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| Time for JU academics to retrospect, prove worth | | Replacing Sahni | |
MINCING NO WORDS
NEHA
JAMMU, Sep 19: The University of Jammu is a premier institution of higher learning. It came into being in 1969 after years of struggle in Jammu – struggle that took away at least four precious lives of young students. It was considered as one of the best institutions in the country not-so-long ago. The faculty in the University was highly qualified and with a vision. There were teachers who were known both in and outside India for their academic brilliance and attainments. Prof Yog Prakash of Physics Department, Prof Gian Chand of Urdu Department, Prof Sansar Chand of Hindi Department, Prof Som Nath Bhakri of English Department, Prof D N Saraf of Law Department, Prof A C Bose of History Department, Prof Wadia and Prof Wakloo of Geology Department, Prof M R Puri of Mathematics Department, Prof Y R Malhotra and Prof A K Kaul of the Department of Bio-Sciences, to mention only a few, were outstanding teachers. Besides, they had the leadership qualities. They were highly respected. Nobody could dare to cause an affront to their self-respect. The bulk of the teaching faculty was dedicated and committed and did justice to the noble profession they had willingly joined. Yes, there were politician teachers as well but they failed to vitiate the atmosphere on the campus. The fact of the matter is that no authority either in the University or in the government dared to take cudgels with the teaching faculty. So strong was it.
It’s no wonder then that the Jammu University produced a number of Vice-Chancellors. Prof J N Bhan of the Economic Department was the first Jammu University don to become the first Vice-Chancellor of the University. Prof Satya Bhushan, Prof M R Puri and Prof Y R Malhotra were all from Jammu University who led it for years and quite successfully. Leave aside a few acts of omission and commission on their part. Prof R R Sharma was another academic who served the University as Vice-Chancellor for quite sometime. His conduct was more or less quite satisfactory, although he was close to the NC. He had come from Jawaharlal Nehru University. Of course, he hailed from Jammu. In between, the Jammu University had seen three more Vice-Chancellors, including J D Sharma, S C Dube and M L Lakhanpal. Though outsiders, they served the University quite well. At the same time, however, the teaching faculty never compromised their self-esteem. It remained assertive and its contribution to the meetings of the University Syndicate, University Council and Academic Council was also highly immense. To be more precise, the teaching faculty of the Jammu University used to make its presence felt everywhere.
However, things started deteriorating with the appointment of Amitabh Mattoo as Vice-Chancellor of Jammu University. He not only politicized the institution but also promoted sycophancy. He pitted teachers against teachers and he could do so because the ambitious and weak teachers willingly walked into his trap. Some teachers compromised their self-respect for foreign tours and some for out-of-turn promotions. The Jammu University Teachers Association, which used to act as the watchdog, was rendered ineffective, directionless, rudderless and leaderless. And, it all happened because the weak, meek and ambitious teachers allowed themselves to be used, misused and exploited by Mattoo. He discouraged teaching and encouraged the sycophant. For example, a number of teachers were withdrawn from their parent departments and they were assigned administrative duties. The loaves and fishes of office turned them more ambitious and the result was further deterioration.
Mattoo left the University as a disgraced person. Mattoo was replaced by Varun Sahni, who has been following in the footsteps of his predecessor and has done nothing whatever to stem the rot on the camps and bring laurels to this institution. The bulk of the faculty has also refused to change its style. It remained, and continues to remain, engrossed in petty games. The situation has reached a point where no one considers any faculty member in the Jammu University fit for the position of Vice-Chancellor. That the Government of India only recently appointed a former bureaucrat as Vice-Chancellor of the Jammu Central University is a poor reflection on the teaching faculty of Jammu University.
It is time for the Jammu University teaching faculty to sit up, retrospect and find what has gone wrong with it and why the authorities dismiss them as unsuitable and incompetent. Sahni is, it appears, on his way out. It will be seen if he is replaced by some local academician or by an outsider from JNU or elsewhere or by a former bureaucrat as it happened n the case of the Jammu Central University. It is a litmus test for the Jammu University’s teaching faculty. It is also time for the University academics to prove their worth and establish that they are none to second and that they are not just competent teachers but also able to lead the University. |
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