Editor,
In his article, “Why such haste in implementing NEP2020 at the UG level (ST Aug 9, 2023), Prof Kma voiced his strong disagreements at, “faculty that are spreading wrong information about having lesser number of papers under UG under the current Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) compared to other universities.” While respecting Prof Kma’s right to oppose the immediate implementation of NEP in our colleges from this session, I place the following clarifications to his comments in paragraph 12 of the above article.
In my article in this paper Is the poor quality of the undergraduate curriculum in Meghalaya hindering students’ achievement (ST July 3 2023) I’ve compared the numbers of papers in UG courses in colleges affiliated to NEHU to show that while we teach only 8 honours papers, colleges in other states cover 14 core papers (excluding discipline electives) which is as per UGC Minimum Course Curriculum For Undergraduate Courses Under CBCS of 2016. There is nothing factually wrong in what I’ve shared and compared and the writer has not placed evidence to the contrary, except to say that we should not compare the “number of papers but the quantum and content of syllabi that matters.” I leave it to our esteemed readers to ponder as to how the NEHU UG programme can still maintain its standard even as we are covering only half of the main/honours papers taught compared to other UG programme, and whether this does not but put our graduates at a disadvantage in competitive exams.
Prof. Kma further questions why the issue of following the CBCS was not raised earlier by “such faculty” in the academic council (AC) of NEHU. The answer to this is that, unfortunately, some of us became members of the AC of NEHU only a few years back and not for over a decade. However, I must admit that personally, I became aware of the disadvantage of not following the CBCS in recent years and I wrote about it in the ST in 2022 in an article Undergraduate Reforms for Meghalaya, well before this debate on NEP implementation in our colleges exploded in recent months. I wish I had taken up the matter much earlier in the interest of our students.
The statement by the writer questioning the logic of raising the issue of implementation of CBCS now when, as he puts it “…the CBCS is almost out of the curriculum” is not clear to me. The syllabi of both UG and PG courses passed by NEHU as per NEP 2020 and UGC Curriculum and Credit Framework for UG Programme are very much based on CBCS with the added feature of flexibility and innovation.
However, the most disturbing sentence in the write-up of my respected friend and colleague is when he alludes that the call by some faculty for the implementation of the new curriculum structure at the UG level is being done as a “proxy to someone”. To this malicious accusation, I say: Let us not cast aspersions on others but strive to improve our arguments (with due apologies to the venerated Desmond TuTu who said: Don’t raise your voice, improve your argument). With malice toward none!
Yours etc.,
Sumarbin Umdor,
Via email
The Unqualified Bunch
Editor,
After so many revelations from primary stakeholders and concerned and careful citizens, especially those with first hand information about the ins and outs of the NEHU Academic Council, at least in relation to the present scenario, it is quite clear that two things are evident: that the actions of the NEHU Vice Chancellor are indeed shameful and outrightly despotic; and that the implementation of the NEP, at least in Meghalaya, under NEHU, will end up with unqualified teachers and instructors.
In this market oriented and commercialised world almost everything is up for sale, the key words here being “almost everything”. There are a few things that should remain off the shelf since one of their most essential nature of such exceptions is that they are unpurchasable. Without coming out with a long list, I would like to point out here only a few of such things that pertain to the issue at hand. Moral Integrity is the first value to be considered. When society fails to recognise wrongs committed, it loses its bearings; not necessarily at one go but with sure installments, for the slope of moral compromise is a steep and slippery one. Sympathising with the VC and his excesses is a sure and steady “YES” to a moral compromise! Secondly, professional integrity is the second value to be considered. The article of a very outspoken and prominent, and even brave NEHU professor, Professor Kma, published in your newspaper have highlighted and brought to the public domain facts that would equip the reader with enough information, which if honestly and sincerely considered would enable the reader to take a firm moral stance for the sake of professional ethics.
From these fine revelations and from statements issued by the MCTA it can be seen that there was TOTAL DISREGARD for institutions and procedures which have been put in place for the purpose of ensuring that we here do things methodologically and in a civilised, orderly manner: upholding the rule of law carrying out duties in a civilised society and by civilised individuals. Consideration for the downtrodden is another value that should never find a place on the shelves. The indifferent and callous nature of the VC has affected students, especially those from the less privileged sections. During admissions many people struggled to pay the fees, and that too in colleges with fee structures that wouldn’t even pinch the middle class families of Shillong, and this was before any notification from NEHU regarding the implementation of NEP. What will happen to those families and students when the additional fees to service the additional papers be required? They never planned for this outrageous surprise! If the interests of those at the margins of society are not taken into consideration, what does that say of our society? And what does that even say about teachers who are complaining against their own Association?
The last unpurchasable item, at least in our discussion here, is intellectual integrity. Intellectual integrity has always walked hand in hand with all the aforementioned items on our shortlist. An intellectual is not a technician or a technocrat! With no intention to offend technicians who have their own roles to play, I would like to remind here that an intellectual is not a Yes-man who is given a list of things to be done and goes about doing them as per instructions from the higher ranks of the machinery! Without independent and critical thinking where would society be: and it is a truth that Gandhi himself was a staunch critique of blind and mechanical obedience. It is for this highly moral and noble role that teachers play that fascist regimes, especially the nazis, made professors, and also journalists, the first targets to be taken out of the way or won over, so as to make it more convenient for them to take over Germany.
Blindly and obediently following orders would mean that there would be no opposition to the VC’s diktats, and the VC would have his way. There would be no inconveniences and insults hurled at teachers who are standing with their Association, the MCTA; and it should also mean that chapters on Justice, Liberty, Equality and Democracy should be struck out of the syllabus, but most important it would also mean that students will be left with unqualified teachers to teach and service the different courses of the NEP. True, teachers would have their MA and NET Certificates, PhDs and their long list of publications, but with regards to unpurchasable values, they will have none, rendering them the most unqualified bunch!
Yours etc.,
Obadiah Lamshwa Lamare,
Via email