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The Academic Council (A.C) of the University on 18th August, 2007 resolved to agree in principle that admissions to all graduate and post-graduate classes shall be made through All India Entrance Test, from the next year.
The matter needs the endorsements of the University Court and the Executive Council (E.C) before it becomes a law. However the past experiences were bitter as the Court has been purposely and regularly by-passed in such matters, in clear violation of the provisions of Section 23(3)(b) of the AMU Act, which reads;
2. The Court…..shall exercise all the powers of the University not otherwise provided for by the Act, the Statutes….
3. ……………..the Court shall exercise the following power……………..;
a)………………….
b) to consider ordinances.
What is intended to be achieved by the proposed policy in the guise of raising the standards, could be anybody’s guess. Had elders, who were definitely more devoted and concerned with the progress and welfare of the Alma-mater, than any present day mortal actually failed to conceive of such a great mortal leap forward or else. Think it over.
However, the big question is, as to how this proposed dispensation conforms with the requirements of the Minority Institution and aspirations of the Muslims of India, enshrined in the much talked about Section 5(2)(c) of the AMU Act, 1981 which reads;
The University shall have the power, namely,
1………….
2………….
(a)………….
(b) to promote especially the educational and cultural advancement of the Muslims of India.
Should the view the new V.C holds about A.M.U that it is the will of the ‘pay masters’, the UGC/Government prevails and the talk of autonomy and this status or character or that are of no avail.
However, at this conjuncture, it is highly pertinent to recall that AMU continues to enjoy the Minority Status, inspite of two adverse judgments of the Hon’ble High Court, because the Supreme Court has stayed the operation of these judgments.
The next most obvious but disturbing question – what was the distinguished Faculty members doing, as the A.C consists of more or less exclusively of teachers.
On the face of it, they were taken by surprise as the item was not on the agenda. The matter was actually taken up as arising out of the discussion held on holding ‘departmental test’ (not all India test) for admission in Physics. However, it should have been pointed out (resisted) that the matter of such a serious nature and of far-reaching consequences and without obtaining opinion from a cross section of the Community should not have been taken up and decision arrived at.
The teachers have their own ways of dealing with problems. At times when one is found adamant and thrusting things, they surrender as a strategy and leave one to face music himself. In this connection it would be interesting to know that during the terror regime of the V.C, turned supporter of BJP, the A.C was unanimous in deciding to establish Centers in U.A.E and far-lung areas of the Country. Teaching at the Centres were to be supervised, examinations conducted and degree awarded by the University. This was against the rules and came very close to affiliation which we have been resisting all the years; for obvious reasons. Then Hamid Ansari Saheb (Former VC, AMU) took over and expressed his disagreement and annoyance on this policy. The entire A.C was now found with him and the Centres were scrapped. Ansari Saheb asked those to raise hands who were a party to the earlier decision and wanted to know the reason of their support to the creation of Centres. They were terrified came the reply. But the new V.C, is an Academician does not appear so autocratic. How, could the Faculty’s indifference be interpreted then. Readers may do their own analysis.
However, the haste shown in the matter speaks itself. By all indications there can be no directions from the Pay Masters in Delhi. It appears if all, to be a case of more loyal than the King’. Watch out and keep fingers crossed. OBSERVANCE OF RULES
Whether a V.C makes commitment for ensuring the observance of rule he is duty bound to do so. However, the new V.C has taken care to pronounce that he shall be guided by the rules and no other considerations and keeps on repeating this.
Very fine and welcome, but in the span of such a short period of his stay at AMU, the events tell an entirely different story. No sticker to norms, shall take provisions of law so lightly and show such a scant respect. Even at formal gatherings he hardly hesitates to brush aside the rules after rules and keeps on harping on sticking to rules. What a dilemma. At the A.C meeting on 18th August, 2007, he has scaled heights and exposed abundantly in the matter;
1. Indulged in participation of discussion and expressed his views while occupying the chair which is not permitted as Chairman and appears totally un-mindful of the seriousness;
2. Took up the issue of introducing All India Entrance Test for admission to all graduate and post-graduate courses from 2008-2009, which is so important and of far-reaching consequences, with a discussion held on another but dissimilar item as it was not an item on the agenda.
