It is the duty of students to organize themselves in unions to kill their professors. Teachers are to be ridiculed and routinely abused. In Madhya Pradesh violent student union leaders mauled a professor to death for protesting their political rowdiness. Now the Supreme Court of India has asked students whether they come to colleges to study or to do the bidding of senior, mostly illiterate, politicians. And in the characteristic anti-intellectualism prevalent in the so called intellectual circles of our nation, students have shown resentment at the judgment. The students’ union of the prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru University at Delhi has also declared that they care two hoots for the Supreme Court’s advice. The apex court was commenting on a review of the Lyngdoh Committee report on college unions. The Committee had asked that there be only cultural unions in colleges and politicking be kept outside college campuses. It had also recommended limiting monetary inputs in such elections. And in this capping of funds lies the main source of all the anger of students. The Hindu has details on the displeasure of the judges. Justices Arijit Pasayat and L K Panta, were hearing the counsel for the National Students Union of India (NSUI), the student wing of the Congress.

Like most organized bodies in our country, students by and large have forgotten to think. They attend classes for attendance’s sake. In fact the union leaders dislike the idea of having to attend even 75% classes. They cite their important status and the consequent extra-academic duties that burden their lives to not leave much time for studies. Students hardly realize they are just political fodder for unscrupulous politicians. Who loses the most if political unions are banned in colleges? The answer is simple to the point of being missed. If we were to become really educated then who would vote for the present rung of Indian leaders? So, by silent tact the politicians of India have found out spacious excuses to provoke students against this Supreme Court advisory. They argue that unions train the youth to become future leaders. The logic subtly hints that all time-wasters will naturally become leaders when they graduate. This is political pandering at its best. Also the money that goes into a college election is outside the scope of formal audit. This sustains those who have no other source of income except preying on the education system. A cursory glance at the photos of many student union leaders show aged faces who can no way be students anymore. These elements want the money.

One other argument is trumpeted by politicians. They point out that many of today’s leaders were the student union leaders of yesteryears. This is exactly what we all fear. Look what those past student union leaders have done to the country when now they are mainstream politicians. They had once wasted their parents’ money and now they coolly waste our hard-earned tax money. Old habits die hard.

Via: The Hindu

Image: Thewe