I read the threat by Dr. Sunil Sondhi (http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/open-page/article487680.ece) wherin he has tried to remind us of our duties. The author seems to be suffering from an extreme myopic understanding on education. Recently when even school teaching has started giving attention towards all-round development of students, he thinks that learning is only done in the classrooms. His handicapped vision needs immediate correction wherein he argues that students’ elections, festivals and other co-curricular activities are wastage of time. He must be enlightened that for an all-round development of a student one needs to have some leadership qualities (developed during students elections), some organizational skills (developed during organizing festivals) as well as some team-spirit that are developed during other extra-curricular activities. I understand that there is no substitute to student-teacher interaction but it should include their guidance in all these activities along with the classroom interaction and discussions on the course-content. In fact we also have an added responsibility to educate them by showing live-examples exhibiting our own reactions towards an autocratic functioning a vice-chancellor as he decides to flout all rules, regulations and established practices and procedures of governance. Lastly I would ask him to be careful in future while extrapolating his data for schools onto the colleges and would remind him that unlike schools where parents prefer private institutions compared to the government schools actually many government colleges/institutions are rated better than the private money-generating institutions. Amity and Ansal institute of technology are starved of good students whereas IITs, DCE, DIT and NITs get flooded by brilliant students. And no one needs to be educated about the enviable record of attracting admission seekers that Delhi University exhibits during admission-time year after year. I agree that there is an immense scope for improvement but that can be achieved only by including teachers in this process and not by neglecting those who have made this University the most sought after of all Indian universities.
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4 comments:
From: Dr. SUNIL SONDHI
Date: Mon, Jun 28, 2010 at 7:38 PM
Subject: Re: response to sunil sondhi's article published on June 27, 'Teachers isn't it..........'
To: rakesh pandey
Dear Dr. Pandey,
Thanks for your valuable contribution to the debate.
Sincerely,
Sunil
Dr. Sunil Sondhi
Principal
Maharaja Agrasen College
University of Delhi
Delhi-110091
Phone:22714333, 9868144127
Fax: 22718067
Website: mac.du.ac.in
www.sunilsondhi.com
You have given a very fitting reply to the views expressed by Dr. Sunil Sondhi.
These (views of Dr. Sondhi) can only be expressed by someone who probably never had close interactions with Students of Delhi University. The unique identity of DU system is that it helps in overall growth of students. Participating in elections, various society functions, other extra-curricular activities or for that sake even spending time in canteen and having discussions on various issues is the part of the DU culture. I remember as a PhD student I was told by a Physics dept. Professor that coffee house is a part of the physics dept. culture (It is a pity that it is no longer there).
The view point expressed by you(Dr Sondhi) Pre-supposes that DU teachers need to be reminded of the basic nuances of their professional duties.Had you been equally emphatic in Serminising the VC for the latters scant respect for University's Ordinances and statutory Provisions,it would have added some credence to your concern.I'm surprised because I've tremendous personal respect for you.But avoiding an ill(VC) to suit One's(Yours,as principal) convenience is the least balanced notion,you are attempting to put through.Are we suppose to train our students to obey, under all circumstances, His Masters Voice??? sir,you are a pol. scientist..who can understand better than you, the paramount significance of Democratic functioning of system over medieval Despotic authoritarian practices.Take Us(teachers) into Confidence sir, Nobody is opposed to academic reforms if these have democratically ordained consensus of a majority of the actual stakeholders!!
Agreeing completely with views expressed earlier by my colleagues, I wish to add a few more aspects. Dr. Sunil Sondhi seems to be concerned with 'value for money' concept. This is, to a great extent, dependant on the qualities of leader of the institute. Heads of a family (Principals of yester-years) are being increasingly replaced by 'agents' of higher authorities. This new breed of Principals, in the absence of leadership qualities,knows that only the authorities will ensure that they remain Principals and hence should tow their bosses' line. They are concerned with saving their Chair rather leading the college. What follows is a vicious cycle that ruins the whole institute. I know of Principals who, lacking vision, would not let teachers be provided with laptops for teaching, even in subjects where it is extremely necessary and where resources are also available. Asking for rooms for teachers, where they can sit and work, is considerd equivalent to 'asking for the moon'. Remember many teachers get salaries equivalent to those of secretaries in the Government, but they don't even have a chair to their name in the workplace. Dr. Sunil Sondhi should study these aspects that don't allow teachers to give their best.
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