By H. Srikanth
In recent years, NEHU is in the news all for negative reasons. There is virtually no discussion or debate in the public domain about academic courses taught, pedagogies used in the classrooms, research undertaken, research outcomes patented, teaching and research collaborations entered, quantity and quality of faculty publications, outreach programmes initiated, intellectuals and scholars who have visited the university, talks they delivered and impact of the university on the students and the society in general. All that is there in the news is about Hill Area Special Allowance (HASA), Joint Action Committee (JAC), misdeeds of the previous VCs and declining work ethics of teachers and non-teaching employees! Who has to be blamed for this kind of negative image? Ask the JAC leaders and its followers, they blame the previous VCs, UGC and MHRD. Ask the administration and its supporters, they raise fingers at the JAC leaders. Each party is critical of the mistakes of the other, but never looks at its own contribution to the mess.
Ever since the new pay-scales came into force, there has been pressure from UGC and MHRD to withdraw HASA to the NEHU employees. But NEHU community contends that since HASA is part of the university ordinance, given in addition to the pay and other allowances, it cannot be taken away as long as the relevant ordinance is in force. The previous VC, Prof. Pramod Tandon in violation of the university ordinance took the arbitrary decision to do away with HASA by bringing the issue directly to the Executive Council, bypassing the Academic Council. Agitated by his act, the teachers and non-teaching employees came together to form JAC and fought for restoration of HASA. The prolonged agitation compelled the University administration to restore HASA. But both UGC and MHRD, which cannot question the legality of the ordinance, continued their pressure tactics, by cutting or threatening to cut the allocation of grants to the University. Prof. A.N. Rai, the previous VC, tried to use the threats to his own advantage. All these incidents once again revived the dormant JAC and gave opportunity for a section who sought to use JAC for purposes other than HASA.
HASA is an emotional issue in NEHU capable of uniting all employees – teachers as well as the non-teaching. The threat of withdrawal of HASA is enough to make everyone rally around JAC. It appears that this faith and mandate given to JAC is often misused to raise different other issues, without discussing the same in appropriate forums of the teachers and employees. Giving press statements even before informing the members; appealing for boycott of Academic Council when there was no need for such an extreme step; proposing the name of a person like Prof. Tareen, known for commercialization of higher education in Pondicherry University, as member of the search committee for the next Vice-Chancellor of NEHU, and demanding an enquiry into allegations of corruption against previous VCs ( fortunately the VCs prior to Prof. Mrinal Miri were generously spared) are some of the recent decisions taken by JAC without any discussions with the stakeholders. Some JAC leaders seem to forget that JAC is only an arm of teachers and non-teaching associations and hence before taking any important decisions, it is their duty to discuss the same first in their own respective forums. Some of its decisions have no sanction and support of all employees. One can see teachers and non-teaching employees talking against such rash decisions in the corridors and tea stalls. True, many do not dare to talk about it in public and talk to the press only in anonymity because of the fear of being branded as anti-employees and pro-administration.
It is however, unfair to criticize only the JAC for the declining academic environment. Some of the extreme steps taken by JAC leaders are often reactions to the manner in which the previous VCs have been handling the University matters. Vice-Chancellors are supposed to be the leaders, who through their intellectual superiority, moral integrity, organizational abilities and academic vision inspire and direct the university community to pursue the objectives for which the university is established. The universities cannot be run only through administrative dictates or through select cronies. VCs should be able to communicate, convince and carry, if not everyone, at least the majority of the stakeholders with them. They should respect the University statutes and ordinances and be sensitive to the concerns of its employees. They should not get entangled in corrupt practices and ensure transparency and fairness in all their dealings. Unfortunately, the previous two VCs could not rise up to the stature and lost the confidence of the employees. Thus, in a way, the absence of inspiring and capable VCs is primarily responsible for the declining academic standards and work ethics in the university.
Because of the deadlock between the previous VCs and the JAC, the environment in the University is considerably vitiated. The earlier VCs and some JAC leaders seek complete loyalty and cannot tolerate even constructive criticism. They expect the members toe their lines of thinking faithfully, without any questions. The logic that if you are not with me, it means you are with the enemy, runs deep in the University. Naturally everyone is compelled to take sides, criticize only the other’s follies and defend or hide one’s own mistakes or limitations. Anyone who dares to criticize the excesses of both the administration and the JAC will be viewed as a suspect, not to be trusted. Such an environment of suspicion and mistrust is not conducive for rational discussions or self-criticism.
How to get out of this mess? What should be done to restore trust and confidence among all stake-holders? Who should do what to ensure that the University community address more relevant issues other than or apart from HASA, corruption, and court cases? What kind of leadership is needed for ensuring that NEHU fulfils the mandate for which it has come into existence? These are some of the questions that need to be debated by all stakeholders, including the press and the public. In a way, unceremonious exit of Prof. A.N. Rai is a blessing in disguise. Good to see that Prof. P. Shukla, the officiating VC, has taken some corrective measures to diffuse the tensions and win over the trust and confidence of the employees. It is time for JAC to become sensitive to the public opinion and realize its limits. In addition to condemning the dissenters, JAC leaders should also introspect why the public opinion, as evident from the ST poll survey, is against them. On their part, UGC and MHRD should stop provoking the NEHU employees and talking about budgetary cuts, as long as the ordinance permitting HASA is in force. More than anything else, to put the University on the right track, it is necessary that NEHU gets a worthy and capable person as new full-time VC at the earliest. Hope, there is light at the end of the tunnel.