Discipline via Threat
I’ve been following the developments at Sathyabhama deemed university with some curiosity following the AICTE approval issue. It just reiterates what my ex-boss and mentor Ramesh Srinivasan used to say about threat.
My previous office theoretically starts at 8:30 AM in the morning at Navalur. In the beginning I was going at 8:30, then after some time at 8:45. Since nobody questioned my timing got revised to 9:00 and so on. At one point I was entering the office at 9:45!!
One day Ramesh called me to talk about this. He also went on to tell something which I remember till date.
“Dei Prabu, threat is a very effective measure, but only for a short period of time. I can very well say ‘From tomorrow onwards if you are not in on time, you will be in trouble!’ But you will adhere to that for 1 week, say maximum a month and then you will lag behind as usual. You will give me some excuse or the other. Whenever you are late, and whenever I scold you, you will curse me in your mind. I don’t want to threaten you with this and that. It’s upto you to think on this and decide. You should affirm yourself that a ‘A professional like me should always be by such and such time’. If you respect yourself enough you will live up to that.”
As much as I like to say that I was on time from the next day onwards, I was not. It took me some time to reign in and change my habits. But there was a definite improvement in my office timings. Gradual but steady and voluntary improvement without any ‘I will mark you absent if you are not on time’ threats.
This just goes to show any lasting change should begin from within the individual and almost always gradual.
Any organization, institution may have to resort to threat as a means to reign in control at some point of time. But to be effective, it has to be used very sparingly and more often when all other means of bringing in control has failed.
But the people at the helm of affairs in Sathyabhama have been resorting to threat as a primary tactic since time immemorial. From what I hear, the institute has been run in a Taliban like manner.
It is the task of the educational institutions to instill good behavior in the students. By instilling I mean where the students are disciplined and well behaved even in a free environment. If that’s not the case, it’s a failure on the part of the institution.
I feel sick when colleges enforce compulsory attendance. Do they realize that if the classes and curriculum were interesting enough, students will be more than willing to sit up and listen? It’s his life after all and I firmly believe college going students are mature enough to understand their family responsibilities and the importance of education in this competitive world. One does not have to resort to childish threats for 18, 20 year olds.
To the best of my knowledge BITS Pilani does not have any attendance requirement for the lectures. Does that make the students of BITS less disciplined? IS not BITS still one of the most reputed institutes in India?
If students do not turn up for the classes, does it not reflect anything on the quality of the lectures and the drudgery of the syllabus?
What we are seeing in terms of violence at Sathyabhama is more of a reaction to all the unwarranted threats and insults inflicted on the students. All those collective pent up hatred towards the management are seeing an outlet now.
It’s sad to know that parents have been patronizing such money guzzling institutes in the name of ‘place of good discipline’.
We could do well with a little less of the so called “discipline” evangelised by the likes of Anna univ. Vice chancellor and Jeppiaars!
How I wish educational institutions are run by people who are wise and truly educated!
March 22nd, 2006 at 10:06 am
P K…a wonderful write up…. as u say.. any change must be from within one self…. illaina it wont be permanent… well said…
nice wisdom u learnt from your boss
March 22nd, 2006 at 10:20 am
//How I wish educational institutions are run by people who are wise and truly educated!//
u said it right yaar, i had friends studying in satyabama, who really hated their disciplinay measures as disgusting as ‘boys and girls should not talk to each other in campus’ do we live in india or as u said taliban region.
March 22nd, 2006 at 4:37 pm
I studied in tht college, i had to endure all tht ya’ve mentioned for 4 yrs, i know and have seen issues which were preposterous…but after all this, i still dun quite agree wid wht these guys did in the name of strike…I seriously dun think ‘twud bring abt a change in Jeppiar’s attitude…the last tht i heard is tht he’s more annoyed than ever!!
And abt parents patronising such institutions….Its definitely not tht way, i tell ya…when i (along wid frds) was punished for a pretty trivial issue in a large scale ’twas my parents who supported me..they know when to back up their kids…jeppiar always gives in when parents talk it out wid him…
And finally my two cents on the AICTE issue, the students were stupid enuff not to support their college in this issue…and ppl in responsible position shud have been more discrete in handling this issue…lives were lost…who’s gonna take responsibity now…I being a ex-student…somehow dun agree wid wht my jrs ended up doin’!!
March 22nd, 2006 at 5:14 pm
i think the studies in Sathyabama is very good.
