Autonomy and KU
Ghanshyam Bhatt
The academia is largely responsible for bringing the change about in any society by training untrained people, creating knowledge, teaching larger and larger cohort of general population, producing the mankind of the need and stimulating economic growth. It has deep impact on the environmental, social and economic sector of the society. It is a challenging task to make the institution of higher educations progressive, qualitative and fruitful but what is more challenging is to keep their academia updated and dedicated and of course included for the institution they work for. Our experience shows that academia has always been ruled by incapable and autocratic administrators as a result in the time of intense and rapid growth of higher education our infrastructure for higher education system is virtually broken. Of course this refers to a recent statement made by KUPA members.
It’s becoming increasingly clear that there are flaws in KU’s administration. A very healthy and clear academia must be in place if the mission of higher education is to create fair, sustainable and healthy society where everyone has values. Academia in conflicting relationship with their administrator can never be productive. The incompetent and autocratic administrators, poor leadership and their instruction, lack of faculty involvement in governance, lack of academic freedom and remuneration are a few things that deteriorate the quality of education and have deep implication on the quality of higher education itself. If the academia is to follow the orders and instruction of their incompetent administrators as well as their relatives, what king of academic freedom does it provide? Doesn’t it create lack of trust between the academia and the administrators? Doesn’t it create further chaos in the institution? UGC’s not being be clear on issues of faculty growth, research and promotion making academia self-reflective about their roles and responsibilities has given some people extra right to interpret the hiring and promotion according to their wish.
Addressing the challenges of academia is a huge hurdle but it must be a focus of our concerned authorities in the coming days. UGC needs to be clearer in issues of hiring, promotion and funds allocation. If the academic profession remains alienated from the institutional leadership and from current changes in the higher education, it is very unlikely that the goals of higher education can be achieved. If you exclude academia from decision making, hiring, promotion, and if your accounts are not transparent, there are going to be voices.
When you say why can’t we be Sadhus? Why don’t we have autonomy? Why can’t we change our higher education system, respected Sir, I am fully with you. However I don't know for sure whether you are pretending as if you don't know or you really don't know. My answer would be "are you putting blame on the others?” doesn't sound good, does it, Sir? You can surely ask for autonomy, but how much of it you are willing to share with the people that work under you? You can always blame others for not providing you with the adequate level of support but what have you done to the people who work hard for you under your leadership? You can definitely compare yourself with a Sadhu (or Sadhu Yadav), it’s totally up to you, sir, but not at the cost of others. For someone being in office for over a decade, having total authority for promotion and hiring, employment for kith and kin, riding luxury vehicles, pardon me Sir, I fail to understand what autonomy means.
Finally I agree with you, sir, yes we need to change our higher education system, but before you try to change others, don't you have to change yourself?
The bottom line is "We can't expect others to understand our problems if we, ourselves, fail to do so”. How are you going to change others if you are unwilling to change yourself? KUPA's statement didn't come for no reason Sir. It's cool to hunt someone down, but what about being hunted?
Respected Sir, the bottom line is,“Respect others if you want to be respected !”
The academia is largely responsible for bringing the change about in any society by training untrained people, creating knowledge, teaching larger and larger cohort of general population, producing the mankind of the need and stimulating economic growth. It has deep impact on the environmental, social and economic sector of the society. It is a challenging task to make the institution of higher educations progressive, qualitative and fruitful but what is more challenging is to keep their academia updated and dedicated and of course included for the institution they work for. Our experience shows that academia has always been ruled by incapable and autocratic administrators as a result in the time of intense and rapid growth of higher education our infrastructure for higher education system is virtually broken. Of course this refers to a recent statement made by KUPA members.
