Faculty of Social Work in MSU decides to eliminate field tours, sparks row

The rationale submitted by the faculty, with the proposal to eliminate the tours, stated, “Considering the lack of staff members in the faculty… four faculty coordinators are required for the rural camp – two each for MSW and MHRM programmes… With the increase in the number of students in both MSW and MHRM courses, it becomes a challenge for the faculty members to identify modest and suitable accommodation and travel arrangements for both boys and girls… the coordinators face a lot of challenges in identifying and seeking permissions from the agencies to permit students for the visits… as well as behavioural issues among the students.”

The Rural Camp Exposure is 2 credit assignment, where first-year students of MSW and MHRM programmes are expected to stay 8 to 10 days in rural areas of Gujarat. The study tour exposure is about 8 to 10 days of visits to other metro cities.

The students are expected to visit and understand the functioning of different organisations rendering their services in social work and human resources, such as industrial, hospitality, medical and psychiatric as well as correctional organisations. Both the rural camp and the study tour exposure require the expenses of travel, accommodation, food and other necessary arrangements to be borne by the students.

Demanding the resignation of Dean Bhavna Mehta, Senate member Kapil Joshi said, “From the six-point observation of the faculty members while proposing the elimination of the field trips, which form the essence of the course of social work, it is clear that it is the inefficiency of the faculty that has led to this decision.”

“If the faculty is not able to handle the increased number of students, they should have restricted the numbers right in the beginning. But they admitted 450 students, more than they were equipped for and are now taking away the most important aspect of the course and toying with the careers of the students. Can a student learn social work without going on a rural study tour,” he asked. Joshi shot down the argument of the faculty on logistical challenges. “This faculty has been in existence since 1951 and it is one of the best-known institutions for social work. In 1951, there were only two buses going to Mumbai from Vadodara but in an age where transportation is not an issue even in remotest of places and accommodations can be booked online, the reasons given by the dean are frivolous. The only logistical issue is that the faculty has no staff. The dean should tender her resignation.”

When contacted, Mehta said the changes had been effected as per the requirement of the New Education Policy (NEP). “With changing time, we have to change the module to cater to the suggestions of employers, who employ our students. The changes are in line with the NEP… Study tours and rural camps are now optional and will not be graded. On the other hand, we have introduced summer internships and block placement compulsorily. This will give them more experience and exposure in the field as well as working in organisations.”

Mehta added that since students of MSW and MHRM usually opt for placements in organisations, the faculty’s decision is more “advantageous” for their careers. She said, “In the second and fourth semesters, students are required to put in 225 hours of rural area exposure. Under the new module of summer internships, the students will have direct work experience in a corporate social responsibility (CSR) set-up or even at a development institution, which would ultimately require them to be on the field. This is where our students take up jobs… as human resource managers or labour officers or in CSR, which is the need of time… Those who are criticising the decision are misrepresenting facts.”