March 22nd, 2006 at 5:28 pm
anand,
danks:)
veda,
everybody who has been there remembers with regret.
dhanya,
u join a course spending lakhs and suddenly if u r told AICTE recognition is not there, u tend to approach the management for an explanation, if thats not forthcoming what will u do?
i dont think the students will take it lightly if someone says “your degree is just a BSc degree” as its not recognised by AICTE.
and regarding these violence, it just goes to show u can’t earn somebody’s respect by threat. JPR has no loyalty among the student community. thats bad enough IMO
March 22nd, 2006 at 6:02 pm
correct-aa sonneenga PK…
“Thirudanaai paarthu thirundha vittaal
thiruttai ozhikka mudiyadhu”…
My friends have told lots and lots of unethical things happening in that college more than what we can imagine…
March 22nd, 2006 at 7:33 pm
For quite sometime now, Ive wanted to write about this co-ed college that doesnt allow interaction between the two sexes. A cousin of mine told me that they have internal spying, which doesnt even encourage genuine friendships. The rules don’t seem to end there. From not being allowed to take their own trasportation to own lunch, a lot is forced on the students. My cousin refuses to even sit next to girls in the car these days:)) I mean to say that it gets into their system slowly, willingly or unwillingly, which is not going to benefit them in the long run.
March 22nd, 2006 at 9:21 pm
ahaa..
nice topic..
lemme add some sparkle..
I have heard that in TN colleges..that if you lag in attendance %, all you need to do is pay some money, isnt that great, FUNDAMENTAL change in attitude is required, these people have no idea about the basic principles of a university based education system. Its not a school for older people, intha eppo mara mandela eraratho?? appo thaan vidivu kaalam
March 23rd, 2006 at 7:22 am
balaji,
yeah man, danks:)
casement,
sathyabhama voda rules and regulations vechu oru research a pannalaam!
vijay,
amaam amaam!. evlo flexible paarunga!
>>these people have no idea about the basic principles of a university based education system
absolutely!
March 23rd, 2006 at 5:08 pm
You have raised very valid points and am very impressed by the way your boss handled you.
Coming to JPR/Sathyabama issue, right from the beginning there is no clarity. In the first place, I don’t approve of this Deemed university culture. I am hearing lot of obscure colleges becoming deemed universities. It would be good if AICTE or the Government or someone comes out with a clear explanation of what & how this system works. JPR may be a rogue, but that doesn’t give the students all justification to go on a rampage, however larger the cause may be. Thats my 50 paise worth of thoughts.
btw, I am a regular reader of your blog. Only that I am commenting here probably for the first time.
March 23rd, 2006 at 11:32 pm
There are many issues to be addressed to:
1. Why should one join only a technical course spending lakhs? Aren’t pure science degrees not good?
2. Why do students involve in violence? Does the education not teach them the right way to fight for rights?
3. Why not the parents who pay this large sum gather and sit with the management to tackle the issue? After all they have to back up their kids!
4. PK saidit right! Why not educational institutions be run by people who are truly educated?
March 24th, 2006 at 7:27 am
indian voter,
let me make myself clear.while i am sympathetic to their cause, i would never approve violence.
BUT a lot of what’s happening is basically reactionary and directionless. i dont know if anyone is in a position to take charge from the student commuity in sathyabhama. there is no clarity on what’s happening.
the best way to deal with it would be for the management to sit with the students in an open manner and allay their fears and insecurity.
All I said was, u cannot breed trust and openness if u treat students like objects and not like human beings…
JPR and his hencmen are facing their own music in their own backyard…
March 24th, 2006 at 7:32 am
revathi,
1.
that is a larger issue. fuelled in no small measure by IT companies who would want a BE or MCA (full time and no correspondence courses).
you can see that repeatedly in TCS job ads.
All right from US visas to a plum job prefer a BEE EEE, this is a sad part.
the students involving in violence is not right, but unfortunately thats what their educational environment has taught them too.
You have a point wit parents talking to the management.
But i dont see it happening any soon.
March 25th, 2006 at 7:31 am
If BITS Pilani is a great institution, its because students and faculty have passion there to change a good institution to a great institution.
War clouds have gathered over the Madras High court in the sensational case between the Deemed universities and AICTE ( All India Council for Technical Education ) for which the final judgement is awaited.
The AICTE act 1987 states “To provide for establishment of an All India council for Technical Education with a view to the proper planning and co-ordinated development of the technical education system throughout the country, the promotion of qualitative improvement of such education in relation to planned quantitative growth and the regulation and proper maintenance of norms and standards in the technical education system and for matters connected therewith.”
The above makes it obligatory that for proper planning and regulation of quantitative growth and coordinated development of Technical Education, AICTE act should have included that universities deemed or otherwise must be required to take its approval for offering technical education.
The Supreme Court of India Bench Judgement in September 2001 had clearly stated that the power to grant approval for starting new technical institutions and for introduction of new courses or programmes in consultation with the agencies concerned is covered by Section 10( k ) of AICTE Act which would not cover a university. It clearly emerges that AICTE nod is not obligatory for a university in this context.
