Growing City

Strikes in colleges have become a routine phenomenon today. Halcyon days of colleges are over now. Be it any blind alley, the first and f...

Strikes in colleges have become a routine phenomenon today. Halcyon days of colleges are over now. Be it any blind alley, the first and foremost choice is strike8217;. Due to this, the academic work is haplessly in the doldrums.

This session has a unique distinction of having the lowest number of academic days. Earlier this session, the strike was by the teaching staff. The outcome was a delayed start of the academic session. When the colleges started, there was an unprecedented rushing through the syllabus in order to make up for the lost time. Who was the scape goat ? Of course, the students.

At present, the recent strike by almost all the colleges of the city stands unaccounted and unjustified. There is a petty and lame excuse for the strike. G.C Sector. 11 students wanted the termination of the President, for which they even sat for a hunger strike. To show solidarity towards their compatriots, the rest of the colleges also went ahead for complete no-teaching.

Kudos to the various student associations, who instead of abhorring this nefarious chasm reciprocated in an attire befitting to malign the so-called purpose of association.

Chandigarh is an educational abode for students of North India, barring Delhi. In the yesteryears, the city has made a niche for itself by the virtues of educational standards and glorious results. Such hindrances towards academic work will do more harm than just spoiling the repute of the city. A thing to which the students are oblivious is the fact that ultimately it8217;s they who have to pay for all this in the long run. Colleges and teachers will stand where they are.

Included in the losers are students from poor backgrounds who cannot afford even a single-day shut-down of the college. Who is accountable for them ? The so-called Richi-Rich8217;s at first spend colossal amounts on elections and when elected, play fast and loose with students. The vent to this money can be given by helping their class-mates with providing books etc. Calling for strikes on a particular date are not the deeds of a leader, anybody can do that ! But when it comes to ensure regular teaching work, only a few will turn-up.

Strikes are a stigma. Already much has been done to tarnish and corrode the relics of the educational system. Let students not become a party to it. One must come out of politicising the precincts of learning. Students should understand the immense loss which is caused in education and nation-building. Organisations eulogising this vice must be discarded and kicked to the bin. Remember, academics is not a matter of bargain. There is no place for individual vendetta. Else, this will yield nothing but a few men of straw and days to repent !

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The writer is a B.A II student of S.D College, Chandigarh.