the question of issues, I began my academic journey by joining the educational institutions in Kashmir which make it a point to increase the fee structure by an amount disproportionate with the inflation rate in the market. The students also take it easy and never come up to say a word against it. Even if the cost of application forms or admission fee is doubled or increased manifold, the poor students in Kashmir keep on paying the fee without protest. This 'taking- things-for granted-attitude' compels scores of otherwise brilliant and talented students to leave their education halfway owing to the inability of their economically poor parents to make for their educational expenses. I don’t expect my write-up to make miracles happen in terms of enhancing student activism in Kashmir University. So, as of now, all I'm pinning my hopes on is the same University Administration to be student friendly, time conscious, to give dignity and respect to research and to students and scholars, spend less on conferences and invest on real education of youth enrolled, cut down canteen rates, Xerox and print rates, reduce excessive formalities for every damn thing, increase hostel facilities and be good to students. Do not victimize them under inter-departmental or intra –departmental rivalry, hatred or enmity. Observing all this, I say that the research in third world is the research of the oppressed and how come we expect Nobel Laureates when a student or a researcher loses his everything in fighting the system to move ahead. Also scars of suffering never get healed leading to a demoralized stock of students and this culture of violence upon students in turn reproduces violence when these fate bitten students become teachers, they do the same upon their students, plaguing the system in all the possible ways. Let the students live with individuality and blooming career and don’t prompt them to go outside to face the wrath of harsh climate, despite having such a massive and beautiful infrastructure at Kashmir University. I hope, under the leadership of the current V.C (Prof. Talat) who is also an eminent scientist, atleast this structural violence will be addressed and the custom of selling 15 page prospectus in 250 rupees will not be encouraged. (Author is a Doctoral Candidate of Sociology, at faculty of Social Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi.He can be reached at adfer.syed@gmail.com).
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JMI, Kashmir University, Sociology, Ph.d, M.Phil, Politics, Moral Corruption,
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