3. The dissimilar item referred above was on introducing departmental test in Physics, which was rejected by the A.C as a fresh item was required to be brought up for afresh discussion.
4. Against prescribed limits of completing courses in number of years, the V.C succumbed to the pressure of the President, Students Union and allowed every student to take exam exceeding the limits prescribed by several years inspite of a very strong protest launched by a Senior Professor. A clear and abundant surrender to student power. The test is long rather un-ending. It appears to be a mixed bag of ignorance and deliberate violations. It is not a healthy sign for the future and deserves to be taken care of as early as possible. RAISING THE UNIVERSITY TO INTERNATIONAL LEVEL:
What is the great idea/spirit behind this pronouncement? Shall the institution as a whole be elevated? Which is not possible in the wildest dreams? We can think of up-grading few subjects/sub-branches in some established departments – say traditional and oldest departments which are developed like in Science and life sciences, Arts, Social Sciences, Engineering & Medicine. There too only a few branches should receive more attention to develop them further up.
To achieve this very very limited goal the opinion of the respective departments should have been solicited and efforts initiated in definite directions. This limited programme shall need huge sum of money, rather special grant in crores. Will this be forthcoming? What is the surety?
The exercise undertaken for the purpose is un-thought-out and futile. Constituting a committee of four senior teachers to suggest ways to improve matters for the whole University is just not possible. The committee has been asked to submit the report within a month and the report is not in sight yet even after more than a month. Nothing surprisingly – It was expected. The honorable members should have dissociated from the committee after suggesting to refer the matter to the B.O.S of some selected departments for the purpose.
The only course open is to come via BOS of the departments so that expert opinion can be made available, for guidance and further action.
IMPROVEMENT OF SCHOOLS:
It is long due and firm drastic action is needed to stream-line the system. However, the Committee constituted for the purpose may not be of much help because of its composition and the terms of reference – revision of syllabi, teacher taught ratio and creation of directorate.
Syllabi cannot be revised because they are prescribed by CBSE by which our schools are recognized; to determine teacher taught ratio a committee was not needed and so far as creation of a directorate is concerned which is new dispensation, the committee shall not be in a position to say much about, as opinion of a cross section of the Community is needed to shift to new system by abandoning the democratic one where senior Faculty members were involved who were expected to introduce greater efficiency and character and can always be replaced when desired. On the contrary, creation of a directorate will introduce a sort of permanent character and centralization of power which runs quite against the democratic setup of the University.
We are faced with situation which evade solution, by term appointees like Registrar, Controller etc. Our experience shows that permanency introduces lethargy and irresponsible behavior if not corruption.
Replacing all school managers and OSDs in one stroke and assigning all schools to the non-academic Registrar is without justification and could not serve the academic purpose. Moreover, the Registrar is new to Aligarh and should have teething troubles and take quite sometime to settle down, if at all.
The Un-ending AMU Saga:
1. Non-observance and ignorance of law
2. Exercise of emergency powers beyond Section 19(3) of the Act
3. Defying of the decisions of the Statutory bodies
4. Arbitrariness + adhocisim even after the proclamation of sticking to norms.
5. Centralization of power by abolishing the age-old system based on responsibilities ith senior teachers as member-incharge, co-ordinator etc.
6. Delay in the appointment of the Pro-Vice Chancellor on extraneous considerations
7. Failure of EC to ensure rule of law
8. Representations are not responded in reasonable time.
9. Surrendering to students’ undue pressure, a dangerous level. ‘Bacha sako to bacha lo, ke dubta hun main’ Prof Ziauddin Ahmad
Ex-Department of Botany, AMU
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