If that be the case, then why is AICTE still claiming in its combined Regulations for Requirement of Grant of Approval which states that “No course or programme shall be introduced by any Technical Institution, University including a Deemed University or University Department or College” EXCEPT WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE COUNCIL.
However, AICTE claims that the other Sections of the AICTE Act 1987 such as Section 10( o ) and 11 empower the AICTE to prescribe guidelines for admissions and inspection of deemed universities.
Its clear that in the AICTE Act there is an ambiguity between the various Sections as one of them 10( k ) states that the term Technical Institution does not include University while AICTE claims that in other Sections the term Technical Institution includes University.
If AICTE Act is an agreement regarding mutual responsibilities between two or more parties, then it amounts to a Contract between the Law Enforcers ( AICTE ) and the Law Abiders ( Deemed Universities ).
Contra Proferentum is the Rule that is applied when interpreting a clause, in an action that says that, where ambiguity as to a terms meaning exists, it should be read against the party who wrote it. That is, the preferred interpretation will be the one that helps the party who drafted it the least. The reasoning behind this Rule is to encourage the drafter of the agreement to be as clear and explicit as possible and to take into account as many foreseeable situations as possible.
Clearly, the drafters of the AICTE Act have failed in this account and they must face the music of Contra Proferentum Rule and let the Deemed Universities retain their autonomy in birth as well as functioning. Whoever gave birth to Deemed University only should hold the right to ring the Death Bell for them and middle men of the AICTE kind should keep safe distance.
According to the Vice Chancellor of the Anna University Prof D Viswanathan, there are four lakh engineering graduates unemployed in Tamilnadu and the writing on the wall is clear that bulk of this number comes from the so called AICTE approved Institutions in Tamilnadu and not the Deemed Universities !!!!.
March 25th, 2006 at 7:40 am
camelpost,
i am not a lawyer and i dont want to get into legal intricacies on this.
pls. read today’s HINDU on this. i think the High Court suggests something different on this.
anyway the focus of the post is not to give a clean chit to AICTE.
AICTE has approved N number of dubakoor MBA institutes, we all know that.
i dont want to get into that.cos thats not the focus of my post.
All i am saying is the present crises in sathyabama is also a reflection of the relationship of the student and the management there. This is the focus of my post. what is the value based education these so called ‘deemed universities’ impart is my question.
March 27th, 2006 at 3:20 pm
hey i had a similar post
http://idonttink.blogspot.com/
April 2nd, 2006 at 9:43 am
Although, legally speaking, no technical institution is outside the AICTE’s purview, it is only by convention that the Council does not exercise its statutory powers on institutions such as IITs and IIMs. If Law is same for everyone, why are there exceptions? Now read the following and decide.
As per latest news, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi has been facing a severe shortage of faculty.
Twenty-four departments in IIT-D are short-staffed. “There are 72 vacant positions for professors, associate professors, and assistant professors,” according to Assistant Director(administration) DP Kothari.
April 13th, 2006 at 8:48 am
There is a Dhyaneswar Vidyapeeth in Pune going about awarding degrees and what has UGC or AICTE done about it. Today many universities and colleges are offering MSc Computer Science for which AICTE has no say. Are standards to be maintained only if its BE or BTech Computer Science and no need for standards if the degree is named MSc? Society is obsessed with talking of standards only in Technical and Medical Education. Does not Science Arts curriculum require Standards to be maintained. After all let people realize that Society does not run only with Engineers, doctors and Pharmacists and requires all fields of knowledge. Let us talk of standards in education and not confine to only technical education
April 19th, 2006 at 8:11 am
IIMB will have a Singapore Shanty 4700 Sqft, 3 hour working day and just one faculty to conduct world class Management Education. I wonder if the above meets so called AICTE specifications. On the contrary ISB which has world class facilities at Hyderabad has been questioned by AICTE about maintaining standards. Its time the AICTE joke is called off. AICTE you stand exposed in your standards.
April 23rd, 2006 at 10:37 pm
The UGC and the AICTE “have no idea how to maintain standards”, says former IIT Madras director PV Indiresan. “Their culture is bureaucratic; they think that national accreditation will do. Even a simple observation of the number of responsible assessors needed to monitor 17,000 odd colleges will show that centralised accreditation is not the answer.”
In a recent survey in Businessworld, 64 per cent of the recruiters surveyed said AICTE accreditation is not important. One of the top business schools in India — the Indian School of Business (ISB) — does not have AICTE accreditation.
June 19th, 2006 at 7:55 pm
I found this poem of BR Natarajan BITS Pilani thought provoking: Hope you also like it.
Future Shock for India
Wisdomless Politicians
Meritless Admissions
Meaningless Curriculums
Substance less Examinations
Faculty less Departments
Student less Colleges
VC less Universities
Knowledgeless Society
Developmentless Nation
Into that hell of gloomdom
My Father,
Let my country go to Sleep
Let my country go to Sleep…..