It’s becoming increasingly clear that there are flaws in KU’s administration. A very healthy and clear academia must be in place if the mission of higher education is to create fair, sustainable and healthy society where everyone has values. Academia in conflicting relationship with their administrator can never be productive. The incompetent and autocratic administrators, poor leadership and their instruction, lack of faculty involvement in governance, lack of academic freedom and remuneration are a few things that deteriorate the quality of education and have deep implication on the quality of higher education itself. If the academia is to follow the orders and instruction of their incompetent administrators as well as their relatives, what king of academic freedom does it provide? Doesn’t it create lack of trust between the academia and the administrators? Doesn’t it create further chaos in the institution? UGC’s not being be clear on issues of faculty growth, research and promotion making academia self-reflective about their roles and responsibilities has given some people extra right to interpret the hiring and promotion according to their wish.
Addressing the challenges of academia is a huge hurdle but it must be a focus of our concerned authorities in the coming days. UGC needs to be clearer in issues of hiring, promotion and funds allocation. If the academic profession remains alienated from the institutional leadership and from current changes in the higher education, it is very unlikely that the goals of higher education can be achieved. If you exclude academia from decision making, hiring, promotion, and if your accounts are not transparent, there are going to be voices.
When you say why can’t we be Sadhus? Why don’t we have autonomy? Why can’t we change our higher education system, respected Sir, I am fully with you. However I don't know for sure whether you are pretending as if you don't know or you really don't know. My answer would be "are you putting blame on the others?” doesn't sound good, does it, Sir? You can surely ask for autonomy, but how much of it you are willing to share with the people that work under you? You can always blame others for not providing you with the adequate level of support but what have you done to the people who work hard for you under your leadership? You can definitely compare yourself with a Sadhu (or Sadhu Yadav), it’s totally up to you, sir, but not at the cost of others. For someone being in office for over a decade, having total authority for promotion and hiring, employment for kith and kin, riding luxury vehicles, pardon me Sir, I fail to understand what autonomy means.
Finally I agree with you, sir, yes we need to change our higher education system, but before you try to change others, don't you have to change yourself?
The bottom line is "We can't expect others to understand our problems if we, ourselves, fail to do so”. How are you going to change others if you are unwilling to change yourself? KUPA's statement didn't come for no reason Sir. It's cool to hunt someone down, but what about being hunted?
Respected Sir, the bottom line is,“Respect others if you want to be respected !”
3 comments:
Dr. Bhatt,
Thanks for nice blog. You are absolutely right that the choice is his; whether he wants to be a real sadhu or Sadhu Yadav of Bihar.
But, recent incidents in KU show that Dr. Suresh Raj has preferred to become Sadhu Yadav in the garb of fighter for autonomy. And "autonomy" of Suresh Raj means;
(1) Allow fake certificates to enroll and graduate from KU.
(2) Allow fake bootlicker friends of his daughter to continue beyond required duration and graduate in KU.
(3) Allow underserving relatives to enroll and graduate from KU.
(4) Allow bootlickers like Dr. Pushpa and Dr.Bhadra to secure double salary.
(5) Allow long time companion Dr. Sitaram to retire without due investigation in his dubious deals.
(6) Perpetrate heinous criminal activities in KU premises by letting notorious criminals to storm KU premise.
(7) Allow noted mandales to rechristian them as advocates of Academic Freedom.
(8)Plot personal,professional and physical attacks against righteous voices against his continuation in KU.
(9)Allow his nepotistic regime and supporters of this regime to thrive on paid study leave, double leave, triple leave.
(10)Allow his car dealers to be graduate of KU.
(11) Try to hunt others while weeping in front of mass for being hunted.
Hunt that crap!
Universities need autonomy but this autonomy should not be a carte blanche to nepotistic, corrupt and rowdy elements like Dr. Suresh Raj. If Nepal government does allow Suresh Raj to continue, then the government must know that it is not autonomy.
Rather, government should immidiately fire and constitute an inquiry commission to probe into irregularities in KU. Yeah, along with Suresh Raj, the government must fire Mukunda also.
KUPA needs to investigate use of fake certificate from Bihar by authorities of KU in getting admission for their brother/sister/son/daughter in KU.
Dhital
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