Growing City 8212; Chandigarh

It was love at first sight,'' says Ranjit Singh, a final year student at P.E.C. about Chandigarh, when he first landed here to pursue h...

8220;It was love at first sight,8221; says Ranjit Singh, a final year student at P.E.C. about Chandigarh, when he first landed here to pursue his higher studies. Chandigarh has the best facilities available for higher studies; about one and a half dozen educational institutions imparting higher education, a highly qualified faculty, well equipped labs and libraries, freedom of movement8230;.

What else does a student dream of while planning for higher education. This dream propels thousands of students, every year to come to this city in pursuit of higher education. 8220;The affair is over now8221;, adds Ranjit. This sentiment is echoed by a large number of students, studying in different educational institutions, all over the city. Their aspirations have not been fulfilled by this 8220;dream city8221;.

Though everyone agrees that this city has an excellent infrastructure for education, but, 8220;There is a total lack of classroom culture8221;, rues Meet Sharma, a P.U. student. Work culture is non existent. This structured classroom teaching stifles the creativity of the student. Also, there exists a wide gap between the teaching methods and the method of writing exams.

Teachers on their part are complacent, detached and uninspiring. They tend to maintain a 8220;respectable distance8221; from students, which has taken toll of teacher-student relationship. Though provisions exist for extra curricular activities, but they have been reduced to mere rituals. Hardly any effort is made to encourage a student to take part in these activities.

There is little help available regarding career counseling. Job placement cells are non-existent. The lack of job market in and around Chandigarh has further aggravated the situation. Another shortcoming is with regard to the non-availability of psychologists or counselors on campuses to guide the students with their psychological problems, which are increasing day by day.

Girls students hostellers are placed under dusk to dawn curfew. Their staying late in the labs, libraries is discouraged. It is painful to admit that despite having some of the best facilities and a good faculty; university and colleges breed mental stagnation, intellectual sterility, complacency and mediocrity. It is for this reason that these institutions fail to leave any positive effect on the personality of the students.

The aspirations of the students can only be fulfilled if there exists a will on the part of authorities and teachers. There is a need to make classroom education more inspiring and interactive. Discussions, seminars and other tools of teaching be employed apart from lecture system to develop the critical faculties of students. Teacher8217;s evaluation by his student would bring more accountability into the system.

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Our campuses ought to have a distinct culture of their own, which could wean students from 8220;gheri routes8221; markets and cinemas. It is only this environment and culture on the campuses that could make this city a 8220;dream8221; city for the students.

The writer i s a student of post graduation at Punjab University, Chandigarh.